Oh man, that must have really, really sucked. How many beers did you down in quick succession after doing that? ROFL - God! The thought of doing that just makes me cringe...
I don't smoke but have had to deal with the "stress daemons" myself. I've tried two things. First one was to measure my pulse when i felt i was getting nervous and try to get it low. Secondly, about two years ago i got one of the heartmath/emwave devices and have used that successfully. I left it on while trading and based on the feedback were able to manage the stress very well. Now i rarely use the device, but i think some sort of bio feedback is a great way to get yourself calmed down.
It's the mid 60's. I've been trying to meet mr. big, the guy with the weed by the carload, for months. Finally I get an introduction and I go to meet him at a house.. we chat a little, I buy a baggie and promise to come back with my bankroll if I like it.. [what weed is there that I would not like anyhow]... I'm a little nervous as I say my goodbyes, turn, open the door and walk into a closet... To be continued....
I quit cold turkey on 3/12/2002, after a pack a day habit for years. I don't judge other smokers, just choose to live without cigs. An occasional 420 calms the nerves!
I quit smoking before my trading career. It was hard then, but I did it. I feel for you. I'm in the group that still thinks about it now and again (been about 6 years). I don't wish that habit on anyone. Because I want to be the best trader ever (hey, someone has to be the best, why not me?), trading actually helped me kick some other bad habits. To stay attentive, I had to cut my sugar habit, and hit the gym. I drink lots of water, and am down to 1 can of soda a day. That's a big deal compared to what it used to be. I was floored when one day I kept the empty cans on my desk instead of throwing them away. Eight cans in 8 hours. My teeth hurt thinking about it. I hit the gym at 5am and work out at least 45 mins. I find I'm more focused than ever, and my equity curve smoothed out. My advice: If you want to be the best, you're going to have to make some hard but smart decisions.
I've tried quitting. Once I quit for 11 days. Worst 11 days of my life. I was in about a 70% panic mode every waking second. Literal panic. All I could think of was how anxious I was. My hands shook, I couldn't focus my eyesight on anything, my ear drums fluttered (weird huh?) so I couldn't hear very well. I did quit the ciggies tho, and went back to my pipes. Life is good!
You must be the death of any party. Tell me when was the last time you were invited to one? We still live in a relatively free society and people here are free to do as they please. Have you seen a liver destroyed by vodka?
I grew up outside of US. If was fashionable to spoke during my youth. Almost 1/3 of male teenagers and 1/2 of male adult smoked. I started with my first cig during my college freshman year. Four years later, I went to the military for 2 years as with all the able bodied men did. Our Army issued a cartoon of cigs for each soldier each month. Half of the soldiers who did not spoke simply gave them away to those who did. So, I got at least 2 cartoons with total 40 packs for each month. After discharge, I worked for a year back home. It was an air-conditioned building but all smokers smoked inside the office, so you can imagine how that smoke circulating all day and never went away. Then, I got admitted to a US college to continue my graduate study. At the airport, I took out my last pack and handed to my mother. I don't think they sell the kind of brand I smoke in America, I told my mom. Besides, with my paltry scholarship, I didn't think I would have either the money nor the time to smoke. After I landed In Seattle, I was so busy with my new life, and going thru cultural shock, I never felt the urge to spoke anymore. That was 1983, and I have not touched a cig since. Life changing event might be another great cure of a bad habit.