Anyone Else Confronting The "Giving Up Smoking" Scenario?

Hi there fellow ATSers, with all the lockdowns and closed shops that will be in effect for quite a while (me thinks) I have been forced to consider giving up smoking in a more realistic way.

Not easy for me because I started when I was a young boy of about 9. Both my parents smoked and mum never quit when she had kids. Cigarettes were always around and because I had/have lazy parents I was often made to go and buy their cigarettes from the local shop. Easy to buy my own if I had the money. A packet of 10 cigarettes was about 15 pence back in those days.

Without the chance or strength to break the habit in the past it has never really been something I considered seriously before now.

I have to admit, I enjoy the benefits of a certain other of mother natures gifts, but smoking for that is optional and not a problem like the addiction of cigarettes.

These are going to be trying times and a lot will depend on how this French government treats things. There is a fifteen day lockdown right now with fines of 135 euros if a valid reason isn't given by completing a form that must be carried when leaving home. It is for important reasons ONLY and nipping out to see a friend or buy a loaf of bread is a no no.

Another good thing about quitting will be my need to occupy myself in a different way, eating more and having a better appetite is something I look forward to but will cost more in food. I don't actually spend much on tobacco right now, perhaps 10-15 euros a week on hand rolled mild tobacco.

I AM a strong person when I need to be and this is perhaps my greatest physical test since almost starving to death a few years ago due to being backed into a corner in the middle of nowhere.

So, anyone else thinking about quitting because of no tobacco? Good luck wherever you are.

It’s the absolute perfect time to give up ANY negative habits. Smoking, over drinking and eating. Everything has to be put into perspective.

Good thread to get peeps thinking.

a reply to: nerbot

Just saying, "Hi."

I considered giving up smoking

I went out and bought two extra pounds of pipe tobacco and six boxes of filters when I considered how tobacco kills viruses if you do not smoke much. It increases the immune response in the lungs...but the benefit outweighs the benefit if you smoke more than a pack a day. I smoke about ten half cigarettes a day, or equivalent to about five or six full cigarettes. I toss the rest into the garbage can, that would drive some smokers nuts. But for a little over nine bucks I can buy a six ounce bag and a box of filters. Basically ten bucks for ten packs. I have a tops machine, so I am all set.

Now, I am by no means saying that cigarettes are good for you, only that tobacco does have some good points. I buy the more natural tobacco, it actually smells like Winston tobacco.

Most research is done on people who smoke a lot of cigarettes, yes their immune system gets taxed. I found some research that around a half a pack a day or less can be beneficial for many people, but it can also be bad for some people too. I do not smoke at all when I catch something, it does not even taste good to smoke. But I rarely get sick anymore. I did get a cold for a week this year, I seem to get those once in a while, they are an inconvenience, but no fever or anything, a little zinc lozenger for a few days gets rid of those.

originally posted by: Cigarettes
a reply to: nerbot

Just saying, "Hi."

You signed up just for this didn't you?

a reply to: nerbot

I started smoking in the 70's when I was 10.

At the time in America and Canada, cigarette machines were in public areas, you could smoke on planes, in restaurants... hell, everywhere.

And smoking was cool!!!

When I went into the military in the early 80's, every desk had an ashtray on it.

There were no "no smoking" areas.

Fast-forward to 2000 and I was tired of the habit.

I tried the patch, I tried hypnosis, I tried the gum, I tried virtually everything out there.

All it did was turn me into a Mega-Bitch that nobody could stand and I was miserable.

HOWEVER.

How I finally kicked the habit was to send my girlfriend at the time (eventually wife) away for two weeks, took 2 weeks off of work, bought 3 gallons of tequila and a new video game.

I stocked up on food, locked the doors and away I went.

I emerged 2 weeks later an ex-smoker.

Which I am to this day.

It seems to me you have an EXCELLENT opportunity right now to kick the habit.

The circumstances seem to be in your favor.

Wish you luck and if I can do it anyone can.

originally posted by: Cigarettes
a reply to: nerbot

Just saying, "Hi."

2016 account with 49 comments drops in just for a dope ass reference.

What a glorious time to be alive.

originally posted by: CriticalStinker

originally posted by: Cigarettes
a reply to: nerbot

Just saying, "Hi."

2016 account with 49 comments drops in just for a dope ass reference.

What a glorious time to be alive.

It was a glorious post though.

Like Satan has multiple ATS accounts for certain occasions...

Congrats to you for going this route!
Wishing you all the success.

Everything non-essential shut down here but while people were slugging it out over TP I did a bombing run to the tobacco shoppe. Products were scarce, and scarcer today but NOPE! I'm not deterred. While I have considered what will happen if things get worse, like maybe I won't have a choice, it's not yet to that point.

Was vividly reminded of a scene on West Wing where it was pointed out the people could hang in no matter how tough it gets until you take away their "little things". Predictably we just lived thru that part. It wasn't an still isn't pretty.
Since all wine & spirit stores and beer distributors will be closing tonight for two weeks it's going to get VERY ugly.

I'm more worried for others than about which weird brand of cig's I just got stuck with.

originally posted by: Lumenari
a reply to: nerbot

I started smoking in the 70's when I was 10.

At the time in America and Canada, cigarette machines were in public areas, you could smoke on planes, in restaurants... hell, everywhere.

And smoking was cool!!!

When I went into the military in the early 80's, every desk had an ashtray on it.

There were no "no smoking" areas.

Fast-forward to 2000 and I was tired of the habit.

I tried the patch, I tried hypnosis, I tried the gum, I tried virtually everything out there.

All it did was turn me into a Mega-Bitch that nobody could stand and I was miserable.

HOWEVER.

How I finally kicked the habit was to send my girlfriend at the time (eventually wife) away for two weeks, took 2 weeks off of work, bought 3 gallons of tequila and a new video game.

I stocked up on food, locked the doors and away I went.

I emerged 2 weeks later an ex-smoker.

Which I am to this day.

It seems to me you have an EXCELLENT opportunity right now to kick the habit.

The circumstances seem to be in your favor.

Wish you luck and if I can do it anyone can.

Not too many got the flu back in the seventies, lots of colds though. I remember those days. Hardly any prostate cancer, and breast cancer was rare too. In nineteen seventy two my dad got brain cancer, that was rare, most cancers were rare. Back then guys lived to retire, then dropped dead of heart attacks. That was the norm. Those that lived lived to their eighties and were sore, but usually fairly healthy. Now, people are falling apart, overweight, and at the doctors a lot. Tobacco suppresses apatite, so you do not feel hungry, so you eat less. Coffee has a similar effect but not as strong. The reason for the increased heart attack probably came from perked coffee, it is better to have filtered coffee than perked or french pressed coffee, forcing it through the filter allows the terpines to get through and they increase heart attack risk if you consume them regularly.

Has stopping smoking made people more healthy, not a chance in hell, diabetes used to be rare, now it is common.

originally posted by: Lumenari

originally posted by: CriticalStinker

originally posted by: Cigarettes
a reply to: nerbot

Just saying, "Hi."

2016 account with 49 comments drops in just for a dope ass reference.

What a glorious time to be alive.

It was a glorious post though.

Like Satan has multiple ATS accounts for certain occasions...

Sometimes it's just little comments like that that make my day. You can tell the member does a lot of reading, but probably doesn't feel the need to chime in like some of us *cough* me *cough*

Cigarettes are still one guilty pleasure I need to ditch. I've been off the sauce for a few months to try and get back into shape. I lost 20 pounds, and then started gaining some back from working out in that time. Still haven't been able to kick the smokes though.

a reply to: CriticalStinker

Sometimes it's just little comments like that that make my day.

That one made my week... it was perfect.

Alternate account of someone's maybe.

But the timing...

a reply to: nerbot

I quit just a bit shy of two years ago ( June 4, 2018 ) and just wanted to say, it wasn't as rough as I had built it up to be in my head.

I'd tried to quit a few times and was MISERABLE each attempt... The longest of which lasted about 8 hours before my family told me that if I didn't smoke a cigarette that instant, they would pack up and leave.

The last time I had a slightly better mind set going in and succeeded without anyone calling the police or filing any restraining orders.

The only advice I can give is that if you start jonesing for a smoke, it will pass. It will take a few minutes but it will pass. If you can convince yourself not to focus and fixate on the fact that you're having a nicotine fit - riding them out is probably easier than you'd expect.

originally posted by: Lumenari

originally posted by: CriticalStinker

originally posted by: Cigarettes
a reply to: nerbot

Just saying, "Hi."

2016 account with 49 comments drops in just for a dope ass reference.

What a glorious time to be alive.

It was a glorious post though.

Like Satan has multiple ATS accounts for certain occasions...

That Satan, he is patient huh? Lol

I went out and bought a roll of Copenhagen to make sure I survive the first wave of the apocalypse.
Screw toilet paper and bread, I got snuff and wine.

Hail the Apocalypse!!!

(Look up “Hail the Apocalypse” by the band Avatar to know just how I scream that phrase)

a reply to: TexasTruth

Hail the Apocalypse!!! (Look up “Hail the Apocalypse” by the band Avatar to know just how I scream that phrase)

You have to have fun with the apocalypse so it doesn't win.

I've been swamped at work, and doing other things... I let something slide and I need to go to the bank tomorrow. I've known better to put this off but here I am.

My boss pulled out some cash today and said they gave him twenty question over 2k... Come on now, perfectly sensible people want to have some cash on them.

Anyways... I'm expecting that. And I know they're just doing their job, and listening to something from someone else. But I will not be able to keep myself from causing a scene. It will happen, and there's nothing I can do to prevent it. I'll also probably leave laughing, hopefully with my money. I need it for stuff and things.

a reply to: rickymouse

I think it is a lot of factors, if you look at the four legs of the chair that holds up cancer.

Environment.

Nutrition.

Physical well-being.

Mental well-being (stress)

Of the four, NONE of them have improved from the 70's to now for an average American.

I've a particular interest in cancer because of my wife, so have crawled PubMed and read a whole lot of different ideas about it and aspects of it from a lot of sources.

In the 1920's, if a doctor had a cancer patient he would afterwards do the autopsy and publish a paper on it because it was so rare.

Now we are soon going to have to change our American and Canadian cancer rates to 1 out of 2.

50%.

That's staggering.

So to me it is a multitude of factors but our current medical industry treats cancer as a disease.

It is not.

It is a symptom of an immune system gone mad.

So until they start determining the underlying causes we will never "cure" cancer.

Which they will never do, by design.

There is no money in "curing" cancer.

There is a couple trillion dollar a year worldwide market for "treating" it, however.

a reply to: Hefficide

The only advice I can give is that if you start jonesing for a smoke, it will pass.

I heard somewhere that the addiction itself is only a few days, and after that you're breaking the habit. Smoking a cig while you drive (something I miss, but I couldn't do that to this car), after a meal, with coffee, ect.

So It's been told to me you can rewire your brain. Do something like lick bitters every time you get a craving. Your brain will associate that as response to the craving and soon stop issuing cravings because it's getting trolled.

I'm thinking hot sauce to the eyes to speed the process up.

Every day


I quit now and then but I guess I just enjoy smoking. I don't think it'll be that big a deal for me. Just don't pay attention to it and it goes away after 2 days with lingering cravings here and there. Those subside for the most part. You might have one of those days where you would enjoy one but it's a sickening experience to get that momentary relief from the world.


Though, there is usually some irritability on those 2 days. It's minor though.


Doubt the stores will stop stocking the shelves.


As it is in Austin right now - EVERYTHING public is shut down. You can go to the store and pick up your groceries and pick up your food at whatever restaurant or fast food joint or have it delivered but the bars are all closed as of today for 6 weeks as is any public gathering that is over 9 people.

It's about to get really weird Austin!

originally posted by: Lumenari
a reply to: rickymouse

I think it is a lot of factors, if you look at the four legs of the chair that holds up cancer.

Environment.

Nutrition.

Physical well-being.

Mental well-being (stress)

Of the four, NONE of them have improved from the 70's to now for an average American.

I've a particular interest in cancer because of my wife, so have crawled PubMed and read a whole lot of different ideas about it and aspects of it from a lot of sources.

In the 1920's, if a doctor had a cancer patient he would afterwards do the autopsy and publish a paper on it because it was so rare.

Now we are soon going to have to change our American and Canadian cancer rates to 1 out of 2.

50%.

That's staggering.

So to me it is a multitude of factors but our current medical industry treats cancer as a disease.

It is not.

It is a symptom of an immune system gone mad.

So until they start determining the underlying causes we will never "cure" cancer.

Which they will never do, by design.

There is no money in "curing" cancer.

There is a couple trillion dollar a year worldwide market for "treating" it, however.

There are a lot of food additives added to food to increase the shelf life and to stop microbes from eating it. Those chemistries also dampen our immune system responses. Plus, some foods they tout as good for us actually increase cancer, they focus on one particular pathway to determine them to be anticancer, but they ignore another pathway that gets disrupted that actually increases cancer risk. I spend a lot of time studying food chemistry, and because I cannot identify cross reactions in highly prepared foods which cause our immune system to be disrupted, I limit my intake of that kind of food to no more than twenty five percent. that means three quarters of the time we eat home made meals with no highly prepared foods in them. Both the wife and I feel lots better. As for the foods that increase cancer risk by blocking thyroid function or causing a problem with proper communication with cells, we avoid those super foods. Most were considered super foods at one time or another. Other than cabbage, we only eat those foods on occasion, maybe once every week and a half to two weeks. Cooking those cruciferous veggies pretty well reduces the thyroid risk..

originally posted by: Hefficide
The only advice I can give is that if you start jonesing for a smoke, it will pass. It will take a few minutes but it will pass. If you can convince yourself not to focus and fixate on the fact that you're having a nicotine fit - riding them out is probably easier than you'd expect.

Thanks.

I have a few substitutes in mind just to beat the initial cravings and it's going to be interesting. I won't end up an alcoholic but if it helps it helps.

I don't want to get "ratty" at my dear kitty so perhaps eating like a trooper will help. I'm super slim and could do with putting the weight on.

I'm practicing my baking tommorrow as I stocked up on flour, suger, butter etc and will make bite size things like cupcakes and biscuits.

Thanks for all the words of encouragement peeps.