Any EX-smokers out there?

CB22

CB22

Senior Audioholic
I've made it 45 days without a cig after 10 years of smoking. Man the first two weeks were absolutely awful. I had my fist panic attack, crazy amounts of anxiety about doing daily tasks (I know it sound crazy), and some depression sprinkled on top. However, I think I've made it, I can actually jog for more than five minutes and ultimately my ears will be thankful. [www.healthyhearing.com/report/50940-Smoking-and-hearing-loss] + my wallet, I've saved 220 bucks so far. I'm finally starting to feel like myself again. I've been doing a lot of daily exercise and that has seem to help. Any ex-smokers out there that have any tips to get over anxiety? And find new ways to cope with daily stress? Your suggestions are much appreciated.
 
D

Drunkpenguin

Audioholic Chief
I switched to vaping a couple years ago. It really worked but now im addicted to vaping lol. Still smoke some times but honestly dont enjoy it much. I really wish they would outlaw it all and make it harder for me to get.

Congrats on 45 days tho. Keep it goin!
 
S

snakeeyes

Audioholic Ninja
I quit smoking in 2000 after smoking about 7 years. I originally tried to quit in 1999 but it took a year off and on to finally quit for good.
 
Steve81

Steve81

Audioholics Five-0
I was an off and on smoker since high school, and like @Drunkpenguin I've moved on to vaping (I haven't picked up a cigarette since). On my longer "off" stretches, I mostly just did my best to keep myself busy and go for a stroll when a craving hit.
 
Irvrobinson

Irvrobinson

Audioholic Spartan
I stopped smoking when I moved out of my parents' house and stopped working as a waiter, both occurring after college. Not that I ever bought a cigarette, cigar, or pipe. My father smoked cigars when I was growing up, and back then fancy restaurants were full of smokers. I probably got enough second-hand smoke to be a lung cancer risk for the rest of my life.
 
rojo

rojo

Audioholic Samurai
I smoked for about 15 years, then switched to vaping when my wife was pregnant. It's been great for me. It's astoundingly cheaper than smoking, less hazardous for my family's health, my clothes no longer reek, and I can stealth vape in my office as long as I'm not obnoxious about it.

But I'm honestly not sure whether I can recommend vaping to anyone looking to get started. Vaping equipment is so weird these days.

Pretty much all I see in stores are either weak-ass homeopathic cigalikes at the grocery store, or overkill fog machines at vape stores. There's not much in-between. They sell battery mods that put out enough power to drive a kitchen appliance, and atomizers geared for multiple low resistance coils. The whole culture encourages chasing the dragon, maximizing obnoxious cloud production.

I'd rather chase flavor on a traditional single coil dripper (and not the kind designed for stainless steel microcoils). If I were in the market, I'd get a genuine Achilles atomizer and pair it with an ELA clone or whatever battery mod catches your fancy. Mech just has a more consistent flavor than electronic, in my experience. Grab 3 or 4 AW IMR 18490 batteries (assuming you choose the ELA clone, 18650 batteries otherwise) and whatever charger looks good to you. This kanthal ribbon works exceptionally well in the Achilles, and a couple of inches doubled-up of this hemp cord makes great wick once it's been boiled for 5 minutes or so. I generally rebuild my coil and wick once every day or two, but it only takes about 5 minutes including the time to disassemble, rinse, dry, and reassemble my atomizer. For juice, you can buy some pre-made at a vape shop, but it's much cheaper to mix your own. Head to onestopdiyshop.com and get some flavoring (Lucky Shot is the tits!),propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, 100mg nicotine, sweetener, a 100mL graduated cylinder, a few 120ml bottles, and a few 1 or 2 oz. dropper bottles. I mix 20mL sweetener, 6mL nic, 17mL flavor, 30mL VG, then top off with PG. A 120ml bottle lasts me about a month. You can use more nic and less PG if you prefer a stronger throat hit.

So, yeah, the initial investment does get into a little money; but for the cost of 3 months' worth of cigarettes you'll easily get a year or more of vaping. Then the following years are even cheaper because you'll only need to buy the kanthal, wick, and juice as needed.

Anyway, if you're not interested in vaping, then consider carrying around a giant bottle of ice water, like one of those 30 oz Yetis. Any time you get a craving for a cigarette, take a sip of water. It gives you something healthy to do with your oral fixation.
 
S

snakeeyes

Audioholic Ninja
I've made it 45 days without a cig after 10 years of smoking. Man the first two weeks were absolutely awful. I had my fist panic attack, crazy amounts of anxiety about doing daily tasks (I know it sound crazy),and some depression sprinkled on top. However, I think I've made it, I can actually jog for more than five minutes and ultimately my ears will be thankful. [www.healthyhearing.com/report/50940-Smoking-and-hearing-loss] + my wallet, I've saved 220 bucks so far. I'm finally starting to feel like myself again. I've been doing a lot of daily exercise and that has seem to help. Any ex-smokers out there that have any tips to get over anxiety? And find new ways to cope with daily stress? Your suggestions are much appreciated.
Hmm I think beer is the answer? :)
 
Swerd

Swerd

Audioholic Warlord
I've made it 45 days without a cig after 10 years of smoking. Man the first two weeks were absolutely awful…
Congrats! I never smoked, but I always go out of my way to encourage smokers who do quit. Keep it up, your lungs and wallet with thank you.

Is 45 days long enough for you to start smelling and tasting food again? If not now, you soon will notice that coming back.
 
Alex2507

Alex2507

Audioholic Slumlord
If your search Kung Fu is strong you can find a thread of mine from about 9 years ago about quitting.

The cravings go away within 3 minutes. Time it.
You need something to do for that three minutes anyway besides crushing the skulls if kittens.

My first attempt lasted 45 days. Then I had ONE puff. Two years later I tried again and have avoided that one puff for almost a decade.

I replaced smoking with unhealthy eating habits and a nasty disposition so now I'm fat and have few friends. Drinking would have been a great nicotine replacement therapy but I had to quit that before I quit smoking. This makes no sense, I was thin, pleasant and buzzed ... how is this better?

Seriously, people don't get it. Ex-smokers forget. This misery is all yours. So when it's done and you make it to 30/45/90 days ... it's your victory.

Note: No kittens were hurt ... yet.
 

TechHDS

Audioholic General
I smoke, my Doctor, family and friends are on my ass to give them nasty things up! That’s one of the worst things they ever invented. Both my parents smoked, I grew up with smokers. I have quit at times in my life once for 3 years, and off and on since than. Recently I just had a smack test, that’s blood work on every organ in your body everything. Doctor said my blood work was perfect for my age the only thing was my triglycerides were high. Told me to stop eating process meat, fatty foods and quit smoking. I’ve been psyching myself up, you gott get in that frame of mind so to speak. Nicotine is a bitch!! That needs to be put in it’s place! :mad:

CB22, Nice Thread ya got Bro! Thanks!! It’s Encouraging too others still smoking or trying to get off them nasty cigarettes. :)

Mike
 
panteragstk

panteragstk

Audioholic Warlord
I'm lucky enough to have never understood why people smoke cigarettes. My family smoked and I remember not liking it as a kid so I never stared. If I go to a bar that allows smoking I'll feel like I have a cold the next day.

Cigars are a whole other thing. Love cigars, but I don't smoke them very often.

Good luck on quitting. I've heard it is one of the most difficult things to do.
 
D

Drunkpenguin

Audioholic Chief
I survived high school and never smoked. I then survived my sons mom (heavy smoker and major BTCH) and never smoked. My current wife when we were dating used to party a lot. One night after dinner she said hey lets buy cigarettes that sounds good! She never smoked again and I was hooked. :(
 
CB22

CB22

Senior Audioholic
I replaced smoking with unhealthy eating habits and a nasty disposition so now I'm fat and have few friends. Drinking would have been a great nicotine replacement therapy but I had to quit that before I quit smoking. This makes no sense, I was thin, pleasant and buzzed ... how is this better?

Note: No kittens were hurt ... yet.
Funny you should say the part about eating unhealthy and being moody. I feel the opposite, I'm way more sensitive to people and I've been eating healthier. I used to watch horror and intense dramas by myself all the time. Now I get triggered very easily if something bad happens. WIERD. And driving, I used to always go 85 in the left lane now I'm always going 60 in the right lane and feeling anxious. WIERD. I had no idea quitting would have made me this sensitive. Hopefully this will pass in due time and I'll be back to my non- sensitive self.

@rojo will try the water bottle trick, thanks!
 
CB22

CB22

Senior Audioholic
AT LASTTTT! A lot has changed since my OP. I've finally made it and back to myself! 76 days without a cig and almost 15 pounds lighter. I now realize that exercise and music is the best way for me to cope with stress. Finally this dreaded anxiety has passed. No more shakey hands. And no more absurd ideas buzzing through my mind. I'm in the clear, back to my sick sense of humor and being a "reactionary" as some of my friends say ( this is actually a good sign lol). Just got back from the bar watching people smoke and no jealousy, no envy, no second thoughts. This was one really tough habit to break but I'm glad to say I finally did it and damn proud of it. No joke but this is probably my biggest accomplishments right along side of graduating from college.

PS, i found chewing on a straw was the best oral fixation for me when every I got a little fidgety.
 
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