Lendaddy, keep up the concentration. Like any addicition it will be easy to backslide! My dad died from smoking, not from cancer, but from a heart attack directly related to smoking.

Len, BTDT. It seemed to me that urges often come rapid-fire. You make an unconscious decision to smoke before your conscious brain gets to play. Conscious brain then has to make a deliberate decision to NOT smoke. then the next unconscious decision to smoke comes seconds later. Necessitating another act of will.

Right now, you're my hero. And you're also the person who gets all my sympathy today.

Have you made sure you aren't hiding cigarettes anywhere? Try to make it as difficult as possible to get one so you can overcome the reflex habit.

I actually have an open pack in my desk drawer. It's kind of therapeudic knowing I have absolutely made up my mind and the little bastards will rot right there. That's why I went to my local Pub last night too, I want to face this whore straight away and let it be known (to me) that I won't cave to temptation.

Well, this is my first post on this board and will attempt to quit chewing tobacco tomarrow. I have made a deal with my sister (a cig smoker) to do this together. I find this post insperational and hope to get as far as lendaddy has.

The force is strong in this one.:D

The force is strong in this one.

Yes, we knew that. If this guy had been on the Titanic, he'd have placed women and children on lifeboats until they were all away. Then, somehow, he'd have survived.

Some tidbits:

Nicotine is the MOST addictive substance known to man; way beyond heroin.

It becomes addicting by taking the place of acetylcholine (ACH) in the nervous system. ACH is the "normal" neurotransmitter in most of the peripheral nervous system. When the body sees an excess of neurotransmitter (nicotine and ACH) it does what it can to re-establish balance and drops the production of ACH. Smoking only acts to supply nicotine to keep the balance of neurotransmitters in the body or the nervous system gets jumpy. Physical withdrawl is the re-establishment of ACH as the neurotransmitter of choice.

Gary,

Thanks, good info. Does that explain the fuzzy vision and cloudy mind? Cause I feel like half speed right now. Very interesting indeed!

I don't know about all that. I am always telling people of the power of the mind, and this is my chance to prove it. everyone here saw how much I smoked and say I'm crazy not to use the patch or the pills, etc.. and even then........
I told them that I can condition my mind to be far more effective than any of those, and I believe it. So far so good. If the cravings get that bad I just picture myslef in a Hospital bed with tubes coming outta me and my wife sobbing in the corner. Done, craving gone! In all seriousness, if you smoke take yourself there mentaly. I mean really do it, close your eyes and try to feel the emotion. This is the power I speak of. It makes it much easier.

P.S. the metal training does not always have to be negative or punishment, it just works best here:)

First day done. Good job buddy!

i am a day in too. i went to bed last night at like 815. was feeling pretty crumby, but did not smoke. it feel a bit better today, i am just snacking alot. i got some of those altoid fruit candy, and am popping those like,,, well candy...

Excellent! I know what you mean, you sit there wanting to smoke and the only way to definitely forget about it is to sleep. A few more days and we'll be golden though. I've turned to gum for the oral fixation myself.

About the mental component...

My grandfather smoked his whole life. At 82, he had to move into a nursing home because of Alzheimer's. The first day there, my grandmother went into see him, and he asked her to get him some smokes. She didn't miss a beat, and said "For the love of God Joe, you've never smoked a day in your life... why would you start now?"
Done. Never smoked again.

if an alzheimer story could/can be funny that one is it. well told.

I will be telling that story all day! Thanks. :D :D :D

Just getting to this thread, Good Luck LD!! I quit 1.5 years ago, for the third and hopefully last time, nicotine addiction is no joke! The tobacco companies are partially correct when they say that the decision to smoke is a matter of free will, what they don't mention is that the decision is usually made by impressionable, insecure adolescents, (as it was w/ me). I smoked Marlboros for most of 30 years, (13-43), with a couple of short breaks of a year or two.

How addictive is nicotine? In the addiction business, they say that (the addiction) is cunning, baffling and powerful. It wants you dead or in diapers, and it will tell you what ever it needs to get you there. It's really no different from alcohol for an alcoholic or heroin for a junky, only difference is that nicotine has a better shot at getting you to the funeral home. The most effective phrase that the addiction disease has in its repertoire is "what's the use/fug it", or its many variations.

How cunning and powerful is it? The most insane decision that you will ever make regarding smoking will be made w/ no active nicotine in your system. That will be the decision to have *just one* after weeks/months/years after quitting. That's powerful.

I wish you success, you are the perfect age where you just might have dodged a really ugly bullet if you quit now. Lucky smokers drop dead on the golf course, unlucky ones wind up in diapers needing 24 care like my uncle, who was my favorite person in the world. He had a massive stroke, only 67, wound up basically committing suicide after that rather than burden his wife and kids. Not trying to scare ya, (that's fruitless I know), just a little reality check.

The best prescription that I know of is a good support group, and you have us, so go for it!! :cool:

Go Len, Go.

Good luck Joel, you can do it!

I'm with you on the power of the mind, it only takes an instant to change it; what you've got to do is string together enough instances to change it permanently.

And if you need any more reasons, it cause we need you here man. You're the only conservative who makes sense. those are some serious boots you fill! :D

keep it up!

Go LenDaddy go!!!