[K R Y]

Good luck Rival, I quit 2 years ago and haven't looked back.

Try focusing on the obvious plus's you will start noticing in the coming months. The cash and the health benefits are the two main ones. No more coughing your lungs out, and being able to go for a run without nearly dying in the process

It's a very tough road, but it really does get easier the further you get into it. I know how hellish it is quitting, so I hope hearing from others that it really does ease off gives you some incentive.

Be EXTREMELY careful around alchohol and friends, the toughest test for me was going for my first night out after quitting.

[UrbanBounca]

Originally Posted by Redrum

I also believe that 72 hours is key to defeating an addiction in general. I was also terribly addicted to soft drinks, and I had known that I wanted to give them up entirely for some time. But how? I got to have that tasty, fizzy drink mmm. I loved soft drinks so much that, apparently, I used to drink 2 liters of it per day.

This caught up with me eventually, and I became a diabetic, the first ever in my family. Before I got that condition under control, I landed in the ICU with a real serious episode of hyperglycemia. It was during this time that I realized dietary changes must be made, including soft drinks, or I will die.

I remember speaking with the diabetic advisor one day, I said to her that I had been able to quit a number of things in my life so far, but soft drinks worried me, even more than cigarettes did. She said to me how long have you been here in the ICU, I said four days. She asked me how are you feeling without your soda, it's been four days without any, are you anxious?

I said no, and I knew right then that I was done with soft drinks forever. That was about five months ago now, and still not a single soft drink. I think that the same principle can also apply to nicotine addiction. If one can just go a short X amount of time without the substance in question and realize that the stories of withdrawl may be far fetched afterall.

What I learned in the three days that I initially quit smoking cigs and the four days that I didn't drink any soft drinks due to being in the hospital is that there was no addiction. It was just something that I had imagained in my mind and believed was real, but all I had to do was turn around and walk away.

Honestly, I'm heading down the same path. I drink 4-5 cans a day, and I feel them taking a toll on me. Not only do I feel it, but you can obviously see it. My Dad was diagnosed with diabetes back around 2003 or so, and when I had a physical with the doctor in 2009, he said that I was almost guaranteed to get it unless I changed my habits. It's so terribly hard, honestly.

Do you mind me asking, how old are you? I'm 27, and he said that I'd have diabetes by 30, if I didn't make a change.

The biggest problem I have is headaches. I mean, it really sounds like a pathetic excuse, but when you're reliant on caffeine and don't have it, you get massive headaches. I'm sure you've been in my shoes.

[_RIVAL_]

2 days down and looking good... If I don't go to prison for life you guys can all congraudulate me..

[_RIVAL_]

Feelin alot better after a couple of days.. less hostile and I didn't have to punch or choke any poor souls....

This may work after all.

[Mirage445]

Keep your chin up, we believe in you!

[oldfan]

Originally Posted by Redrum

I also believe that 72 hours is key to defeating an addiction in general. I was also terribly addicted to soft drinks, and I had known that I wanted to give them up entirely for some time. But how? I got to have that tasty, fizzy drink mmm. I loved soft drinks so much that, apparently, I used to drink 2 liters of it per day.

This caught up with me eventually, and I became a diabetic, the first ever in my family. Before I got that condition under control, I landed in the ICU with a real serious episode of hyperglycemia. It was during this time that I realized dietary changes must be made, including soft drinks, or I will die.

I remember speaking with the diabetic advisor one day, I said to her that I had been able to quit a number of things in my life so far, but soft drinks worried me, even more than cigarettes did. She said to me how long have you been here in the ICU, I said four days. She asked me how are you feeling without your soda, it's been four days without any, are you anxious?

I said no, and I knew right then that I was done with soft drinks forever. That was about five months ago now, and still not a single soft drink. I think that the same principle can also apply to nicotine addiction. If one can just go a short X amount of time without the substance in question and realize that the stories of withdrawl may be far fetched afterall.

What I learned in the three days that I initially quit smoking cigs and the four days that I didn't drink any soft drinks due to being in the hospital is that there was no addiction. It was just something that I had imagained in my mind and believed was real, but all I had to do was turn around and walk away.

Originally Posted by UrbanBounca

Honestly, I'm heading down the same path. I drink 4-5 cans a day, and I feel them taking a toll on me. Not only do I feel it, but you can obviously see it. My Dad was diagnosed with diabetes back around 2003 or so, and when I had a physical with the doctor in 2009, he said that I was almost guaranteed to get it unless I changed my habits. It's so terribly hard, honestly.

Do you mind me asking, how old are you? I'm 27, and he said that I'd have diabetes by 30, if I didn't make a change.

The biggest problem I have is headaches. I mean, it really sounds like a pathetic excuse, but when you're reliant on caffeine and don't have it, you get massive headaches. I'm sure you've been in my shoes.

I'm sorry guys, I mean no disrespect here but you can not compare softdrinks, caffeine or almost anything else to nicotine addiction. It's not in the same league.

http://www.nytimes.com/1987/03/29/ma...an-heroin.html


http://www1.umn.edu/perio/tobacco/nicaddct.html

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_addict...ared_to_heroin

Experts Rate Problem Substances

Dr. Jack E. Henningfield of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and Dr. Neal L. Benowitz of the University of California at San Francisco ranked six substances based on five problem areas.
Withdrawal: Presence and severity of characteristic withdrawal symptoms.
Reinforcement: A measure of the substance's ability, in human and animal tests, to get users to take it again and again, and in preference to other substances.
Tolerance: How much of the substance is needed to satisfy increasing cravings for it, and the level of stable need that is eventually reached.
Dependence: How difficult it is for the user to quit, the relapse rate, the percentage of people who eventually become dependent, the rating users give their own need for the substance and the degree to which the substance will be used in the face of evidence that it causes harm.
Intoxication: Though not usually counted as a measure of addiction in itself, the level of intoxication is associated with addiction and increases the personal and socIal damage a substance may do.

1 = Most serious 6 = Least serious

HENNINGFIELD RATINGS

Substance Withdrawal Reinforcemt Tolerance Dependnce Intoxictn
----------- ---------- ----------- --------- --------- ---------
Nicotine 3 4 2 1 5
Heroin 2 2 1 2 2
Cocaine 4 1 4 3 3
Alcohol 1 3 3 4 1
Caffeine 5 6 5 5 6
Marijuana 6 5 6 6 4


BENOWITZ RATINGS

Substance Withdrawal Reinforcemt Tolerance Dependnce Intoxictn
----------- ---------- ----------- --------- --------- ---------
Nicotine 3* 4 4 1 6
Heroin 2 2 2 2 2
Cocaine 3* 1 1 3 3
Alcohol 1 3 4 4 1
Caffeine 4 5 3 5 5
Marijuana 5 6 5 6 4

*equal ratings
End

[Leed]

It's hard to give an advice to people, because everyone does it differently. I guess it's just willpower for the most of it, like someone already said. My uncle and his wife quit cold turkey together, didn't have any problems what so ever, while you can see others almost ready to kill someone, lol.

Good luck anyways!