Okay, that's not really my name, but it works for a title.
GUS (Gave Up Smoking) is a community support diary for Kossacks in the midst of quitting smoking. Any supportive comments, suggestions or positive distractions are appreciated. If you are quitting or thinking of quitting, please -- join us! You can also click the GUS tag to view all diary posts.
**Disclaimer: This is my personal experience. What works for me may not be the same as what works for you. So please, take what you want/need and leave the rest.**
It's true. I am an addict. This is a support community for those struggling with nicotine addiction. I just happened to struggle with addiction to everything else - drugs, alcohol, people, feelings, this damn computer... I think you get my drift. So I announce, on average of 2-3 times a week, in a room full of people, "Hi, I'm an addict and my name is _______". It keeps me honest, and it keeps me sane. Therefore, I can HONESTLY say that I quit smoking 30 days ago, and I think I've reached the point where sanity has crept back in. Can I get a WOOT WOOT!!
I don't want this to be some long sad diary about my drug addiction, cause that would just suck for a Friday, but the reality is, cigarettes were my first drug. I smoked my first one at 12, sitting in my attic (oh yeah that's smart) with a girlfriend sucking on the Virginia Slims she had stolen from her mom. By the time I started doing drugs at 17, I was a full time smoker, and had been.
Our government says that marijuana is a gateway drug. They have no clue what the fuck they are talking about. Nicotine was my gateway drug.
Tobacco has been under attack for a long time, so why haven't we gotten it yet? In 1604 (yes, 1604), King James of England wrote and published a pamphlet attacking tobacco, saying that tobacco was "harmefull to the braine, dangerous to the lungs." (Drugs, Society and Human Behavior, p 241). This guy got it and WE still don't? Hello?!? In 1952, Reader's Digest published an article titled "Cancer by the Carton". All the while the tobacco companies scrambled to cover our eyes - and succeeded.
Here's a frightening thought: Despite antismoking education, one in five young adults becomes a smoker. Yikes! The numbers have gone down, though. According to the 2005 Monitoring the Future survey, about 23 percent of high school seniors had smoked, which was down from 36 percent in 1997. Good, but not great. (All my information, stats, etc came from Drugs, Society and Human Behavior, 12th ed.)
Okay, numbers and statistics aside, I know for me, and many others out there, cigarettes have been entwined with other things. Coffee, for most of us. I've seen a lot of people say that they couldn't imagine a beer without a smoke. During my entire active addiction, I felt that way too. I couldn't imagine a cocktail without a smoke. Or opiates. Or cocaine. I couldn't imagine any drug, any situation, without a smoke. I quit doing drugs 13 and a half months ago, but I didn't quit smoking. It was all I had left. I didn't know how to function without it. Smokes became a part of meetings - coffee and cigarettes and talking about recovery with two very potent drugs in hand - I HAVE to laugh now. I know that talking about drug addiction, treatment and recovery has been rather controversial, and trolls have attacked us because of that (grrr), but being a recovering addict is a big part of how I identify, so that is how I've come to write this diary.
Some suggestions: Come on in and join our buddy list. A desire is all you need to be a part of this community. Go ahead and bitch - the process can suck, and we're here to listen. If you fall off the horse, get back up; we'll give you a hand if you want. Keep coming around, it works (even if the trolls say it doesn't). If you struggle with these suggestions, and need something more, please refer to my nicotine demon. When I want to smoke, I picture this in my head:
Okay, so who wants to celebrate giving up smoking? Cause I do!
That's right. I love football.
So I hope that everyone out there is celebrating their decision to get some freedom in their lives - whether you have quit, or are thinking about it, it is a reason to celebrate.
Current members of the GUS team! Please post a comment if you would like to join, or if your name is here in error:
1BQ, 3rdGenFeminist, Abra Crabcakeya, addisnana, amk for obama, Anne933, aoeu, ArthurWolf, awkawk, bamablue, barnowl, bgblcklab1, Bike Crash, BirderWitch, blue husky, Blue Intrigue, bluestatedem84, BoiseBlue, breedlovinit, BrowniesAreGood, bsmechanic, burrow owl, Chocolate Chris, ChurchofBruce, coppercelt, dadanation, dangoch, donnamarie, DRo, duckhunter, Everest42, Fineena, flumptytail, FrugalGranny, greylox, gchaucer2, grndrush, Im a frayed knot, Indexer, interceptor7, inventor, itsbenj, jvolvo's Mom, jwinIL14, kai99, khloemi, Khun David, labwitchy, ladypockt, langerdang, LarsThorwald, Last Starfighter, Lipstick Liberal, lmdonovan, luvsathoroughbred, maggiemay, magicsister, marknspokane, Mikeguyver, Minerva1157, MinervainNH, nannyboz, ncsuLAN, Nick Zouroudis, one pissed off democrat, Ordvefa, Pennsylvanian, post rational, revelwoodie, rosebuddear, SallyCat, seenaymah, Scrapyard Ape, sheddhead, smartcookienyc, spmozart, triciawyse, trueblueliberal, Turn VABlue, uc booker, Unduna, Vacationland, webranding, weelzup, Wood Dragon, x,
The GUS Library
The first GUS diary
Anyone (on or off the buddy list) is welcome to write a diary for GUS. If you are interested, please leave a comment in the Butt Can (tip jar).
NEW RULES: If you are looking for a current diary and the schedule has an open or snark entry, it is a go for it, first posted, first commented on situation.
Fri PM: 3rdGenFeminist
Sat AM: seenaymah
Sat PM: Vacationland
Sun AM: (this is a good spot for you)
Sun PM: (hey! you! over here!)
Mon AM: revelwoodie
Mon PM: (GUS needs YOU to write a diary here!)