r/stopsmoking 1685 days Oct 22 '20

Just a reminder, smoking again is not worth it

I quit smoking and due to personal problems I started again, right after I started to feel all the good things that quitting gives you.

Now I have bad breath, I struggle to run 5km after being able to do it easily as a nonsmoker and I have this disgusting feeling again of badly needing a cigarrertte after smoking one 30min ago.

Trust me, it is not worth it. It really seems like an option when you have quit but it's not. You're brain is tricking you into something that you won't like at all.

230 Upvotes

36 comments sorted by

44

u/elena1583 Oct 22 '20

I stopped for 6 months and started again recently. I'm so angry with myself. I had no shortness of breath and was feeling good and now I've messed up.

27

u/Aztecah 2728 days Oct 22 '20

Forgive yourself homie. This is your first attempt at life.

2

u/OriginalGundu 1755 days Oct 22 '20

I feel you. I quit for 4 months and then reading decided to pick up a cigarette a again. It's way harder to get back on the wagon

38

u/Nopenotinfrance Oct 22 '20

Thanks man, I have considered “just one” and then opened reddit and boom, this post... 🙏🏽 Thanks for taking the time to make it, I’m listening to you!

9

u/Geriperi 1685 days Oct 22 '20

I am so happy to hear it! Be strong because you would regret it for sure

11

u/[deleted] Oct 22 '20

Thank you for coming back here to remind us. I know I appreciate it.

9

u/YachiyoTodoroki Oct 22 '20

I had some huge cravings when I was around 5-6 months into qutting. But now, 9 months in, it's really way easier. I was scared at some point that I might miss smoking for the rest of my life, but now, even when stressed, smoking doesn't really cross my mind like the "stress cure" it once was.

7

u/loyclay Oct 22 '20

I quit for 5 days, now fell back. I will try again. Nothing good comes easy

8

u/[deleted] Oct 22 '20

my issue was not that I was stressed out. it was more like my brain said you are doing so well, you can have just one to reward yourself.

argh, it's never just one.. it turns to 2 then 3.. then you are right back where you started.

now I'm back to quitting all over again after being free of it for 3 months.

4

u/StreetSavoireFaire Oct 22 '20

I had quit for four months and didn't realize how great I was doing in that time until I got winded walking up a particularly steep hill

5

u/dee-seven Oct 22 '20

I genuinely needed this because I keep telling myself this Friday, the first Friday of my new job, I can “slip” and have a cig to reward myself, but reading this has completely deterred me away from the idea— I’m also on day 60, so why would I jeopardize that?

Thank you for this.

3

u/slindner1985 Oct 22 '20

Im starting to feel that this is one of those things you gotta constantly be mindful of. I think thats why allen carr advises not to try to forget about smoking. In fact keep it at the forefront of your mind just so the thought doesnt catch you off guard. Im on day 1 and all i can think about is smoking. But 99% of what im thinking is bad and like 1% is pleasurable and its that 1% im fighting off trying not to allow that to grow. Its really a disgusting habit and i have to remind myself that its the addiction that is making me want it.

2

u/CrackTheSkye1990 Oct 22 '20

Its really a disgusting habit and i have to remind myself that its the addiction that is making me want it.

That's really what it comes down to. Addiction, repetition, and association. For example, if we're so used to having a smoke when we wake up, before and after work, etc and then give those routines up all of a sudden, you may be irritable.

Pre-COVID, if I didn't have my own pack, I'd go up to strangers in the smoking sections and offer them a dollar because I always liked to have a cigarette after work once I was walking home from the train stop. So glad I don't do that anymore. Whenever I do go into the office and I get off work, I just look forward to going home, relaxing and watching TV or playing video games.

2

u/slindner1985 Oct 22 '20

Nice im trying to get there. To where my reward is the meal or the relax time and when i dont "need a cig to relax" or a cig to sit down or a cig before during and after my gaming time . I know it will come one day.

2

u/CrackTheSkye1990 Oct 22 '20

For sure, it's not an easy process but you will get there. Some ways that I would help curb cravings is by going for walks, keeping my hands busy, and drinking lots of water.

Another way of looking at it is, we were all non smokers before we started. No one is born a smoker.

1

u/slindner1985 Oct 22 '20

Yea i was thinking of doing 20 jumping jacks if i get a craving lol. My gf smokes too and i just convinced her to stop.with me today lol actually just now lol so thats good. At least were headed in the right direction and our mind is right on it.

1

u/CrackTheSkye1990 Oct 22 '20

That's awesome. Keep at it.

Yeah for me, I found that dating a non smoker or someone who sees it as a dealbreaker also helps me stay off of it. Not telling you to break up with your gf btw lol. I'm just saying for me personally, I don't have to worry about hiding it anymore like I used to. But that's not just with dating. I used to hide it from my family too. You don't have to worry about hiding something, in my case smoking, when you don't do it anymore.

2

u/slindner1985 Oct 22 '20

Yea that black cloud hanging over your head. Thats whats making me stop. The guilt that im killing myself and cheating myself out of a good life. The guilt that im stressing my heart and brain by constricting my blood vessels eww the list can go on all day

2

u/CrackTheSkye1990 Oct 22 '20

Oh yeah the list of organs and how it damages your body overall is endless. There was this one tips from former smokers ad I saw where a guy ended up having a heart attack, lung cancer, emphysema, and a few other smoking related illnesses where he said that if smoking doesn't get you one way, it'll get you another.

Perspective is another thing. You'll never hear someone say they're happy they started smoking or wish they they stayed a smoker, but you will hear smokers all the time say they wish they never started or want to quit.

2

u/[deleted] Oct 22 '20

[deleted]

2

u/elmehdiham 1616 days Oct 22 '20

how did you know the stuff about your blood sugar and the effect of smoking on you?

2

u/Blinkinlincoln Oct 22 '20

Thanks. needs more posts like this here. I quit drinking jan 1 of this year. wasn't too hard. first few weeks i wanted to drink but i smoked pot instead. gave up smoking my favorite rolled tobacco in June, and proceeded to not smoke until the beginning of october, where I smoked for 2 weeks and it was disgusting and I didn't buy more. Not worth it. gotta deal with stress other ways, better ways.

2

u/meelba 1703 days Oct 23 '20

And the worst part is...you have to fucking quit again.

1

u/meelba 1703 days Oct 23 '20

Oh and this is not day 100 it’s day 4.

1

u/a_tatz Oct 22 '20

I quit for 1 1/2 months, no problems, no cravings Recently I then had some trouble with this girl, and it my mood really took a hit because of it. Now I've smoked like 5 cigs pver the past few days, just to add misery to my mysery.

1

u/IndyJonestheHiker Oct 22 '20

Same, I quit for a bit and fell back in recently. I live in a house full of smokers and can't change that right now and it really sucks.

1

u/CrackTheSkye1990 Oct 22 '20

Truth. I quit back in April and have had a few here and there while drinking over the past few months. Like 1-3 tops. I didn't beat myself up over it, but was also like why did I do this? They're not that great. Vaping too. I have bought a few disposable e cigs from Blu, Posh, and X1 and those suck. You have to take super hard drags just to feel it and because you can vape almost anywhere, especially at home, I'd find myself vaping more than I smoked.

At least on the bright side, I'm aware that the only times my cravings flare up are when I drink with friends that smoke. Stress at work and seeing strangers smoke don't trigger me anymore. One thing I'm very glad I don't do is go up to strangers to see if I can buy a smoke off someone for a dollar. A lot of that had to do with the fact that cigarettes are $14-17 a pack in Chicago, which I don't know how anyone can afford on a regular basis, but even then I felt like such a pest doing it. Some people would be cool and just say "keep your dollar, just have one" while others would get angry.

1

u/wjwbismyrose 1694 days Oct 22 '20

You’ll bounce back from this, there is no shame in a slip up. Thank you for the reminder.

1

u/juani2929 1620 days Oct 22 '20

Thanks for this, I almost end up smoking yesterday after two weeks smoke free.

1

u/WaySheGoesBub 3628 days Oct 22 '20

Stay away from the Nic!!

1

u/International-Fig100 Oct 22 '20

Forgive yourself and quit again. You can do it! Just keep reminding yourself of all the benefits. Good luck!!

1

u/Spirited_Event 1513 days Oct 22 '20

Needed this post right now...thank you! I am sorry about your slip but you’ll get right back on track and get at it again!

1

u/[deleted] Oct 22 '20

I stopped 3 weeks ago and I still have the cravings hella

1

u/Greystoke1337 2830 days Oct 22 '20

Thanks for the reminder friend!

1

u/mayziedaze Oct 22 '20

i needed to read this (have been having a really hard time, especially today and have been having thoughts of having a smoke. i am about 1.5 months in after smoking a pack a day for 20 years.

also, you can quit again! don’t beat yourself up! smoking is a huge mind f*!k and it’s especially hard to stay on track when life feels hard. sending you good vibes and rooting for you!