Still smoking support and chat thread

[Possum64]

Hello @Hopeful64. It is so lovely to see you again. I honestly was thinking about you yesterday so it was a great coincidence to see your message here today.

Absolutely write your journal here. I am sure people will be along to prod and encourage you forward on your journey.
Great idea to limit yourself to one packet of cigs a day - hopefully the vaping time in between the cig will increase over the weeks and vaping will become your 'habit'.

Please never feel embarrassed here on this thread - we have all struggled (and still struggle some days) with our addiction to cigs.
Catherine

 

[Hopeful64]

Thanks so much for the encouragement! So good to see some familiar 'faces' Lol And so nice to know that people are still coming around to this thread!

I really do want this. More than anything. I would be so incredibly proud if I could ever combat this addition. I will never understand why cigarettes have so much power over me?? Grrrrr. I'm so full of hope right now as I begin to do a ''harm reduction' for about one month and then see where I am at that point. That would get me back to cutting out 1 and a half packs per day. It felt quite natural to vape tonight, I was surprised. I did smoke a couple of extras tonight (more than i wanted to) but by now at bedtime (since I opened the new pack at 6 o'clock) I would have gone through 3/4 of a pack. So 6 ciggies isn't too bad for this ole chain smokin' gal!

Thank you all for making me feel welcome again. You are as usual, all wonderful!

 

[dsites]

Keep at it ... you'll be glad you did

 

[Old Greybeard]

Just thought I'd pop my head around the door and say "Hi".

6 months into my vape journey, I have cut my tobacco habit down from 75g a week to 100g a month. Some days, I just smoke out of habit, not because I desperately need to. That's progress.

Tried all the classic "cures" (except hypnotherapy), so far vaping has been the most successful as I don't see my consumption ever rising above my current "maintenance" dose. It definitely fulfills the "emotional" and "sensory" dimension for me that smoking contributes to, which is a key factor I think.

This has been a 40 year battle, off and on - if I can get down to 50g a month, I'll be happy with that I think. I personally don't see me being able to totally give up, I've had too many false dawn's in the past and always returned to cigarettes when life has taken a bad turn.

 

[tgs3]

Been real busy and haven't been around in a while. However, as of today, I am eleven months without a cigarette. It is weird, but I no longer think of myself as a smoker. That is something other folks do. On the other hand, I vape like crazy.

Hope everyone is well.

 

[Hopeful64]

Hi everyone. I hope you are all doing well. How crazy that I checked in here today to find out I have a ''ECF Vaperversary'' one year ago. Wow. Where did that year go??

I have been trying to start over. (again) I had a bad turn with my health. (back problems since November) I'm working very hard to get better but I cannot work right now. And I cannot afford to smoke anymore (not even a pack a day) unless I put the cigarettes on my credit card.

I charged and cleaned 4 favorite vapes and started again a few days ago. Maybe I can conquer this before my 65th birthday? So I'm ''Hopeful65'' now. Lol

Just wanted to post (with my tail between my legs again) and tell you all how I miss you and all your wonderful encouragement. Love and big (hugs) to all of you.

 

[Opinionated]

Hi everyone. I hope you are all doing well. How crazy that I checked in here today to find out I have a ''ECF Vaperversary'' one year ago. Wow. Where did that year go??

I have been trying to start over. (again) I had a bad turn with my health. (back problems since November) I'm working very hard to get better but I cannot work right now. And I cannot afford to smoke anymore (not even a pack a day) unless I put the cigarettes on my credit card.

I charged and cleaned 4 favorite vapes and started again a few days ago. Maybe I can conquer this before my 65th birthday? So I'm ''Hopeful65'' now. Lol

Just wanted to post (with my tail between my legs again) and tell you all how I miss you and all your wonderful encouragement. Love and big (hugs) to all of you.

Good luck to you!

 

[classwife]

This thread has been moved from Archived PIF Social Group to
Tobacco Harm Reduction - Switching

 

[Uncle]

THANK YOU ! ! !

IMHO - This thread really NEEDS to stay open and available to those people still struggling with their "Transition into the Vaping World" and where they can find the camaraderie, support, and encouragement that they need to help them quit "smoking" . . . Just Sayin' . . .






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[P2PLeon]

I’m still struggling after nearly 4 years and wish I never picked up my cigarettes again and again.

I can do 6 hours no sweat but feel I’m lacking something. No matter what I do to start a new day without smoking I instantly go and smoke.

I think I am bored with vaping and bored with smoking as each time I buy a packet I no longer want to smoke them once I’ve had my fill.
When I do smoke I aim to stop on the hour dead.

If only I can rekindle my time that I done 42 days as I was a lot happier not smoking.

But it was a harsh craving that got me to light up and found it hard to quit since.

I think I am a slave to cigs and no matter how I spend my time I will be smoking.

myvapingright.com

Many forums are dead. And my main forum I went to was ukvapers.org

 

[Izan]

I’m still struggling after nearly 4 years and wish I never picked up my cigarettes again and again.

I can do 6 hours no sweat but feel I’m lacking something. No matter what I do to start a new day without smoking I instantly go and smoke.

I think I am bored with vaping and bored with smoking as each time I buy a packet I no longer want to smoke them once I’ve had my fill.
When I do smoke I aim to stop on the hour dead.

If only I can rekindle my time that I done 42 days as I was a lot happier not smoking.

But it was a harsh craving that got me to light up and found it hard to quit since.

I think I am a slave to cigs and no matter how I spend my time I will be smoking.

myvapingright.com

Many forums are dead. And my main forum I went to was ukvapers.org

You are in the right thread NOW.
You dual use.

SORTED!

Cheers
I

 

[P2PLeon]

Just do not know what to say, but I am struggling to start a new day vaping, as I instantly go to smoking.

 

[tgs3]

Just do not know what to say, but I am struggling to start a new day vaping, as I instantly go to smoking.

When trying to transition from smoking to vaping, I initially found the mornings really difficult. Eventually, though, I adjusted. It took me nine months to finally quit.

It will be 15 months without a cigarette on 8/11.

 

[Libbylynn]

I am so glad that it wasn't just me. I just want to share my story. I started vaping about a year ago. I had been smoking half a pack to a pack a day for 3+ years. My aunt bought me my first vape and I felt really bad that I couldn't just stick with it, but I found out later on I had been using too low of a nic level. I tried 12, then had to go up to an 18, but still I would set down my vape and smoke for a few weeks. It took me really trying and I had to tell myself no no no. DO NOT STOP AT THAT GAS STATION. And I got myself to where I was only smoking socially, but I would be smoking at least a pack socially. I had to separate myself from the situation in order to really stop. So I actually stopped buying cigarettes. I'm still not perfect I've bummed them here and there, but I have now been smoke-free for three weeks. Not a big milestone, but I've never gone this long and I hope it stays that way. I just have to look forward to the next milestone.
Thank you for reading, and again I am so happy to hear that I'm not the only one who has struggled with this.

 

[Jman8]

Here's my update with dual use which I still (proudly) do. Just a quick reminder first of my path.

In 2011, I took up vaping. Realized rather immediately this could lead to no more smoking. Did dual use at level of 4 to 8 cigs a day for at least 3 years. I mostly dual used because of flavor. As much as flavors for vaping are awesome, they don't capture the flavor that smokers are used to and want. I partially dual used based on situations I was in, where other smokers were present.

Around 2015, I was down to dual using 1 to 4 daily, and by 2017, it was down to every few days. I'd say around 2016 (possibly earlier), I was dual using out of pride for smoking. I could easily elaborate on this in many ways, but suffice it to say, the politics around smoking and/or hatred by some (includes vapers) were reason enough for me to never want to fully stop smoking. That continues to this moment.

In 2018 and to this day, I will smoke whenever I want to smoke. I currently smoke about 1 to 3 cigarettes a month. Since early 2018, I've been proud to be a moderate smoker. In all my years of smoking, I never felt I could truly be a moderate smoker. It was either 1.5+ packs a day or go cold turkey. No in between. I witnessed other people who could smoke say 3 a day and then not smoke for a full week (or longer). I never understood how that was possible.

Now, I'm passing up opportunities that just 1 year ago (in 2018), I wouldn't have chosen to pass up. Yesterday is actually a good example. I had inkling I may smoke a cigarette, but passed. I currently don't recall when my last smoke was, but pretty sure it was within the last 2 months. If I have another one (today or whenever), I see zero problem with that. I stand by the idea that moderate smoking rocks. But to each their own, without judgment.

 

[Uncle]

Okay - Just a quick note, since a majority of Ya' all either know "My" Story or can read it in past post (Actually, although it was not a hard thing to do, I twisted "Lox" arm to start this thread) . . .

Anyway, very long story short . . . The main point of this post is for some encouragement, I have been a Dual User since 2011, mainly started using an "e-Cig" to either cut back or quite smoking cigarettes completely . . . Smoked 2 1/2 - 3 PAD (4 on a bad day) cigarettes (Kool 100) 50+ years - Started vaping 2011 (even before I joined ECF) . . . Depending on day and what was happening - did cut back a little (However, not even a Quintuple Bypass convenience me to stop smoking cigarettes) . . . Not until approximately 8 months ago (that's 8 + years as a Dual user), I finally stopped looking for that ADV E-LIQUID that I wanted and I was so desperate to find . . . Started using Unflavored - Nic, adding Koolada and a few drops of "Menthol Crystal Liquid" for that elusive "Menthol" taste (not minty/candy) that I "WANTED" and FINALLY - Became a Full-time Vapor (not one cigarette - even though the urge for one is still there every so often and know if I NEED one it is still available ) . . . SO - IMHO - I know Ya' all will eventually be where Ya' want to be . . .

Just Sayin' . . .



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[Jman8]

To follow up Uncle's words of encouragement, I do recall around 2014 (when I was still 1 to 4 daily) being told by other vapers (on forums) that eventually I'll stop smoking. I didn't see that as possible then. And while I haven't technically stopped, I've cut back so much, I've virtually quit. Though quitting is not my goal, I do think it entirely possible that any vaper who truly desires to cease smoking will, eventually. Just gotta stick to it. Trust the process.

I also cannot emphasize enough how awesome it is to simply cut back. Uncle and I were 1+ pack a day types (Uncle way more than me) and it shows it can be done. But my main point here is please please please do not beat yourself up for any possibly future smoke you may have. It truly is such a teeny tiny deal compared to how awesome it is to cut way back. As one who's quit cold turkey before (3 times, never less than a year), I know how the guilt thing works. It puts you in a place where you loath yourself for giving in, and yet somewhat motivates you to smoke another (and maybe another after that) as way to alleviate the guilt. And instead, you can end up feeling more guilty, or worse about giving in. I say do your darnedest to overcome the guilt by realizing how awesome you are (or we are) for cutting way back. Again, eventually one day you (surely) will get to the point where you no longer need to smoke again. You may want to, but when you no longer need to, it is, in a word... liberation.

 

[JJ1977]

Been awhile, good evening to everyone

 

[Uncle]

SO - How are "You" Doing . . . .



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[tgs3]

It has been a while. I too dual used for nine months. Coming up on a year and a half cigarette free. Have gone from 24 to 3mg of nic. Honestly, never thought I would quit. And to be honest I was not obsessed with quitting - I didn't put a lot of pressure on myself.

Hope everyone else is doing well. Great to read Uncle's story. And Jman8 is right - being able to just cut down is great - was a game changer for me psychologically. Everyone has their own path.