hwc.ffn
- Gender: Male
- Location: MA US
| Total Posts | Last Post | Last Seen | Joined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 113 | 11/21/09 23:23:29 | 11/21/09 23:23:29 | 01/18/09 |
| Visitors Now | Visitors Today | Most Visits | Total Visits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 16 01/19/09 |
92 |
How I Quit Smoking
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I can't remember when I became a full time smoker. I know it was at least 38 years ago because I remember smoking at a Led Zeppelin concert in April 1970. I never really tried to quit. There was once in college when I tried the "taper off" nonsense that never works. I tried a time or two in the 80s, never lasting a day. At age 54, I'd resigned myself to smoking until it killed me.
And, so it was when I lit a cigarette just after midnight on February 11th, 2008.�Sure, I had a flu bug, but lord knows I'd smoked through plenty of those. In fact, I had just gotten back from a midnight run to the store to buy a couple packs. We were expecting snow the next day and I didn't want to run out. I'd never run out. No smoker ever runs out.
I lit the cigarette, took one puff, felt it burn my raw throat and decided that it was too revolting even for this 38 year smoker. So I tamped it out and put it back in the pack. "I'll smoke it tomorrow", I thought.
The next day, I spent curled up in bed, knocked out by the flu. Fever. Coughing. Too sick to eat or smoke. So, through no choice of my own, I went 24 hours without nicotine for the first time since Richard Nixon was President. The next day, I wondered if I could go for two days. I could.� Finally, after two days, I had a decision to make. Even a lunkhead like me could see a golden opportunity to do something I had only dreamed. Become an ex-smoker. After two days without nicotine, I knew in my soul I could do it if I wanted it bad enough. So I took those two full packs, one with a slightly shorter unsmoked butt -- my last cigarette -- and threw them in the trash. I found a website, www.whyquit.com that gave me the understanding of nic addiction to stay strong. I've never looked back.
And, that's how I went from lighting a cigarette without a thought of ever quitting to becoming an ex-smoker one puff later. So much for planning my quit. In my case, it was literally never take another puff!
My Journal/Diary Post
I can't remember when I became a full time smoker. I know it was at least 38 years ago because I remember smoking at a Led Zeppelin concert in April 1970. I never really tried to quit. There was once in college when I tried the "taper off" nonsense that never works. I tried a time or two in the 80s, never lasting a day. At age 54, I'd resigned myself to smoking until it killed me.
And, so it was when I lit a cigarette just after midnight on February 11th, 2008.�Sure, I had a flu bug, but lord knows I'd smoked through plenty of those. In fact, I had just gotten back from a midnight run to the store to buy a couple packs. We were expecting snow the next day and I didn't want to run out. I'd never run out. No smoker ever runs out.
I lit the cigarette, took one puff, felt it burn my raw throat and decided that it was too revolting even for this 38 year smoker. So I tamped it out and put it back in the pack. "I'll smoke it tomorrow", I thought.
The next day, I spent curled up in bed, knocked out by the flu. Fever. Coughing. Too sick to eat or smoke. So, through no choice of my own, I went 24 hours without nicotine for the first time since Richard Nixon was President. The next day, I wondered if I could go for two days. I could.� Finally, after two days, I had a decision to make. Even a lunkhead like me could see a golden opportunity to do something I had only dreamed. Become an ex-smoker. After two days without nicotine, I knew in my soul I could do it if I wanted it bad enough. So I took those two full packs, one with a slightly shorter unsmoked butt -- my last cigarette -- and threw them in the trash. I found a website, www.whyquit.com that gave me the understanding of nic addiction to stay strong. I've never looked back.
And, that's how I went from lighting a cigarette without a thought of ever quitting to becoming an ex-smoker one puff later. So much for planning my quit. In my case, it was literally never take another puff!
My Journal/Diary Post
Podcast lessons from WhyQuit.com
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Over 60 podcast audio lessons on nicotine addiction & how to beat it.
Listen here or in a standalone player. Scroll for the full playlist.
Also available in Streaming Video or MP3 Downloads for iTunes.
My recent posts
| Title | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Re: Don't Give Up......Parade | Reply | 11/21/09 |
| Re: Pharm industry consultant attacks WhyQuit & Freedom | Reply | 10/13/09 |
| Re: Invitation to share your feelings about Joel's book (NTAP) on 2 million downloads milestone! | Reply | 10/12/09 |
| Re: The One Puff Files | Reply | 10/12/09 |
| Re: The One Puff Files | Reply | 09/10/09 |
| Honorary GOLD nominee | New Topic | 09/08/09 |
| Re: 72 hours and counting... | Reply | 09/08/09 |
| Re: No more Russian Roulette for me, thanks | Reply | 09/04/09 |
| Re: On the Briny Ocean Tossed | Reply | 09/03/09 |
| Re: Just checking in..... | Reply | 09/03/09 |
Leave a comment
KMac
08/03/09
I knew about letting "crisis" threads die - had read some beforehand to get a sense of the "etiquette" (every board has its own). That's why I was so clear about the fact that my own crisis had passed. What I wasn't expecting was what sounded (to my admittedly hypersensitive ears) like a judgemental response. I understand the strictness a little better now.
Although I have to wonder what would have happened if I'd written "with luck, my temper-tantrum-throwing-2-year-old nicotine addiction won't win tonight and I won't drive to the store to buy ciggies." The mods probably would have driven to my house and shot out my porch light!
Original comment »
KMac
08/03/09
In any case, your message was just what I needed to hear. I do recognize the value of the links, by the way - I lurked myself before I was eligible to post - getting up the nerve, getting educated, then sweating through those first 72 hours.
Incidentally, an extra helping of thanks for liking my 2-year-old-with-temper-tantrum analogy! My writer self is beaming right now!
Original comment »
dixieanny
08/02/09
thank you,
Ann
dixieanny
05/21/09
dixieanny
05/21/09
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