14 days, 11 hours and 16 minutes later...I'm still smoke free! No coffee yet.
(Haven't decided if the coffee is a permanent thing. I suppose it can't hurt to not drink it. Can it?)
Brenda? Jackie? I know Steve didn't make it. Hopefully, he'll give it another try.
Posted by Mark Smith (Member # 298) on :
You're doing great Don - that's coming from someone who quit 6 years ago! 14 days is proof that you can stay the course.
WATCH OUT for depression, your mind will be depressed looking for a lost friend. Remind yourself that it's because of the smoking and you have my (experienced) guarantee it will pass. It comes in waves that are fewer and farther between, but the waves come for several months so remember this advice even then.
Keep it up!
Posted by Bob Stephens (Member # 858) on :
I'm still in. Over 4 years, 3 months, 12 days,18 hours and 38 minutes so far.
Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :
Don, congratulations. yes, it will coem in waves. Even though i never smoked i know the cravings for goodies.
Posted by Amy Brown (Member # 1963) on :
Way to go Don! Keep it up! Maybe try decaf if you just want that coffee flavor! It would be like drinking water!
Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
Congrats Don. When I quit smoking herb (I know it's not known to be nearly as physically addictive, but it was a serious habit of several high-grade indulgences a day) I finally told myself I would take one year off, & I would also drink NO alcohol for that year. (instead of my couple 6-packs a week)
From my personal experience, I think knocking off 2 birds (monkeys?) at once is a great idea.
I had done a month or 2 on various prior occassions, but because I had the right level of committment the one year was pretty easy. I also found that the word "Quit" was so final, that for me, a "year off" broke the level of dependancy (physical & psychological) that after a year, I didn't like the smoking experience any more & now for 5 years, I indulge about once a year. I also drink beer less then once a week now.
I am quite the caffine junkie though & I have no doubt it is a negative thing I would be better off without. If you are 2 weeks into it already, I wouldn't think the de-caf is such a great idea, not only does it still contain some caffine... but giving into the craving for that taste could be counter-productive. (You're not a soda junkie now are you?)
Posted by Don Coplen (Member # 127) on :
Doug....all it took for me was for them to start sellin homegrown for $50/quarter oz. Posted by Donna in BC (Member # 130) on :
Congrats Don! Fantastic news!
As for coffee, I'm also a diehard coffee drinker, but these days I actually prefer decaf over the regular. It's soley a hot liquid/taste thing for me. Tea does not come close!
Hubby quit drinking coffee when we suspected it had something to do with his then intense arthritis and he's been on tea ever since. He doesn't even want coffee.
I will say this. When I'm off coffee for a day or so from feeling ill or ?, it tastes like tobacco to me! Then a couple more swigs and I'm into it again.
Healthwise, I wouldn't advise going back to coffee if you don't feel a huge need to. Wow, combating two habits at once, that's huge!
Posted by AdrienneMorgan (Member # 1046) on :
Don! That's great!!!!
Keep it up.....you'll be fine. A:)
Posted by Bill Modzel (Member # 22) on :
Hey Don, Accept my belated congratulations!! You think that this will change your fishing luck next time I can make it down? ;-) I'll bring the coffee and donuts,....well, the donuts anyway.
Hang in there bro.
Posted by Rick Sacks (Member # 379) on :
When I stopped doing tobacco, I found thedesireto still be very present for two years at moments. Like many situations, the span between those moments expands.
Doug, I found quitting the home grown was much more difficult than the tobacco. There were far more connections to sever.
There are the physically addictive aspects to conquer and there are the sets of social connections. The fears, insecurities, need for changes in environment, etc.
When I first quit smoking, I went on a vacation so I had new places and situations that didn't trigger responses the same.
Don, I'm real proud of you and cheering for your lifetime success!
Posted by Santo (Member # 411) on :
Me I haven't smoke a cigarette in 25 years. Haven't smoked a reefer in over 15 years, I think I may be coming down. Haven't smoked a cigar in yet this year, but I've got 2 in the truck and I'm about to take a walk out there now.
Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :
Dam, aint a "refer" a kind of a truck???
A refigerator kind of truk??
Posted by Dennis Davis (Member # 4532) on :
Hey Don,
Congratulations. I know it's a difficult thing to do, but you are well on your way to complete success. Hang in there...be strong.
Dennis
Posted by Mark Neurohr (Member # 2470) on :
I'm a little lost here??
Maybe it's my age? IDOUGHKNOW?? I grew up in the 70's & 80's and I never heard of this term "refer"?? Could this possibly be something to put a cold drink in to chill it quickly?
Any help clearifing this woulld be appriciated! Doug, you seem to have experiance in this area. Your thoughts would be welome.
Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
well Mark, I tried to grow up in the 70's & 80's too... but seemed to be under a growth stunting influence untill the 90's that also impaired my memory... but to the best of my recollection...
...It seems to have started around the jazz clubs, particularily among the musicians but soon spreading to the connoisseur's of jazz, & from there branched out to the beat poets & later encompassed the full spectrum of the psychedelic revolution.
Apparently the music was having some side effects where the habit of congregating around the Reefrigerator between meals was sweeping the nation. People were mixing snacks with the Jazz experience, & munching at Jazz clubs, munching in Bars, even getting lost in the nuances of the munching experience during regular meals. In fact quite often people at parties were getting lost in the kitchen! But this was only of minor consequence, because the entire party would end up in the kitchen anyway.
The kitchen became the new concept of the "hearth" bringing together the warmth & unity of the family values this country was founded on through the common attraction to the Reefer, fueled of course by the Jazz.
This was of course before the time of young bucks like ourselves... but the pervasive nature of this reverance for the reefer changed the face of the american kitchen from coast to coast inspiring inventions ranging from the vast array of munch-worthy meals to the introduction of the first microwave ovens for more immediate gratification. (particularily popcorn)
I believe the spiriling effects of this early jazz music could be traced directly to the birth of Jack-in-the-box, & his drive-up talking clown booth that spawned the entire fast food phenomena that we grew up in, & vastly altering our generations constant access to the reefrigerator.
Your confusion may be due, in part, to the typo in "reefer", but also to the general effects of the time period you grew up in where the dazed & confused aspects of contemporary americana immersed us all into our own sort of Wayne's World after which the emergence of our maturity was severly impaired.
Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
there ya go Mark... completely clarified Posted by Sheila Ferrell (Member # 3741) on :
LOL, Doug
DON!! Congratulations!! Figger how much money you've saved to date and go buy some special thing that you been puutin' off because you thought it cost too much!! A lil' reward for yourself is in order!!
LOL!! I got all ya'll beat om long term quittin': No ciggs (2 packs-a-day), acid, speed, reefer, hash, cocain, Jim Beam or Bacardi rum, since January- March 1982!
LOL talk about quittin' vices all at once...
Flash-backs minimizng daily, LOL
Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
good job Shiela... when did you get parole? Posted by Sheila Ferrell (Member # 3741) on :
HAHHAHAAA!! Doug, got busted for possession but never did serve no time ....just a kid. . . 'sides, possession's 9/10ths of the law ain't it? Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
thanks to starting young... all 8 of my drug busts were before I was an adult too. Supposedly that stuff gets wiped clean & I now have an unblemished record. (but I kinda doubt that)
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Hey, Doug - - and look at you now! Short hair, a shirt and tie! Lookin good my man.
I'd be curious to know the reasons that made people quit their various addictions. I'm betting it goes a little deeper than "monetary" or even for health reasons.
I am thankful, only by the grace of God, that I wasn't really desirous to induldge in the drug culture. A little streak of weekend beer binge drinking the last couple years of high school and college was as far as I got....and even that proved a shallow, senseless, empty way of living for me. I knew it wasn't me at the time, and it was sheerly the result of peer pressure...not really a desire to do it on my own.
I'm always glad to see people willing to self-evaluate. Now, I wish we had a "Letterville Nail-biting Off". That's a habit I haven't been able to kick. Posted by Brenda Daley (Beaupit) (Member # 37) on :
Oops! Sorry Don...I have not been on the BB for a while. Been crazy busy and have not had a chance to "play". Well, the good news is that I'm still a non-smoker too! It was 3 weeks yesterday! Yeppie!! Still have cravings...but not really that bad. Gave myself permission to gain 5 pounds and no more...so far it's only 2 pounds! haha
Great to hear your doing well....good for you!. I have not spoke to Jackie yet...wasn't sure when she was going to get out of the hospital, but I see by other posts that she is home! Hope she is doing O.K.
Keep up the good work! Bren
Posted by dave parr (Member # 3868) on :
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