Nic fix

It’s been over 10 years since I quit smoking and I still have the occasional smoke in my dreams. I don’t miss the wheezing, while going up stairs or running; however, there are times that I wish I could just have one more for old times sake. With that all said I am so happy I am no longer addicted to nicotine that I will never allow that monkey on my back again. Here’s to smashing your addictions instead of letting them rule you.

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Dream onwards

Sep 24, 2018 at 1:39pm

I was going clean for a month and fell off this weekend, I thought I could have that one smoke. Now I feel like I got strep and I know the week is gonna suck. Got any tips for a greenhorn? (Seriously)

In praise of dubious methods

Sep 24, 2018 at 2:47pm

I quit cold turkey, from 3 packs of 100s a day.
Switched to drinking every night. Highly distilled vodka only, so I could work the next day. It greatly reduced my perceptual bandwidth so I didn't notice the absence of nic fix (constant low-grade hangovers are good for this).
After 30 days of that, I was past the breakpoint. Still dreamed about chainsmoking but never touched it again. Avoided smokers and smoking for the next year or so.
Once the year passed and I detoxed (I was working out at the time, too), the habit started to smell as awful as they say. Trivially easy to stay away at that point.

As an alternative to drinking, I'd suggest really hard, low-impact, low risk cardio. I use a classical step machine at home; the local Fit4Less has one like that, too. A couple of sessions a day, to the point where you have slight trouble breathing (emphasis on SLIGHT, you're a smoker, be careful), should release enough adrenaline and happy hormones in your body to ease the withdrawal symptoms.
Helps to substitute some (healthier or at least less damaging) habit for it. Nature abhors a vacuum and all that.

18 4Rating: +14

OP

Sep 24, 2018 at 4:15pm

I went cold turkey. I found something healthy to replace a cigarette each time I craved a smoke like drink a glass of water, go for a quick walk, learn a new hobby etc... Stay away from temptation for quite a while because as you found just one sets you back to day zero. Hanging out with smokers especially when drinking was my downfall a few times as well as work stress due to office politics. I found working out helped me a ton as well. Now I can even stand the smell at all. Good luck, be kind to yourself and keep on trying till you find what works for you.

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