78th smoke-free day! (the great Tiki central mass stop-smoking thread) - Bilge

LL Limbo Lizard Tiki Socialite Aboard the 'Leaky Tiki', Dallas Joined: Aug 24, 2006 Posts: 788	LL Limbo Lizard Posted posted on Thu, Jun 11, 2009 1:44 PM On 2009-06-11 11:15, lucas vigor wrote: "But for most tobacco addicts, I would say you are playing with fire if you smoke an occasional cigar. It's too easy to get hooked all over again!" Yes, quite literally "playing with fire". I don't recommend it as an OK idea, for a former smoking addict, and it made me uneasy, the first couple of times. But, now, after years of her NOT starting back, I don't worry that she will. She doesn't have fond memories of smoking cigarettes - in retrospect, the "relationship" was all lies. Just like, I don't worry that she'll suddenly leave me and go back to her ex. I know she's utterly done with him, doesn't miss him, long for him, etc. (Hmmm,... not comfortable with how "an occasional cigar" plays out, in that analogy). If they made a pill that would alleviate the negative health consequences of cigarettes, she STILL wouldn't start back smoking. "My advice for anyone is again, take the quick hit. The pain of withdrawal is pretty bad, but really does not last as long as you think. Within 3 days, you are already feeling better and it is easier..." Monica feared quitting, again, because she had such vivid and horrible memories of how traumatic it had been, the first time. She'd struggled for weeks, having several "last" cigarettes, and never really lost the mental craving, the sense of deprivation. But, the second time, she had physical symptoms for 2 days, but no psychological symptoms, no "second guessing". She had a skull-splitting headache, the 2nd day off, and started looking everywhere for a forgotten cig (she'd thrown out her last pack), to get some relief. She finally found one bent cigarette, with the filter broken off, in the bottom of a jewelry box. It reeked of perfume, but she was desperate. She carefully brushed off the lint, lit it, and took a deep drag. And barely staggered to the toilet in time to throw up. So, she suffered through the headache, and the next day, felt better. Some suffer no physical symptoms, but she did for a short time, like you. But it's the mental stuff that'll do you in. You've got to get over believing you're "depriving" yourself of pleasure, that you're losing out on some "good times" that others are enjoying.

On 2009-06-11 11:15, lucas vigor wrote:
"But for most tobacco addicts, I would say you are playing with fire if you smoke an occasional cigar. It's too easy to get hooked all over again!"

Yes, quite literally "playing with fire". I don't recommend it as an OK idea, for a former smoking addict, and it made me uneasy, the first couple of times. But, now, after years of her NOT starting back, I don't worry that she will. She doesn't have fond memories of smoking cigarettes - in retrospect, the "relationship" was all lies. Just like, I don't worry that she'll suddenly leave me and go back to her ex. I know she's utterly done with him, doesn't miss him, long for him, etc. (Hmmm,... not comfortable with how "an occasional cigar" plays out, in that analogy). If they made a pill that would alleviate the negative health consequences of cigarettes, she STILL wouldn't start back smoking.

"My advice for anyone is again, take the quick hit. The pain of withdrawal is pretty bad, but really does not last as long as you think. Within 3 days, you are already feeling better and it is easier..."

Monica feared quitting, again, because she had such vivid and horrible memories of how traumatic it had been, the first time. She'd struggled for weeks, having several "last" cigarettes, and never really lost the mental craving, the sense of deprivation. But, the second time, she had physical symptoms for 2 days, but no psychological symptoms, no "second guessing".
She had a skull-splitting headache, the 2nd day off, and started looking everywhere for a forgotten cig (she'd thrown out her last pack), to get some relief. She finally found one bent cigarette, with the filter broken off, in the bottom of a jewelry box. It reeked of perfume, but she was desperate. She carefully brushed off the lint, lit it, and took a deep drag. And barely staggered to the toilet in time to throw up. So, she suffered through the headache, and the next day, felt better. Some suffer no physical symptoms, but she did for a short time, like you. But it's the mental stuff that'll do you in. You've got to get over believing you're "depriving" yourself of pleasure, that you're losing out on some "good times" that others are enjoying.

Post #461040 by Limbo Lizard on Thu, Jun 11, 2009 1:44 PM