I quit smoking 36 years ago when my youngest son was born. The fact that I came down with pneumonia that day helped with the decision. One of my guy's wife had a baby several years later and he gave me a cigar. I lit up once and was hooked again. I walked away cold turkey from that battle but it was hard. I've been tempted many times since but more than 30 years smoke free. But anytime someone lights a pipe near me I long for a meerschaum and Captain Black. One day at a time.

quote:

Originally posted by liner:
Diet Coke, and it was frigging hard to quit drinking it.

Soda has been my only addiction. Back in high school and early college, I was a serious addict. I drank up to 6 cans of soda per day, or if I had two liter bottles, it was nothing to drink and entire one in a day. Not the diet stuff, either... full octane. Usually Mountain Dew.

When I realized early in college that I was serious about getting into law enforcement, I knew I had to drastically cut back on my soda intake. I switched to diet soda, and only had it a few times per week. That lasted for a number of years.

Then, about 6 years ago, I cut soda out entirely. Switched to coffee (black or with a splash of milk) or water. Wasn't very hard to do; I just didn't want it that much any more.

I have zero interest in gambling or doing drugs, and I'm blessed that alcohol will never be an issue with me. I can't stand hard liquor, mixed drinks, or most wine. And while I drink beer, I only have beer a few times per week, and rarely ever have more than one or two at a time. (I'm kind of a beer snob, and I'd rather drink one quality beer than a bunch of crappy beer.)

At the risk of oversharing...

Chronic finger nail biter - stopped in my 20's
Smoking - Stopped in my 40's
Overeating - stopped a year ago this month

Damn, I was a real mess!!

I dont do any of those things any more, other than the occasional cigar (as compared to a pack of Marlboro's a day)

I drink quite a bit less.

Addictions? I dunno. I quit them all cold turkey. I think more habits for me, and bad ones at that.

I quit Skoal in NOV 2005. I had been dipping for 11 years previously. I had tried to quit numerous times before and failed. My Fiancee (now Wife) showed me oral cancer pics in APR that same year and that gave me the gumption to quit within 6 months for good.

The deal was that I had 7 months left in the PA Army Guard and I was not going to reenlist. I would only dip on drill weekends and at NO other time. This meant long stretches of cold turkey. I went through a ton of Eclipse gum and Altoids.

My last drill was DEC 2005 and by then I did not even desire a last “permissable” dip. This makes my last dip during the NOV 2005 drill.

Since then I have never cheated. I cannot be casual about nicotine. It’s either all in as in buying a can of Skoal every other day or none at all. I am happy to be in the none at all camp.