The first day without a cigarette

[renigade666]

During school, I can't get anything done if I don't smoke because it interferes with your thoughts. Your receptors are firing off sending you urgent signals as if you're hungry or something. Both are very distracting, especially with physics.

Are you trying to say that unless you get high every so often, you lose your train of thought easily? Or just plain cannot concentrate on schoolwork when doing homework(for example) ??

Just wondering since I have quite almost all contact to marijunana since I started University (only done it 2 twice since september). This was quite a feat for me from when I was in high school I felt much less compelled to limit the amount that I was smoking (ie a few times a month).

I am not sure if it is from the atmosphere of the University vs Highschool, but I find it harder to concentrate when studying/homework/during lectures. Not that I am putting blame on my habits that I had in high school especially since the university is still quite new to me, but I was just wondering if you (being a 3rd year student) have had any similar problems?
(Not trying to derail the thread or anything ^_^ )

Thanks,
~Ren

 

[radou]

I don't like that sort of policy. I think it's harmful society and to our own wellbeing to sweep stuff like that under the rug.

Depends on what type of "sweeping under the rug" we're talking about. My point was only that when you go public with that, there is always a number of people who'll judge you because of that. Then again, if you don't care what other people think, good for you. Amof, it's a blessing.

I'm going to try to reduce my intake for now (only smoke when it's distracting me from my homework) and try to totally quit this summer (I'll just be taking a class or two so it should be considerably easier)

I wish you good luck!

In my experience, just trying to quit on will power is tough and often not enough over the long haul. I quit about a year ago, because at the time I was going through a string of panic attacks (now long gone, thankfully) and somehow the attacks came to be associated with smoking. Well, that did a number on my smoking habit right quick.

Extremely interesting, since this seems to be similar to my case. I can't say I'm trying to quit because of panic attacks (ironically, I want to quit since I started smoking), but they certainly relate to smoking somehow. Not that they are severe, but one still feels their presence.

 

[Pythagorean]

Are you trying to say that unless you get high every so often, you lose your train of thought easily? Or just plain cannot concentrate on schoolwork when doing homework(for example) ??

Just wondering since I have quite almost all contact to marijunana since I started University (only done it 2 twice since september). This was quite a feat for me from when I was in high school I felt much less compelled to limit the amount that I was smoking (ie a few times a month).

I am not sure if it is from the atmosphere of the University vs Highschool, but I find it harder to concentrate when studying/homework/during lectures. Not that I am putting blame on my habits that I had in high school especially since the university is still quite new to me, but I was just wondering if you (being a 3rd year student) have had any similar problems?
(Not trying to derail the thread or anything ^_^ )

Thanks,
~Ren

Cigarettes are more distracting during tedious homework where I'm okay with the intuition and the problem solving, but I have to grind through a whole bunch of derivatives and approximations.

Pot is more distracting when I don't do know what to do with a problem. When I've turned about four or five pages on it and ended up going down the wrong road too far or I can't find a mistake in the math (when it's obviously a mistaken assumption I'm making somewhere). I just want to take a break, and not think about it it anymore so that I can reset my mindset on the problem. I'll often play a video game and hit the bong at this point, then I'll read some of the chapter to gain some intuition and totally new perspective before going about the problem.

This is especially true for my classical mechanics class, where there's about a hundred different ways to approach a given problem, but only some of them will take you to the answer symon wants (symon is our text author)

 

[Pyrrhus]

All, I'm going to say quit smoking, but if you don't want to then smoke dominican cigars. Not because of only the taste, but you know help a fellow country

 

[radou]

The third week today! Yahoooooo!

 

[Ronnin]

The third week today! Yahoooooo!

I think the biggest advantage to quitting smoking is food tastes so much better. I gave the habit up 7 years ago and think even if I wanted to I couldn't afford to go back.

 

[dontdisturbmycircles]

The third week today! Yahoooooo!

Nicely done, keep going.

 

[radou]

I think the biggest advantage to quitting smoking is food tastes so much better. I gave the habit up 7 years ago and think even if I wanted to I couldn't afford to go back.

Yup, food tastes better, and in general, everything smells better!

My whole room used to stink like cigarette smoke, and I wasn't smoking at home! It was just because of me and my clothes! Now I see how disgusting it really was.

 

[larkspur]

The third week today! Yahoooooo!

Congratulations!

 

[Tsu]

ME TOO! I quit on St. Patrick's Day! GOOD FOR US RADOU!

 

[radou]

ME TOO! I quit on St. Patrick's Day! GOOD FOR US RADOU!

Congratulations, I hope we keep up the good work!

 

[radou]

Just to check in, it will be two months now that I didn't smoke. I didn't even feel tempted! Amazing, it's easier than I thought it was going to be. Or am I just lucky? Anyways, the point is that I didn't, at any point, say that I have quit smoking. And I think that is the "catch" which helped me the most.

Good luck to everyone else with the same "issue"!

Btw, Tsu, I hope your next reply in this thread will be good news, too.

 

[Evo]

Congrats radou!

Wow Tsu, you quit?? I hope you'll say you're still off of them.

 

[D H]

Good luck to everyone else with the same "issue"!

Thanks. This is Day #7 ... this time. I think I am past the worst of it. I do not want to go through the last seven days again. Quitting is so easy. Staying "quit" is the hard part. I have "quit" smoking many times, once for ten years.

 

[mattmns]

Congrats, keep it up (all of you).

 

[cristo]

Well done radou, and others who have "quit." I am very impressed!

 

[honestrosewater]

Congrats to radou, Tsu, and everyone else! I smoked for about 10 years and quit October 27, 2005. Woot!

How are you doing, D H and anyone else who wants to quit?

The physical discomfort wasn't so hard to deal with for me. I think the hardest part was worrying that I would miss it. I suppose that might not make sense now. But if anyone else is feeling the same way, it's not like it would be hard to start smoking again if you did end up missing it after giving smoke-free-ness an honest chance. It would take enormous amounts of money or some terribly extreme scenario to get me to start smoking again.

 

[radou]

Thanks. This is Day #7 ... this time. I think I am past the worst of it. I do not want to go through the last seven days again. Quitting is so easy. Staying "quit" is the hard part. I have "quit" smoking many times, once for ten years.

Congratulations, D H !

And don't say the word "quit", it may help yoo too!

Btw, I have been smoking for seven years, and it's a lot. I thought of it this way: in three more years it would be ten years, and I would be 26, which is YOUNG, and I'd have a 10-year-smoker profile! Ugh! Further on, in ten more years, I'd be 36, which is still young (well, relatively, but definitely not old ), and I'd have a 20-year-smoker profile, which definitely IS something. And we all know how the years fly past us...

I think the hardest part was worrying that I would miss it.

Yes, this definitely is the hardest part.

 

[BillJx]

Just to check in, it will be two months now that I didn't smoke. I didn't even feel tempted! Amazing, it's easier than I thought it was going to be. Or am I just lucky? Anyways, the point is that I didn't, at any point, say that I have quit smoking. And I think that is the "catch" which helped me the most.

Good luck to everyone else with the same "issue"!

Btw, Tsu, I hope your next reply in this thread will be good news, too.

Congratulations! I found the same thing, that saying I'd quit smoking seemed to be setting myself up. I quit the last time, shortly before my daughter was born. She's 29 now, so that was at a time when non-smokers were a minority and people were always offering. With people I didn't know, I'd just say "Thanks, I don't smoke" instead of "I'm trying to quit". Because the way I saw it, once you stop smoking you're a non-smoker.
The cravings were a passing thing. They were intense sometimes, but pretty soon you realize that they don't last long and you just have to wait them out.

Continued best wishes.

 

[Zantra]

it took numerous tries but after 12 years I quit for good in august of 05. If you truly want to quit bad enough, you'll make it. If you cheat, don't give in, just move on and keep trying to quit.

Do or do not, there is no try

 

[marlon]

I am smoking for 10 years now and although i know it is bad, i like it soooooo much. I like the taste, the smell, the effect etc etc. I want to quit but the problem is just that i like smoking a lot. To me, to quit smoking is like to quit having sex. I would say i am in deep trouble...

marlon

 

[radou]

I want to quit but the problem is just that i like smoking a lot. To me, to quit smoking is like to quit having sex. I would say i am in deep trouble...

marlon

If it's really like that, then you're definitely in deep trouble, marlon..

Hint: quit smoking and have more sex as a compensation. Perhaps that would work..?

 

[mathwonk]

actually smoking diminshes your ability to have sex since it shrinks the blood vessels, and also obviously provides a substitute satisfaction.

It took me a long time to quit, smoking that is. Do not celebrate quitting until it is at least 5 years. After a lifetime of smoking (20+years) I finally "quit" at age 35.

For at least one year after that my fingers involuntarily went into my shirt pocket. And I thought fondly of having a cigarette for many years after that. I think the 5 year mark was when I finally felt little or no desire for them.

There is no habit so strong, except maybe arguing. So hang in there. It will save you, at a pack a day, maybe what?, a thousand dollars a year for tobacco, and much more in health costs.if you do the math, notice that a pack a day for 10 years is as many cigarettes as half a pack a day for 20 years, and 2 cigs a day for what? 100 years? it is never too soon to quit. the only way i know of is to not take that first one. in my experience there are no substitutes.

never give into the desire to have "just one". think of that as not quitting and put that first one off aS LONG AS POSSIBLE, AND THEN WHEN IT SeEMS INEVITABLE THINK ABOUT putting it off another day.

i was finally motivated to quit partly by reading an article pointing out the second biggest risk factor for heart attack, after genetics, was smoking. i thought, heyy..., i control that one.

It changes your longevity by several years, some say 7-11, and that's also quality life. But quit and stay quit as young s possible. I still have serious respiratory problems 30 years after quitting, although chalk dust is partly responsible.

for chalkdust, I recommend using a bucket of water and a sponge in the classroom if no other option exists. This is one more little technology that has not migrated from europe to the US.

 

[Astronuc]

for chalkdust, I recommend using a bucket of water and a sponge in the classroom if no other option exists. This is one more little technology that has not migrated from europe to the US.

I think we started doing that when I was a graduate student, but it was more periodically cleaning the chalk tray and washing the board, probably once per week. I noticed the difference.

It did occur to me to wear a dust mask, but I probably would not have wanted to do so anyway.

 

[marlon]

actually smoking diminshes your ability to have sex since it shrinks the blood vessels, and also obviously provides a substitute satisfaction.

I don't have that impression though (i am only talking about the need for sex here). My sexual appetite is big enough (and no i am not bragging here).

What i adore is a cigarette after sex(), luch, in the morning when i go to work, late in the evening in between commercial brakes etc etc...

I JUST LOVE IT. Really, sometimes i fear that i will never get rid off this habit i adore.

marlon

 

[mathwonk]

appetite is not performance.

 

[radou]

appetite is not performance.

 

[marlon]

appetite is not performance.

Did i ever say that ?

marlon

 

[mathwonk]

what exactly are you smoking, if i may ask? (civet poop?)

 

[Cyrus]

what exactly are you smoking, if i may ask? (civet poop?)

zingggg. (that made me laugh out loud :) ) <thats for drinking, and you know it>


I've smoked Cigars and cigarettes before. Honestly, I don't care much for them. There not horrible, but there not a 'great taste' by any stretch. I do love the smell of them though. I think they smell great. Tobacco in general smells good.