last cigarette, wish me luck

[pyrangello]

Dreamer , Just keep a thumb tack under your big toe in your shoe and when the urge arises for a smoke, just step on the tack a little harder, that will take your mind off of it. lol.

Hey much success in your endeavor, I am a welder by trade and have a cigar once and a while , but cigarettes can't handle the smell at all. Just stay the course and remember all of the support you have here.

[bogeyman]

I tried a herbal cigarette once, I turned almost a green as the cigarette! Never smoked since.

[Carmody]

Exercise changes the chemical balance. Get your endorphin rush elsewhere. Have something else be a different habit.

As in re-program the brain and mind, instead of it feeling loss in a constant known way..which makes it try to move your body and thoughts back into smoking - as that is what it knows, both chemically and in a known entrenched path.

[Sierra]

Good luck dreamer! When my husband and I quit, we did it over a three day weekend, no coffee, get up and walk first thing in the morning, avoid all situations where you used to have a cig. (after dinner, after sex lol).

BTW, after I quit, I dreamed for years of having a cigarette, and waking up panic stricken that I had started smoking again! Then, at a Renaissance Faire, we tried a clove cigarette ... and it was DISGUSTING.

No more dreams.

Sierra

[Artworks]

I loved smoking, the heat, the smell, my hands found it fun, lighting a flame, rolling up.

It took me a year to cough up all that tar. Sometimes it seems easy to begin with,
then you need to be really strong to keep going. Big deep breaths help through out the day.

There is the return of taste buds to celebrate and not smelling like a chimney,and wasting cash!

[genevieve]

dreamer--

If/when you think about having a smoke, immediately deliberately move your thoughts to something else.
Don't continue to think that thought--switch immediately to something else (preferably enjoyable).
Give no attention whatsoever to smoking.
Your brain will rewire quite quickly.

Peace Love Joy & Harmony,
Genevieve

[onawah]

Good choice, Dreamer!
I started smoking when I was 15, quit when I was 30. I'm 64 now.
For me, the thing that helped most was using a juicer and drinking a glass of fresh fruit juice every AM, then a glass of vegie juice every PM.
The energy from the juice affected me so positively, and felt just the opposite from the "charge" that I got from nicotine, that eventually cigarettes became so repugnant to me, I felt like a lunatic every time I lit up, because I was getting no pleasure from it at all, and I realized for the first time what a really filthy habit it was.
I kind of went bonkers for a couple of weeks before I actually quit, but I was ready for it. I just arranged to be home alone, with no commitments, and so it was basically a two week juice fast and meditation on quitting cigarettes that got me over the hump.
(Though I had been drinking fresh juice regularly with meals for quite awhile before that.)
It was only about a week after my last cigarette that I began to feel amazingly better, both better about myself, and better physically as well.
The juicing helped escalate the detoxing process a lot, and about 2 weeks after the last cig, I had no more craving.
I had quit before, once for about a year, but the craving hadn't stopped, so I started again.
Once the craving was gone, though, I knew I would never smoke again, and it was like being reborn.
Quitting can be hell, but it is so WORTH it!

[Conchis]

Good luck. You're going to know that it was among the best decisions you ever made!

[scanner]

Well done non-smoker , join the club .

[4evrneo]

Posted by Watching from Cyprus (here)

Posted by dreamer (here)
I am turning 30 today, and as a gift to myself and my family, I am quitting cigarettes. Please, may your hopes and prayers be with me, I need it. Just a simple request, I don't want my children's last view of me to be with tubes and needles coming out of my cancer riddled body. they deserve better . thanks guys.

Hi there... i will join you for mutual support, and quit smoking myself... easier when we are two ;-) who can support each other and maybe there will be more to join so it can be a mass stop smoking event.


In Honesty and Love
Peter

How about 3 ? Im on board !!!! Been thinking about this all week. So now there are 3 of us to support each other.
Just so you know, this will be my 3rd attempt to quit. I actually feel that this will be the one, Here's to all our sucess and health : )

Blessings,
Annette

[DeDukshyn]

Posted by Christine (here)
May the force be with you dreamer.....

I smoked from the time I was sixteen up until a couple of years ago. What happen for me was in some ways miraculous. I knew that my body which had tolerated my smoking very well was reaching a point where it couldn't continue to keep up with the detox it needed to do.

I started asking that all desire for cigarettes leave me. I really loved smoking and I didn't have the energy to fight with myself.

What happen was that I developed a dry cough. I couldn't possibly smoke during the week I was coughing. I coughed day and night until I was exhausted. As I started to heal a voice came into my head, probably just as I was thinking I could grab a cigarette. "If you ever pick up a cigarette again you will die from the effects of smoking." I was so startled that I froze. Then I heard " You have a pack of cigarettes in your purse, give them away right now." I did exactly as told.

The miracle is I never ever desired another cigarette. Never, not once and it has been two years. I agree so strongly with what Bill says above... ask for what you want and make an affirmation. For me I asked to have no desire - it took me getting sick but the desire left me 100%.

I am grateful every day for the gift above and I feel like I was never a smoker.

For me it was a nasty flu that came .. so nasty I could not smoke even if I wanted to. I asked, an oppurtunity was presented, I took advantage -- a simple (but effective) method of conscious manifestation - even athiests can do it!

After I recovered from my flu, I had little interest in starting again after two weeks without - the nasty part of the withdrawal seemed to be superceded by the nasty effects of the flu.

[Strat]

Best of luck to you guys!

Here's what worked for me (been cig free for 2 years now after being a pack a day smoker):

First off I NEEDED a reason to quit. I always hear about how this is bad for you and that is bad for you so I tend to get desensitized. My reason was that I wanted to be healthy again.

I was an athlete in my high school years and continued in martial arts for a couple years after. I fell out of all exercising/active lifestyle for a few years. I also began drinking more and more (hard binges... pedal to the metal... it was very bad) and also picked up the pack a day habit.

I'm not sure what did it, I think I just looked in the mirror and had one of those "You need to pull it together" moments.

I also think big, like where am I going to be 20 years from now if I continue this path?

What really did it is when I started working out for the first time in years. I was having a cardio burn out with weight lifting (this literally had never happened prior). And when I went for a slow 1 mile jog I literally almost passed out (seeing spots, feeling dizzy and nauseous). That was partially due to FL heat/humidity though.

When I got back from that jog I really knew it was time to quit smoking and stop binging.

I didn't go cold turkey though. I tapered off in a peculiar way but man did it work for me. If I were to be out with friends at some point I'd feel the urge to smoke a cig. What I did was I'd wait for the current topic of conversation to change and then allow myself that cig.

Half the time I just wouldn't smoke it. It was like a wave with me, I'd feel an 'urge wave' hit and if I could just get past that wave then I wouldn't crave a cig as much. So it all became kind of a matter of tricking my own brain.

Cold turkey did work for one of my friends, but it failed for like 5 of them

My pops used to smoke and he said the way he stopped is after he ate food (big craving then) he'd just rinse his mouth out with water. I've never heard that before but hell if it works then that's all that matters.

[nottelling]

Well done on making the decision Dreamer.

I quit smoking back in April after smoking a 30 pack per day for 20 years. I had never tried to quit before and I reckon if I can do it, anyone can.

You need to make the decision, then follow your own path to being smoke free. In my case I used a Nicorette inhaler (sold as Nicotrol in the US) to wean myself off the nicotine.

The process took me three weeks of being smoke free (via the inhaler) to being nicotine free. I have had a couple of small urges since then - whenever I'm in stressful situations, but they have been pretty weak urges.

My only other advice - plan a diet and exercise regime BEFORE you quit. I put on a stack of fatty, flabby stuff between April and June which I am only just now getting under control with a paleo-based diet and some regular exercise.

I'm sending out massive amounts of "Smoke-Free" vibes dude, so set your course, stay it and reap the health benefits.

[DouglasDanger]

Positive things to look forward too...
You will smell better,
Your breath will be more pleasant,
Your teeth will become whiter,
You will have more energy for everything,
You will show positive influence on your children to not smoke,
You will have more money for more pleasureable things,
You will live longer,
and others ,
You have the skill, you have the will power, you have a great reason to quit.......

[Sidney]

Happy Birthday!! (a day late, sorry about that), and welcome to the world of ex smokers. ; )

[bluestflame]

from day one we are brought up not to be a "quitter " so for many seeking to cease smoking it sets up an immediate conflict , choose your wording wisely

and be prepared to have lots of energy freed up by the change , might be a good time to explore a new hobby , craft, skill upgrade

[Menkaure]

I quit about 30 years ago and there was 2 things that helped me.
1. When it got really bad, I smoked a joint. Laugh if you must but it helped.
2. I burned my bridges behind me. For example, at work, I would confront a smoker friend and said, "I quit smoking, whats the matter with you, no balls?" I knew that if I ever got caught smoking, they would laugh me right out of the building. Lost a few friends but gained my lungs.
True story. Good luck friend.
Menkaure

[moana]

Make that 4, I am joining the non smokers club too! as of now.
I have been smoking since i was 16, and am now 28. The last couple of years i have been in abit of a love/hate relationship with ciggies and have quit a few times. It's started to weigh really heavy on me each time i start smoking again and it's taking a toll on the way i feel about myself. I feel like a slave and i'm sick of it.
Thank you to all who have participated in this thread- You have inspired me to free myself. I am ready to be kind to my body and mind. I am freeing myself from this cycle.
Thankyou again.

[wobbegong]

Best of luck mate! You're gonna do it, I can tell from the determination that transpires from your post, you'll make it. Before you know it, just imagining to smoke a ciggie will be disgusting - I quit 2 years ago and that's my experience.

[HaveBlue]

I quit 7 weeks ago only to start again after my cousin Nick 35, had a head on with a truck and trailer unit and lost a week ago on the 21st aug. That will be the only 'luck' part of which I wish you well. (not having to endure such a shock that is)

It is a decision you make and stick to it, nothing else. I will quit again soon. Even though I was pretty close to Nick and knew him very well I know have used his death as an excuse. It was my first ever attempt at quitting after starting at 14 and stopping for 6 weeks at 42, never more than 24-30 hours between smokes only when I had to due to money or geography.

I'm told most have to try more than once so I'm not beating myself up too badly about my relapse.

It is far too expense here to smoke now at $70 - $80 per week so not doing it again very soon is not really an option. I have untill Xmas at the latest as my daughter starts high school next year and needs the money for bus fare.

When I found myself hooked at 14 I had told myself I would be quit by 30. So I know exactly what you are feeling. The problem being that I do enjoy it and it is only money that is making me quit.
However I am not into cannabis which is far worse for your health nor do I drink alcohol. I will need a new vice! (something more positive to replace it with) I don't have my brains in my you know where either so it won't be that!

All I have to do is 'want' it the same way I wanted to buy my house and I will succeed. Saving up that deposit with no firm knowing I would get financed by a bank of all things was stressful as I know all banks are crooks anyway and hated having to go to one cap in hand! Only 5 years to go now untill they can take the advice of Bills aliens on his mars pics!

I have been told by two different healer types I have a maori entity attached to my aura and it is because he was a smoker too. I plan to go to my local spiritualist church this Sunday evening and if I can I will find out about him. I will not tell anyone there about him so I can see if they too say the same thing.

I am told that I can be rid of him but am not sure how exactly. He may even be gone after the 6 weeks of not smoking but he may have waited me out too, especially if he knew my soon future. At the time the universe threw everything it couild at me and after a few weeks it compounded and Nicks death was the last straw at the time. Did I upset my 'friend and he retaliated? (big orangey red flash of light and I mean a big one!) But was that a yes or a no?

I too have a B/day in 5 weeks so i'll plan to be quit again by then I think. All the best.