The thing that most non-smokers don’t understand is that a smoker LOVES to smoke. Smoking for a smoker is a wonderfully fulfilling and pleasurable addiction. It is there after every meal, after every crying jag, along with every drink at a bar, after every tense situation, during all those cups of coffee, during all those phone calls, etc. Smoking becomes an absolutely essential part of our lives, a part of our existence. It’s there for us man! It is our coping and pleasure buddy. It doesn’t matter if it stinks, costs a fortune, burns holes in our clothes, makes us stand outside in all types of horrible weather like social outcasts. It’s worth it. It makes us feel better. It gives us pleasure. WE GOTTA HAVE IT.
I was a smoker for many years. I don’t really know why I decided to try Chantix, but I did. And, to tell you the truth, I really wasn’t that dedicated to stopping. The day I was supposed to stop smoking on the Chantix program, I didn’t. But, I kept on taking the Chantix. Then one day I woke up and realized that I was out of cigarettes. I thought to myself, “Ok, this is stupid. You are either going to stop taking the Chantix and go get some cigarettes or try not to smoke.” I decided not to smoke. Correction, I decided to TRY not to smoke. Then by crackie, the longer I didn’t smoke, the more I realized, I just might be able to pull this off! Anytime I got a “surge urge” to smoke – the Chantix gave me the edge to push it out of my mind. And do you know what? It worked. I did it!
Maybe it was the extra influx of oxygen in my brain from not smoking (I don’t know), I began to think about and analyze this “buddy” I had had in my life for so many years and I began to see him as he really was. HE WAS NOT MY BUDDY AT ALL! He was someone that was on my back, trying to pull me down. He was like an old friend from high school that didn’t turn out too well but still came around and wanted to borrow money or come over to your house to smoke and drink. You still liked him and all, but you needed to move on! So, I decided just to kick his fanny to the curb, and it didn’t matter how much I loved him. It didn’t matter what all we had been through together because he was killing me, and he had to go. Door Slammed!
Call it crazy, but it has worked. For all of you who need to stop smoking-find a way to quit–even if you have to personalize your habit by calling him a friend like I did. Find your button. Find your key to never smoking another cigarette again. Kick it to the curb! SLAM THE DOOR! You CAN do it. No, it’s not easy but again I tell you it CAN be done. As an ex-smoker, I’ll be pulling for you.
RRL Staff (21)
Felecia Martin (12)
