Leaderboard

Yup! Day 3 is the worst for many, many quitters (not day 1). I had pretty bad brain fog too OC and I also took a few days off work because I just couldn't function. It was still tough when I went back but I did manage to get things worked out. As others have said; "you're doing great" so celebrate that each day in some small way AND .... you have a new family (us)! Of course half of us are certifiably insane but hey; isn't that the case with most families

A lot of what you are going through is normal, @overcome Just wanted to chime in and say you are doing great. Deep breathing does help during these times. Keep up the great work. Things do get better with time

https://www.healthline.com/health/breathing-exercises-for-anxiety

This is my goal, to get past day 3 and that is today at 10:15pm. Boy brain fog is real, I feel a little less tense and everything taste different . My coffee (must be something wrong with my coffee).

What a great bunch you are, I am so grateful that I found my way to the train. This quit would be totally different without you all. I'll be heading to bed here in a few, looks like I will make it to day # three .......... Woohoohoo! Thanks everyone

G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required)

It's a new month .... Time to see who is still riding the Train ... Of course the Horney Toad is still here ....

Try some deep breathing in the open..fill those lungs with good clean air .... There is a million things you can do to keep busy ... Watch our video,s .. play some games ...look at the funny animal threads .. Just 1 you carnt do ...smoke ..

I thought the first day would have been the toughest, but today really has been. So glad I took time off from work and stayed home to get through this. Lots of deep breathing is helping get through the weak moments. Anyone have a link to a good breathing exercise?

When you quit smoking your body will start to heal itself. I found this to be an important thought when I first quit. Quitting is one of the most important things you will ever do for yourself so keep your focus on this. A good attitude will help you succeed.

Great job and yay for you, Overcome! I remember counting every second of those first three days and the feeling of accomplishment when I hit the 72 hour mark.

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

Doing great overcome! Hang in there and beat back the crave when it comes a knockin. Don`t know what part of AZ you live in but here in PHX way too hot to go out anyway. Stay in and beat the heat and the craves. You can get this.

I'm not here as I'm walking the cat

Here!

Still hanging around.

Hang in there overcome! You are doing great and so good to hear your positive attitude. Keep reading and stay close and reach out if you need to. Nothing wrong with that. We all need support going through this and asking for help brings no shame or sign of weakness. Best wishes and stay positive. You can beat this.

Went to play golf today. Needed to fine tune my swing as I've started shanking the ball more often than I should. The idea was to play by myself so I don't have any distractions and can hit a particular shot a few times if needed to dial in that contact. As it turned out I was invited to play with a threesome waiting on the 2nd tee box. All three of them smoked...a lot. Fortunately I was in my own cart so I wasn't getting choked out by being right next to someone smoking. 313 days ago I was any of those three guys. taking that lit cigarette out of my mouth and throwing it on the ground, never even giving a thought about the fertilizer, deer doo doo and squirrel piss it might be landing in. And then pick it back up after I hit my shot and gleefully put it back in my mouth and suck on it like a toddler on a titty. Part of me wanted to join them in a smoke and the other part of me just had sympathy for them. Any reasonable person would ask..."yoda, why do you go play golf when you know your going to be around smokers?" The answer is that I do enjoy the game. It was my distraction in the early part of my quit. It was the activity that I learned to enjoy without having to smoke. It kept me distracted from the hell I was experiencing during the worst part of my quit. And now, it's the repetitive stress of abstaining around other addicts that keeps me humble and on my toes lest I forget what I went through to get to where I am. So tonight I celebrate 313 days of no smoking. 313 days of NOPE. 313 days closer to freedom and most of all, one prayer that was answered. Thank you God for a wonderful day and beautiful gift.

I agree with all who are affirming that your day #3 struggles are very normal, @overcome. I am one of those people for whom breathing exercises (ironically) increase anxiety. Instead, I do grounding countdowns: concentrate hard on 5 things I can see, 4 I can hear, 3 I can touch, 2 I can smell, 1 thing I can taste, then repeat. I also do Alphabet Gratitude Lists (something I’m grateful for starting with A, then B, then all the way to Z). I fiddle with Silly Putty and got a couple aromatherapy inhalers. Push ups help, too. You CAN make it through this. I promise, it gets easier!

For: @jillar; @Doreensfree & @Boo In honor of the now defunct 'Babe Of The Day' thread; a special NOPE!

NOPE not today!

After day 3 ...All the nicotine has left your body .... Now it's just you and that little Nico monster that sits on your shoulder nagging... But good news ...your stronger than him ... Winning your little battles ..is how you win the war ... This little saying got me through the bad times .... Take Smoking Off The Table ....No Matter What Is Going On In Your Life ... My junkie brain understood that ...Nothing will make me smoke ever ... Upwards on Onwards ...

We are grateful that you found your way here too, @overcomelove that positive energy you have. You are doing great. You got this.

Nope!

this is truth right here.

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

There are some tough battles along the way; no question but. anyone can make it through those times with a strong commitment to be free from nicotine's control. You are not only battling addiction withdrawal but more significantly over the longer term you are restructuring your entire daily life to exclude cigarettes. That's what takes the longest time - finding and becoming comfortable with your 'new lifestyle' that doesn't include smoking!

Welcome aboard Overcome. Congratulations on quitting smoking. Once you realize that the monster has as much or as little power as you give him, he looks far less scary...more pest than monster. Face him down. See the monster for what he actually is. Then, give him a swift kick in the ass and send him on his way. Ride on! You only pick up more wins along the way.

I am GREAT Doreensfree thank you! So far I have been holding the big monster (Allen Carrs description), back to more of a little monster. I do wish I would have had time to read Allens whole book but it arrived late. So when I have time I am trying to get through it. I feel SO EXCITED, I am not a failure, I can do this with what I have learned while reading on the train and you all's support. Physically, breathing has improved, taste is a little different, feeling a little stressed but nothing terrible. My mind is on alert constantly for the little and sometimes big zingers from the addiction monster. which is taxing but only last a minute or three ( I have been timing them). Thank you all again!

Well it has been a rollercoaster of a day, but seems to be tapering off now. Thanks for sharing suggestions and experiences of what helped you all. i do know brain fog is real, oh my gosh. Looks like I will make it and hit the 3 day mark in a few hours.....woohoohoo! I never did use the nicotine lozenges so those will go back ........ told wifee I want a chocolate cake instead. You guys/gals are awesome, thank you all so much!

NOPE…

Jillar is awesome

NOPE

The answer is and always will be NOPE!!!

NOPE!

You're doing great @overcome! Please read up on triggers - there are the daily triggers that you're already overcoming. Then when you start feeling a bit confident, you get hit by the occasional triggers - going on vacation, meeting someone after many years, etc. It's important to guard against those as it catches us unawares. Then there are the life-event triggers - someone passes away, loss of job, etc. Again, smoking doesn't really help solve anything but at those moments we're not thinking clearly. Being aware and being prepared will help. Wishing you strength in your journey. It does get easier after some time.

NOPE!

G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required)

NOPE

Thanks for bumping this @jillar. I, too, have swallowed all of these lies hook, line and sinker. Plus the biggest lie of all… that smoking is “gratifying.” LIE. What actually happened for me was that smoking triggered a craving for more nicotine, which created a craving for even more nicotine, repeated on an endless loop. No matter how much I smoked, it was never “enough.” Although I haven’t yet reached the place where being smoke-free feels completely joyful, I am certainly grateful that nicotine is no longer my puppet master.

This is great news O..... The easy way is a book you can keep going back too...dipping in and out of it .... It's all in the attitude ....Your giving up nothing .....your a wonderful Non Smoker ... Feel very proud ....Give yourself a pat on the back

Chocolate cake Mmmmmm! Small rewards are important along the way Always reward good behavior!

Reflecting on my time on the Quit Train. I was notified when I signed in that my new rank is "Veteran." I think back on the numbers game battles. We took a few losses along the way, but the victories were sweet. Hanging out in Sonic's Man Cave polishing our trophies while attractive young women poured drink after drink...the spoils of victory! There was the battle for "Babe of the Day." The chicks no longer content to keep the battle within the confines of the numbers game made an incursion into our most sacred thread. Started posting beefcake pics in grounds reserved for Babes...It was a day that will live in infamy. I was here when the SPAM army launched a blitzkrieg on our little corner of the internet. No threads were safe from "Free MILF porn" and boner pill ads. The moderators took the lead in that battle, but we all remember where we were when the shelling started. In a minor skirmish, a vaping advocate called me an "asshole." I vanquished that silly person and farted in her general direction. I'm not one to call myself a hero, but I would understand if you wanted to call me one.