I quit smoking as of 1 month ago. No pills - no patches -- zip. I have smoked most of my adult life. I am chewing-gum -- the ordinary kind. Yes, I needed a replacement "oral fixation crutch!" I got lucky! How lucky? I got the Flu a month ago! The really big and bad Flu. Nearly caughed myself into a coma -- Flu. It took 3 rounds of anitbiotics to get me well. [ And yes -- I had my Flu shot in September.] This bug was so bad -- I thought I would die. I ran a temp of over 103 for 3 days. I could not smoke. Impossible!! The thought ran through my head -- "Do you want to die chocking to death and drowing in your own mucus?" No way. A horrible image. However -- not far from the damn truth if I don't stop smoking.
This vius keep me so sick for nearly three weeks....on antibiotics. I realized -- as I began to feel better -- how great it was to finally breath without caughing! Also -- realized I had completely withdrawn from the physical dependency of nictotine. What a hell of a bonus! I have no desires or craving. All gone?
Then my brain recovered from this no smoking deprevation -- and said -- Now what this no smoking about dumby? How about a hot cup of coffee and smoke? How about a glass a wine and smoke? How about smoking after dinner and after sex ? And talking on the phone and smoking and working and smoking and -- thinking about smoking? And just-down right Smoking -- Dumby? How about a big fat crisis and no smoking?? Is this gum-crewing idea going work?
I am here to report -- to everyone whose ever been addicted to anything including tobacco -- this is a bitch of an addition to deal with. And Yes -- this chewing gum thing is working for me! I am now a sugerless chewing-gum--Junkie. Do I care? NO! The rest of this battle is Pure WILL POWER...EVERY DAMN MINUTE OR HOUR OR DAY. Here is the deal: You have want to quit smoking so damn bad -- that you're so damn scared to take another drag in your life. Sounds too "dramatic?" You bet YOUR LIFE!
I have a carton and half of Salem's in my pantry. I have lighters all of over the house. My husband smokes -- but smokes out-doors the day I quit. I don't need to hide anything from myself or have my picture in 7-11's telling them "do not sell cigerettes to this woman!" Are you kidding me, Dr. Phil? That is totally stupid.
I quit once before for more then 5 years. [ Don't ask me why I started smoking again. I had a reason -- as stupid as it was.] The point is -- I know I can quit. I know the drill and know I will be successful. First rule: Never play head-games with yourself. 2. Never repeat past -- stupid mistakes. 3. Every day -- will present about 100 excuses to start smoking again. 3. Don't go backwards. 4 Everyday down this road for the next 90 to 120 days will need your attention and full-determiation not to smoke. This is a process of retraining your brain and mind and retaining your body and changing your life-style and thinking. Lastly -- This is your own hell and your personal battle. There are no short-cuts or magic pills or enough lies to tell yourself or anyone else -- to justify lighting another damn cigerette in your life!
Yes this is very unpleasant experience and you feel like crap! So what? No one every died from kicking the smoking habit. About 500,000 die smoking and cancer -- every year! Just what do you want to die from and how? I hope, I have quit soon enough to die from old age and natural causes. Only time will tell. I am living my life one-day-at-a-time. And right now -- it's going a bit slower then that. Each day without smoking is one day closer to getting this monkey off my back -- for the rest of my life. I don't want to repeat any of these past 30 days -- as long as I live!
If you want to stop smoking but really "don't want to give up that pleasure...etc., then you're not convienced or ready to stop smoking. You have to be both intellectually ready to stop as well physically and mentally read to stop smoking -- for yourself!
About 20 years ago a very good girlfriend of mine -- suddenly developed lung cancer and died within about two months of this news. The "sudden part" is questionable. In any event -- she was much older then myself and had smoked all her adult life. Her parents died of lung cancer. [ This fact didn't provide her with any modivation to stop smoking.] The last day I saw her alive -- she was smoking and so was her husband. She died about a week later. Despite this fact -- her death from lung cancer didn't stop me from smoking. And if all the scare tactices in the world will never stop an addict of any type from killing themselves -- slowly or in a hurry. The fact is -- in order to kick any bad habit -- the person themselves have to reach that sole and selfish decision alone and then walk-the-walk themselves -- every damn step.
Yes -- Pam you're addicted. What smoker isn't? You're no more of an addict then me or anyone else. That is an excuse. You're not ready to quit. You're whinning about wanting to quit on national television. And blaming your husband? Grow-up and get serious! Kicking the smoking habit isn't for cry-babies or whimps or "I what try quiting but really don't want to stop" -- Jerks! Or my family wants me to stop smoking and I'm going to try for them...B.S. excuses. I tired all those reasons and tactics -- doesn't work for any duration.
Lastly, I am not into personal torture. In other words - I will not torture myself -- day in and day out with kicking this habit -- only to fail and find my weakest moment and the best excuse to start smoking again. That isn't a good plan. Yesterday, I was with my 84 year old mother when her doctor's discovered she has cancer of the stomach. I thought -- "I can't get through this crisis without smoking. I am going home to lit up!" WOW! I just had the worst news of my life -- and this is the most likely excuse I can give myself to lit up!
I got home -- cried for hours. I chewed up a full-pack of gum! I didn't let the devil win this round. This gave me power.
It's that time of year where we all take a long, hard look at our lives to see what's not working for us. Dr. Phil's guests say they desperately need to change unhealthy lifestyles or they might not make it to another year. Jill weighs 375 pounds and says she's afraid she'll die if she doesn't drop 210 pounds. Her friend, Cathi, says Jill is a miserable person, and she needs to stop making daily trips to McDonald's. Will Jill be able to put down the Big Mac and pick up some healthier eating habits? Dr. Phil has a drastic plan that will help her get on the right track. Then, Pam vows to quit smoking in 2008 but claims her husband, Eric, is one of the reasons she can't kick her 22-year addiction. Pam says she can't resist the urge to light up when he does. Will a recently discovered tumor be enough to make Pam kick the butts? And, Nyasha and Simone claim their sister, Victoria, has a toxic personality, and they're giving her an ultimatum: Get your act together or get gone! They say she curses, steals from relatives and starts fist fights with them in front of her kids. What's behind Victoria's bad behavior, and will she be able to change her angry ways before she alienates her family? Share your own New Year's resolutions and join the discussion.
