Help this Cowboy Quit, PLEASE!

[Tricky Trina]

Hi BW,
   Like you, I smoked for many years.  I did use the patch as a crutch, but I kept closed packs of cigarettes all over the place.  I was stationed on the USS Dwight D Eisenhower at the time and that was stressful!  I had them in my bunk, in my desk, in my truck, in my bag/purse, in my nightstand at home and probably a few more places I can't remember.  Knowing that they were close was a help, but the thing that kept me from smoking the most was that most everyone I knew told me I would fail.  Being a stubborn b***h that I can be, I made it my personal vendetta to prove all those idiots wrong.  Over nine years later - I'm still smoke free!  My fiance smokes, but it really doesn't bother me.  He's really considerate about it and doesn't smoke in the house anyway.  I smoked one cigarette when I got tipsy once and it made me really dizzy and sick to my stomach.  That's enough to keep me quit - I hate that nauseous feeling.  Good luck - you'll make it!!
Trina

[Aces and Eights]

Accept your death and keep puffing. Or don't. Need outside help, it won't work. 

Just don't cry to the family while going down. It is not a third party thing. It is you - period. Been there, done that. Just posting for help shows you will keep puffing.

[Lucky Irish Tom]

I did it cold turkey over 23 years ago.  I had just read an article on how children of smokers were more likely to smoke than children of non-smokers, and my daughter had just been born.  I went downstairs and threw away all of my cigarettes.  The first week was the hardest I kept looking at my daughter, or a picture of her if I was at work, and that did it.  I calculated how much I spent on cigarettes in a year and saved it and spent it on something the family after year one was up, it felt good.  You might wwant to set a goal for yourself, it can be selfish, like I'm not smoking and I'm saving up for that gun I always wanted.

[Badlands Walker]

Accept your death and keep puffing. Or don't. Need outside help, it won't work. 

Just don't cry to the family while going down. It is not a third party thing. It is you - period. Been there, done that. Just posting for help shows you will keep puffing.

Now here is some real friendly advice, eeh? 

Spoken like a real trooper!

[Badlands Walker]

Weds. & Thurs. a total of 4 cigarettes.  Friday... half a cigarette before going to bed!  Yes folks, that's  1/2 of a cigarette all day!!!

[Snake River Cowboy]

Sounds like you are getting there. I found it to be real important to have something in the pocket where the cigs were. Werthers hard candy worked well. Even Chapstick. Anything just so when I reached for the pack there was something there.
Keeping water or soda to drink helped also. When the urge to smoke hits the worst thing is for there not to be something handy.
And it helps to get mad at the tobaco companies and just flat refuse to give them any more money.
My girlfreind and I both have quit. We used to spend more on cigs than the payment on my brand new truck. (Just saying what's possible, NOT that you should get rid of that Ford. Anything with a 390 is a keeper.)

[Badlands Walker]

Snake River Cowboy, thanks fer' the input there pard.  By your post there, I see it is your first & wanted to welcome you to CAS City.  This is a great place to be & a great bunch of folks to be around!

[Badlands Walker]

Saturday.... SMOKELESS!  Hey, this is actually easier than I thought.  I guess you just really gotta program the ol' mind & keep in that mode!  However, I really do want one this mornin'!  Think I'll hold off as long as possible.  I did like the unopened pack idea layin' around.  Carried an unopened pack with me yesterday all day & still can't believe I didn't puff one???

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I noticed after a couple months that I was getting light-headed from all the oxygen I was getting as my lungs cleared. People started telling me I no longer coughed and I wasn't even aware I did so. You have some great realizations ahead of you.

[Badlands Walker]

Been gone for two weeks because of a family emergency & just returned home last night.  Everything back there is fine & I have been smoke free for over two weeks now!  Yee-Haw!

[Russ T Chambers]

Great

Sounds as if, under stress, you managed to refrain, you're almost there, if not there!!  Good job!! 

[Wrangler Rich]

Now that you've gone this long, don't succumb to having that first cigarette.  Congratulations, I had my last one in August of 1976, and have told myself "Don't ever have that 1st one, cause you'll be back just like before."  It has worked so far........

[Curley Cole]

BW, Haven't looked at this post for a while, and am glad you are doing well.
Now that you have gone without, don't start up. It will be much harder.

good goin', now take a deeeeeeep breath...

ahaaaaaaaaaaa
curley

[Guns Garrett]

This supposedly works real good:  On the day you decide to quit, dump all your ashtrays around the house and the car, or wherever you got 'em stashed, and dump them into a coffee can.  Only fill it about half-full.  Then dump about two cups of water in it, put the lid on, then put the can wherever you used to keep your carton of smokes, or some other place that's handy.  Any time you get a craving, just go to the can, open it up, and take a big ol' whiff of what's in there, and you pretty soon will lose your appetite.  Might kill your desire to smoke, too!  Good luck.

[Badlands Walker]

Well pard, that sounds like a great idea, but all the ashtrays are already gone & I have no butts to put in a can.  I guess I could smoke a pack real quick to get some butts!   Whatta ya think?

[Russ T Chambers]

I'd pass!!! 

[Badlands Walker]

Yes Sir, believe I will.

[Griff]

Badlands,
I quit 22 1/2 years ago plus a few days.  It was the toughest thing I ever did.  I had a great incentive, a relative was in deep trouble with heroin.  They stated that thought kickin that habit would be harder than my quittin' smokin'.  I thought not.  Challenged 'em to try and I would.
I thank the good Lord every day that it worked out for both of us. That and the fact that I didn't have to go into the smokiest bars in CA everynite for an excuse to have my eyes redder than Coca-Cola bottle caps the next morning Aw heck, no need for the funny part. you get the idea.
Good luck and those that love you most will appreciate it most.  The rest of us will just have to put up with you longer   Couldn't resist the cheap laugh

[Badlands Walker]

Hey, I never thought of that!  No smokin' means that I do live longer & can irritate ya'll more!

Given up smokin' do have it's advantages, don't it?

[Toccoa Kate]

Haven't been online in awhile but wanted to say congrats on what you've accomplished so far!!  I think Aces and Eight was trying to get you MAD ENOUGH to quit!!!  If you're as stubborn as me (and I'm sure Texas Ant will agree on the part of me being stubborn!), getting me mad works well!!!  I've realized in life that when you have to give up certain things, you can.  You are strong and will make it.  Besides, Itty Bitty hasn't smiled that much in a long time, has she??  I know your stopping makes her happy cause she will have you around alot longer than if you continued to smoke!  Just think of all the more time you have to hassle the rest of us!!!  )  Take care.  You've done mama proud son!!