A good ole days story - I remember in primary school, so we must have been about 11, & one of the local milk bars would sell us individual cigarettes for 10c ea. Can you imagine the outrage nowadays if a shop was caught doing that. It really was everywhere so its very little wonder so many around that time smoked.
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About $10 iirc
Useless information- the tax on a single cig is about $1.11
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Not a long time smoker, but stopped cold turkey as well. I started smoking at 15….stopped for 6 months to concentrate on footy at 17….started again until I was 22-23. Got home from work, had a couple of darts and went to bed. Woke up feeling sick…ran to the bathroom and vomited up this thick black sludge. Freaked me the Fark out. That was it for me. Went away with my then gf the next day, told her and I threw my smokes over a cliff and that was that
Haven’t touched once since. 18 years ago
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Back in the day your parents could write you a note and go down the corner store and pick up their darts.
I’m sorry but that’s an addiction too (which I think WOB knows)
The milk bar owner knew who my dad was, so always knew I was getting the smokes for him. He also knew the fireworks I got at the same time were for me.
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Be aware that the ritual 5 minute checkout that comes with a dart, for some, meets the ‘mindfulness’ self care they want/need.
Removing that can be alarming to the mind. You can’t really replace the habit but you can make other spaces for self care.
Same. Although I have never smoked I would be sent to the milkbar to buy mum and dads cigarettes when I was a kid.
Yup. Think that’s what I liked about it the most. Something incredibly rhythmic and calming about the whole thing.
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It’s called nicotine
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Giving up cigarettes was incredibly difficult for me and I had many failed attempts.
Different methods work for different people and, for me, it was nicotine lozenges that I would let dissolve in my mouth when the craving struck. It was enough to get me past the urge to smoke and I gradually weaned myself off them over about six months.
It’s now been seven years since I managed to quit. Like most ex-smokers, I now find the smell of cigarettes foul and can’t stay in smoky rooms.
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Like most people I had multiple attemts to give them up over the years. Would always do ok until I had a few beers.
I found that the patches worked for me in the end. I started them and also didn’t have a drink for the first month of givng up. It probably helped that the first time I went to the pub it was with non smokers. Once I got through that night it became pretty easy.
I’m now over 11 years smoke free although I do have a cigar every now and then.
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Well 15 hours with out and going well, it’s a start.
Great to hear all the other stories, certainly helps with the motivation. Thank you!
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Congrats. It’s not easy but so worth it. You will cope better with each passing day.
Stay strong.
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Thank you.
This is a big part of it for me.
Before I say anything else, everyone else besides me should stop smoking right now because it’s killing you.
It’s suicide by stealth.
And you don’t need me to tell you that, you already know.
My sister read a book and she stopped.
And that’s awesome.
My brother switched to vaping a long, long time ago. Got so into it that it became his side hustle.
And not only did it get him off the cigarettes, it got so many others off them, too.
And that is also awesome.
You’d think that given that, I would also find it pretty easy to stop smoking.
Well, it’s not.
Because, here’s the thing.
I farking love smoking.
It’s not just the nicotine addiction, although yes it is totally that. I get panicky if there’s not a cigarette within twenty yards of me.
I get panicky if I’m out of smokes even if I know I can easily get another pack in an hour or two.
It’s. An. Addiction.
But to get back to the point, I love smoking.
A lot of these…remedies try to rely on the idea that you don’t really like smoking, you just think you do.
You don’t get pleasure from smoking.
Just think about it next time you have a smoke, are you really enjoying it?
And I’ve read those books and listened to those Hypnos but the sad fact is that when I have a smoke…yes, I am reeeally farking enjoying it.
So they’re on a wrong ‘un there.
I don’t just love smoking, I love avoiding small talk. I love disappearing for ten minutes.
I love…walking away.
Everyone should stop.
Except me.
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