I decided to quit smoking cigarettes today.

[Mutley]

I'm done. Finished. I'm sick of spending half of my money on cigarettes and hyperventilating every time I walk up a couple flights of stairs. No more! I don't even know why I started this stupid habit in the first place. :banghead:

So everyone please forgive me if I get a bit bitchy during the next week or so. To be honest, I think it's starting already. :P

[EstimatedProphet]

1. Good for you!

Keep at it and you will quit! However, keep in mind that it's really hard until about day 3-after that the cravings begin to get better.

[Mutley]

2. Okay. Three days.

I can do this!!

I've quit other stuff!

Thanks EP. :hug:

[EstimatedProphet]

11. That's the spirit!

[swimboy]

3. That's a great decision. You can bitch directly at me all you want!

Good luck with your resolve!

:loveya:

[Mutley]

5. Thank you, swimboy.

:loveya:

And be careful what you wish for, 'cause you just might get it. :P

[skygazer]

4. Great decision! Congratulations!

Yes, you can do it and you'll be thankful you did. Try your best not to dwell on it, keep your mind occupied with other things and remember you've got a lot of support here.

Good for you! :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[Mutley]

7. Thanks, skygazer.

I figure this is a good time because I have a lot to do in the next few weeks and I won't have too much time to brood about wanting a cigarette.

You guys are the best! :bounce:

[miss_american_pie]

6. Good for you

You can do it! :woohoo:

[Mutley]

8. I can!

I will!

I must!

:hug: Thanks.

[Hugin]

9. Me too, mutley...

I've been off of the burning weed for a little over a week and
a half.

*cough*

The hack gets a little worse at first as your vital organs push
out all the crap.

[Mutley]

10. Oh good. We can be quitting buddies!

:hug:

I'm ready for the hacking. It'll mean I'm getting better. :D

[Hugin]

16. Who gets the first punch?

or would you prefer to take it out on everyone else?

No, really... The crabbiness hasn't been a problem for me.
I'm suffering from the lack of concentration, tho.



Maybe, I should spend the day posting in GD? ;)

[Mutley]

18. It may be better if we just wail on each other.

At least we'll both understand why. :P

I think the crabbiness will be an issue for me. But I'm going to do my best not to let it take over.

GD sounds like a good idea.... :evilgrin:

[tjwmason]

12. Good for you.

:yourock: :woohoo: :thumbsup:

You can manage to push through this.

[Mutley]

13. Thanks Tj.

:hug:

:yourock: too.

[SteppingRazor]

14. Quitter!!

:smoke:

[Mutley]

15. You will never shake my resolve!

[SteppingRazor]

17. Fine then! More sweet, delicious, cancer-inducing coffin nails for me!

:P

[Mutley]

19. You're welcome to them.

:P

'Cause I can't take it anymore. :mad: :D :mad: :D

[CaliforniaPeggy]

20. Atta girl, my dear mutley!

Kick that nasty habit all the way across the country!

You can do it!

Your life will thank you.....it probably already has!

Your food will taste better, and everything will smell better too....

Major props to you! We've got your back, baby!


:yourock: :bounce: :bounce: :toast: :toast: :yourock:

[Mutley]

24. Thanks, Peggy!

:hug: :loveya:

[billyskank]

21. I didn't know you smoked in the first place

But good for you! :bounce:

If I may offer some advice that I found helpful - try not to think things like "no more cigarettes ever," or "I have smoked my last cigarette." Finalities like that can just freak you out.

When you think about it, you cannot control the future anyway because it hasn't happened yet. All you have to do is concentrate on not having a smoke right now. If you can do this and just let time pass, you will find the hours turn into days, the days into weeks, and before long you will realise that a significant amount of time has passed since you last thought about cigarettes. When you come to that point, I think you have broken the back of it.

Above all, good luck! :hug: :loveya:

[Mutley]

25. I didn't exactly advertise it.

:P

You used to smoke? I didn't know that, either.

Okay. Just right now. I did that when I quit other things and it's worked so far. It'll work for this too.

Thank you, billy. You're wonderful! :hug: :loveya:

One of these days I'll be rid of all my vices. :P

[billyskank]

26. I last smoked a ciggie in March 2003.

:bounce:

[Mutley]

29. Congratulations!

:hug: :bounce: :hug: :woohoo:

Next, you can help me give up meat. :P

[billyskank]

30. I found that one surprisingly easy

the trick is to make your vegetarian food as tasty as possible! Then you don't miss the meat. ;)

:hug:

[Mutley]

32. My stepmother didn't eat meat for five years..

and she would make the best stuff. She made this vegetarian enchillada that was to die for. I gotta get the recipe.

But one bad habit at a time here!

:hug:

[azmouse]

22. It's the best decision you've ever made.

Congrats and best wishes on improving the quality of your life and health.
You know you can always call on all of us at DU any time the going gets tough. :hug:

[Mutley]

27. Thank you.

And I will. I'll post a bitch thread if it starts to become too much for me. :P :hug:

[coffeenap]

23. Excellent idea! I did it cold turkey 17 years ago. When we really

mean it, it isn't as bad as we imagine. Determination is the answer. Good luck! (A friend of mine filled a jar every day with the money she used to spend on cigs and after about 2 months had enough for plane fare to Europe!) Best wishes.

[Mutley]

28. That's a brilliant idea.

I've been dying to take a trip to Europe just about all of my life anyway. Not to mention the extra incentive will help tremendously.

[Haole Girl]

31. You'll feel so much better.

Hang in there through the withdrawal period...it's rough, but
just remember--millions of people have done it before you!

[Mutley]

33. Ha!

That's the ticket. Get me with the firehose every time I think about it. :P

Thanks. :hug:

[MissMillie]

34. FANTASTIC

you won't regret it.

It will get difficult sometimes, but you know the only sure way to stop the cravings for good is to NOT SMOKE.

There's some good people over at www.quitnet.com who will be happy to commiserate with you.

[Mutley]

37. Thanks for the link.

I can use all the support I can get.

:hug:

[Ariana Celeste]

35. That's awesome!

I just completed week 6, myself! I made a final decision to quit, and did it cold turkey- I still don't know how I got that willpower! Anyways I already feel so much better, and I started exercising again. It's easier to wake up in the morning, easier to play with my dog. Life is just better.

Good luck!! :hug: :toast:

[Mutley]

39. I'm looking forward to life being better.

I've been through a lot of crap recently, and I just want to turn around the things that are within my control so I can feel better in general.

Thanks! :hug: :toast:

[deadparrot]

36. Good luck, mutley!

Here's some encouragement if you get down: http://www.no-smoking.org/april00/04-12-00-4.htm

[Mutley]

40. Ooo! Another good link.

Thanks, deadparrot. :hug:

[Left Is Write]

38. Woohoo! Good for you!

:bounce:

:bounce:

Let me know if you need any moral support. I'm coming up on eight years smoke-free.

[Mutley]

41. Congrats!

It is nice to hear tales of success at this whole quiting ordeal. :bounce:

[GOPFighter]

42. My co-worker quit two weeks ago

He's beginning to feel he's got it licked now.

GOOD LUCK!

[Mutley]

46. Two weeks, eh?

That's not too bad. I worry about months and months of agony. :P

Thanks!

[F.Gordon]

43. Excellent!!!

It's rough. At least for me. I couldn't have picked a worst time to quit smoking but I'm told that's a good thing. :eyes:

The mood thing is largely the nicotine withdrawal kickin' in. Pick up some Gum or the Patch. It'll give you a nicotine buzz and take the edge off.

Some other tips...

Get some Cinnamon Altoids. When the urge to light up is great pop a few Altoids. The Cinnamon is a strong flavor and really helps with the oral thing.

More tips...

Another thing to do when you get the urge is to STOP, relax, and take several deep breaths. Another tip.. go do something to take your mind off it. If you get stressed and convince yourself that you need a cig'... stop and get a pen and paper ... try to think of something else you can do to relieve the stress and write it down. Something like... go take some pixies. ;-)

If you read in the National News about some crazed mad man driving around the Denver area running ANY car/suv/pickup with a * 04 sticker on it off the road you'll know it didn't go so good for me.
:evilgrin:

Good luck... I know you can do it.
:hi:

[Mutley]

47. F.Gordon, your post elicits such a multitude of emotional responses in me.

:rofl: :mad: :rofl: :bounce: :toast: :banghead: :rofl:

:P

Anyway. You're going through it too, eh? Taking pixies is a great idea, as I could use a lot more practice with that anyway. I definately need some gum or altoids or something; I have a powerful oral fixation that was around even before I started smoking. You can do it, too! :hug: :hi:

[Cathyclysmic]

44. Congrats!

Beast man and I have quit several times and it never gets easier. :banghead: It sucks. People should get medals for quitting.

[Mutley]

49. I'd like to get paid for quitting.

:P

[station agent]

45. Get my girlfriend to quit too

She's a house on fire over there. I love her, but the cancer treatments are gonna be emotional.

[Mutley]

51. Unfortunately, no one could tell her to quit.

If I could have a dollar for every person who has tried to convince me to quit I wouldn't need to quit, 'cause I'd be mad super rich. :P

She will one day when she gets sick of it like I did. :hug:

[kwassa]

48. Best decision I ever made was to quit smoking.

and it has now been 22 years since I quit, after smoking 2.5 packs of Marlboros a day for about 14 years.

You can do it!!!!!!

[Mutley]

52. Thanks!

:hug:

Wow, that's a lot of cigarettes. Thankfully I've never seen more than a pack a day myself.

[barb162]

50. good for you!!!!!!!!!

[Mutley]

53. Thanks, barb!

:hug: