Fairly light smoker for a couple years now...do I need gum?

[pogin624]

Well, I'm a fairly light smoker I guess...In college right now. I'd say that for the past couple months it's gotten worse and it's gotten to a place I just can't stand it anymore...wants have turned into needs, and I really don't want to be a slave to this anymore. Also, few people know about it, and I want to keep it that way before my addiction gets worse, so I'm stopping it in its tracks before its too late.

Anywho, for the past couple months I've been having 4-6 cigarettes a day. Like I said, I'm an in the closet smoker so it's fairly light compared to some. Back in the fall though, I remember getting my first REAL craving. We were all playing video games and it was kind of intense, lots of competition - and all of a sudden my world just felt like it was spinning. I felt like I was going to jump out of my skin and could hardly focus on anything. While I don't feel like that NOW, I have been getting very anxious since I've stopped smoking (last smoke was last night around 9pm). Like, instead of feeling like I have one huge craving for a short amount of time, it's kind of like a smaller more subtle craving but like all day. It's not enough I'd say to make me want to go out and buy some cigarettes but it's enough that it's pretty annoying.

At what point does one need gum? Is this something that I should just try to put out of my head since I don't smoke a pack a day, or is this something I still need external help with? Also, I'm trying to think about what's in my best interest in terms of health and relapsing. Will the gum give me a better chance to kick it overall or is it simply just overkill?

[Sheila]

Hi Pog,
I would suggest that you start reading the articles at whyquit.com, there is a ton of info there on quitting cold turkey. You already have one day under your belt, and that is GREAT..take these craves one at a time, they last less than three minutes, and will become less frequent each day.. All the nicotine is out of your body in 72 hours. They say drink juice, and LOTS of ice water to help flush out the toxins, early in your quit..
If you can do this cold turkey, that's good, but no matter how you do it, just do NOT light another cig.. Nicotine is a drug and you have become addicted, so just like all of us here, you can never smoke even ONE more unless you want the whole deal all over again..
Read whyquit.com and post here, and welcome aboard, there are lots of nice people here to help you along..

Sheila
I have been quit for 1 Month, 2 Weeks, 3 Days, 17 minutes and 45 seconds (48 days). I have saved $240.05 by not smoking 1,200 cigarettes. I have saved 4 Days and 4 hours of my life. My Quit Date: 12/30/2006 12:32 PM

[pogin624]

Thanks Sheila, I'll check it out.

Well I wasn't going to say this, because I'm pretty ashamed of it, but one reason I do smoke is because I have a fetish for it...it's something I really just don't want to live with anymore. If anyone has knowledge on that or a link to somewhere that can help me out, that'd be great. As much as this is a physical thing, it's been very much a mental thing, ever since I was little.

There was a time late last year where I didn't smoke for like, a month, and for whatever reason, I lit up again, and was kind of disappointed. It didn't make me feel good because my body had gotten rid of it for the most part, and it bothered my throat, and I regretted it. Ever since that time, it hasn't been enjoyable. I hope to get to that point again and this time just remember that it really won't feel good unless i'm buried in it - and that is not a pleasant place to be.

[TUNIS]

pogin624 You had a month quit then thats a good sign you can quit forever.

[oahu_surfa]

i'd say chew some gum if you're on the way to get some smokes. it works great and made my quit possible but now i cant stop chewing the gum.

[FlyinFree]

Oahu- there is help here for that man... I'm not it, but try a new thread,, something like, getting off the gum... and you will get lots of help.

At 30 days, I found it was really time to up the effort to KTQ. I lost my first quit at 26 days, and then at 30 and 60 days, i couldn;t help but start battling the ""quit forever??"" OMGoodness!!! This place saved me.

My laughs were and are found here, and my struggle was shared.

so-- P6- I'd recommend reading materials at http://www.whyquit.com so you will have 'real knowledge' and strength from an understanding of nicotine and the effect on the body, and the eminent addiction! Youth,, I am grateful to have it to... Check out the articles...

Sorry to be a wet rag, but 30 days gets given up around here all the time.... get in the groove, and work to KEEP THE QUIT.... at 90= days, I get days when I don;'t even think about smoking... BUT I WILL BE THINKING ABOUT YOU and pulling for ya.

You can do it and you are worth it.

You never have to be alone,

FF

[Mimi]

All I can say is QUIT, QUIT, QUIT. You are young and healthy. Quit before the changes to your body cannot be reversed.

[Sheila]

Hi Pogin,
Are you still with us today?? Did you read all the articles on whyquit.com? I'm in my 50's and have quit 4 times, but this is my last time, due to Now I am educated on the ADDICTION of nicotine.. so, no wonder those other quits did not last, if I started sneaking them, well the only one REALLY sneaking was that nicodemon, right back into my head and whole body, just craving that next fix..So you stay strong and fight him..Ice water, brush your teeth, chew on a straw, cinnamon stick, what ever you have to do.. and NTAP, never take another puff.
Sheila
49 days and counting

[pogin624]

Hey thanks everyone. I'm feeling pretty good. Just kind of feel like I'm going to jump out of my skin a tad, but overall not too bad.

I do agree though, after knowing the science behind it all, it deters me even more not to take another drag. I guess I'll keep you updated as the days go on, haha, but the best update I guess would be that there is no update (as in not smoking). Heh. Thanks again.

[FlyinFree]

yes yes yes..
Detox- skin crawling, brain running, and what in the world do i do with these hands.....

There are some elements you just have to make it through, and believe me, we are all pulling fo ryou, we will respect you, and there is nobody here any better than you..

You are worth this... if you cave, you know you won't enjoy it anyway... it's a curse for a few days.

Next will come emotional dissentigration---- heehe go look in th mirror
< do you see any resemblance to my lil friend??

Laugh man laugh....
do you know why a girraffs neck is sooo long?

FF

[pogin624]

^LOL I think I lost you there...totally feeling you on the skin crawling though.

I went for a run/jog today...lasted like 20-25 minutes. I didn't realize how horribly out of shape I was, but right now I'm glad I did because I really just needed to get out and expend some pent up energy. Man I didn't realize that smoking even as little as I do has affected me so much. Not that I've ever been a track star or anything, but I feel like I just got rid of so much excess mucus and phlegm in that 20 minutes. Felt kind of refreshing to spit out so much crap, even though my throat was now killing me (little bit chilly for Florida).

One thing I am trying to shake is my attraction to women who smoke...is it possible at all to keep such an attraction and remain smoke free? What really happens is I always quit for a little bit, but even when my body says don't smoke, my mind says do. Is there anyway to curb my attraction to something that I really don't want any part of anymore? I almost feel like i'm cursed in that regard, like it's in my life more than just the physical habit of smoking. Like sometimes I'll get dreams about smoking with relatives who know I don't, or with friends(females).

Coming to this site has really helped me out though. I won't say it's as easy as "Just don't do it" but really that's what it boils down to. People all the time don't take quits seriously...like they act like it's only temporary. I'm really trying to stay in the mindset that I'll never smoke again.

Also, something else I've noticed - the last couple months I've had swells where I've just gotten really upset. It started at the beginning of the year...anywho, my grandparents had both passed away a couple months prior (within like a month of each other), and I had a really rough summer where my girlfriend and I were having problems and she eventually broke up with me. The first couple weeks of school I was really depressed and for whatever reason, barely smoked at all (I actually didn't do much that normally made me happy in those times, like games or what have you). Anyway, after that I was just like, I really don't care, and almost like, embraced smoking, or what little I did (very much in the closet). It was great...for a little while. But then after I really felt my first craving - wants turned to needs. I'd HAVE to smoke ever 4 or 5 hours or my skin would crawl and I'd have a hard time focusing. I couldn't go to bed unless I smoked. Sometimes I couldn't wake up unless I smoked. After a few awkward moments where I almost got caught by my roommate, and after getting to know a girl that there might be something there with, it really made me think. I'd be outside at night for a smoke, trying to be quiet, like I'm hiding that I'm a drug addict - and really that's what I was. I always tell myself that I won't smoke forever...but did I really take myself seriously? When was I going to stop? Certainly it would just get worse and worse. Usually I take a break from it when it starts getting ridiculous, but my bar for 'ridiculous' started to lower and lower, and I would accept more cigarrettes than normal.

Anyway, the point of this is - I think at some point, my body just started craving it a lot, and because of my in the closet ness, I was basically in constant withdrawl without knowing it. Maybe it's jsut me, but after 2-3 days without smoking, my mood actually feels a bit better, possibly because my body doesn't feel like it's in constant demand of something it's not getting. At least, I hope that's the case, because it'd be nice to be a little happier, hehe. Thanks again everyone.