Quit smoking: one month later

[Earth_First]

I wanted to update and thank everyone who offered me words of encouragement during the past 31 days.

My energy level is outstanding since my quit began.
The ability to breathe in the heat and humidity has been a welcomed change.
I have saved myself $453.22 this month alone.

I feel I've got a handle on this!

Thanks again, DU!

Oh, and look at that! GrovelBot is soliciting donations...

[endless october]

1. congrats!

[Electric Monk]

2. Congrats. It gets easier with time. I quit about 2 years ago.

Now I look back and wonder why I ever smoked in the first place?

I was addicted pretty much from the first puff, is the only reason I can think of.

Now you'd have to put a gun to my head to make me take another.

[alcibiades_mystery]

13. That's how I feel about fast food

Haven't touched the stuff in going on eight years now, and you'd really have to put the proverbial gun to my head to make me eat any of it.

[w8liftinglady]

3. good for you!I quit in 1991...it is worth it!

[etherealtruth]

4. Congratulations

as you know well .... this is a big deal

[david13]

5. Excellent. This is one of the best things you could do for yourself.

A great gift to give yourself.
Stay with it no matter what. Even if you a** falls off, stay with it.
$450 in one month? Wow.
dc

[nradisic]

6. Kudos!

Stopped smoking butts almost 12 years ago....no regrets. Keep it up...

[Earth_First]

7. Thanks everyone!

I feel great, and the support from friends and family has been important...

[enough]

8. Wow that's great, Earth_First!

Just wanted to put in that it will get easier and easier. I quit about 30 years ago and now never get the urge, even though I kept all my other habits which seemed to go with it. And at the time I quit, I felt so sad to be giving up something that was so much a part of "me."

The energy level is wonderful, and that dollar number is amazing!

All the best to you, and remember, if you have a few setbacks, that's not the end of the world. You can keep on going from there and eventually never look back.

[pinboy3niner]

9. Grovelbot still smokes like a chimney...but we're working on him. :)

More power to you, Earth_First! I know how dificult it is, so I'm really proud of you! You keep hangin' in there--we'll get around to Gravelbot later. :)

[inenemyterritory]

10. Congrats

one of the toughest things to do, WAY TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bonhomme Richard]

11. Hang in there. The worst is yet to come based on......

my experience.

[lunatica]

12. You're way past the worst part.

The only thing, after going without this long, that will do you in is if you decide to smoke one or two cigarettes thinking it'll be OK to cheat a little.

Just stay away from that one cigarette that does smokers in. Don't think that because a year to two have gone by that you won't pick it up again with a vengeance. It makes it harder to quit the next time. Right now it's easier since you don't have the physical addiction anymore.

From now on you'll enjoy the incredible freedom that not smoking brings you. No more smoking only outdoors, no more cigarette breath, no more shortness of breath, no more stinking up your house or your car or your hair or clothes. No more blowing second hand smoke into other people's bodies. Life will improve a hell of a lot. And not a day will go by when you won't be thankful you quit.

[tabasco]

14. Way to go!

Congrats!

[malaise]

15. Bravo

In three weeks food will taste like food again. :grouphug:

[Jackpine Radical]

16. Congratulations

from a guy who quit in 1984. I never regretted it, tough as it was.

One small piece of advice:


DO NOT EVER TAKE A DRAG OFF A CIGARETTE AGAIN.

I have known people who had quit for years and decided out of some misbegotten curiosity to "try one puff to see what it was like." And the "one puff" hooks them instantly, just as if they had never quit.

If ya feel like ya gotta smoke, do a joint or something. That doesn't seem to hook people nearly as wickedly.

[Jackpine Radical]

17. Congratulations

Sorry about the double post. Well, you deserve double congratulations anyway.

[laureloak]

18. You're over the hump. Enjoy your newfound freedom. nt

[Gold Metal Flake]

19. $453.22? That's almost half my freaking mortgage!

Congrats on the raise and best of luck on the fight!

[rurallib]

21. That is a staggering figure isn't it?

$15/day - yoicks!
$5400/ year.
Hope they save that money and buy something special

[Earth_First]

40. $9.77 per pack for half-a-pack a day

NYS has the absolute highest taxes per pack of cigarettes in the entire country, $4.35 per pack in fact...

This time next year, I plan on taking my wife and our daughter on the trip of a lifetime. Not exactly sure where yet, but I know that it's already paid for by the quality of life that I am regaining...

[abq e streeter]

20. Good for you ...keep it up; you can do it.

:thumbsup:

[Starry Messenger]

22. I just started my third year on a cigarette free life.

That first month is a huge hurdle. Congrats and good for you! The day will come when you realize that you haven't thought about smoking for days and that is the best feeling of all. :)

[applegrove]

23. I'm really happy you did it...... I mean YOU DID IT!

[Luciferous]

24. Congrats!

[Blecht]

25. Great job

But don't let your guard down.

I've been smoke-free for 7 years, and it wasn't until 5 years had gone by before I felt out of danger of a relapse.

[Vickers]

26. I quit around 12 years ago (I forgot to write the date down).

When I quit a 3-pack special was around 5 bucks, which I gather is the cost of a pack these days.

I've bought myself about 7 guitars with my "savings" tee-hee!

Congrats to you, friend.

[ZenKitty]

27. Yay you!! I'm 37 days in to my quit after a 30 yr...

pack a day habit. It was hard but getting so much easier yes? How is your sense of smell? I always thought I had a great sense of smell/taste. hahaha!! Whoa what I've been missing! Some not so good! lol Most good though! Gawd..I thought I loved how my horses smell...now it's even more intoxicating. :)

You definitely have a handle on it Earth_First! More than that...you've done it! It's mind over matter for the likes of us now. :) Wishing you the best!! We can do it!!!

[The Midway Rebel]

28. Way to go!

I quit 7/7/07 after 30 years. Lovin' the benefits ever since.

[Steely_Dan]

29. Congrats...

I wish I could quit...I really need to.

-Paige

[LooseWilly]

30. $14.62 a day? How much were you smoking?

Although, from what I read a little over a month ago... that's only a pack and a half in New York...

California's not far behind in cigarette prices... which is why I'm on day 23 or something like that.

Sounds like you've got spare money to invest in a drinking habit... cheers :toast:

[Earth_First]

41. Yep, you guessed right. New York State smoker at a pack and a half...

$9.70 twice a day...

So techincally I was dropping $20 every day to sell my life short...

Congratulations on your own personal quit! Good luck, sounds like you're well on your way too!

[Pharaoh]

31. Don't let your guard down till you have a couple years

under your belt. It is a very cunning addiction :toast:

I will be 2 years in october and still feel the pull at times.....

Congrats on your first month though! That is huge!!

[racaulk]

32. Great job!

I'm sure the first month is the hardest. Stay strong!

:pals:

[cordelia]

33. Congratulations!

Please allow me to echo a bit of advice another poster offered: do not ever, ever take another puff. That may be all it takes to start up again.

I skimmed the thread and didn't see anything about "user dreams". I haven't smoked since March 2001, but in dreams I sometimes still smoke. The first time was alarming to me, but I have heard it is a part of the process of withdrawal.

Best of luck to you. You won't regret this at all.

[a la izquierda]

34. That's wonderful!

I quit in January. I'm 2 weeks away from a 100 mile bike tour.
I've stopped calculating the money, but I'll start up again in a few weeks.
Awesome, isn't it??

[druidity33]

35. did you have help?

I've been trying lately, but finding it very difficult. I got some e-cigs, thinking they'd help reduce the habit... meh, they're ok but seem like more of a lark. I'll admit, i feel a little silly smoking them...

Best of luck to you!

K&R.

[Electric Monk]

39. Have you tried Nicorette gum? That was a big help for me.

When I was really craving a smoke I'd chew a piece of gum instead, and it did help. Eventually I quit the gum too.

[jimlup]

36. Great Work! It gets easier with time!

For me it has now been 29 years. I still dream about it about once a year but otherwise I'm a non-smoker.

Hang Tough! You've got the hard part done!

[uncommon]

37. Good job! I did it almost a year ago and I haven't looked back.

[spanone]

38. way to go!!!

[onethatcares]

42. well, everyone has said all I could say, but

keep going. Just remember how damn sexy it looks to blow out a big farking cloud of smoke and to stink like an ashtray.

That's my reasoning.

Congrats.:thumbsup:

[smiley]

43. one month on Wednesday for me too!

one day at a time though...

[Earth_First]

46. +1

You rock!

Way to go!!!

[Dragonbreathp9d]

44. I'm tryin as well

switched to e cigs and havent looked back, saving tons of cash, and both my lungs

[Earth_First]

47. WOOT!

:hi:

[IBEWVET]

45. Way to go!!!!

Quit last Oct. and have saved a ton of money. I used Chantix, and it helped a lot. People are right about one puff. I had quit for a year and after a night of drinking, decided one would not hurt, Wrong!! It was a year before I could go through the process again. So no, no and hell no to even one puff. Congrats and keep it up, you are past the worst.