for those who have quit smoking...

[melanie2]

and for me it's been a year in april...do you find some days the craving soo bad you would give anything for a cig? damn...today has been like that for me..wanting one...usually the craving comes and goes and i think nothing more about it..

what do you do that have quit smoking..is anyone here like that? have quit smoking? and do you find when you smell ciggy smoke damn then you want one..i'll be walking from the grocery store, outside past some smokers..i''l sniff and say yummm...hubby thinks i'm crazy...he always hated my smoking...but i'll stick with it..hmm it might help to see some pics of icky lungs..smoke filled and all tarry and nicotiny...sighs..

 

[Dr. Bill Kobb]

You've come too far to go back now, doll. I quit almost a decade ago, after having smoked for most of my adult life previous. It's a wonder I don't have permanent damage. I may still reap the vile rewards tobacco has to offer later on, as I age.

For the meantime, quitting smoking is either the best, or the second best thing I've done in the last decade. The possible exception being going back to school.

As far as what to tell you when the mad craves hit? Just know that, even now, in traffic or whatever, I might catch a whiff and think, "Yum". But, it's not nearly as bad as it was in that first year or so.

Just do whatever coping skills work for you. Meditate, masturbate, go for a walk, eat your fave comfort food, take a nap, go see a movie, ANYTHING but light up. You're past the tough part. It'd be a terrible shame to pick up the coffin nails again.

 

[melanie2]

lol..i walked..i uh did that other thing...blushes..i will not eat comfort food..i gained weight as it was when i quit..grrrrrrrrrr a bit..but yes i'll not light up again....i told david at noon about this rather fearsome craving..he said get out the cig that's in the drawer in the kitchen and smoke that...the thing about that cigarette...after dad died, and we brought some of his clothes down here to our house...going thru a dinner jacket of his, i came across an old lucky strike cigarette..that's what he smoked..so i've kept it ever since..and that's what david meant when he suggested that smart ass remark...lol

 

[Violetta]

I've smoked casually for a while, but always in that social sorta way. If others are smoking and offer me one, I'll have one, but I've never really had an addiction for 'em. In fact, I don't even like smoking things that aren't weed or cloves. My sister on the other hand... She can smoke like a chimney. But I can't say I've ever really known the trouble of cravings like that.

 

[melanie2]

what's it like to smoke cloves??? i did smoke weed twice..i'm such a rebel lol

 

[Violetta]

I think it's pretty damn cool. There's a weird numbing sorta feeling that goes through you, but it doesn't seem to hamper your mind the way weed does. So you're totally aware of how funny it feels. At least that's what it's like for me.

Alright. Bring on the cliche goth jokes now...

 

[melanie2]

hmm i don't know any cliche goth jokes..are they anything like blonde jokes? hehe

 

[Violetta]

Well, whereas blonde jokes center around you guys being bubbly and dumb, goth jokes center around us being moody and doing stuff to look different. 😉

 

[the_jimmy_james]

I never had the craving thing. My problem is just that if I have one, there's a dangerous chance I'll be hooked again.

The closest I've come is that, "Hmm. I'd like a cigarette" feeling which can be defeated by chewing on a stick of gum.

 

[chicag0]

I'm a smoker currently and while I enjoy it, I'm aware of all the horrible things it does to a person and hope that I don't keep the habit for any extended amount of time.

In your case (and other quitters), though, I'm sure cravings can happen and be quite intense, but I heard most cravings last (at most) five minutes and then pass. So perhaps chewing a piece of gum during that time, or whatever works for you, can help you forget about it.

Congrats on quitting for good though. Many people try and fail and the moment you stop, your body starts to heal in terms of lungs, teeth discoloration, etc. And, luckily, the amount of cigarette smoke you smell should decrease (unless someone you live with smokes) because of all the new smoking bans in restaurants and bars.