I was one of those people who never thought I’d quit smoking. It’s probably a good thing I got sick or I never would have. Hey, I loved smoking. But there are so many things I don’t miss about it. I don’t miss the dirty STINKY ash trays. I don’t miss the ashes’ mess. My desk used to get so bad and so did my car. Those pesky ashes fly everywhere. I don’t miss worrying about where my cigarettes are and if I have a working lighter. It’s also really nice to be out somewhere and not being “antsy” about when will I have my next one. So many things I don’t miss.
I do have to say though, I MISS SMOKING. I really do. I loved my cigarettes! I don’t think about smoking very often and NO, I won’t smoke but there are times I really have the urge. I think the worst time for me is at night when Paul and I are Wii bowling. I constantly had a cigarette going when we did that. The other night I said something to Paul about “I really missed smoking while we did this” and he asked me if that meant I was going to smoke again and I said NO WAY but I do miss it. I smoked for more than 35 years and I’m sure it’s normal for me to miss it. I’m also not on the patch or gum. I just didn’t like the side effects of that dang patch. The only thing I’m using is Bazooka Joe.
I’ve also found out that I’m very impatient where my health is concerned and I want things to be fixed RIGHT NOW. I also don’t like ANY side effects of the medications I was on. Listen, if I’m thirsty, I want to be thirsty because my body is telling me I’m thirsty and not because of a stupid pill I’m taking. I’ve found that the side effects of the medicine are sometimes worse that what’s wrong with you in the first place.
What I’d really like to know though is why is it so easy for people to think it’s so easy to quit smoking? I’ve had people tell me I’d be nuts if I smoked yet they are pretty overweight or have other issues of their own. Why is it so easy for them to say that not smoking is so easy? I feel like telling them it would be so easy to diet and not be fat. That wouldn’t be nice though would it? I know people who are on all kinds of medication for one thing or another and I wonder why they wouldn’t try to change either their diet or lifestyle so they wouldn’t have to be on the medication. Kind of like, when you eat that “snack” at night, I’d like to have a cigarette. When you “snack” on something else, I’d like another cigarette. People think it’s different because we “have” to eat but some of the most vocal people in my life have health issues but they are the ones telling me not to smoke.
I know this is just me but I’d have done just about anything to not walk around with the oxygen tank with me 24-7 so why wouldn’t someone want to change what they could so they wouldn’t have to take all those pills and medications? Like I said before, the side effects of some of those meds are awful and there’s no way I’d want to be on some of them for the rest of my life.
I guess my point is that we all have bad habits. Whether it’s over-eating or over-shopping or we have OCD’s about one thing or another or are afraid of flying or what have you, so why would anyone judge that smoking is so easy to quit when they have their own bad habits? Just why is it we can say whatever we want to a smoker but God forbid we tell someone they’re fat or a drunk or a pig or anything else, but it’s okay to say you’re an idiot for smoking? I just think any addiction is hard and one shouldn’t be so quick to point out that one thing is easier than another to quit.
Us Girls..Our Views 
I think the only thing that allows a person addicted to any substance is… have they or are they experienced enough pain? When the pain outweighs the benefits that is at least the beginning of the awakeningl
Great Joy that you are finished sucking!
Well, one thing that always hit home for me was that it’s widely accepted that tobacco is the MOST addictive drug there is. This is the biggest reason I urge young people not to even try it a few times to please their friends. How do we know which of those early cigarettes pushes people over the line into addiction? And then so many people spend a lifetime trying to quit. But half of the youngsters won’t believe me until it’s too late.
My brother works with nursing home patients and he’ll tell you how it blows his mind to see people with severe emphysema, permanently stuck to an oxygen tank, essentially immobile, who nevertheless light up numerous times each day. WELL then, you might wonder why my brother himself smokes, huh? Huh.
My mom stopped smoking at age 19 because it made her puke when she got pregnant. She has never smoked since. But decades later, she admitted to me that she still had a craving for a cigarette every morning. She would drink coffee instead, thankfully.
So I know kicking the nicotene habit is not “easy.” If anything, it’s harder than improving eating or exercise habits. And obesity is just as potentially deadly as smoking, so yeah, why do heavy people think you should make the effort to change and they shouldn’t?
My sister once commented that all three of us sisters were trying to kill ourselves – her by overeating, kid sis by smoking, and me by overworking. Since then, the only one of us who has mended her ways is kid sis (the ex-smoker). She did it because she wanted to have kids.
One might argue that the absolute hardest addiction to kick is workaholism. I don’t know, but that would explain a few things around here.
I am so proud of you for keeping up the quitter’s attitude! I’ve quit smoking 3 times now – the longest for 2 years! – but am now in the midst of a cloud of smoke again. It’s a hell of a lot harder to quit than anything else I’ve ever had to quit.
It’s a weird thing, but it’s almost like you have to substitute one addiction for another, like Bazooka Joe. Case in point, my brother. He was addicted to heroin for years, and my parents finally agreed to buy him cigarettes if it would keep him from buying other drugs. The lesser of two evils, I suppose.
While I think it’s not cool at all to judge people for their life choices, I do think there is a bit of a generational difference when it comes to smoking. When I was a kid, it was drilled into me so hard that smoking would kill you, and smokers were bad, yadda yadda yadda. I don’t think my parents’ generation was given that same mantra, and my grandparents’ even less. So, while it’s still not cool to judge, it’s at least a little more understandable to frown upon the young ‘uns for smoking than their elders.
Anyhoo, to conclude this novella, I just wanted to say that you’ve got support out here. Keep up the quitting fight!
Joy, I am so proud of you, but yes smoking is just as hard to kick as crack I believe. With over 600 chemicals in the cigarette, it makes it tough. They want you to be addicted, the makers that is. Anything that hinders good health is a problem, be it smoking, excessive drinking, or overeating. I was 25 years old when I quit. I never liked the dirty ash tray and the mess it made. My twelve yr. old grand daughter loves the old “I Love Lucy” shows. She has the DVD’s of the old shows. When I watch them with her, I am reminded of how it was ‘way back when’ as I see them smoking everywhere and then in one episode even the doctor was smoking in the patient’s room. Times sure have changed….thank goodness.
Hopefully you can be a help to those who want to kick the habit.
My favorite line when I was still smoking: “You know, you really should quit smoking. It’s not good for you.”
Really????? No sh*t???? It’s not good for me? I did not know that! Well, hot damn. Because you told me, I am going to give that some thought!! Wow….*shaking head in wonder*
ROFLMAO
I totally get ya, when you talk of how frustrated you were when people would say, “well, just QUIT!!” I get that all the time. I don’t smoke, I don’t drink, but I am overweight. And part of it is my own damn fault. (the other part, I’m finding out, is due to a disorder that I have, that nobody knows much about).
Every time I go to see a doctor about anything, the answer would be, “well, lose a few pounds, then we’ll discuss it.” Really? I’ve just been kicked in the knee by a horse, the knee is bruised, bloody and swollen. And my consumption of potato chips at lunch is relevant, how??? Thank goodness, I have now located not one, but TWO doctors who are interested in helping me figure out how to deal with this metabolic thing that I have.
I simply laugh when I deal with people around me… they have all the sympathy in the world for Steve, who is a recovering alcoholic. They won’t even SAY the word “beer” around him. But at the same time, those selfsame people are firing, nonstop, “tips” at me: “Do you know, I can eat just a half a teaspoon of ice cream… if I just suck on that little bit, it satisfies my sweet tooth for HOURS!!”, “Just don’t eat seconds!”, “Oh, it’s easy, just skip dessert!” (all this, during dinner, while they’re serving dessert)
But never once, ever, did anyone say to Steve, “Just quit drinking! It’s easy!”
So, Joy, I feel you. I completely get the frustration.
I think what it comes down to, is it’s always easier to give other people advice. And this society despises smoking, so everyone thinks that smokers should quit, and television tells us that all you have to do is wear a patch, and voila! Done!
Same with losing weight. Call Jenny Craig, and she boxes up a svelte version of you, and FexEx’s it next-day air, and *poof!!* you’re skinny! And if you don’t do these simple things, somehow you’re less then they are, because geez, they TOLD you what to do, why didn’t you?
I’m so glad you “get it.” So many people don’t. It’s been really hard and I think about smoking a hundred times a day and really just don’t talk about it but it’s still pretty hard. I’m also tired of people just assuming that it’s just been easy or just a no brainer to quit. It’s STILL HARD and I think we should be respectful of anyone who’s got an addiction. Anything you try to quit is hard on the person who’s trying to quit a bad habit and I don’t think you should call someone an idiot for smoking or be telling someone to just not eat dessert while you’re serving it! Why are some people just so rude?
I am SO proud of you…we all are!! There is one person I have the “smoking” conversation with often. She can’t understand why Jason still smokes…why look at what his mom just went through. I’m tired of it to be honest. I say well…it’s not easy for everyone. She’ll say…Well it was for her and it was for me! And you quit too so why can’t he??? OMG please!!!! Not everyone is like us and for you Joy…you really had no other logical choice but to quit. Jason hasn’t been faced with that. I hope like heck it doesn’t come to that and I know he’ll quit. I’ll tell this person that he needs the patches to quit bt we can’t really afford them right now…her answer…well he can afford cigarettes! Yes and if he could put that $5 a way every day and save up well then he wouldn’t really need the patches now would he!
Smoking is one of the worst habits to qt for some people..it’s an addiction just like any other drug and it’s different for each person! Bottom line is…mind your business…and take a look at yourself before judging others!!!
I have never smoked, but I have siblings who do. They have tried quitting, but it never lasts. I really believe it IS a hard thing to do. My former father-in-law used to smoke when he was younger. I remember him telling me once that even though he’d quit smoking years earlier he STILL had cravings every once in awhile. It is certainly not an easy thing to do, which is what makes YOUR efforts so admirable. Keep on doing what you’re doing!
First of all CONGRATS JOY!!! Quitting smoking has got to be in my opinion the hardest thing in the world to do! I quit drinking with no problems and I to this day have not had a craving for a drink. But even not have smoked for 2 1/2 years I still want a cigarette! Sometimes I even crave one more than once in a day!
I never have understood why people harp on smokers and not other addicts. Why not tell that person at the end of the bar that his liver is going to shrivel up and stop working. Why not tell that person at the ice cream stand how all the saturated fat in that little ice cream cone is going to stick to the walls of their arteries and make their heart stop? I don’t get it either!
Quitting 14 years agowas the best thing I ever did
I’m proud of you and I love you and all the hard work you’re doing! I’ll write more in a bit!
Oh Joy,So proud of you.Do you think its just people who have never had an addiction who say things like that and judge?They just do not understand how addiction works.I smoked for 12 years and its been 12 years since I quit..do you know I still want(not crave )a smoke once in awhile…when stressed especially.Its HARD to stop but do-able for sure!!Keep on keeping on!!I like everything Laura said too.,I totally relate.I now struggle with food and thats not ANY easier for me than quitting smoking.People REALLY judge that.Whats that old saying..walk a mile in my shoes.Until they have I dont think they understand.So we must try to let what they say roll of us and continue to better ourselves for US!
I’m excited for you and yea I totally hear you when you say even though you’re done, doesn’t mean you still don’t crave. heck I found myself craving the wacky weed 20 yrs after the last puff..and I never inhaled. I think I told you that before. And as far as over eating..I could probably be classified as being addicted to food. I can get away with it due to my job ..I burn off alot of calories but eat for comfort, eat for fun eat when I’m stressed and eat even when I’m not hungry, the human heart is easily addicted to just about anything and the fool who judges you most certainly has their own set of addictions, just that some are more obvious than others. no judging coming from this direction.. dm
Congratulations, Joy! My quit day was September 25. So, I’m on day 22. Like you, I have been an on again off again smoker for 35 years. Mostly on. I have quit before–twice during 35 years, each time for two year periods. There is an article that you could search for on-line that is entitled “Never Take Another Puff”. I believe every word is true.
I think one of the reasons I fell off the wagon last time is because every once in a while I would take a puff from my husband’s cigarette. And even though I thought it was nasty, I think it played tricks on my addiction, and eventually caught up with me. So, this time I plan to “never take another puff”.
I am taking medication to help me with this. I feel physically much better without the smokes, but cravings hit at the oddest times. Bless you and good luck to you!! Ignore those who have never walked in your shoes, and label them as the ignorant individuals they really are.
It’s good to see you Tanya. Thank you for the good wishes. I can’t smoke again which is why I think it’s been easier for me. I was in the hospital for the first few days and was on oxygen when I got home for a week. That alone scared the crap out of me. If I choose to smoke, I will have to take all kinds of medications that I don’t want to take. I hate medications.
I’ve never really quit before. I tried a couple of times in my life but it really only lasted a few days. I’m looking at it this way, smoke and die very early or don’t smoke and watch my grandchildren grow up. It doesn’t seem like much of a decision when you put it like that.
Drop by again Tanya. I’ve wondered about how you were doing.
I have tried to quit for several years- over 15 in fact! I finally found something that helped me. I quit a little over 2 years ago and have not looked back. I could not have done it without the help of the stop smoking expert. It is definitely worth checking out. You can find it at http://tinyurl.com/nomoresmokes. I’m telling you, after I quit, my lungs thanked me and I have felt better than ever before… Not to mention I can actually taste my food! Seriously, check it out!
Hi Joy!I havent been on here awhile,was out at Joe and Lindsays in the boonies.Right now they have a internet connection thats as slow as a turtle.So I didnt go on much.I was there from monday to friday.It was nice and peaceful.
I congratulate you on your not smoking!!I believe its harder to quit than anything else.I once read that it was easier for a person to quit heroin and other drugs than it was to quit smoking.They have rehab places for those people,I always wished they would have a place like that for smokers.But I guess its because smoking is a legal substance and the government makes millions on the taxes I and everyone pay for a pack. I also have quit a few times,but my downfall is,I use them as a crutch when I am stressed.
For years I have watched those gross quit smoking commercials.They do disgust me,but they havent made me stop.Then a few months ago a commercial came out that made me feel like I will one day quit.They said that vanada did survey.It said that on an average,it takes a person 10 times of trying to quit before you will actually quit for good.So I felt better.I felt like a failure everytime i would start up again.And people dont make it easier by their rude comments of “WHY cant you quit,you did it for so long”Everytime I started again,I was ashamed and hid it from people like a child hiding something from there parents.I do wanna guit.I am so happy you are trudging threw this HARD time,I admire you for that.It truly is the hardest thing I have ever done.
I am not telling people anymore when I quit,I will just do it.I will do it one day soon.As you said,I wanna see my grandkids grow up and I want them to have their nana around for a long time.
Have a great day Joy!Think of you always.
I meant to say canada did a survey—not vanada 🙂
I am proud of you, Joy. I gave it up myself years ago, and I still miss it at times. But, the payoff for our health makes it all worthwhile.
Yikes, Joy. I haven’t been online much for a while, and I’m sorry to hear you’ve had health problems. Good on you for quitting smoking! I’ve never smoked, but I can believe it’s not easy to quit. Just tell someone to give up chocolate. Or sugar. Then they might think about what it’s like to give up smoking.
I never thought I could give up chocolate, but then I figured out that I have a dairy allergy. Most chocolate has dairy in it. Once I realized how sick dairy made me, I got serious about giving up all kinds of things that were hard to give up before. I have never intentionally slipped. But that doesn’t mean I don’t think about it. I’ll have dreams where I’m eating cheese or ice cream, for example. I imagine it’s much the same with smoking, but probably worse cravings.
Anyway, I hope you are on the mend. Sending lots of good thoughts your way!
I too am proud of you. I can say that I really didn’t have a problem when I stopped smoking. I just kind of decided I was going to do it and I did it. By that time I was more of a social smoker…when I was at the bar I smoked when at home not so much. My husband on the other hand had to quit 3 times before he was able to totally kick it. I think it all depends on how hooked you are to anything that determines how hard it will be to give up.
I have found out recently how much I really did enjoy drinking and now am having a problem with that again. And that on top of my meds is not good..which is another thing..I am totally addicted to xanax and do not see my life without it
Oh and coffee??? HOLY CRAP I am sure the amount of coffee I drink a day is way unhealthy…and yet I do it.
Joy…
Smoking is bad. I am glad to hear that you’ve quit. Your health is indeed important.
Many people who smokes have problem quitting. Addiction is hard to control. But people have gotten over it. And quite frankly, I am very glad you did.
So take care of your health Joy. It’s okay to miss and reminisce about those days.