four812

My own awareness of my recovery from drugs/alcohol has had some light shed upon it due to facing the cigarette addiction that continues in my life.

I am noticing today that I want to become smoke free, but that i also 1. want to smoke
2. DON'T want to quit smoking

My desire to want to become smoke free will need to become greater than my desire to smoke and also my desire of not wanting to quite smoking. it is "not wanting to quit" that is the main obstacle for me these days. This "not wanting to quit" was a huge obstacle to overcoming my crack addiction. Simply it was the case of the *uck-its.

I learned in recovery that I had to want to stay clean MORE than I wanted to use. I learned that it was OK to want to use (to have urges), however that I had to want to stay clean more. so now I am seeing today that I wanted to stay clean MORE than I "didn't want to quit".

it's important that I know what I am up against so that I can use my recovery tools to stay clean when waves of thoughts, urges, and discomfort come up.

vegibean

I still smoke, when I'm ready to quit I will. One thing at a time. I don't know if you have any major health issues, I don't smoke much as smokers go so I'm in no hurry.

Whatever you decide, GOOD LUCK!!! Quitting that habit isn't easy either, however I know if we can quit doing the worse things that ruined us, this is absolutely do-able.

Dime

Well I guess I started out with the same kind of attitude. Smoking seemed like no big deal and just as long as I stayed sober everything seemed just fine. It seemed like almost all my AA friends shared the same attitude about alcohol and smoking. I began to notice that the percentage of people that smoke in recovery seemed extremely high.

I went down to the nicotine section here and started to read the posts. I was blown away at the stark reality of how unhealthy smoking is. I checked out some of the posted anti-smoking links and began to notice that smoking was taking the lives of relativity young people in addition to those that had smoked for years. In the relativity short time I have been in AA (19 mos) I took note of the number of people that had died or were dying from smoking related illnesses. I was already disgusted by burning carpet holes, clothes and the interior of my truck. The cost of cigarettes was the icing on the cake to stop.

So after just a few short days of reading the posts in the nicotine section I just stopped smoking cold turkey one morning and used no meds. From what I had read I expected the first few days to be tough and used hard candy to replace the cigs I used to smoke. Indeed the first 3-4 days are not easy but the hard candy helped a lot.

The big surprise for me is that after the first few days it got dramatically easier for me not to smoke. I had read that in those first few days the cravings did not cause any physical pain and passed quickly, usually within 3 minutes. I found this to be accurate and I began to realize what the cravings were a memory reminder that I used to smoke in certain situations. When I realized they were a just memory response I began to say to myself "oh yeah I used to do that but I no longer smoke" the cravings faded even quicker.

Within a relativity short period of time the cravings just seemed to stop occurring and I just didn't have it popping up in my mind anymore.

Using the nifty software available that tracks my progress I have 81 days smoke free, not smoked 2,457 cigs, saved $582 and extended my life by 8.5 days already.

Quitting has just been much easier than I expected and is so worth the effort for both you and your loved ones.

Impurrfect

((Ksplash))

I swore, after my 1st year clean from crack, I would quit smoking. I tried cold turkey, but my heart just wasn't in it, and I didn't make it 2 weeks.

Around the time the cigarette tax went up, a couple months ago, I decided to quit again. For some reason, this time my heart was totally in it. I used the patches, and other than a wierd feeling of "what do I do with myself" for 2-3 days, because almost everything I do was associated with smoking, it wasn't bad at all. I was amazed. I wait tables, and even people at work (who all smoke my brand) couldn't believe I did it and wasn't grumpy.

It's been over 2 months and I haven't had an urge for a cigarette in a long, long time. I live in a house with 2 other smokers, and it doesn't phase me, other than I don't like the smell.

I agree with you, though..I had to WANT to quit...and my mind, heart and gut had to be in agreement. I do know I started out a little bit like I started out with the crack....with the occasional prayer of "could ya make me WILLING to want to quit?"

Hugs and prayers!

Amy

Aysha

I wanted to quit too. I half assed tried lots of times. But I didnt put any effort into it.
I am over 2 mos smoke free with the exception of the pck I smoked on my relapse.
I didnt quit by choice. I quit because I had no choice when the tax went up. I didnt have enough that day and wasnt aware the price went up until I went to the store and didnt have enough money.
And I didnt have enough for a few days. By then I was already wearin my patches and decided to just quit.
It just happened for me. If it hadnt happened like that. I dont think I would have stopped.
When I did slip..I just stoppped again no problem. I only slipped because I did wiht th drugs.
It was pretty easy to quit for some reason.
But just like our other addicitons. You are right. Its gotta be wnted more than not.
Good luck

shaun00

jezzzz i can i relate.

and have you noticed its the same old denial as your drinking.

i quit next week.....next packet....

i still havent managed to quit and i find it very hard to have the desire too even though i know it will probably kill me in the end.

i just bought an e cig..........one of this electric cigarettes but bottom line is im still slave to nicotine...