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Tue Sep 12, 2006 9:05 am  |
| kls wrote: |
Uh oh...this thread has become very quiet again, that tends not to be a good sign.
I've got a couple of questions:
Are there any smokers out there that wished they didn't smoke? And if yes, what holds you back from quitting?
Just curious.
I thought it might be interesting to start a dialogue on what people think about the quitting process & other smoking related topics. Anyone want to join in? |
Well, I am trying, yet again. Two days in.  Go me. But I had my Monday singing lesson last night, and the difference was already marked.
I think -- I hope -- that that might be the mover I really need. I love my singing lessons (which I only began a couple of months ago) and I really, really want to get good at it. Physical fitness did not really do the trick... I could run a 10K in a fairly respectable forty-something minutes and light up a Winston immediately afterwards. 
I do wish I didn't smoke. Sometimes. It's expensive; I dislike the smell; I never smoke indoors (and my goodness, but that gets unpleasant in Canada in January). And I'm sure starting again six years ago after a ten-year quit is at least part of the reason I'm suddenly showing my age.
On the other hand, in a bizarre sort of way, smoking has always been part of my identity as an ah-tist. Yeah yeah, please, everyone point and laugh. It IS ridiculous. But still. The late nights, kept up only with cigarettes and insanely black coffee, the memories of long nicotine-fuelled discussions, smoke rings and ivory cigarette holders. Plus, I am shy, and smoking with other people breaks ice... while, conversely, smoking offers a good excuse to sneak out of crowded rooms and breathe alone outside.
I don't know. |
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37, and suddenly hitting the age wall... just last year I got carded, don't think it would happen now. Medium-fair combination skin, oilier in summer. Occasional isolated, but thus more prominent, breakouts. I react to most products, eventually. |
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Tue Sep 12, 2006 7:17 pm |
Wow!  We got a couple of newbies!
Just kidding....
Welcome CompassRose and hello again Cesce! 
This is great news, sounds like you're both getting through the first couple of days really well!
It is a big decision to quit, because it involves commitment. However, it's up to you to determine what kind of journey it's going to be.
It is so cool that both of you have quit at the same time, you can have a "quit buddy" right here at EDS!
Cesce- you got through Carr's book ALREADY?? That was quick! It sounds like you have an excellent attitude for your quit, that will take you far! Don't lose sight of how precious your quit is, even in the early stages...it's something to be treasured & becomes worth more every day. You can be a real inspiration to your son & others,.......show 'em what you're made of & what they can do too! 
CompassRose- you said a lot of things that hit home for me-
-smoking in the winter up in Canada: oh yeah, I can relate to that! -40 + a windchill (exposed skin can freeze in under one minute)! That doesn't stop us smokers, nosiree! (Just makes us smoke our cigs a little faster )
- ah, the ah-tist thing, yep.....totally relate on that one too. I figure my best work was created around 3am after many hours of contemplating my work through squinted eyes & billows of smoke! (I haven't done anything since I quit, so I can't comment on the ratio between creativity vs nicotine  ). Sorry.
So, Cesce & Compass Rose- good luck to both of you, keep posted, drink lots of ice water & (hint, hint) download a free quit meter. They really help....you see the progress you make everyday, which can give you momentum to keep on keeping on. (I think that's an old Jerry Jeff Walker lyric that just popped into my head).
I found another site that some of you might be interested in. Check it out:
http://www.cognitivequitting.com/index.html
You girls rock! Check in tomorrow & let us know how you're doing. ok?
My quit meter says:
1m 2w 5d 11:10 smoke-free, 560 cigs not smoked, $200.26 saved, 1d 22:40 life saved
(oh lookie up there {arrow pointing up, if I had one}, I just saved enough money from not smoking to place an order from EDS with no shipping charges! Well, enough time spent here, I'M A GOING SHOPPING, SEE YA LATER!
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Tue Sep 12, 2006 10:03 pm |
CompassRose and Cesce:
Welcome to the forum and congratulate both of you for your first step to smoke free journey. 
It's very hard to kick the habit but it is do-able. Deep breathe is very, very helpful and remember to drink lots of water. Before long you'll wonder why you smoked and why you did not quit earlier. 
This is my 16th year smoke free and I'm very happy and proud of myself. Feel free to PM me if you need to talk.
kls: You saved so much money from not smoking, are we going to have a party soon?  |
_________________
53, DermaQuest, NCN Products, PMD, Dermarolling |
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Thu Sep 14, 2006 9:55 am |
Good morning Cesce & CompassRose!
How did yesterday go?
If you've refrained from having any cigarettes up to now, your body should be close to being nicotine-free! (They say it takes about 72 hours).
I hope you're both staying strong in your determination to quit, would love to hear how you're doing. |
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Tue Oct 24, 2006 7:37 pm |
Well, I don't know if this is a "proper" thing to do... but I'm going to give MYSELF a big pat on the back!
I just noticed that my quitmeter has passed 2 milestones!
It says:
3m 11:26 smoke-free, 1,022 cigs not smoked, $365.47 saved, 3d 13:10 life saved
I have been smoke free for 3 months! 
and I have NOT SMOKED over a 1000 cigarettes! I am very proud of myself right now, and considering the extra stress I have been under lately, this is a great achievement!
I am so glad that I pledged N.O.P.E (not one puff ever) on July 24th of this year!
To everyone else out there that has quit...give yourself a pat on the back & a big hug....you earned it! |
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Tue Oct 24, 2006 9:46 pm |
kls:
Congratulations!!! What are WE going to buy from the $$$ you saved??? |
_________________
53, DermaQuest, NCN Products, PMD, Dermarolling |
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Wed Oct 25, 2006 12:12 am |
| kls, you're really great ! congrats ! (you definitely deserve a huge pat on the back!) |
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Wed Oct 25, 2006 7:59 pm |
Congrats kls Doesn't it feel great not to have had a smoke!!!
I will celebrate 6 mos. of being smoke free on Oct 28th. I love the fact that I don't live in a prison anymore (cigarettes being prison that is)
Way to go kls!!!!! |
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Thu Oct 26, 2006 12:45 pm |
I smoked for 35 years and quit 5 years ago after reading Carr's book. I was terrified I'd wind up like my mom who smokes all the time, eating, brushing her teeth etc.
Finished the book on a friday night and took 3 packs back to the store the next day for refund! The funniest thing ever - the clerk said it was the first time she'd seen that! LOL
Never wanted one after that and it was so easy. My husband, my sister, MIL and step mom all read it as well and quit. But my mom is afraid to read it since she knows that she too will quit and lose her 'false friend'. The fear is real, but the freedom is amazing! Good luck to everyone working to free themselves of the nicotine monster!! |
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skittles
New Member
 
Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 5
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Thu Oct 26, 2006 6:18 pm |
| speaking of smoking....my boyfriend smokes, i think its gross and smelling it makes my stomach weak. I know that he is not a "true" smoker cause when he is with me he can go the whole day without having a ciggarette and not say anything about it. he smokes around his friends cause they do to. here is my thinking on that...i think that it is all just a mind game and that he isnt addicted, he just smokes cause he has it in his head that he is addicted. he says he wants to quit. i met him just over 2 months ago and he was trying to quit then, now that we have been together for those 2 months i see him giving no effort any more to stop.......i dont want to be with a smoker....any suggestions? |
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Fri Oct 27, 2006 4:36 pm |
Thanks everybody!
Sorry for taking so long to respond, but I'm in the middle of a family emergency right now.
lin23- Thank you so much! I remember that you said you have never smoked, so I find it so sweet of you to offer support!
Lifeplyr01- a day early, big congratulations to YOU!  Wow, 6 months!! That is AWESOME!!
You're right, it does feel great to be free from that * spam alert *! Since we quit around the same time (ok, you've got twice as much time on me this month), I like to think of you as my "Ash Kickin" EDS buddy
Dahli- 5 years is awesome! I never read Carr's book, but I've heard it's excellent. It's amazing that it helped so many in your family to quit. You're right about how a person can be afraid of quitting because they feel they're going to lose a friend. I had the exact same feeling until I took an online quit smoking course. Thanks for sharing that funny little story! Who knew that cigarettes were refundable!
(Maybe you qualify for an entry in the Guinness Book!)
Skittles- IMO, a smoker will smoke until they want to quit. If you think that your boyfriend wants to quit, maybe you could get him Allen Carr's book, or have him go through this free online course:
www.quitsmokingonline.com
If he wants to quit, those things might help. Good luck!
And last, but certainly not least...
MACrisis- Hmmmm...I have no idea what WE should do with MY money!
Between the two of us, I think we own every skincare product in existence!
Oh,...I just had an idea 
Let's use the money to pay someone to do all our "dirty work" so that we can go have some real MAC fun! |
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Mon Oct 30, 2006 5:06 pm |
Thanks kls for the kudos
Love the "Ash Kickin EDS Buddy" notion!!!!
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Wed Nov 29, 2006 9:10 am |
I just read some very sad news....
Allan Carr has died from lung cancer.
He leaves behind a wonderful legacey of millions he helped quit smoking & that are alive today because of him.
---
4m 5d 1:10 smoke-free, 1,409 cigs not smoked, $503.86 saved, 4d 21:25 life saved |
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Wed Nov 29, 2006 10:25 am |
| Wow, that is so sad - but I will always and forever be grateful to him for giving me the gift he did. Understanding it's 99% mental was key for me and his brilliant book gave me that...what an angel he was and now really is |
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Fri Dec 08, 2006 11:23 pm |
| I've been a non-smoker for over 2 years now. I'd tried to give up approximately 15 times (?) but always ended up going back to them. I tried patches, gum, cold turkey. I'd always think to myself that one cigarette wouldn't hurt - I'd given it up and could do it again. So the cycle continued. I ended up giving it up successfully with a combination of nicotine gum (but that wasn't enough by itself) and telling myself one particular thing. And that was, that I could start smoking again any time I liked, and I would never beat myself up over it if I did. But I could never have 'just one cigarette' ever again. I told myself that if I had one cigarette, then I would have to fully re-adopt the habit, which was around 40 a day. And it really worked for me. I've not touched a cigarette since. So I'd suggest this little self-talk for anyone who falls into the 'I'll just have one' trap when trying to give up. |
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Sat Dec 09, 2006 9:22 am |
| I've been smoking for 8 years now and I smoke about 20 a day. I did give up once for nearly 8 months then I started again. Stupid me! I've always said I wanna give up, but really I think deep down I don't want it enough. I've noticed my skin has gotten so much worse than it used to be. I just seem to have aged so quickly! As a result, I spend lots of money on skincare when giving up smoking would really solve the problem a lot. But it isn't so easy! |
_________________
26 with dehydrated combo skin, prone to blackheads and congestions, NC20-25 |
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Sat Dec 09, 2006 10:01 am |
BRAVO to all of you who quit smoking.
It is a major and difficult achievement, you all should be so proud.
There is also a guy in Boston who does some magic and people quit smoking. I have known several whom he had helped.
He is called "mad Russian", but the real name is Eugene Shubentzov. He is for real, the visit was $65.00 (years ago), so it was not a major deal.
Best of luck,
Lucy. |
_________________
Early 50s, Skin: combin.,semi-sensitive, fair with occasional breakouts, some old acne scars, freckles, under-eye wrinkles; Redhead with hazel eyes |
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Sun Dec 10, 2006 3:21 am |
I've struggled all year with not smoking. I needed to quit - and refrain from smoking due to health reasons (bladder cancer - and several months later - breast cancer - fortunately both early stage).
I'd quit for a couple of months, then go for that "just one cigarette" for some reason, and then smoke for a few weeks, quit again for a couple of months...repeat. 3 months has always been my weak point. I only got past 3 months once , and then I had made it for 3 years.
I had my last cigarette on Oct 5th. I really hope this is it this time. I'm currently undergoing chemo, so that's a pretty good (albiet unfortunate) motivator.
I can name lots of things I hate about smoking/smoke - but I can totally relate to CaressRose when she said "Plus, I am shy, and smoking with other people breaks ice... while, conversely, smoking offers a good excuse to sneak out of crowded rooms and breathe alone outside."
That always lead me back to smoking! I just haven't socialized much this year due to my health issues. I'm concerned for when I start working again &/or go out.
Congrats to all who have quit!
And for anyone who's slipped: you know what they say..."If at first you don't succeed, try try again!"
--------------------------------
9 wks, 2 d, 5 hrs, 4 min, Smoke Free; Cigarettes not smoked 1,956 Money saved $635.70 |
_________________
41, mature dry skin, somewhat sensitive. Blue eyes, brown hair, fair to medium skin. Areas of concern: loss of elasticity & definition, sagging skin/jowls, neck, deep lip lines, broken capillaries on nose and cheeks, crepiness on eyelids. Less of a concern: photodamage, wrinkles around eyes and outer cheeks, darkness under eyes |
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Tue Dec 26, 2006 11:19 am |
Happy Holidays everyone!
With the 2007 quickly approaching, I'm curious to know if anyone plans on quitting as their New Year's resolution?
I plan to make a solemn pledge to myself that I will remain smoke-free for the year 2007. I feel that reinforcing my commitment will help keep me focused on my long term goal.
Time has certainly gone by fast this past year. My quit date seems so far back in the distance. And so do all the cravings & everything else associated with smoking.
I've noticed a big change (for the better ) this past month and a half in my attitude & energy level. I seem more calm & can handle stressful situations better than I ever have in the past; I've lost all the weight that I gained (and more! ) & feel ready to start an exercise program that I can stick to. It feels like my new attitude that I have acquired through my determination & commitment in my quit has made positive changes in other areas of my life too!
For anyone thinking of quitting, I hope that those of us that have can be an inspiration to you; it is doable....we're proof!
Remember, quitting isn't a sacrifice....it's a gift.
---
5m 2d 3:13 smoke-free, 1,707 cigs not smoked, $610.42 saved, 5d 22:15 life saved |
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sharon24
New Member
Joined: 04 Dec 2006
Posts: 3
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Tue Dec 26, 2006 7:18 pm |
| I will quit in the New Year.Last time I went cold turkey which almost killed me.I have ordered that Allen Carr book that get's great reviews and hopefully that will help.I like smoking but at the same time I hate it.I really wish I didn't start in the first place.Alot of people smoke in my family and I think that's going to be one of the hardest things.I hate that it has such a hold over me.I know that I don't need it yet I have to have it.I am sick of wasting good money on this and feeling like crap for it.Maybe I will go cold turkey again.I am supposed to go shopping tomorrow,so I won't buy anymore then. |
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Tue Dec 26, 2006 8:04 pm |
| I don't want to quit but I have to quit... |
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Simple but No Simplier...Approaching late 20s, Normal/Combination Skin, Rarely Breakout now but have some old acne marks, sunspots, & broken caps |
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Wed Dec 27, 2006 6:01 am |
Absolutely must quit for good! I've quit so many times I can't count, have used Smokeaway, nicotine lozenges and gum, hypnosis, subliminal tapes, everything. Everything worked, except the hypnosis.
This is a pathetic excuse, but my best friend/personal assistant smokes, and it's our little ritual. A few glasses of red wine, a few cigarettes. I just can't seem to break the habit of smoking with her!
Lordy, I'm just hacking and coughing and sounding horrible! Must quit, must quit, must quit! |
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Blond, Swedish/Cherokee, normal/dry skin, a sucker for products, gizmos, and treatments that are "age-defying." Just hit the big 4-0 |
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Thu Feb 01, 2007 6:45 pm |
Hello ladies!
Just popped in to congratulate anyone that might have recently quit smoking. Keep up the good work, it's worth it!
I just passed my 6 month milestone last week, feeling really good about that! My energy is back, I have lost all the weight that I initally gained & some more on top of that....and, I'm still losing!
See you in 6 months!
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6m 1w 1d 10:44 smoke-free, 2,121 cigs not smoked, $758.47 saved, 1w 8:45 life saved |
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Thu Feb 01, 2007 7:46 pm |
I quit October 1. Four months later I have gained 10 lbs., still have cravings. I know after trying to quit before I can't have just one cigarette.
I will never smoke again. Free at last. |
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