My Favorite Cigarette

[bob-c-gustafson]

My favorite cigarette of the day is the one I smoke when I wake up.

I've never really thought about why I like smoking as soon as I wake up, but I realize now that until I do I will never be able to get rid of it.

Why Smoke First?
My teeth aren't brushed yet.
It takes 10 Minutes to "wake up".
First cigarette always tastes good.
.........
Strange. As I try to write the reasons why my morning cigarette is so good, I keep thinking the same thing over and over and yet don't want to put it down because it makes me feel week... I AM ADDICTED TO CIGARETTES.

I guess that's what I'm really going to have to work on here. I used to think to myself... "I'll just quit when I'm ready." Now (after multiple attempts at "just quitting"), I can see how naive that sentiment is. I have seen addictions in many forms, but never wanted to fully admit to myself that mine was probably worse.

I think after my couple of "Tracking My Cigarette" days, I will start using that 10 minutes reminding myself of that fact instead of placating to it. Starting on Wednesday (scheduled as the day I set my "Quit Date") I will no longer smoke a morning cigarette. Instead I will meditate on that simple mantra... I AM ADDICTED TO CIGARETTES.

My second cigarette doesn't typically get smoked for at least an hour after that first one, so if I can successfully wait until it's time for the "second" one then I know that I will be able to eliminate any of my other "trigger" smokes.

We shall see! I'll do my best to post my results.

[dorothy-lawson]

Dear motherg oose,

This is o5verona or Dorothy. So glad to hear that you feel that on the site. I know nothing about blogging and can't find the way in on the conversation most of the time. I have smoked since 1963. And, actually, never wanted to quit. I couldn't say honestly that "I want to quit" I've been smoking and praying; smoking and praying; smoking and praying. Praying not to get sick. My father had bypass surgery fromboth ankles to the groin back in '91; My mother had triple cardio bypass in about 94 and lost a leg to artery disease in 93. I had a brother to die of throat cancer and he had lost a leg back in the 80's. Still I couldn't imagine quitting. Well, I became a little sick this past weekend, diahhrea, vomiting and ran out cigs. I decided to stay "clean" its been 3days - can I stay clean or am I fooling myself? They are saying on the site that I should set a quit date, can I go out now and buy another pack and set a date for later? I am so afr

[jeff28]

Bob,
The morning cigarette was always my favorite too. I'm on Day 49 and I can't honestly tell you that I still don't think about it most mornings. But I want to make sure you understand what I now understand: that first cigarette in the morning tastes the best because you're experiencing nicotine withdrawal when you wake up. Think about it. You would never go six, seven, eight hours during the day without a cigarette would you? But when you're sleeping that's exactly what's happening. Your body is simply very low on nicotine in the morning and it craves one at that point more than any other point in the day. Other than smoking when you're sick, that's the cigarette that tells you you're an addict.

Understand, you'll always wake up craving that cigarette deeply until you get yourself off of nicotine. Maybe you could start with a nicotine gum or lozenge and get yourself off of cigarettes. Then pick a quit date to get yourself off that product. That may help you beat the morning cravings a bit better.

Either way, best of luck. I know you can do it.

[dorothy-lawson]

No, meditate on a possitive note: "I am not addicted to cigarettes." That's what I am doing. I like that first one too along with my first cup of coffee--Geeee. Then none for about an hour

[dori-neu]

Hi Jackie ... Congratulations on passing the year mark. I've just begun my Journey. My last smoke was 6 days ago. I've tried quiting before but I'm going to MAKE it this time.

I've seen the monitors that log all the quit information, but I sure can't seem to find it now. Would you mind telling me where you got the one you use?

[bob-c-gustafson]

I understand why ManOfSteele and Dorothy offer the suggestion to meditate on a more positive note, but I have to say that I feel more empowered by the solid realization that this is ADDICTION... pure and simple. I have told myself plenty of times that I could stop whenever I wanted to, that I wasn't addicted, or that I didn't need cigarettes... and it always ends the same... in a smokey, hazy lie to myself... "I must not REALLY want to quit."

Mothergoose9... You seem to understand where I am coming from on this, and your thoughts make me all the more determined to show that I can overcome this. Admitting to myself that I am definitely addicted allows me to more rationally work toward a solution rather than "faking it til I make it".

One other thing I have realized from this site... It would seem that everyone has their own philosophy on how to quit. I am extremely grateful for this knowledge, because a lot of other sites and resources seem to rely on the fact that what works for one will work for all. As my fiance is constantly reminding me, "Smoking is just another manifestation of your desire to be different; to go against the norm." Since I know that she is right, I guess my way of quitting will also have to be unique 🙂 I'm just glad that the result is going to be the same... NO MORE ADDICTION!

Thanks again to all that posted! Congratulations to all of us!

[edith2]

I don't have a favorite cigarette any more. All my triggers are gone. I don't have cravings any more. This week I got a cold and only coughed twice. I got this cold two days ago and it's going away. I had no mucus build-up. I rarely get sick since I quit smoking. There is nothing pretty, there is nothing out there that can glorify cigarettes. There is nothing sexy or cool about smoking. Smoking never made me feel better. It simply fed my craving. It never reduced stress, it only made it worse. The one thing I remember that really scared me was feeling my heart beating alot faster when I smoked. Alot faster than it should. I started a group called "Hell Freezes Over." It covers alot of what you've written.

[edith2]

I don't have a favorite cigarette any more. All my triggers are gone. I don't have cravings any more. This week I got a cold and only coughed twice. I got this cold two days ago and it's going away. I had no mucus build-up. I rarely get sick since I quit smoking. There is nothing pretty, there is nothing out there that can glorify cigarettes. There is nothing sexy or cool about smoking. Smoking never made me feel better. It simply fed my craving. It never reduced stress, it only made it worse. The one thing I remember that really scared me was feeling my heart beating alot faster when I smoked. Alot faster than it should. I started a group called "Hell Freezes Over." It covers alot of what you've written.