RLF Smokers Anonymous (RSA - or 'arse-a')

[Rorschach]

So, I was just reperusing the New Year's Resolutions thread and I was somewhat surprised to see so many people expressing intentions to kick the evil weed to the smoky kerb.

I figure it's good to have some support on a venture such as this - people to encourage you to succeed, to berate you soundly for failure and to lord it over if they crack and you don't.

In that spirit:

'My name's Gianni, and I am a smoker. It has been five days, seven hours and nine minutes since my last cigarette'

I'm on the patches at the moment, I started with the 15mg ones and find that they are a lot of help. Whilst they don't directly alleviate the psychological addiction, they do soothe the physical.

How's everyone else doing?

[Kits]

Nick and I are trying the 'step down' method. From a pack a day, to 15 a day, to 13 a day...so on and so forth. I'm at 10 a day, from just over a pack a day. My doctor also proscribed me Lexapro [not JUST for the quitting of the nicotine, but it does help smokers to quit], and we plan on the patch once we get down to 5 cigs a day. Once you're down to the basic five....you need that extra help. I'm already getting the shakes a bit, and I'm still at 10!

Oh, and:

"My name's Crystal and I am a smoker. It has been...*cough* fifteen minutes since my last cigarette.

[E2]

YeY, great thread

*cheers*

[chaos42]

My name is Paul and I'm a smoker. It hass been 7 days since my last cigarette.

I had cut back to about 5 cigs a day or so but I wasn't sure that my intention was to actually quit. The only method that ever works for me is to sorta sneak quitting in. I hit a day where I feel less like smoking than others and decide to push my limits. The next day I do the same thing. I think the key for me is not actually stating (to myself or others) that my intention is to quit untill at least four days into it. I feel that, for me at least, it removes a good ammount of stress from quitting.

Now that I can say with a resonable degree of certainty that I've quit, the key thing is not bloody starting again. I've quit about 4 times since I was 14, the longest duration being for over two years....Still, we come back. I was just having a conversation with my mom and she says that even today, even after over 20 years of not smoking, she would start up again today were it not for the health issues and that she still really enjoys the smell of a freshly lit cigarette.

So, here's to actually not going back for once...

[Blind Pyr0]

"My name is Jordan, it has been over a week since my last bowl, and one day till my next."

I'm in no hurry to quit.

[Nitz Walsh]

I quit smoking when I was 14... but good luck to those of you who are trying now.

Thought I'd show my support of your efforts.

[Deacon]

Hmmm...this thread has inspired me to step outside and have a smoke

[grandjoke]

My name is Andy, and i am a smoker. i haven't had a cigarette in 7 days. i had tried to go the month of december without one and then one got offered. i had a friend buy me a pack later that day (17) i figured i should stop when i had smoked an entire pack in less than 24 hours. cold turkey is a bitch and the situations where one would be desireable have been frequent. i'm holding up i guess

[RandomTask]

[quote="Deacon";p="442007"]Hmmm...this thread has inspired me to step outside and have a smoke [/quote]

Bad Kitty!

[Kits]

[quote="Blind Pyr0";p="441967"]"My name is Jordan, it has been over a week since my last bowl, and one day till my next."

I'm in no hurry to quit.[/quote]

Oh wait...I thought we only had to quit NICOTINE...I'm still puffing happily away on the other.

[UrzaPlanezwalker]

meh, i dont smoke, but good luck to ya'll who do.

[The Forum Hillbilly]

Good luck you ya all. I don't smoke but I need some help convinceing my brother not to. At least not in my room and use my waste basket as an ask tray.

[Rorschach]

First slip, my wheezy brethren: was at a house-warming party the other night where strong liquors drunkened me. On discovering my girlfriend in a room with another guy, I had a cigarette

Oh no, she was only in there having a sneaky smoke (she's quit too) because that was the designated smoking area, but I still took one

I'm happy to report that that, coupled with my nicotine patch, took me from pleasantly drunk to ridiculously nauseus and I spent the rest of the night lying in a bedroom with the room spinning

So, that should make next time easier to resist

[Rileyrat]

I am doing the drug to drug step down proccess. First alcohol, then cigs, then colas. I am doing most harmful to least

[Dreamer]

Rors, that was kinda funny. Caught your girl in another room with a guy. Having a cigarette! That made me guffaw.
Me and the wife are making an effort to cut down, and hopefully eventually move to quitting. I went Sunday without a single smoke (but was up until 7 in the morning playing poker and smoking) so just to make it official I also went until about 6:30 on Monday without one. That's 36 hours, and I was happy with myself. I'm not a heavy smoker anyway. I plan on limiting myself to about 5 a day. But some days are harder than others.
For example. Bowling today. I think I'll try one per game, around the 4th frame, so it lasts me until the 6th, hopefully.
But it helps to have a support structure, like my wife. Except when I got home yesterday, proud for not having smoked for 36 hours, she said "I could sure use a cigarette right now!" so off to the drug store with me! I'm week when it comes to suggestions like that...