Veterans

jmbar2

(6,381 posts)

35. Congratulations!

Reply to The Polack MSgt (Original post)

Wed May 16, 2018, 12:33 PM

May 2018

I quit 20 years ago, after numerous tries, slips and retries.

What helped me a lot was to re-characterize any cravings as the evil voice of demon tobacco, trying to hijack my own intelligence to get me to start again.

I would try to identify what rationale it was using to get me to start again:
- Just one more, and then you can quit again
- This is a bad time to try to quit because....
- You deserve just one because...
- It's been X days - time to celebrate!

Then you argue the case with the tobacco demon, and debunk the arguments. Once I started doing that, it was amazing how many rationales my addicted brain would come up with to smoke again. It transformed every craving into a sort of victory, instead of a loss.

Good luck and hang in there. Go smell a forest, if you haven't recently. Reward yourself - you deserve it!

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Ya know - After 3+ decades of smoking [View all] The Polack MSgt May 2018 OP

congratulations.. That is a huge accomplishment. nt Fresh_Start May 2018 #1

40 years of three packs a day and it wasn't easy... TreasonousBastard May 2018 #2

Well, for some it does go away completely. JayhawkSD May 2018 #40

I'm still scratching my head over how people start in the first place. Aristus May 2018 #3

I always wondered why cigarettes are seen as "macho"... Foolacious May 2018 #13

Here is how thousand of military age men (and maybe) women started. usaf-vet May 2018 #15

That's awful. Aristus May 2018 #23

Tobacco manufacturers got permission to add smokes to the rations for soldiers Marthe48 May 2018 #24

Yeah, C-rat packs came with a little mini-pack of smokes. Aristus May 2018 #25

and my husband said cigarettes were super cheap at the PX Marthe48 May 2018 #31

Cigs were sold in the Commissary and Exchange without taxes The Polack MSgt May 2018 #36

I think I'm a bit older than you. JayhawkSD May 2018 #41

I don't remember what they cost back in my 1st enlistment (Joined in 82) The Polack MSgt May 2018 #44

Yeah, I'm older than you. JayhawkSD May 2018 #48

Probably not Top - Probably not The Polack MSgt May 2018 #56

John (my husband) U.S. Army Marthe48 May 2018 #52

Ex camel straight pack a day smoker myself Canoe52 May 2018 #4

I don't think I would argue with that. JayhawkSD May 2018 #47

Stay strong brother! Glamrock May 2018 #5

Take about 10 really deep breaths when the urge hits you rurallib May 2018 #6

It's one of THE most difficult addictions to kick, physiologically and psychologically. TygrBright May 2018 #7

I know you have a craving right now but if you give in flamin lib May 2018 #8

bravo, glad you could quit heaven05 May 2018 #9

Glad you can talk about a bout with cancer in past tense. Congrats back to you The Polack MSgt May 2018 #28

Good for you - packman May 2018 #10

39 years and now COPD. Off to the doc on Friday. Faygo Kid May 2018 #11

My mom quit MFM008 May 2018 #26

I quit with Chantix too lunatica May 2018 #12

Spouse stopped smoking 20 years ago - cold turkey, with the help of Tic-tacs and jerky. haele May 2018 #21

Cigarette smoke makes me nauseous now lunatica May 2018 #42

That is what it's all about. Your brain wants to smoke, NOT YOU. Tikki May 2018 #34

The California anti smoking laws helped me too lunatica May 2018 #45

The craving never goes away. jimmil May 2018 #14

Don't give in! Ohioboy May 2018 #16

My dad finally quit when he went on oxygen. Hell of a way to go. jalan48 May 2018 #17

You got to admit: you feel better now than you ever have in a long time. Butt, Smoke Pit..... marble falls May 2018 #18

Perhaps another way to get motivated to quit PoindexterOglethorpe May 2018 #19

The exception Runningdawg May 2018 #38

You were the only smoker out of how large a class? PoindexterOglethorpe May 2018 #54

Well you kinda of nailed that one Runningdawg May 2018 #61

Oh, my! PoindexterOglethorpe May 2018 #62

Still BigOleDummy May 2018 #20

Chantix raises blood pressure, so that may be why The Polack MSgt May 2018 #32

ROD SERLING, THE SMOKER WHO HATED SMOKING Jimvanhise May 2018 #22

Thank God you quit shenmue May 2018 #27

Cinnamon red hots Marthe48 May 2018 #29

I always kept one thought in mind: quitting smoking won't kill me. byronius May 2018 #30

Take up another harmless addition instead. Doodley May 2018 #33

Congratulations! jmbar2 May 2018 #35

Glad you have managed to Quit! CountAllVotes May 2018 #37

Congratulations Gothmog May 2018 #39

Congratulations! stpetegreg May 2018 #43

Thanks Stpetegreg The Polack MSgt May 2018 #46

Good job Soxfan58 May 2018 #49

For me it was over 50 years. You will have moments but they will become less frequent over time. appleannie1943 May 2018 #50

please stay strong!! handmade34 May 2018 #51

Congrats! Stick with it vlyons May 2018 #53

Thanx Man. The Polack MSgt May 2018 #57

Posted earlier but wanted to say, it's easier to NOT have a cigarette now, Canoe52 May 2018 #58

This is where meditation comes in. WhiteTara May 2018 #55

You know the old saying: BobTheSubgenius May 2018 #59

I quit using Chantix and 5 months into the quit I stopped craving. I never want applegrove May 2018 #60

Well done! DashOneBravo Jun 2018 #63

I evaluate communication technicians and systems in field exercises The Polack MSgt Jun 2018 #64

That's a pretty cool sounding job DashOneBravo Jun 2018 #65

After I retired I tried to go civilian for a couple years The Polack MSgt Jun 2018 #66

You hit the 10 ring Top DashOneBravo Jun 2018 #67