normal

[slangtruth]

It says here I have to post in this area 5 times before I can post anywhere else, so I'm going to babble on about thoughts I've had in the last couple of weeks. I'm 56 and smoked essentially every day for the last 40 years. When I was young I smoked vast numbers of Phillip Morris Commanders - god I loved my Commanders, the most flavorful cigarette on earth. Over time I slowed down and moved my way through Marlboros to Camel Filters to Camel Lights, where I've been for the last 15 years or so. And in that time I smoked less and less overall. I never counted, just bought another pack when I was done, but for the last few years most days have been just a couple to 5 a day unless I was drinking or stressed, when it would go up. My wife quit 20 years ago and I've never smoked in the house we bought 15 years ago, but I was never scared to go outside.

Here's the point and I'll bet it's one many here can relate to - I've always felt normal. I had my tobacco and Caffeine and Alcohol intake all calibrated, and through most days I'd balance T and C, and I'd bring in A into the mix whenever it was time which sometimes meant more T for a while, so the A would get me buzzed and I'd know how much T would frame it just right. It was all in control and predictable. I knew what I was doing and how I felt every day, and frankly I felt just fine, because I've always felt normal.

Two weeks plus six days ago I bought what I hope will be my last pack of cigarettes, two weeks plus four days ago I bought what turned out to be a very satisfying disposable e-cig (Finiti brand) on sale at Walgreen's. (I never did kill it - just tried it out and it still works). I burned the last cigarette from my last pack two weeks ago. I ordered an eGo starter kit, which arrived 12 days ago. I haven't smoked a real cigarette in two weeks as of today, actually almost exactly as of right now.

I don't love vaping. I don't want a hobby. Smoking cigarettes wasn't a hobby - it's just what I did to feel normal. I tried not smoking and chomping on the gum, and I never felt normal. At this point, I think there's a chance that I can make vaping a new normal. Today was pretty much a worse-case scenario - a very long and very stressful day with a lot of driving, which I've capped by kicking back and drinking a bit to take the edge off. I've been going for about 16 hours as this is written and I've probably vaped more in those 16 hours than in the two full days before this one. At least, I don't feel wildly ABnormal right now, and for right now that will have to do.

 

[CommaHolly]

Congratulations!!!!!!

it may start out as "not a hobby",,,,,,,but you may be surprised to find out it BECOMES one (or it may not for you,,,,,everyone is different!)

welcome to the community!

 

[Lisa66]

Welcome, and congrats on making it this far. I know my first two weeks were the most difficult.......it's normal, I think!

I don't know what level of nicotine you are using but it may help you to have a higher level on hand for the more stressful times.

Good luck and come on back for encouragement and support!

 

[Los Marauder]

A new normal, is exactly what to look forward to. No juice will be like tobacco, but some fill in nicely. No instant energy, just a new fealing. Things wont be necessarily better, just different in a more than acceptable way. I think one of the reasons people go back to smoking is that they think this is going to be sooooo wonderfull. It is wonderfull, but just in a new normal kind of way.

 

[Robino1]

My new normal? Having coffee and vaping in bed. Oh yeah! Haven't done that since I started not smoking in the house 16 years ago! 7 days smoke free today. Huge step! And no cravings. Started vaping just about a month ago and literally let the vaping take over. I had a "goal" in mind and wasn't too worried about keeping that goal. That was accelerated big time. I am about 6 months ahead of my stop smoking date.

My new normal is great!

 

[The Ocelot]

Lol! Welcome to the new normal. I'm an ex-40 year smoker too. Think of it as a mid-life serendipity

 

[steved5600]

Welcome and for some of use it grew into a hobby. Looking or trying to make that prefect flavor in that perfect atty. Once I moved away from tobacco flavors I was hooked. This is my only way to taste stuff due to a bad facial injury. Don't ask. LOL
unrelated to smoking. LOL
But my $120 gestimation on my spending went out the window when I got my PRovari. It bust the damn dam. LOL
I vape like 5 flavors a day. I switch so I won't get burned out.

 

[atom45]

Welcome to vaping! It doesnt have to be a hobby but taking interest in it definitely helps with teh quitting of analogs. Youve smoked for so long that its basically all psychological, you are preventing yourself from vaping basically because you are comfortable with analogs. And thats the whole hard part of quitting smoking, the comfort factor.

I know you must have heard this before, but you have to want to quit. No one can tell you to quit and you cant quit for anyone but yourself.
Personally I love vaping. I find it much more satisfying than analogs. and i dont stink. and my cat doesnt wheeze when he sleeps anymore! Actually I dont wheeze anymore either!

Stay positive and stick with it. Honestly, anything is better than smoking. Its nasty and we were killing ourselves!

 

[zapped]

Welcome!!! I totally get what youre saying about analogs making you feel normal. Surprisingly enough, there have been a few studies that link cigarette smoking to A.D.D/A.D.H.D and its prety common for people of our age or older to use them to self medicate.You have to remember that they didnt have a diagnosis for that back when we were kids, we were just called hyper. Im not saying thats the case with you at all just putting the information out there in case it can help someone else feel a little more normal and help them get off the crutch of cigarettes.