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Old Feb 18, 2016, 10:01 PM
godog godog is offline
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Member Since: Jan 2016
Location: zed
Posts: 34
Look smoking is great at the time. Then at the end of the day, your throat starts to hurt. You start getting that cough. And then you need to celebrate taking a shower, getting the mail, all by having a cigarette.

After a few months it's swollen glands, scratchy voice, always clearing throat, a pack a day, being paranoid about smelling, and planning your day to include a trip to the convenience store. Coughing up some pretty scary looking stuff. Smoking when you're sick or have a cold and believing the delusion that tobacco is a medication because native Americans used it that way. I've experienced all of these and more.

Been there, done that several times. Always the same pattern. It starts with 1 or 2, "this is great, and this is all I need". Then stress happens and "ah big deal, I've got more in the pack." Soon every stressor requires 1 cigarette. Then 2 cigarettes. Then every behavior you do requires a cigarette. Then not doing anything becomes stressful and requires a cigarette. Then I don't feel secure unless I've got another pack, or another carton on hand... So I can smoke as much as I want, and not have to worry about running out. But I can still control it, right? I'll cut back tomorrow. I'll cut back next week. Next month is gonna be rough, I'll cut back after next month.

So you slipped after 35 years. Stop now, cuz it's gonna be harder than heck once you're up to 10-15-20 cigarettes a day. I was up to 25-30 a day until I got chantix and started changing my life so it didn't revolve around smoking. I was (and still am) fearful and scared of therapists, but took a huge risk and did a couple sessions to help with healthier relaxation strategies to replace the cigarette.

Slipping after 35 years doesn't mean you are a failure, and isn't a good excuse to keep smoking. It's a great excuse, however, to stop again. Cuz you know you're capable of stopping for 35 years.
Thanks for this!
Ocean Swimmer