I was addicted to cigarettes. Smoked 2.5 packs a day for 15 years. I wanted to quit, but couldn’t.
So I tried the nicotine patch. It didn’t help much, I was thinking of wearing them like a headband or a belt to up the potency. Learned that just because you take em off it doesn’t stop the effect.
Went to the timer method and it helped, it’s where you average out how many cigarettes you smoke in a day x hours awake and figure out how long between cigarettes, than add some time to stretch it out and increase the time between cigarettes every week.
I can remember waiting for the timer to go off and it was pure torture, but I made it down to 1/2 a pack a day! But still couldn’t quit.
My father seen me struggle and found some doctor who had this thing advertised as Nic-shot and claimed it would help you quit.
So I make an appointment and show only knowing that I would need a ride home.
He says he’s going to give a shot that will shut down all nicotine receptors and if I smoke a cigar or cigarette or dip I’ll wake em up and the battle continues.
Forgot to mention appointment at 7 pm. At 7:01 the door closes on my lips as I blow outa hit from my last smoke and laugh and look at the receptionist and she shakes her head and says something like I am not a good candidate.
Find out he’s using scopolamine and atropine in the shot, no idea what it is , and he shoots me up and out the door I go. No way I could have driven home .
Before we left he shows us this pack of fake cigarettes made of coco bean extract or shells , and gives his cell number to call for support.
I get home and walk in the garage and laying there is a pack of camel lights. Instantly light one up and laugh, high as a kite from the shot. Wake up at 7 and I gotta have a cigarette ! Bad! I remember the pack of fake cigarettes he showed us . I have to have them. I call him up at 7:15 am and he’s sleeping but answers. Tell him I need that pack of cigarettes or I am gonna open up a fresh pack of camels and he agrees to meet me. Drive an hour across town and get them, instantly light one up. It tastes like crap , but the motion of smoking a cig is soooo good.
I don’t think I would have been successful in quitting smoking cigarettes without them.
Smoked them coco bean cigarettes for a few months until the taste finally wasn’t worth it.
My marijuana smoking dramatically increased as a coping mechanism.
On this day, 18 years ago I smoked my last cigarette!!!
Thanks man it’s not so bad. Like you mention about the timing, in the past I haven’t so much set a timer as I have just switched up the timing. Deferral of gratification I think they call it.
Way to go! I quit drinking and cigarettes shortly Followed soon after. It was like I had to remove the drinking because I would compulsively smoke cigarettes when I drank LOL. Congrats! I’m almost at 5 years No cigarettes myself
I have my battles with cigarettes too. Been smoking for about 17 years with little gaps in between. Every time I try to quit, I am off it for a couple of months and then it all starts off back again with just one.
Had quit last year for a couple of months successfully until I saw my partner smoking one. I lit one up and haven’t stopped till date. I seem to stop craving when I am on a toking binge. Hopefully it will be the same this harvest and I can kick the habit for good.
I had a friend who smoked a lot and quit for years, then he was drinking over a friend’s house and he gave him a cigar to celebrate something. He’s back to smoking like a chimney. So that scared me into not trying even one hit, the battle to quit was so hard I don’t want to do it again.
I smoked 1.5-2 pks a day depending on alcohol consumption lol. Did it for 27 years. Tried lots of tricks. Wheel power finally won out. Plus I was sick as F so that really helped too lol. To this day it’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever accomplished. Jan 7, 2011 was my last day. Quit alcohol Jul 5th, 23.
Congrats on a very tough tough personal battle.
Yup, it always starts back with just one hit of the cancer stick. Having an addictive personality doesn’t help either. I’ve learned that once you quit, you try to do whatever you can to refrain from lighting up “just one”. That’s how I have been off alcohol for 1. 5 years, a habit which I picked up just about when I started smoking.
@EastCoastOldFart thank you. Most of my immediate circle do not smoke except my wife who does it once in a while. We’ve come to an agreement that we won’t smoke at home, which was a trigger for my current relapse. Sadly that hasn’t stopped my trips to the terrace.
My wife never quit, she switched to nicotine vapes. Holy shit, that’s a whole different animal. She’s crazy ass addicted to that thing. She’ll have a panic attack if the vape isn’t in sight. My kids vape that shit as well, no thanks…
I tried vaping for 2 years. Didn’t really help me much. The first day I vaped, I threw up from the nicotine rush because of how frequently I kept hitting it. My whole body buzzed for hours. Lol.
Never tried that fancy new technology called a vape until they legalized weed here, then I got a weed vape and smoked it walking around Walmart in some sort of defiance celebration .
Also I can’t stand the smell of cigarette smoke now
