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 even thinking about quitting, please -- join us!
The GUS Library at dKosopedia is organically evolving, and stocked with free-range information: quit-smoking links, helpful GUS diary writing tips, and the GUS Buddy List.
Within a comments thread in this diary by Rosebuddear came the idea to form a Kos quit-smoking challenge, or support group. One commenter posted a pre-intention to quit on Monday, June 15. Another came up with the acronym GUS (Gave Up Smoking). A couple of us nodded and said, "Yep." This was how GUS started, almost five months ago.
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For lack of a better way to put it, let's call the June 15th quit GUS 1.0. It was done on four days' notice. There wasn't much time for us to prepare for the big quit, aside from scrambling for motivational aids and NRT's (nicotine gum, lozenges, patches, etc.). But set the date, we did. We didn't just try to set a quit date. We set the date, and let the chips fall where they may.
When it comes down to our individual efforts to quit, I do believe that there is a such thing as to "try." A very small number of us quitters got it on June 15. But many of us had to try again, after initial slip-ups, and have since stuck with it, or reduced the amount of cigarettes substantially. Both of these outcomes are worthy of congratulations, given (as we all know) that there is always room for improvement.
Since June 15, the GUS Buddy List has seen ongoing expansion. As of today, there are over 150 members celebrating the manifest destiny of "better living through freedom from tar, nicotine, and ammoninated chemicals." Comprised of long-term, recent, and actively-attempting quitters, there are as many methods of quitting to be seen as there are personalities of GUSsacks.
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A little over a month from now, on December 15, GUS will be celebrating its 6-month anniversary. I offer this to you, the ready-to-quit smoker, as a target date for quitting, or GUS 1.5. There is something to be said for a planned quit. A month or so of planning is a good chunk of calendar time for you to do whatever it takes to get your head ready. GUS 1.5 is for everyone, but especially for those who need a head start in order to gain motivational techniques, plan support, or just plain go into the quit of December 15 with a head of steam.
Are you tired of being a slave to a habit? Do you recognize that your smoking does not create a net-gain feeling of being alive with pleasure, but is nothing more than a crappy old way to drug yourself so that you feel temporary relief from nicotine withdrawal? Sick of the coughing? The smell? The messy ashtrays and cigarette burns in the upholstery? The windedness, headaches, and fatigue? The uncomfortability suffered from extended periods of involuntary cigarette withdrawal (a dinner, movie, or other non-smoking occasion)?
Are you ready to quit now? Then do it! I invite you to join GUS, and state your quit date. You will find excellent support here.
Are you aiming to quit GUS 1.5-style? Welcome aboard! Even though you may still be smoking until December 15, as part of a gradual cessation program or other reason, your name is welcome on the GUS Buddy List, and your comments are welcome in any and all GUS diaries.
In parting, I offer a thanks and a request to all active GUSsacks. I appreciate that there's a GUS diary with active comments to be found here every day, and you folks provide that. My request is that you link to this diary at your discretion, whether it's in a diary/comments, or even a Kos Open Thread. I'd like to put out there the quit date of December 15... I mean, surely there's a handful of brave Kossacks who are thinking about quitting before and during the holidays! :-)
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UPDATE (11:27PM CST): Because of HTML errors, I had difficulty launching my diary, but did so. Piecemeal. Transferring one to three paragraphs at a time, plus chrome. I never found the error, but eventually did get the pertinent text transferred. Thank you for your patience, and I am sorry for any confusion this had caused.
Also, in comments, Vacationland (h/t, thank you) mentions The Great American Smokeout. This takes place on Thursday, November 19, and is a great opportunity for us to loan support to any Kossacks who will be quitting that day.
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Here is a list of gradual smoking cessation methods. Please add your own recommendations (with links) in the comments, and I will update them into this section:
Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking (website, with links to Amazon and quitsmoking.com).
You Can Stop Smoking, by Smokenders' founder Jacquelyn Rogers, with links at Amazon and Powell's Books.
How to Cut Down On Smoking, at eHow.com.
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Current members of the GUS team! Please post a comment in the butt can if you would like your name added to the GUS Buddy List. Welcome to ItsSimpleSimon, Matt Baier (formerly Geiiga), and hulibow!
1BQ, 3rdGenFeminist, Abra Crabcakeya, addisnana, AfroPonix, allie123, alstradamus, amk for obama, andsarahtoo, Anne933, aoeu, arcadesproject, Archie2227, ArthurWolf (in memoriam), assyrian64, awkawk, bamablue, barnowl, bgblcklab1, Bike Crash, BirderWitch, bleeding heart, blue husky, Blue Intrigue, bluestatedem84, BoiseBlue, Brahman Colorado, breedlovinit, BrowniesAreGood, bsmechanic, burrow owl, Cen Den, Chocolate Chris, ChurchofBruce, Colorado is the Shiznit, coppercelt, dadanation, dangoch, demkat620, Dexter, DiegoUK, Dingodude, donnamarie, DRo, droogie6655321, duckhunter, EdgedInBlue, Everest42, Fineena, fishhawk, Flea, flumptytail, FrugalGranny, Garrett, gooners, greylox, gchaucer2, grndrush, High Tide, hulibow, Im a frayed knot, Indexer, indyada, Interceptor7, inventor, itsbenj, ItsSimpleSimon, Jahiz, JamesEB, Jeffersonian Democrat, john07801, jmadlc55, johngoes, Jyrix, jvolvo's Mom, jwinIL14, kai99, kailuacaton, Kelly of PA, kestrel9000, khloemi, Khun David, Kitsap River, Ksholl, labwitchy, Lady Kestrel, ladypockt, langerdang, LarsThorwald, Last Starfighter, Laurie Gator, Lipstick Liberal, litoralis, lmdonovan, luvsathoroughbred, maggiemay, magicsister, marknspokane, Matt Baier, mdemploi, michael1104, Mikeguyver, Minerva1157, MinervainNH, mskitty, nannyboz, ncsuLAN, Nick Zouroudis, Nulwee, one pissed off democrat, Ordvefa, OverTheEdge, paige, PaintyKat, parryander, Pennsylvanian, phrogge prince, Positronicus, post rational, psycho liberal, PvtJarHead, red mittens, revelwoodie, rkex, roadlion, rosebuddear, Safina, SallyCat, Sark Svemes, seenaymah, Scrapyard Ape, sgary, Shahryar, sheddhead, smartcookienyc, snorwich, spmozart, SpotTheCat, Tay, theatre goon, triciawyse, trueblueliberal, Turn VABlue, Turtle Bay, uc booker, Unduna, Unforgiven, Vacationland, webranding, weelzup, Wes Opinion, willy mugobeer, Wood Dragon, x
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So you've had some experience with the effects of smoking, and want to write a GUS diary or host an Open Thread discussion? Please sign up in the Butt Can (i.e. Tip Jar). Snark diaries are appreciated, as are personal, photo, pootie, and youtube diaries.
Our lovely and talented diarists appear below, in bold. Open diary spots (italicized) are yours for the taking. Please sign up!
Sun PM: bsmechanic (you are here)
Mon AM: aoeu
Mon PM: ChocolateChris (MNF Open Thread)
Tue AM: FrugalGranny
Tue PM: open
Wed AM: open
Wed PM: post rational
Thu AM: open
Thu PM: open