Different Reasons Why We Smoke

I have personally quit a total of nine separate times for at least 3 months each time. This is not counting the numerous attempts of a day here or a day there. Each time I have quit, I have learned something else about how I was connected to my cigarette. The first time I quit, it seemed easy, too easy and I thought I could control my smoking. But I was wrong, I needed to learn about relapsing

Link Between Lung Cancer and Smoking

For years the tobacco companies said that smoking did not cause lung cancer. We now know that smokers are at a much higher risk of developing lung cancer and about 10% of all smokers will develop the disease. About 90% of all lung cancers are in smokers. This article tells of several genetic studies that are showing certain genetic traits that may make a person more likely to become addicted to

Smokers Age Faster and Wrinkle More than Non-Smokers

It used to be thought that smokers developed smokers lines above their lip because of the way they dragged on the cigarette but now we know that smoking causes more wrinkles because of the lack of oxygen to the skin. Carbon Monoxide is a main component of smoke (yes the same gas coming out the tailpipe of your car-the next smoker you see, just think that they are sucking on that tailpipe and

A Mothers View On Autism And Michael Savage

Michael Savage claims on his show that autism is “a fraud, a racket.” Listen to how this hits home and outrages a mother of an autistic child.

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A Year Without Cigarettes

May 21st marked a full year without cigarettes.

How am I doing? I didn't think about it until May 23rd.

The freedom from smoking has changed my life. I could sit here and tell you about being able to hustle up stairs, or that my clothes don't stink or how good food tastes, but in reality the biggest thing about being smoke-free, aside from physical health, is purely psychological - I am free from an addiction. My life no longe revolves around smoking. That speaks louder than anything else.

I plum forgot about my one-year anniversary because I simply don't think about smoking much anymore. Occasionally the topic will cross my mind, usually when talking to another smoker who also wants to quit. I tell them what they've heard is true - you have to want to quit. You have to want it more than anything else. Most people who smoke like smoking, even if they really can't see why anymore. The satisfaction factor for their cravings has earned the title of "something I like to do".

I no longer think about when my next break is, or if I can sneak out between breaks to catch a smoke. I don't have to remember to suck one down before a movie, or a dinner out. No more standing in bad weather, or cracking the car window. Its not that the cessation of these activities is a big deal in and of themselves, its that I don't even think about doing them. It's natural to not do them.

A few days ago, I walked out of a diner where a couple of men were standing outside, and one remarked that he was going to ask me for a light but I didn't look like someone who smoked. Wow!, I thought in my head. Something else I hadn't considered - people who smoke generally look like people who smoke. That comment made my whole day - I was telling friends "hey, I don't look like I smoke" (of course, there's always the wise cracker who says "yeah, but you're still ugly").

So, unless I have a relapse - and I don't see it happening - you likely wont hear from me again. Since I don't smoke, and I don't think about smoking, I've simply run out of things I can say about it. And that's great - not having a thing to say about smoking, because it's so not part of who I am and what I do.

I am an ex-smoker. I hope all of you reach your one-year anniversary and become true ex-smokers, too.

how is everyone doing so far?

I hope everyone hasn't given up on stopping smoking? Kelly did you set a stop date to just say I have had enough of this being a slave to cigarettes and be strong and over come the urge to light up? I guess it is somewhat harder to stop when someone you live with still smokes, you might feel like you are being deprived of something you enjoy doing, I really did enjoy smoking and for the longest time I really didn't want to stop in fact I told people that when they asked me why I didn't stop. I always wondered what people did with their hands all the time since they didn't smoke. Well now that I don't smoke I don't miss not holding a cigarette all the time, in fact it is actually more handy not to have to find somewhere to lay a cigarette while I am trying to do something.

I think today is the last day this month to follow the almanac but there are 3 days next month I think and I believe that the 3rd is one of them I could be wrong on that, and I know some folks think that is a lot of witch craft or star gazing but there are gazillions of old timers and some not so old timers that swear by it, and I will admit, I think there is something to it too and not only the smoking thing.

Gigi50 I guess you are still not smoking? I also noticed some withdrawals or what ever they are called but everyone I talk to in the medical field tells me that will all get better in a while. I hope so because some of it is annoying, do you notice getting up in the middle of the night almost every night, I do, from 12:00 to 2:00 every night and it is hard to get enough sleep like that and I even get night sweats some times, I guess it could be menopause..lol but really I am not sure what causes it.

Anyway, I wanted to check in with the folks on here and see how you all are doing. Good luck. Be safe.

Vernon

Just Checking In

Hello. I don't have too much to say about smoking or quitting right at the moment. I did want to say that after I stopped the Chantix and the Avelox, I started feeling better almost right away. It is nice being back to my normal self.

I have been busy with work and with my sons. Just normal life going on. I am really starting to get spring fever. I know I need to quit while it is still cold because I enjoy smoking more when it is nice and warm out.

Thank you Robert Drysdale for your great posts! Welcome to our little group. I hope you will continue to provide us with your good information.

I am working on setting a quit date. Gee, that sure makes it sound like a big deal, huh? There really is no great project involved with setting the date, I just have to pick one and do it. I have not checked the almanac for good dates to quit in March, I think I will do that now. I hope I did not already miss them.

Congratulations to everyone out there that has already quit smoking. That includes everyone that writes here and also all of our commenters that have quit. I am really learning a lot from all of you and your experiences. Thank you for sharing.