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On September 11, 2001, 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four airplanes and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. Two of the planes were flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. Almost 3,000 people were killed during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which triggered major U.S. initiatives to combat terrorism. Please

Honestly, 8 months in I'm still not confident, but I'm doing it. It is getting easier with the passing of time, so one day soon will be the turning point.

Over a 30 year stretch? Probably a dozen or so if I were to venture a guess. Other than one 2 year quit, none really lasted more than a few days. I never had the right mindset before now.

I think you'll get answers that are all over the board Christine. Most will have multiple attempts and others manage to get it done first time, but those are in the minority I think. It really doesn't matter in the end as long as you keep trying until you find the right mindset to make it your permanent quit I think that mindset can be different for everyone and there's no one size fits all set of rules to follow to ensure a life long quit. I think education about this addiction is a key aspect along with personal commitment to improve your own life (health, finances, freedom from the slavery of addiction). Most everyone finds the combination and the right mindset eventually as long as they keep trying in earnest to quit. Remember, this quitting thing takes a lot of time and caring maintenance even after the early days of craves are pretty much over. We would all like it to be a much quicker process but it just is not. Years and years of conditioning our minds with smoking takes time to unravel.

Hi Christine, it's good to see you back. I've had a lot of half-ass attempts to quit. I say that because I knew they wouldn't stick because I didn't really want to quit. Once you change your mindset to ready to quit I think you'll get your sticky quit. The big thing is to not give up or in. You are stronger than a crave, you just have to believe that

In my 52 year smoking career...I've lost count of my feeble attempts to quit.... Always had one foot in ...and one foot out..... This last one had to count...it was my last chance....I put my whole self in....and stayed in.....

If we're talking attempts that lasted for a week or more, I threw away four of those. If we're talking attempts where I got out of bed in the morning and said "I quit" but was smoking again by the end of the day, I lost count of those. Somewhere in the haze of all that smoke, I lost the ability to differentiate between excuses and reasons.

I should note that the fourth plane that crashed down in a field in Pennsylvania never reached its intended target because it's crew and passengers fought back against the terrorists and gave their lives to save countless others...……….

I think this is my seventh attempt. Each one I learned a lot! I tried lots of different quit methods: gum, patches, lozenges, champix, hypnotherapy, nhs weekly support, pharmacy support. This time stuck as I've said before but three people I know got diagnosed with cancer in one week. I quit that week and I've been strong ever since. FYI the one lass with lung cancer, she died, barely 40 with a young family. The other two are doing great, throat and skin. That was the kick up the back side I needed. It was a blessing for me. If at first you dont succeed, try again.

No clue how many times I tried. I do know I thought about quitting everyday - when my smoking increased to nearly 1ppd. Like sazerac - I abstained while pregnant & breastfeeding. Looking back - I never really quit. I abstained. Something clicked in in my brain & I viewed smoking as an addiction not a bad habit. It is a true addiction. I read Allen Carr’s book & quit. I had to reread it a few times. Being an active participant in a quit forum was key for me. I read, posted, played games - anything to stay distracted until the early, intense craves passed. People will offer many scenarios & quit methods/advice. Ultimately- you have to decide how you will quit, how you will stay quit & why you will stay quit for the rest of your life.

I smoked for about 15 years before my first attempt, it was cake. 2 1/2 years ezpz like sarge says. Life happened and it was exactly what linda T is going through, i cracked and went back to smoking for over 2 years... I tried and tried, 3 weeks blown 1 month blown 2 weeks blown 3 months blown. I'm way over 10 in my 8 year fight and i started the battle a few months before my 40th birthday back then. And jim, its all mindset. i totally agree

Never Forget! God Bless the USA

My prayers ....I will never forget this day....x

Good lord, Satan came down to earth that day. I´ll never forget that. Its almost unimaginable stuff.

NOPE !!!

NOPE

Hang in there just like you are! I too have such rough times! I am not in any loop here but I do come here and read and read....I do love your posts! I am still using patch but things are better all the time...small steps.... Camped and hiked all weekend with my 7 year old grandson this past weekend....I kept up...but can't wait til I can breathe even better .....best part....no hiding out to smoke....NOPE

They aren't sweaty carrot pancakes are they? ? MLMR, watch out for junkie thinking planting seeds of relapse while you are emotional. For now, I'll bring balloons to the party because you are doing great!!

The worst is over now, thanks to you guys. It seems to be all about connection. So glad there's people here from different time zones. Thanks for this little but big conversation.

Hang in there. You can and are doing this. I am glad you came online for the encouragement -- it is showing that you have control (though it may not feel like it). Keep posting an this will pass!!

Ok, I can totally understand that. Do you think playing a game might get your mind busy on something else? Wee fluffy me has a few of us hooked on a game called Cookie Jam. It's pretty fun and is a good distraction

My life. Distraction! I get terrible panic attacks. Deep breath. Those deep breaths feel so good when you quit smoking. Don't laugh but I sing to myself (though my husband always asks me what happened to the money for the lessons)? Hang in there, this too shall pass.

..........

Third time was the charm for me! ?

Nope! Not today!! Not ever!

NOPE not today.?

From the very first minute after I flicked that last cigarette in the air into a snow bank in the Urgent Care parking lot (I announced "this is it, this is my last cigarette!!) and got in co-workers truck to be transported to the hospital (I was having a stroke at the time!) and he was not waiting for an ambulance!! Once I accepted the fact that I was fighting an addiction (oh, so hard for me to admit this!) and that I was an addict, I was determined not to blow my second chance.....I read everything I could about the nicotine addiction. Joining an online support forum cemented the quit! Also, I told everyone I knew that I had quit....I didn't keep it a secret like I did the first two times I quit. My life was on the line now.......and I am sure that my being quit for 14 months when I was told I now needed CABGx3 surgery (a triple bypass!) helped me survive! I agree with others above...don't complicate the quit.....just do it....one day at a time....you will not regret it!

NOPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good Morning fellow NOPErs. September 11, 2001 was just another day, another square on a calendar and then in the blink of an eye evil had a small win and all our lives were changed forever. September 11 is now remembered as Patriot Day and today, around the world we remember the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks and the day that changed the world. The innocent people from 90 countries who are lost to us, the first responders and hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers who are still suffering the after affects. We remember the survivors and we remember those left behind. The hundred plus kids who were born after their dad's had gone and the thousands of kids who grew up without a parent because they went to work one day or caught a plane and 19 pieces of evil scum murdered them. We will never forget the horror of that day and the days that followed. So today, sending extra special thoughts out for our New York, Washington DC and Pennsylvania members in particular and any of our members who were personally affected. A special shout out to the Brits also, September 11 is the biggest single loss of life of British during a peace time terror attack and I hope it stays that way. Never again. NOPE .... I don't today.

Before you actually managed to quit?I am on like six or seven, I'm not sure.

Maybe seeds are planted. Don’t water them, shove them in a place void of light and they will die. You are are in control.

@c9jane29 you are right, it's a pitfall to combine these emotions and junkie thinking. Tomorrow... I'll be diving into that. Now I want to sleep. Thanks all of you again. You are an amazing bunch of quit train guards.

Last night we had a "use-up" dinner... left over roast pork meat with gravy and some backed potatos and cauliflower, carrots & broccoli with a cheese & mustard sauce... the kid had a splice icypole for dessert. @jillar what do you mean if you knew how to make pancakes????? Don't they have those little plastic bottles that you add water to, shake and then you just pour it into the pan over there in sunny California??? Oh alright here is Grandma's pancake recipe (it makes thick ones)... 1 egg 1 1/4 cup self raising flour 3 dessert spoons of sugar 1 cap of vanilla essence Milk (about 500-750ml... but enough to get the consistency right) So mix together until smooth, sit aside for an hour (dunno why but Grandma said so).... then add more milk to get a thick pouring consistency if needed (it usually is)... our onto a hot griddle/fry pan and wait until the whole top surface is covered in bubbles then flip.... easy peasy.... you can flip with a spatula if your too scared to toss em. @My life, my recovery thanks for showing up Jillar's breakfast cooking deficiencies... hehehe.... seriously though, the nights can be tricky early on... I loved my showers in that stage... and I did a fair bit of baking... and luckily for me my night is everyone up north's day so I always had people to chat to and play the games with. Which really helped early in the days.Remember we are re-wiring our brains... re-learning the way to deal with all these life triggers we have programmed that the answer is a smoke (IT IS NOT, just incase your were wondering)... but this take times... I found the triggers with the biggest emtional links ... like stress, or having to spend time with my mum.... took longer to get past... the same trigger would seem to be happening again and again (and it still does at times) that is because for years I had laid wire after wire in my brain that when this happened I had a smoke... when talking to my mum got me agitated I took a time out and had a smoke... that sort of thing... total bullshit... but because there was so much false programming that this was the way to deal with it I had to undo all that every time there was a trigger.. still do its just easier and easier each time. I'm not that far ahead of you ... I still remember those nights... trust me, it gets easier each time, doesn't seem so now, but it does. Most of us with anxiety have found it improved with quitting... my did at the start but I am on some medicaiton for a health issue and the medicaiton has the side effect of anxiety.

I use to drive a big school bus and could not do so with panic attacks. I chose to take medication. I take clonazepam a half in the morning and half at night. It does not make me feel groggy and I think by continually taking it, it keeps them at bay. You might talk to your physician.

Great news M'life. You are in my thoughts. Give a shout anytime you want.

Definitely not my intention. Good to know. Hopefully I just made a new brain path connection, like in that video. And if so, I'll be making signposts as well, that way!! Over there it's good!

https://countryrebel.com/blogs/videos/63192067-lee-greenwoods-god-bless-the-usa-moves-yankee-stadium-to-tears/?a=DK%26var=GreenwoodGodBlessUSA-CMN%26utm_campaign=greenwoodgodblessusa%26utm_source=facebook%26utm_medium=social%26utm_term=author-dk-posted_by-em-repost-cmn%26utm_content=lee greenwood

Once 3 yrs, 9 months, once nearly 6 months, once about a month and various times between 1 day and few weeks. The 3 year period was my first quit ever. After that, I've always felt that I could not 'beat' myself, as if it's about competition and winning. I've also had the experience that knowledge, grasping how it works, somehow seems to fail on second attempts and at times it made me truly miserable. Mindset, beliefs, obviously played a bigger role back than. I know Ive never ever been content with smoking, I hated it and that thought alone made me smoke twice as much. I won't be unique in that... I have good faith though that I'll be able to leave this all behind me. There's just to much truth and too many stories available, too much knowledge to be ignored, it's too 2018 to be still smoking. So.. steady as I go!

Hi Christine. I abstained when pregnant but, never meant to quit, resuming immediately after the birth. I decided to quit in 2013 and that was that. There is a lot to learn from each quit, each attempt to quit. Congratulations on your three month plus ! quit. How are you feeling ? What has helped you succeed ?

@johnny5 and others that have family in Florence’s path- if you camp, have a camper or have an RV the Atlanta Motorway Speedway is opening up to house evacuees http://www.atlantamotorspeedway.com/media/news/ams-opening-camping-facilities-hurricane-florence-evacuees.html

NOPE!!! Still noping on this solemn anniversary for the world, but also my very personal 25-year wedding anniversary today!! It's a good day to NOPE!!!

NOPE....I am in bed, feeling sorry for myself, with a head cold...... bah humbug ?

Nope

Nope!

NOPE!

I do, but only occasionally. They make me moody, the day afterwards. And then there's a bigger chance on having to go through it again. I tend to stay away from the meds as much as possible, I'm ok with what it's like now, most of the time. It has not worsened since quitting. But going through and not smoking, especially afterwards, seems to be a lingering trigger. Far more than other triggers.

Do you take anxiety meds my life? The reason I ask is that some people need to temporarily have their meds adjusted while quitting.

#NOPE

Geez....this is awfully....ya all come stay with me....!!!!!..I'll get the big pan out ....

About a month into the quit I really believed that I could make it this time. I agree with Boo that you have to stop complicating the quit. I was in the hospital for 9 days with pneumonia and told them that I did not want a patch. I had been telling myself for so long that if only I couldn't smoke for a few days I could make it. The hospital time gave me that and now it was put up or shut up time. Once I got home I took the half pack that was opened and 2 full packs and dumped them in a bucket of water and tossed ash trays in the trash. After 3 to 4 weeks I realized it wasn't all that hard. Craves and stressful but not what I had imagined. I do believe that I had complicated the simple act of stop smoking as an excuse to continue to smoke even though it was taking a hard toll on me.