How do you stop your old friend Nick from coming a callin?
Jun 23 '00 (Updated Jun 18 '01)
The Bottom Line You need to find something to replace tobacco. Having a void is asking for trouble.
I started stealing my mom's cigarettes when I was about 12, was smoking 10 a day when I was 16, and peaked at a pack a day all the way through college. Along the way I tried on a number of occasions to kick the habit but never quite made it to be a former smoker.
One time when I was 18 I managed to kick the weed for 12 months and I though I had it beat, but as soon as I went to college I was back again and the pressures of Law School had me up to a pack a day in no time.
I went through many many more attempts at kicking the habit making it to 6 months on one memorable occasion before the Giants made it to the playoffs and I couldn't stand the pressure without my little friend Nick O Teen.
One time I even left my father's bedside after he had just had a quadruple by-pass operation (30 year smoker himself...now thankfully reformed), as he was hanging onto life by his fingernails, and went out onto the hospital fire escape to light up.
In July 1998 my parents came to visit from Ireland and I couldn't believe how well my father looked after being smoke free for 12 months so I decided to give it another try. Anyway, I was getting tired of standing outside bars in the rain to get my fix, so it was back on the cold turkey wagon.
The first few weeks while your body cleanses itself of all the gunk and poisons that you've been feeding it for years are hell. You will get a hacking cough, nasty withdrawal symptoms, you will get ornery and will generally be a pain in the butt to be around. The gums and patches and other products are designed to get you through this period and slowly wean you off your nicotine addiction.
Yes they can help but they don't clean the nicotine from your system 100%. It has been found in the hair and tissue of 3000 year old mummies so it is not easy stuff to get rid of. You will continue to get cravings for years; so what do you do after all the hoopla surrounding your decision to quit has faded and nobody is congratulating you anymore or giving you motivational talks?
Time for my Little Pearl of Wisdom
So how do you stay off the wicked weed for good? How do you become that wonderful thing, a former smoker?
Well, after you have gone through the initial hell of the first few weeks you will find a big void in your life that was once filled by your friend Nick. If you do not find something to fill this void and soon, Nick will come a callin, and sooner or later you will go out to play.
I am convinced that most smokers have addictive personalities and tend to throw them selves headfirst and 100% into what they do...including smoking cigarettes. Unless you find something to throw yourself into 100% you will not stay off the ciggies for long. You should find something preferably that is completely impossible to do if you smoke.
Join a club that has a no smoking policy.
Have a kid.
Fall in love with a former smoker who hates the smell of smoke..call me...(415) 75.... ha just kidding ;-)
Or you can do like me and start running marathons...I know this is a little extreme but it works. Whatever it takes right?
I'm smoke free 3 years on 7/20/00 and I know that if I did not introduce a change, something, anything, just a change in my life, Nick would be back sooner or later and I'd be heading for my lunchtime smoke break right about now instead of the gym.
All the gums and patches and acupuncture and cold turkey in the world will do you no good unless you find something to replace tobacco in your life. For me right now qualifying for the Boston Marathon is wayyyy too important to me to EVER even consider picking up a cigarette. Find that important thing and you will kick the habit for good.
Post Script: I did finally qualify for the Boston marathon and I completed it this April 16 in just over 3 hrs.....next goal is the sub 3 thon and my 4 year smoke free anniversary.
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Epinions.com ID:
Mattog
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Member: Matt R.
Location: San Francisco, CA
Reviews written: 72
Trusted by: 37 members
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