Quitting Nicotine Accountability Thread.

D

Devson

Well-known member
Trusted Member
Good day to all you wonderful ladies and gentlemen,

I quit smoking using my vape which I was on for a number of years and then I quit using that but recently through hard times with the girlfriend and life I started smoking again. I have learned many tips and tricks in relation to the biology of addiction through neurobiology. I wanted to share some of them with you all, as well as, create a daily accountability thread that can go off topic as well.

Please join me as it's easier with more people.
 
I want to start off by saying each time you choose to not use any substance it does get you further away from the addiction. Learning new things and picking up a hobby that you only ever do while not using can help make you feel rewarded and build new neuropathways that are not jumbled up with the addiction ones. Old habits and things we did while using can often light up addiction pathways (like having a coffee with a cigarette or having sex and wanting a cigarette).

One interesting thing about nicotine is it's largely a habit based addiction. So not smoking in a habitual way will help distance you. Also it's a very big delusion that it's always going to make you feel better or you need it to feel that blissful amazing feeling. Learning to get this without the use of nicotine by looking at a pretty view or enjoying a sunny day is a big part of the challenge and most definitely possible but it takes time and lots of thought.

The cigarette might help trigger you feeling better but it isn't a powerful enough drug to make you feel better completely on its own. That is you but you're trained to only get that way with the trigger of nicotine.
 
I quit cigarettes using the vape as well, still use it from time to time when I get stressed, although I do still enjoy a cigar in the hot tub here and there

I quit using the Allen Carr easy way book, and still go back to it once in a while if I ever feel like a cigarette, usually just smelling someone smoking one puts me off the thought instantly

It is one addiction that can be extremely difficult to break and many never do, just have to keep at it, if you start again just have to keep trying and eventually you will kick it
 
I accidently quit smoking in January of 2020 after being hospitalized for about a week. When I got home I never even thought of smoking, since I was recovering, and I completely forgot nicotine existed... until... all of the contextual triggers hit me like a brick wall. It was about 7 months later, too.

Driving, Alcohol and smoke breaks at work. I realized I needed better coping mechanisms to handle the cravings in those contexts. For me, nicotine was only a fraction of the "reward benefit" of smoking, and it was largely a habit of comfort or distraction. I downloaded a game on my phone for work breaks, learned to drive stick for long car rides, and used e-juice sublingually while drinking (if I was really struggling). After about a year, even 1mg nicotine makes me sick.

Maximus14 said:
It is one addiction that can be extremely difficult to break and many never do, just have to keep at it, if you start again just have to keep trying and eventually you will kick it
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You're not joking. I had an easier time getting off of an 8mo Rx'd course of hydromorphone.
 
I was only smoking once we week when I drank for like a decade. Only smoked 1/2 a pack a day before that, but I did start smoking at 14.
I thought it was stupid that I was leaving my grandson in the car seat when he was really small, so I could go and smoke in the garage.
He actually caught us smoking like 2 months ago, we smoked secretly once a week for 10 years of him living here and one day, when he was supposed to be in bed, he walked out to the garage on a Saturday night because he couldn’t sleep.

That pretty much finished it for us. I havn‘t touched a cigerette in 5 weeks, don’t even miss them. I have a stale pack in my top drawer of my tool box in the garage. I’ll throw it out one day, but right now, its there if I want one, lol.

I can drink without smoking, which is great, but now I only have like 2 beer and I’m done instead of 9.

I can smell it and it doesn’t bother me one bit.

What makes me want ot puke is walking behind someone smoking a joint. Damn that stuff makes me want to gag, mind you I havnt smoked weed in decades. Ways dofferent if you are smoking it vs smelling someone else. Was in Ottawa by the parliament buildings this weekend and it was stenching up the whole place, don’t think I’ll visit there again.
 
Devson said:
I want to start off by saying each time you choose to not use any substance it does get you further away from the addiction. Learning new things and picking up a hobby that you only ever do while not using can help make you feel rewarded and build new neuropathways that are not jumbled up with the addiction ones. Old habits and things we did while using can often light up addiction pathways (like having a coffee with a cigarette or having sex and wanting a cigarette).

One interesting thing about nicotine is it's largely a habit based addiction. So not smoking in a habitual way will help distance you. Also it's a very big delusion that it's always going to make you feel better or you need it to feel that blissful amazing feeling. Learning to get this without the use of nicotine by looking at a pretty view or enjoying a sunny day is a big part of the challenge and most definitely possible but it takes time and lots of thought.

The cigarette might help trigger you feeling better but it isn't a powerful enough drug to make you feel better completely on its own. That is you but you're trained to only get that way with the trigger of nicotine.
Click to expand...
Agree with alot of what you say...Actually nicotine is just as bad as heroin in addiction, and it gets worse if you smoke for many years, you will definitely suffer when you stop, and possibly relapse, but stay firm in your mind it can be done .
 
Sorbate said:
I was only smoking once we week when I drank for like a decade. Only smoked 1/2 a pack a day before that, but I did start smoking at 14.
I thought it was stupid that I was leaving my grandson in the car seat when he was really small, so I could go and smoke in the garage.
He actually caught us smoking like 2 months ago, we smoked secretly once a week for 10 years of him living here and one day, when he was supposed to be in bed, he walked out to the garage on a Saturday night because he couldn’t sleep.

That pretty much finished it for us. I havn‘t touched a cigerette in 5 weeks, don’t even miss them. I have a stale pack in my top drawer of my tool box in the garage. I’ll throw it out one day, but right now, its there if I want one, lol.

I can drink without smoking, which is great, but now I only have like 2 beer and I’m done instead of 9.

I can smell it and it doesn’t bother me one bit.

What makes me want ot puke is walking behind someone smoking a joint. Damn that stuff makes me want to gag, mind you I havnt smoked weed in decades. Ways dofferent if you are smoking it vs smelling someone else. Was in Ottawa by the parliament buildings this weekend and it was stenching up the whole place, don’t think I’ll visit there again.
Click to expand...
It's funny you say that about weed, I grow it outside because I love the smell of growing weed and even cured weed, but I can't stand the smell of burning weed...
 
Scorpio said:
Agree with alot of what you say...Actually nicotine is just as bad as heroin in addiction, and it gets worse if you smoke for many years, you will definitely suffer when you stop, and possibly relapse, but stay firm in your mind it can be done .
Click to expand...
They're different mechanisms of addiction, definitions of such I cannot remember lol. It can be just as hard to quit but it doesn't have the same lure and downside as other addictions, it's just easy and convenient but the average person probably wouldn't suck dick for it. Alcohol addiction is worse than most addictions but it doesn't have the same lure.

Anyways here is to Day 2 of no twice a week cigarettes despite being surrounded all day long!
 
Maximus14 said:
It's funny you say that about weed, I grow it outside because I love the smell of growing weed and even cured weed, but I can't stand the smell of burning weed...
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Yeah the plant is really cool looking. And does smell good, when it isn't being burned like you say, lol
 
Learned that nicotine receptors stay down regulated for 6 to 12 weeks so that did help me prepare. Just thankful that I don't have to feel worse during this time like other addictions can cause. Also drama in life subsided so I'm definitely on a good path now but it's a constant struggle.
 
I quit when I quit a job once a couple years ago.
My vice was pre meeting, after meeting and habit with the same smoker group daily. We spoke about work and made plans etc.
I left the job, quit smoking and started a new culture for myself on next job as I arrived.
As I am the head guy typically if I smoked and had informal meetings while smoking I had several partakers also.
When I do not smoke and I don’t start that culture I don’t get sucked in and the breaking of a routine surrounding the cigarette was key for my ability to quit.
Not a single craving ever anymore.
I also did a wild Rose detox kit which seemed to help.
 
ironwill said:
I quit when I quit a job once a couple years ago.
My vice was pre meeting, after meeting and habit with the same smoker group daily. We spoke about work and made plans etc.
I left the job, quit smoking and started a new culture for myself on next job as I arrived.
As I am the head guy typically if I smoked and had informal meetings while smoking I had several partakers also.
When I do not smoke and I don’t start that culture I don’t get sucked in and the breaking of a routine surrounding the cigarette was key for my ability to quit.
Not a single craving ever anymore.
I also did a wild Rose detox kit which seemed to help.
Click to expand...
Yeah I noticed that for myself as well. I was around people that smoked while going through some hard times. Things are good now though but I won't feel normal for another few months but that's fine I'm dieting anyways so when does that feel great lol
 
I only took breaks when I smoked. That was the hard part, because once I quit smoking I never took a break, at home. So if I was building a deck, I’d keep working for hours.

I miss smoking. It went so well with alcohol. Couldn’t care less if I smoked at any other time.
 
Jerbear said:
Hows the quiting going?
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Sorbate said:
Still quit
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I actually ended up smoking once a day so I was like okay... I need to switch back to my vape and treat it as a cigarette once a day low dosage. So far so good no more cravings.

I had relationship drama that was causing me to smoke just to stop feeling like someone punched me in the stomach. Also all my coworkers smoking is a huge cause. What do you guys think about vaping three times a day at 3mg nicotine or basically a tank a day? Think I'll become fully addicted again needing it on me at all times?
 
Devson said:
I actually ended up smoking once a day so I was like okay... I need to switch back to my vape and treat it as a cigarette once a day low dosage. So far so good no more cravings.

I had relationship drama that was causing me to smoke just to stop feeling like someone punched me in the stomach. Also all my coworkers smoking is a huge cause. What do you guys think about vaping three times a day at 3mg nicotine or basically a tank a day? Think I'll become fully addicted again needing it on me at all times?
Click to expand...
Don't smoke or vape. The relationship thing was just justifying smoking.
Only way to truly quit is just quit.

Or you can do what I did for a decade. Only smoke once a week. This way every time you get a craving you tell your body, it has to wait till smoking day, lol.
 
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