# Quitting smoking



## LeftyFretz (Feb 12, 2011)

I know there has to be other nicotine fiends on here so I'm asking for some support because a lot of my friends at home smoke and I don't want to bug any work people and my parents just laugh whenever I bring it up. But hey, I think it's time to try to quit again. I'm up to almost a pack a day to stay in my comfort zone because of this past stressful week and it's just getting ridiculous again. It's lost its charm a while ago and I'm just sick of being sick of it. I know how tough it's going to be because it's been over 7 years now (22 years old as well, Christ..). I might just check into this day by day until I feel comfortable with my progress before I cut this forum out of my life as well. 

So yeah enough o' thot. Anyone else have any quitting stories they want to share? Anyone want to quit as well? Bring it! 



-Me


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## Slogger (Dec 14, 2010)

When I wanted to quit I went to Shick Shadel to see how they helped people quit smoking and drinking. They use aversion therapy which is basically retraining your brain to associate cigarattes/booze with an immediate, unpleasant reaction. 

Like for smoking they put you in this room filled with cigarette ads, nasty pictures of rotting lungs, and tables full of stinky, overflowing ashtrays, and give you a cigarette. They hook up electrodes to your arm so that every time you take a drag you get an unpleasant shock. Also, they tell you not to always inhale, but to hold the smoke in your mouth sometimes, which tastes yucky.

The plan sounded reasonable, but in 1989 it was around $500, which was a chunk of change. I decided I'd give myself three more months to quit, and if I couldn't do it I'd do their program.

So I made my own little shock box with a 555 timer circuit, a small transformer, and a 9 V battery. After just a few days of using it, I was able to quit smoking for good, after smoking about a pack a day for more than 10 years.

It also helped to be in situations where smoking didn't fit. The same year I quit I trained for and rode a charity bike ride for the Lung Association. It was a blast, and when I told people I just quit smoking they were really jazzed and so supportive.

Sounds like you are ready to quit, you just need a little kick. Maybe snap yourself with a rubber band everytime you take a drag or something. I wonder if there's something you can put in your mouth that makes cigarette smoke taste like crap?

Anyway, good luck, and remember: Every cigarette you enjoy makes it harder to quit. Quit now!


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## LeftyFretz (Feb 12, 2011)

Decided my quit date is going to be 7/5 because I get a weird weekend from work and tomorrow is my Friday. My real concern is not being able to focus at work/preoccupied with it because I can't make even a tiny mistake or ya know, bad things happen. 

Thanks for the post, that system sounds a bit too gnarly but you gotta do what you gotta do. Only had 5 today regardless and don't plan on having anymore before I go to bed. Which was manageable. Not concerned with the weight gain because I'm pretty active to begin with.

Last time I quit just smoking I substituted with snus a few years ago. I found that to work pretty well because snus is absorbed a lot slower so the cravings last a little longer but aren't as bad. Like, I never got the feeling of "I needz snus NAOO". But the plans for nicotine in general so that's not an option this time.


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## Reinvented (Apr 25, 2011)

I quit about a month ago. I didn't use any nicotine replacement like patches or anything. The things that helped me the most were regular chewing gum (like 10 pieces a day), exercise, and keeping busy.

I gradually broke each individual smoking habit over a couple of weeks. For example I started by not having a smoke at lunch break at work. Then I stopped smoking at work all together. Then I stopped smoking after each meal. Then I stopped having a smoke before bed. Eventually I decided to go a whole day without smoking and by the following day I didn't want to start all over again so I just quit for good. I haven't looked back since.

I hope this is helpful to somebody. Cheers.


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## esboy (Jun 28, 2011)

That's pretty good anthony And i agree to you,,,,its better to stop smoking and just keep on doing busy things or eating chewing gum cause that may help you in quitting smoke...


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## She (Jun 30, 2010)

I don't regularly smoke, but just wanted to add that my boyfriend, who had been smoking for 10 years +, recently gave up smoking with the help of a drug called champix (I think?). He said it just made him not want to smoke and you can still smoke for a little while while you are taking it so you can just sort of reduce your cigarettes instead of suddenly stopping. Just thought I'd put that out there. Good luck though!


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## Brokenxx (Jul 11, 2011)

I'm 24 and have been smoking about 10 years, I doubt at this point in my life I have the will power to stop


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## scriabin221 (Nov 16, 2008)

Nine year smoker here. I recently quit, I'm on about a month now. I had been trying since the beginning of this year when I made it my New Years Resolution (I can't believe I actually kept it) to be done with smoking at some point this year (I've tried insincerely for the past two year). The main thing I found that really kept me back was the fear of withdrawals and an inability to admit that I was also psychologically dependant on them.

Fortunately, I didn't give up after the patches failed miserably. I decided to retrain myself into thinking of cigarettes as a really horrible thing that will only lead to problems. I pretty much just thought about this every time I had a cig for about a month. After a while I got really sick of smoking, and since I was finally on summer vacation, I went to my parents' house in the middle of East Bum**** and kept clear of most social interaction, went hiking for most of the day, practiced piano a ton and yes, I did smoke some pot and take a ton of Ativan (but it worked didn't it?). I also made sure I was broke. I think a good way to quit is to spend your money on other things that you need asap when you have money. Also, I used this really great website when I had a really bad craving: http://whyquit.com/ Reading the articles makes you feel like a complete douche for smoking. Now that the initial withdrawals are long gone, all that's left is the occasional craving. I still get them every so often, but they're few and far between. The most important thing is to step back and acknowledge that it is just a craving and has nothing to do with your actual wants and needs and then divert your attention elsewhere. It will pass by in a few minutes and you won't realise that it's gone. I actually think that's part of the danger of cravings. When they pass by, you don't realise it, you just keep doing what your doing and are blindsided by the next one. Quitting really does take a lot of adjustment of habits and tons of mindfulness. You need to play a lot of psychological games with yourself.

It might also help to be a bit judgemental of smoking. I know it's something other smokers hate and you probably hate too. You most likely don't want to become one of those obnoxious non-smokers who fake cough every time they pass someone smoking, but it's a necessary evil. It helps remind yourself that you don't smoke. Besides, it actually is pretty nasty.

It might help to think of smoking as not an option. Have some sort of excuse available. My sister who also quit (though she's about a year in) thinks of cigarettes as a luxury she can't afford. Now that doesn't work for me because I'm easily susceptible to compulsive spending, so I think of aneurysms, which is easy because I have hypochondria and that's one my biggest fixations. I think that if I even take one puff, my artery is going to rupture and I'm going to keel over and die.


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## xTKsaucex (Jun 23, 2010)

I've decided to. Not really for health reasons. If you add up the sum of all packets / tobacco pouches in a given year its ridiculous. Especially in UK as we have the largest VAT on tobacco in the world I believe. So I'm quitting after I've finished last one.


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## Reinvented (Apr 25, 2011)

Quitting is a huge achievement. I highly recommend it.


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

Wellbutrin SR/XL makes quitting smoking really really easy. It comes in generic formulations and is most often covered by insurance for depression(even though its a smoking cessation aid).


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## Aloysius (Jul 16, 2008)

In a few days it will be two months since I quit. I found that reading Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking helped a lot.


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## Lixxy Pixxy (Jun 26, 2011)

Dr House said:


> Wellbutrin SR/XL makes quitting smoking really really easy. It comes in generic formulations and is most often covered by insurance for depression(even though its a smoking cessation aid).


My best friend was using the generic brand to quit smoking and it worked great at first. A month and a half later she started having really bad mood swings.

I've been thinking about quitting. Only problem is I like smoking. :cig I just don't like the cost.


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## jimbo00 (Nov 28, 2010)

I want to quit smoking, been smoking for nearly 10 yrs. but I must admit I do enjoy them. Espeacily the break from work every few hours  but yeah.. realy do want to stop..

Its funny because I recently became all healthy (and stuck to it), food/exercise wise and people keep wondering why im still smoking if im so concerned with health etc... 

Earlier today at work I was actualy working out how much it costs to buy a pack of cigs every day for a year...... $5500...... kinda depressing.. I could go on a nice holiday every yr and live longer... but yeah....


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## xTKsaucex (Jun 23, 2010)

I found after about 3/4 days the cravings loosen quite a bit. I was on average 8-10 a day but have found my need for then dropping after going cold turkey for 3/4 days. Only had 1 today where usually I'd have 4/5 by now.


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## Bothain (Jul 20, 2011)

Well I think that Smoking is always been injurious to health . I would like to suggest that It should be given up as soon as possible .

Clarkston Gym


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## jimbo00 (Nov 28, 2010)

any smokers want to try give up with me ?
we can set a date to stop....and then complain to each other for the first few weeks =)
I rekon its more motivating/fun/easier if there is someone else assisting and going through the same thing. 

Im on a pack a day...


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## Elleire (Jul 24, 2011)

7 year smoker here. Been up to a pack/day for 4 years, and at $8.50 per pack, it's getting ridiculous. 

I was prescibed Chantix after having failed >10 times trying to do it on will power alone. I'm a bit scared to start because of all the crazy side-effects that've been reported, but I really do need to quit. I'm starting on Wednesday, with my quit date being August 3.


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## jimbo00 (Nov 28, 2010)

I was perscribed a samiliar thing, champix, i assume its the same just diff name in australia.
I never ended up taking them because of the side effects.... few co-workers tried it and had the hole pychotic thing happen.. suicidal thoughts etc etc.

There was another brand of pill I wanted to try but my Dr said he had heard bad things about this other one (i forget the name) so he wouldnt perscribe it.

Good luck with them and let us know how you go 

btw.. in aus we pay $15-18 for 25pack of cigs... so $8.50 would be great.



phoelomek said:


> 7 year smoker here. Been up to a pack/day for 4 years, and at $8.50 per pack, it's getting ridiculous.
> 
> I was prescibed Chantix after having failed >10 times trying to do it on will power alone. I'm a bit scared to start because of all the crazy side-effects that've been reported, but I really do need to quit. I'm starting on Wednesday, with my quit date being August 3.


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## DeeperUnderstanding (May 19, 2007)

Good for all of you! Quitting must be hard, I don't know how I'd deal with it.


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## Arrested Development (Jun 3, 2010)

27Anthony said:


> I quit about a month ago. I didn't use any nicotine replacement like patches or anything. The things that helped me the most were regular chewing gum (like 10 pieces a day), exercise, and keeping busy.
> 
> I gradually broke each individual smoking habit over a couple of weeks. For example I started by not having a smoke at lunch break at work. Then I stopped smoking at work all together. Then I stopped smoking after each meal. Then I stopped having a smoke before bed. Eventually I decided to go a whole day without smoking and by the following day I didn't want to start all over again so I just quit for good. I haven't looked back since.
> 
> I hope this is helpful to somebody. Cheers.


This is exactly how I quit smoking. Well, except it took me longer than a few weeks, because not smoking while drinking proved to be a bit difficult for me (this was back in my early 20s when I drank more). I tried quitting cold turkey a number of times, but it just never stuck.


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## FairleighCalm (May 20, 2007)

i just want to say im really happy youre quitting. do healthy activities to keep your mind occupied. in time you' ll be free of the habit.


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## Mr. SandMan (Aug 24, 2007)

I wrote a whole thought on this. Scrolled up and saw the temporary ban and now you are reading this.


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## Elleire (Jul 24, 2011)

jimbo00 said:


> btw.. in aus we pay $15-18 for 25pack of cigs


   WHAT?!?! That's crazy!

Thanks for the encouragement. I wish everyone the best! (Not that wishing really does anything at all :b)


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## Barry Egan (Feb 27, 2005)

27Anthony said:


> Quitting is a huge achievement. I highly recommend it.


 - Agreed. 

I stopped smoking just over 2 months ago. Having smoked cigarettes for 15 years and cigars for 4 years, I decided after 19 years of smoking, enough was enough, I've got to quit. I went cold turkey, stopped smoking, bought a Fuel Treadmill and took up running instead, replaced a bad habit with a good one.

Quitting is a huge achievement, and I to would highly recommend it.


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## MadMatt (Dec 15, 2010)

well I smoke about 5-10 cigarettes a day. I enjoy having a smoke once the day has settled down and it's a nice way to unwind.The actual smoke and ash is god awful but the buzz is worth it certainly. So basically I smoke at around 6 in the evening onwards .The last thing I want to do in the morning is have a smoke...it just feels nasty.

If I do however start waking up and crave a cigarette...I will just snap out of it completely.I don't get the craving for cigarettes ever though. I always asked my mom why she smokes and she says it's addictive. I enjoy smoking to relax...but If I start smoking more than 5-10 a day I will just desert it.My main motivation would be to stay healthy for sport but I will definetely not kick the habit completely .If I go out with friends I will probably light a few up. But I just never want to be a pack-a-day smoker. That scares me...


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## Elleire (Jul 24, 2011)

^^^ I know I don't know you, and everyone is different, but BE CAREFUL. 

That is EXACTLY how I started. "I'm not really addicted, I can stop whenever I want. I only smoke a few a day, etc. etc."

It has a way of sneakily turning into 8, 9, 10, 15, 17, then a pack per day. Just saying. 'Tis is a slippery slope. :yes


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## scriabin221 (Nov 16, 2008)

I've found that since I quit, cigarettes seem to have a really rancid, nasty smell, but somehow I still find myself craving them sometimes. I actually slipped once and had one, but it actually wasn't as enjoyable as I thought it would be, but even after that I still get cravings. Neurotransmitters are sneaky. The get released without you even knowing. I really do regret having that cigarette, though. I thought it would be OK just to have one, but it really wasn't. I felt really guilty about it and now every time I go to the store, I have to deal with the nagging urge to buy a pack or ask someone for one. Once I even got tempted to take a half a cig out of an ashtray. That's disgusting! Oh well, I'm still a new quitter, at least when the cravings kick in, I recognise them as cravings. That's really the trick. I hate to be cliché, but mindfulness really works well. Anyway, good luck. Hope you're all doing well in your journey. Also, ativan and pot work great during the initial withdrawals.


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## Reinvented (Apr 25, 2011)

Quick update for anyone who cares. It's been two months since I quit and I don't even think about smoking anymore. Anyone who is considering quitting but is scared about withdrawal, you need to realise that it's only bad for a little while. If you can just deal with it for 4 days to a week, you should be right. After that, it is so easy to not smoke. That's how it was for me.


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## sleepytime (Feb 18, 2011)

I smoked 20+ for about 13 years. I tried to quit several times using nicotone replacements and willpower but failed miserably with that approach each time. It was only when I read the Allen Carr book that I managed to kick it. 

I think the psychological addiction to cigarettes is much more powerful that the physical addiction (at least in my case), which is why nicotine gum etc never worked for me. The book will help you break the psychological addiction, once I read it through I actually found quitting pretty easy, that's something I could never have imagined beforehand.


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## Elleire (Jul 24, 2011)

Meh, not that anyone cares, but..

I don't know whether it was in my head that Chantix was starting to make me crazy, or if it really was, but I had to be taken off it. I couldn't sleep at all for nearly 3 whole days. :stu

Started smoking again. 

/fail


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## RockBottomRiser (Jun 5, 2011)

I need to quit smoking but i don't want to. How can i not want to quit smoking?


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## Reinvented (Apr 25, 2011)

RockBottomRiser said:


> I need to quit smoking but i don't want to. How can i not want to quit smoking?


You obviously find it enjoyable like most smokers do. You need to find a way to motivate yourself to quit.


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## LeftyFretz (Feb 12, 2011)

LOL...about quitting. Yeahhhh it never happened. And my fav smokes are now a dollar off. 

Maybe next year..


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## tropic (May 28, 2011)

I think you should definitely go ahead with that plan of quitting .

I've been reducing the amount of cigarrettes I smoke a day because it's just so expensive (not really for health reasons, yeah...) and one of these days I'll try to quit, too. Sometimes I think of how much money I'd have to spend on other (much interesting) things if I didn't have this stupid addiction... meh.


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## JayDontCareEh (Jul 16, 2007)

tropic said:


> I think you should definitely go ahead with that plan of quitting .
> 
> I've been reducing the amount of cigarrettes I smoke a day because it's just so expensive (not really for health reasons, yeah...) and one of these days I'll try to quit, too. Sometimes I think of how much money I'd have to spend on other (much interesting) things if I didn't have this stupid addiction... meh.


Same here.

Down to 4-5 cigs a day, and still feeling guilty about the cost.


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## tropic (May 28, 2011)

JayDontCareEh said:


> Same here.
> 
> Down to 4-5 cigs a day, and still feeling guilty about about the cost.


Wow that's amazing . I'm still smoking 8-10 a day.


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## JayDontCareEh (Jul 16, 2007)

tropic said:


> Wow that's amazing . I'm still smoking 8-10 a day.


Good stuff. Keep at er!


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## insanityartist (Sep 14, 2011)

I found that by just simply going cold turkey helps more than anything. The more you put off smoking, the stronger your will-power and resistance becomes.
It was incredibly hard at first. I felt mentally and physically sick, I just wanted to lie in bed, cry at everything and shred up everything that came into contact with my hands.
I went from 5-10 cigarettes a day to 1-2 every few days.And I had smoked this usual amount religiously for a very long time. Just train yourself in little steps. Set a certain limit to how many you can smoke a day, and after a week or two, gradually cut back the amount. 
Now here comes the hardest bit- Keep trying to go a day or two without smoking, and keep training yourself not to have one. Because like I said, the more you resist, the stronger your will-power and the weaker your addiction will become.

It isn't going to be easy, but it is well worth it in the end. Especially when you see all the money you have saved.


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## LeftyFretz (Feb 12, 2011)

tropic said:


> I think you should definitely go ahead with that plan of quitting .
> 
> I've been reducing the amount of cigarrettes I smoke a day because it's just so expensive (not really for health reasons, yeah...) and one of these days I'll try to quit, too. Sometimes I think of how much money I'd have to spend on other (much interesting) things if I didn't have this stupid addiction... meh.


haha thanks, i do still plan on quitting soon. i did talk on the phone with one of the health people at work and she did say my company provides free nic patches and nic gum to all employees. i almost **** my pants. i told her i was sick of being sick of it (originial talk was about my TB test i was due for) and it made me pretty happy. **** nic addiction, i just want to get my stamina back. free supplements ftw.


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## sas2012solar (Sep 26, 2011)

*pros and cons*

Right now I am taking a break from smoking.

It may be tonight, it may be until tmmrw afternoon.. but I simply need to do it because I can't stop telling myself or feeling bad about it.

Thinking its not good for me, or whatever. Here are my pros and cons list, to NOT SMOKING:

Pro:
- more relaxed. Strange to think that.. but my baseline "state" seems to be more relaxed. Slower to do things but in a good way. Strangely don't seem to be irritable

Con: 
- strangely though. When im -not- smoking, I actually seem to have way more anger. And its almost like I can't defuse it.. so I end up hiding from people more. Very weird

Pro:
- feel stronger, and actually have a sex drive

Con:
- feel more emotionally vulnerable, and always feel the need to protect my self!

Pro:
- I find going on the internet VERY relaxing because it's a place I can be away from everything.

Con:
- I lose flexibility in being able to just smoke outside... establishing that space. My only space is on my phone.

Big cons: 
The past year or so in my quit attempts, after 3 or 4 weeks I start getting depressed and suicidal. In actuality I seem to have a severe depression. Have had it since I was young teenager.

Smoking when I started reversed that.

It completely sucks. Also I feel like im losing tons of pleasure. Its hard finding pleasure in life, and for.whatever reasons smoking provides it, easily. Its dependable, you can control how much you need... etc.

Pros: 
I feel confident in myself. I feel the friendships I make mean more, because my feelings are involved.. I actually have.more self-esteem.

Cons:
At a certain point, the depression gets so bad I become so tired and I start falling apart overall.. and it seems this general anxiety starts to creep in.

HUGE con:
- back pain... I have an injured back and for whatever reason it just gets worse... like a ton worse.

Summary:
I need to stop for rt now. I hate not feeling like I have sex drive. I hate always feeling lesser of myself because I smoke. Because its not who I ever thought id be..

I know I have more mental clarity without it..
I feel like I have more drive.. and that im more relaxed.. which, is so crazy because you would NEVER imagine feeling relaxed from withdrawing... its like you'll feel crazy... and the urge to smoke increases... and then if you don't give in, there is a let down, and soon you begin to realize these let downs are you returning to a more and more relaxed state. And your like OMG..

Because you never felt so relaxed in awhile.

The last time I quit or sevvverellly cut down... I also quit celexa, and BENZOS at the same time basically. AND coffee.

I was making it alright. Then I was on the final benzo drop ... and I lost it.. my back was KILLING me.. my parents forced me out and I was living alone with no car... so couldn't see friends.

I threw a huge fit.. and found myself going to be homeless... and I was just like... ENOUGH already.

So I think its been 5 months now and im still smoking.

Anyone agree with me on pros and cons??



Oh... I seriously was having a lot of success last time I quit by eating fruit.. like eating a lot of bananas... and drinking orange juice!!

Im not going to worry, I just need to honor my bodies wishes right now!!

Oh, and also a great way to "quit".. the only way that has worked for me... is to still go out for a smoke, but to pay attention to each HIT and only take as many as you want.


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## sas2012solar (Sep 26, 2011)

*also*

Biggest crazy thing... when I smoke I literally don't seem to care... and I don't ever talk to friends.. I have no idea why.

I think it's psychological, in that my self esteem is lowered because im smoking.


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## sas2012solar (Sep 26, 2011)

Actually that may be caffeine not smoking


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## ryobi (Jan 13, 2009)

I quit about six months ago I still chew the gum
I quit by saying every thing counted every cigerette I didn't smoke counted and every cigerette I smoked counted every drag of every cigerette I didn't take or I did take counted too


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## losinghope (Mar 29, 2011)

Well, I want to quit. Just never seems like a good time. I think what holds me back is my mum is a heavy smoker too and my mum and i are around eachother all the time. So i think it would be impossible to quit seeing/smelling smoke all the time? Anyone else been in this situation?


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## losinghope (Mar 29, 2011)

The other thing is sometimes i dread the thought of quitting because it gets me away from social situations. I can say "need a smoke or 2" see you in 10 when im really anxious.


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