Re: Quitting Smoking

[BeefStewert]

Hey, I'm interested in hearing how this is going for you.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

It's been 78 hours since my last cigarette. I've been a smoker for 11 years.

These last three days have been horrible.

Sunday I barely got off the couch. I probably slept like 2/3 of the day away.

Monday, despite being behind work, was a waste as well. I couldn't concentrate, I was depressed and I was hungry all the time. I ate more food on Monday than any one day in my entire life.

Yesterday was bad, but not as bad as Monday. I was able to get some work done finally and was even able to laugh. The previous two days I was furious all the time. I think my wife detected the minor change in mood and actually talked to me again.

I went to bed last night happy! Looking forward to today.

I'm sitting here writing this in the thrall of one of the worst cravings since the beginning. Does it get any better? Can I actually look forward to a day that isn't torture? When? How long? Ahhhhhhh.

If any one of you have been through this, please tell me what I'm up against.

I have tried and tried to quit so many times.  The thing with me is, I can go for months at a time without smoking as long as I don't drink.  Whenever I have more than 5 beers, I will start craving a cigarette.  One guy suggested Vitamin C pills, because Vitamin C kills your cravings for nicotine.   He recommends taking at least three times the average dosage.... like 3000 milligrams a day.  The one bad thing is that overdosing on Vitamin C gives you the runs.  

[Brian Fein]

Hey, I'm interested in hearing how this is going for you.

Hey, dude - how's it going with this?

[crazy_scar_man]

I made it five days and then fell off the wagon.

I just stood up one day, drove to teh gas station, bought a pack of smokes and slammed like 10 of them. When my mind cleared up I was like, "man, what just happened."

The wife is ready to kill me.

[Brian Fein]

dude, that sucks.  you were almost there.  You gonna give it another shot?

[bsfins]

I made it five days and then fell off the wagon.

I just stood up one day, drove to teh gas station, bought a pack of smokes and slammed like 10 of them. When my mind cleared up I was like, "man, what just happened."

The wife is ready to kill me.

Well, You knew it wasn't going to be easy...try again...Falling off the wagon may be part of it...Maybe you can make it 7 days before you fall off...Keep trying!

[crazy_scar_man]

Yeah, I'm gonna try again.

This time instead of cold turkey I'm gonna try something with it...

I'm leaning towards the anti depressant pill Zyban.

That was the worst part of it. I'm a happy go lucky person by nature. I've never really been depressed in my life... During the days after I was really down. I didn't know how to deal with it.

[Thundergod]

This drug is addicting to the point of obsession.  Let him smoke his ass off.  If it didn't happen the first time it's not gonna happen a 2nd or 3rd time.  When these people die, more air for us!!!!  

No offense crazy

[crazy_scar_man]

When these people die, more air for us!!!!

Jesus dude.

[Buddhagirl]

Just make sure you watch the doses on Zyban. I had a quack doctor prescribing me Wellbutrin.  (Pretty much the same thing.)  She never reduced my levels as time went on.

About 5 or 6 mos in, my mom found me on the floor in my room having a seizure. I then had at least 3 more at the hospital. I was in for 5 days.

When I was ready to leave, the doctor told me that for what Wellbutrin did to my body, I was probably better off smoking. Of course mine is a rare case.  But, the bottle does say, "May cause seizures."  They questioned how long I had been having them, too.  I would wake up on the floor a lot, but blamed the dog taking up to much space.

With that said, I quit cold turkey last year.I had already cut way, way back.  Like down to 3-5 cigs a day.  It took me a few tries and having the right motivation. One day, I was smoking and just got grossed out.  Kind of like, WTF am I doing? I threw out my ciggarettes.  I would still 'accidentally' smoke when I was out, but that even went away eventually.  Especially since NONE of my friends and none of my family smokes.

Whichever way you choose to go about it, it's not going to be easy. I wish you luck!

[Thundergod]

Jesus dude.

Just messin' with ya man.   

[YoFuggedaboutit]

Yeah, I'm gonna try again.

This time instead of cold turkey I'm gonna try something with it...

I'm leaning towards the anti depressant pill Zyban.

That was the worst part of it. I'm a happy go lucky person by nature. I've never really been depressed in my life... During the days after I was really down. I didn't know how to deal with it.

My friend has studied addictions.  He told me to tell you to start taking Vitamin C pills.  But here's the thing, you have to take more than you should each day.  This won't kill you because Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin.  Start out with 2000 milligrams a day, then if that doesn't work, increase it to 3000, then 4000, then 5000 until you reach a level you're comfortable with. 

[SCFinFan]

As a person who strongly believes in cognitive therapy over medications, I would advise you to strengthen your willpower through willed deprevations and mortifications. In other words, do things that you know need to be done, but that you'd ordinarily procrastinate on, and don't do things that you'd normally do for pleasure (but don't really have to do).

For me, in my own addictions, I find this highly effective. If you use medications, they can give you a hell of a kick start, and that's great. But without a strong, developed will, you'll find yourself right back where you started once your off the drug.

As for your depression, well, that's a tricky subject, and I think anyone who talks about "what you should do" about it ought to be very careful with what they say. That said, I'd just say look at it in light of Western Theology. I find doing so gives you a sense of understanding for things such as depression, pain, rejection, relapse, etc. That sometimes can be the assumption-based cognitive factor that you need (purpose, reason) so get you over the hill when your feelings have you down. It worked for me, anyway. Good luck and God bless. You're doing a commendable thing, friend.