Breaking the Habit

It seems that smoking will soon be a thing of the past. On Tuesday evening I began the patches and they seem to be working very well. Though perhaps not the most orthodox of quitting techniques, I've allowed myself one cigarette per day since, duing the late afternoon hours when I take off the old patch and before I put on the new one. An interesting (and encouraging) observation associated with this: Wednesday's cigarette was good. Thursday's was so-so, and today's was just terrible. I only got a few drags into it before putting it out and rushing off to the bathroom to brush my teeth and gargle with a gallon of mouthwash. Blech!

Cravings haven't been all that pronounced save for yesterday morning. This was an exceptionally rough time, but after a few hours of anxiety and fighting the urge to rush out to the closest convenience store to buy a pack, the urge passed and I haven't had the desire since. Even now, as I sit at the computer with a cup off coffee on the desk (two of the most powerful smoking triggers: computer time and coffee), the urge to light up is strangely absent. I haven't even put on the new patch yet, so one would assume there would be at least a minimal desire to smoke.Yet it's simply not there. Very curious. Having quit before (back in 2002) I know very well that powerful smoking urges can suddenly arise out of nowhere, so I'm proceeding with all due caution. The important thing to remember is that the urge will pass, ususally within ten minutes or so. Sure there's a long way to go to conquer the habit, but I'm well along on that road.