Cigarettes Became Your Companion

[Ann]

Cigarettes Became your Companion


(from Keep Quit by Terry Rustin)

Smokers develop a special relationship with their cigarettes. A year or so after they start smoking, smokers and their cigarettes become constant companions. Wherever smokers go, their cigarettes tag along. They go together to school, to work, out to dinner, to parties-everywhere. Some smokers won't even go out of the house without their cigarettes, and if they run out of cigarettes, they stop whatever they're doing to buy more. They might lose their keys or their hat, but they never lose their cigarettes.

What kind of relationship did you develop with cigarettes? What was important to you about smoking? What did you get from smoking that you didn't get from anything else?

Recall when you and your cigarettes started going places together. Choose one point in your life when you and your cigarettes were close companions. In your journal, list the places the two of you went together. Were there places you didn't take your cigarettes? (such as church, to the doctor's office, to the health club?) You and your cigarettes were once close companions, and as the years passed, you became closer. Understanding your relationship with cigarettes and how it changed over the years will help you stay clean and free.

[KAREN]

Wow! This is all true that my cigarettes were my companion for sure. They went out to dinner, to work, for walks, down to the beach, to my family get togethers, on breaks at work, everywhere I could smoke, my cigarettes were with me. I counted on those times I could smoke. They were rock of gibraltar. They calmed me, made me happy, made me feel important, gave me self-esteem............or so I thought! They really did none of these, I just got it into my head that they did. They were my best friend by for 24 years of my life!! Pretty sad when I think about it that something that could clog my lungs, my sinuses, make it hard for me to breath, make it harder for me to get over colds, stain my teeth, make my breath smell bad, and deplete me of money, was what I considered a good friend. They are not my friend anymore. I have a new friends called fresh air, stamina, good sleep, good smelling breath, real self-esteem, more money, and the ability to live a long and healthy life. These are my new best friends. KTQ!!

I have been quit for 1 Month, 3 Days, 19 hours, 39 minutes and 9 seconds (33 days). I have saved $270.55 by not smoking 1,352 cigarettes. I have saved 4 Days, 16 hours and 40 minutes of my life. My Quit Date: 9/8/2005 9:00 PM

Hugs,

Karen

[Graciedonovan]

There was never a place I didn't take my cigarettes. They were in my purse when I went to the doctor, to church, etc. They were never more than a foot or two away from me. I was worse than a baby with a pacifier. I needed my crutch to be with me at all times. Getting low? Only a few left in the pack? PANIC ATTACK - GET TO THE FIRST PLACE THAT SELLS THEM. I DON'T CARE WHAT THEY COST.

How pathetic really.

Another great post. Thanks Ann.

[Flo]

Bringing alive memories of the journey. It took many years for full blown smoking to come to fruition. There were so many obstacles. First, I was too young and had to sneak a cigarette. Then there were the parents as I wasn't allowed to smoke around them or any of my other friends' parents either. Then we weren't allowed to smoke at school. Then we weren't allowed to smoke at work. My boyfriend of years and years was a non-smoker so I was restricted there as well. It seemed that my whole life was spent 'liberating' myself so that I could smoke when I wanted.

What folly.