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Showing content with the highest reputation on 02/05/24 in all areas

  1. G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required).
    5 points
  2. Welcome aboard @Icandothis2. All of the above advice is spot on. I quit by using the patch. I have severe anxiety issues and suffer from panic attacks. The patch helped me cope. I started at stage 2 and did that for a few weeks and dropped down to stage 1 and used that until the day I forgot to put one on. lol The patch did take the edge off for me. I was still a mess mind you. For a week I wouln’t go out in public. But I survived. Everyone here did. Quitting smoking is totally doable and the main thing you can do is to stick close to this site and reach out as needed. I’ll be rooting for you and we hope to hear from you soon!
    5 points
  3. Yep - you do not FAIL until you quit trying ..... stay on the train and when ready try again, get the book, The Easy Way and read it as well. You should probably not play sticks and chicks until you are a few years into you quit, too much stress
    4 points
  4. Susie Never give up …trying to give up .. you can do it …you just have to believe in yourself.. I bet your strong in every other aspect of your life .. it’s the lies the nico monster wants you to believe .. Tell him to naff off .. oh ya and the counting game , giving that slap… perfect
    4 points
  5. You must stay here on the train! What would the Chicks do without you in the counting game
    4 points
  6. Webers are great BBQ's. That Lamb Pie looks really good - Yum! I have a Weber gas grill as well as their Rocky Mountain Smoker which is charcoal fueled. My gas grill is just a standard BBQ grate. I do have a cast iron grill plate that I use frequently on the gas grill. Do mostly baby-back pork ribs, roast of beef or whole chickens on the smoker. I also love to just sit out on the porch and tend to the smoker for a few hours on a sunny Sunday afternoon!
    3 points
  7. G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required).
    3 points
  8. Quitting is hard for sure but it's not too hard if you want it badly enough. That's the thing though. You have to make becoming a non-smoker your absolutely top priority in your life until your quit is secure. There's a saying I read somewhere that describes quitting smoking quite well: "You have what it takes but it will take all you have!"
    3 points
  9. 3 points
  10. Hi Everyone!! I took another Covid test today and it came out Negative!!! Yay!!! Actually I have felt fine for the most part. Only 2 days, my nose was very stuffed up. I have had colds way worse and as I said, the 3 Covid shots that I took, I thought I was dying. So this Covid episode is SO NOT a big deal for me...thankfully!!! Hopefully I won't get it again, And, I'm glad I don't smoke anymore because maybe it would be worse, if I did!
    3 points
  11. 3 points
  12. sounds like you live in a little corner of paradise. Maybe I'll get a chance to visit Australia one day. The closest I ever got was watching the movie Quigley down under.
    2 points
  13. Nancy Quit Date: 07/07/2013 Posted April 7, 2014 · IP Bonnie, I looked and it did not originate there, so here it is... THE SMALL DARK ROOM; an analogy of a quit (Reposted from Laurap414 from The QuitNet ) Once, my existence was confined to a small, dark room. In the room was a button. When I pressed the button the room was filled with light. It was a warm, sunny light, which filled every crevice of the room with its brilliance. The light made me happy, and made me feel safe. The problem was, after a few minutes, the light would begin to fade. Soon the room would be completely dark again and I would have to press the button again. My life consisted of always getting to that button when the darkness began to fall. The darkness was scary. It was tiring getting to that button hour after hour. And in this life, it was always, always night. I heard people say that if you could endure one night in the dark, without pushing that button, you could experience Day. In Day, the button would not be needed. It would always be light, and there would be no dark to be afraid of. People said that when it was Day, you could actually leave the room. The button was still there, but you would not be reliant on it anymore. I remembered my life before the button, and looked at my friends who lived in the Day. And I knew that was what I wanted, more than anything. I hated it always being night; even though I had my button to light the world it was still depressing living from brightness to darkness, never being free, and never seeing the sun. And so one day I decided to stop pushing the button, to try and be free. At first, the darkness was a little uncomfortable. I could not see a thing, but then again the light had only been out for a short while. I knew what was in the room, no monsters there, right? Just the dark. But then, as the night progressed, scary things began to happen. I heard strange noises in the dark. Sometimes ghosts and apparitions would appear to me. And each time, no matter how much I wanted to be brave, something scared me so bad that I would reach for that button again. I never made it for more than a few hours in the dark. I would run screaming for the button, and give it a good smack. Thank God!!! The light would be warmer and more lovely than it had ever been. But then, as always, the light would begin to fade. And I would realize to my horror that it was midnight again. And I was even more afraid of the encroaching dark than ever. One day I heard of a group of people who had made it through to Day. I wanted to get out of my terrible night, and so I asked them how they made it to dawn, and then to sunrise and Day. And they told me some secrets. They told me how to deal with the ghosts who would appear in the dark, how the room would change and how all sorts of horrible things would happen. They warned me that it would be worse than a nightmare at times, but that I could do it. Best of all, they said they would help me make it through the night. This is the story of how it happened, one minute at a time. 11:59 pm. I push the button for the Very Last Time. I am very afraid.. 12:00 midnight. The room is dark. Not so bad. I can do this. 12:15 am Hearing scary noises. Scared, but Im ready for this. I can do it. 12:30 am A man appears out of nowhere. "Push the button!!!!" he screams. "Arent you afraid of the monsters? Arent you scared of the demons? Push the button! It will be light again!!!! Just do it!!!!". He is scaring me. I look at him fiercely. He goes away. He comes back many times during the night. 1:00 am The floor has turned to snakes. I am horrified. I can hear them slithering around. I want to turn on the light. I need to see them. I need them to go away. I ask my friends and they say this is normal, that it will get better. 1:30 am I can hear moans in the dark. The snakes are still here. I think this room is haunted. I am so scared of the dark. I want to push the button so the light will make the ghosts go away. I keep telling myself I am headed towards the dawn. 1:45 am Something cold and dead brushes my face. I scream. I reach for the button. My friends tell me Im doing a great job. They tell me the noises are just phantom noises. They tell me to think of the coming dawn. The snakes are still around my legs. I think the floor is getting wet and sticky, I cant tell. The noises are getting stranger. I am shivering with fear and revulsion. 2:00 am If it werent for my friends I would have gone insane or hit the button hours ago. I begin to think that the floor is wet and sticky with the blood of people who have killed themselves in here. My friends tell me its just my own sweat. I know that if I hit the button it will all go away. The noises are unbearable. My only comfort is knowing I have made it this far. I tell myself I can make it a little longer. I break down in tears from exhaustion. 2:15 am Its getting a little better now. The dark is still filled with bizarre monsters and strange sounds. 2:30 am I look out the window to see if the sun is coming up yet. It is still pitch dark. I cannot see a thing. 2:45 am The scariest part of night. I sense that I am surrounded by ghouls. I am trying to be strong even though I am beside myself with fright. Suddenly a woman appears in the room. She is holding a candle. She looks like a very competent lawyer or something, and looks very kind. I am so relieved to see her, and I invite her to sit down. She explains that she has contacted the owners of the room and that they have agreed to make an exception for me. Since I am experiencing so much fear, they will let me push the button once without setting the clock back to midnight (right back where I started). She said that they have been watching me, and since Ive been so brave, they will allow me a little bit of light to "get me through the night". "I thought that once I hit the button, I go right back to where I started no mater what", I say. "No, no, we have made a special exception in your case," she says, smiling. She looks so caring and professional. I begin to believe her. She seems completely trustworthy. I look over the contract she has brought. It all looks very legal and above-board. I get to push the button once, and the clock is not set back to midnight. It sounds extremely sensible. I am listening to the noises in the dark. There is a big bump from the darkest corner. "What was that?" I say. "That was a ghoul," she says pleasantly. "It will rip your throat out and kill you if it gets you. So not to rush things, but perhaps you want to sign the contract right NOW". I look into her eyes. I want to believe her. I reach for the pen. And then I see behind her smile, this evil green glimmer. And I smell death on her clothes. With horror, I realize that she has been sent by the Nicodemon. She is pure evil. She leans in closer, and hands me the pen. I pull back. "Get away!" I scream. "Get out of here at once!!!!". "Oh no, sweetie" she says in her pleasant voice of death. "You asked me to sit down. You read my contract. Im going to stay a while". I know she is in league with the Demon but I cant seem to move or scream. I am transfixed with her voice, her glinting eyes, her tempting smile. "Why dont we sit and chat awhile my dear?" she smiles sweetly. It seems like two hours pass. I cannot move. I have never been so scared. Crazily, I still think about signing the contract she is holding. I think of how hitting the button would make her go away. Finally I summon all of my strength, and with great effort I am able to make myself realize that she is evil and full of lies. Finally, when I admit this to myself, she stands up to leave . "Ill be back for you!!!!!!" she shrieks as she leaves. I smell her horrible stench after she goes and I want to vomit. I am shaking with the effort and terrified, but I realize I have won a battle. I am slightly proud. 3:00 am Still afraid but hanging in there. Telling myself Ive made it this far. Trying to ignore the snakes and ghouls. When I ignore them they are not so bad. 3:15 am The man keeps coming back. He is not as scary anymore. 4:00 am I think I can finally see the dawn rising in the far distance. I am completely exhausted. But I think , this is it! I have made it to Day! I am very excited. 4:15 am A little old lady appears. She is very sweet looking and gentle. "Hi honey!" she says. "Hi there" I say, glad for some company. "Rough night, huh?" she says. "Ill say", I agree. I feel relaxed, relieved, happy, so proud of myself. "And youve done such a great job," she says. I thank her for the compliment. "Such a great job, " she says, "that you deserve to hit that button one more time. Just to see it once before its gone. It was such a lovely light wasnt it?" she says sweetly. "It was a lovely light," I say. I look fondly at the button, and then look outside to the greying sky, which is filling with a dirty pale light. I think of my brilliant warm light and how it used to cheer me up instantly. "You do deserve it," she says. We chat for some time about what a great job Ive done getting through the night. She is a very sweet and understanding lady. We stroll around the room for a while, and then I look down. When I do, I realize my hand is on the button. I look into the nice ladys eyes, and suddenly I see the glint of evil green grinning back at me. "Why dont you push the button now?" she growls, in a voice that sounds like the grave. "AARGH!" I yell. I jerk my hand off the button. The lady vanishes in a puff of noxious fumes. But her words were powerful poison and it is a while before I can walk away from the button. I am terrified by the close call. 4:15 am Its getting brighter now. 5:00 am Things are going OK. I have survived a few more close calls. The old lady came back, and so did the lawyer lady, but I fought them off. The snakes and ghouls I realize were only in my head. Things are looking normal. I can see again! 6:00 am Sunrise! I never thought I would see it. Its only a matter of time before I get to see the Day. I realize I will never need my horrible button again. I am so relieved I could just cry. I am full of gratitude and thanks. I am so proud of myself, so humble. Ive come so far. And then I hear the voice. It is icy cold and gravelly, and sounds like a thousand monsters whispering together. It comes from everywhere and nowhere, it echoes through my brain. "There are monsters everywhere, my friend," it says. "There are monsters which can attack you in the grey light of dawn, monsters under the bed at sunrise, and monsters which will haunt you invisibly during the Day. These monsters can only be conquered by pressing that magic button. Did you think that daylight would protect you? Oh no. Never forget that the monsters are ALL AROUND, my friend. And the button is the only thing that will keep them away FOREVER. So watch out where you step, and listen wherever you go". I am chilled. I am terrified. I look to make sure the button is not far away. It is still there, and I am slightly comforted by this. The sunrise is not as safe as it seemed. 6:15 am I look around for day-monsters. Sometimes I can see them lurking under the bed. I had no idea that I would be afraid after sunrise. I miss my brilliant warm light. Just waiting for Day to come. 7:00 am. Sun keeps rising. Doing much better now. Monsters are less frightening. Really beginning to feel positive. 7:15 am Getting very bright. Feeling great. Knock at the door. Its the neighbour. "Hey lady," he says. "Howya doing in here? Listen, I dropped off because I noticed your light wasnt on. I just wanted to let you know that if you push that button over there, you can see a whole lot better!" "Yeah I know", I say, "but when you push the button, it stays night. The longer I leave it off, the brighter it gets, and eventually itll be as bright as Day." "Well, I hate to tell you this," he says, "but you know, it never really gets as bright in the Daytime as that light was. I mean, I tried that whole Day thing and it aint what its cracked up to be. Sure, the light gets kind of bright during the Day, but then there are cloudy days, and whatnot. And you can never really read a book with the same amount of clarity as you get with that button". "Really?" I say. "I did not know this. Because you know, I am a big reader". "Oh, yeah, that Day light, its never the same! You cant read by Day light!!! Not the way you can with this baby you got right here. I tell you what -if you want, I can jimmy this light so that it doesnt get dark at all! That way, itll be on all the time, and youll NEVER know its night outside. What do you think?" "You can do that?" I say. "I mean, I tried that before. I tried a LOT of different things to make it not seem so bad. But I still knew it was night. That light still kept going out." "No, no, no -- that was last time. I guarantee you I can fix it so that you will never feel scared that its night, and that light will always be on. Believe me, it beats the hell out of Day. I promise you. I mean look at this crappy light", he said, jerking his thumb towards the weak sunrise. "Well, OK" I said. "What do I have to do?" "Just push the button once, so I can get it going, then youll be all set," he said. "And if you dont like it, you can always try this Day thing another time, right?" He grinned pleasantly, and gave me a friendly wink. I looked him over to size him up. He was really a good-looking guy, so friendly and polite. It was obvious he knew what he was talking about, and he had a very honest face. Perhaps, I thought, my friends were wrong about this Day thing? I mean, here was a guy who could just rig up my button to fix it up just like that. And it sounded like he knew from experience that the button light was better and brighter than Day. Plus he had promised that it would work. Why would this guy lie to me? He was still standing there, smiling at me. "OK" I said, "What the heck". And I reached to shake his hand. "Excellent" he grinned. But as he smiled I got a glimpse of what was between his lips, and saw that his mouth was full of maggots. Suddenly I realized that he reeked of rotting corpses and death, and when I touched his hand, it felt like cold icy death. I looked into his eyes and saw that I was staring face-to-face with none other than the Nicodemon. "Nicodemon!!!" I shrieked. "Yes, my dear" he growled, and as he grinned at me, moving his face closer to mine, his breath smelled like ashes and cancer. "Just push that button and Ill fix that little button for you RIGHT AWAY". The maggots were still spilling out of his mouth, and to my horror I realized that his body was made up of decaying flesh. Every surface of his body was covered with sores, and from the sores leaked pus and phlegm. I looked down and saw that I was still clutching his rotting, deadened hand. "Argh!" I yelled. "You are a LIAR!!!!!! That stuff is not true! What you say is never true!!! You cant fix that button! If I push it Ill be back in the night! The button will not make the monsters go away! It never did! All it did was keep me in eternal night!!!!! NOW GO AWAY AND GET OUT OF HERE!!!!!! YOU BASTARD!!!!!" And I kicked him right in the balls. "AAAAAUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!" shrieked the Nicodemon. With a cloud of poisonous fumes and toxic gases he began to melt into a puddle of phlegm, until nothing was left of him except a small pile of ash. "Ha". I said. I swept up the ash and put it outside. I had won this battle, and I deserved to be proud. I had outwitted the most clever villain of all. And I had done it all by myself (with a little help from my friends). But I knew he would be back. Epilogue Sometime Around High Noon Well the sun has finally come up and its Day. Its everything my friends promised it would be. The sun is out, the birds are singing, and its simply glorious. Eventually, I even walked out of that small dark room, and left the button behind. The best part about it is, the sun never goes down here. It just stays high noon all day long, and the sun is shining almost all the time. My friends are here with me, and we never have to go back into that horrible night. The Demon came back a few more times, in a few more disguises. He almost fooled me that night that I went through the dark, and he might fool me again. But Ive got my friends behind me and they tell me about the different tricks he likes to use. He is a crafty, conniving, horrible, evil spirit, and I know that he will always do everything in his power to try and get me back. But I will be ready, and waiting. And God willing, Ill keep outwitting that son-of-a-bitch. Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/343-the-dark-room/
    2 points
  14. I remember reading this during the initial days of my quit almost 3 years ago. It helped me identify what I was going through and reinforced what would be waiting for me on the other side. I’ll ever be thankful for all of the reading material and video links available on the QuitTrain.
    2 points
  15. Thanks. I'm not going to stop trying and I still want to quit. I was just a bit up and down last week.
    2 points
  16. Welcome I agree all the above.
    2 points
  17. Hi @Icandothis2 Welcome!! We are very glad you found us. I am a newbie too, I am quit 8 months, 2nd and LAST time for me! I don't have any experience with the patch or any of the NRT's, but there are others who have done it with that. I started this quit with the weaning method which was the worst thing I could have done. I was constantly in perpetual withdrawal. The people on here told me to just take the plunge and give up cigs totally which I did about 2 days later. I'm not gonna lie and say it was easy, because it wasn't. For me it was very difficult, as I had a lot of withdrawal symptoms for about 2-3 months. I came on here every single day, and still do, and vented and complained. The people on this board are so great, and they have become my friends! You can do it, it will take some work, but in the long run it will be so worth it! After 8 months, I don't get many urges, and when I do, it lasts a few seconds and then it passes. It certainly isn't like it was back in the beginning. Go for it @Icandothis2, because YOU CAN DO THIS!!! Everyone on this board is living proof and several are quit for many years and even a decade! We were ALL addicted to smoking and have given it up, so we know EXACTLY what you are going through. Quitting isn't easy, that's for sure, some may have it a little easier than others, but I doubt anyone on here will say "ohh quitting is a piece of cake", I really doubt it. It takes a lot of patience and stamina, but the longer you go without a cig, the easier it gets. I can promise you that, as I'm sure many of the others on here can attest to. After a while, not smoking will be "your norm"! Go for it, and I wish you all the best of luck! Please stay close to the train and it's riders are all here to help you!!
    2 points
  18. Hello and welcome . Read all you can here ..watch the videos . You can do it Stay close to the board ..
    2 points
  19. Hi @Icandothis2! You have been given lots of good advice by others. I'd just like to add that once you quit, get rid of any cigs you still have and for that matter, ashtrays lighters etc. You can't smoke what you don't have. Hanging on to a few cigs while you quit is just asking for trouble. Make a steadfast commitment not to smoke. Quitting is simple but not easy. The simple part is 'just don't smoke'; no matter what. No matter how difficult quitting may be at times, quitting never killed anyone. The same can't be said for those who continue to smoke. Hang around here and let us help you to take back your life.
    2 points
  20. CB 17 Stew 18 DB 17 Stew 18 Or do me be wong?
    1 point
  21. 1 point
  22. Good news QG…Glad you ok x
    1 point
  23. 1 point
  24. Glad to hear you're on the mend
    1 point
  25. G’day Yes most places are air conditioned. Prefer not to run mine till needed and usually only the bedroom at night. And to be frank I much prefer to sit out in the sea breeze on my back verandah keeping an eye on the Weber than sitting in an air conditioned box. Brisbane is sub tropical. It can get a bit steamy in summer but that’s only a few months a year. The rest is perfect. We don’t have a heater. I don’t have a jumper. Just not needed.
    1 point
  26. G’day It’s a weber Q family, the larger 2 gas burner. During the summer months here everything’s cooked on this grill. Just too hot to cook on the range in the kitchen better flashing the gas weber on the verandah 2 steps from the kitchen door. Chuck a couple of layers of aluminium foil down and put a trivit on that you can use it like an oven. Heres a savoury lamb pie I’ve baked on the Q.
    1 point
  27. Welcome to the train @Icandothis2. You're making a wise decision to quit smoking and get your freedom back. We have a ton of info here to help you and if you can't find an answer to a question you have then just post and ask us. Chances are good someone has experienced the same thing and can give you a clue ☺ Check out the pinned posts in the main forum for starters. We also have a video section if that's more your thing. No shame in using NRTs just remember not to use them while you're smoking as its very dangerous....
    1 point
  28. Welcome @Icandothis2 you are making a decision that will change your life for sure, congrats and you have come to the right place for support. I did not use NRT's, but I had some at the ready. The Nicotine is gone from your body in about three days, so I figured if I made it 3 days the physical symptoms would be over and from then on just have to deal with the mental part of the addiction, so far it worked for me. I would also recommend Allen Carrs book, (The Easy Way) it was a big help to me in understanding the addiction. https://www.amazon.com/Allen-Carrs-Smoking-Without-Willpower/dp/178404542X/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=MST9683RZGO8&keywords=alan+carr+easy+way+to+quit+smoking&qid=1707062491&sprefix=alan+carr+%2Caps%2C189&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1
    1 point
  29. @Icandothis2well hello and welcome aboard. you can do this. all you really need to do is follow the rules. If using patches or gums helps you follow those rules then by all means do whatever you feel is necessary. That being said, the quitting is simple but not easy and I don't think there is an easy way out of this. Anyway, here are the rules. Stick to them and you cannot help but to quit. Rule 1. Don't smoke Rule 2. When in doubt, refer to Rule 1.
    1 point
  30. Hi, I'm a newbie and I'm wanting to quit smoking by initially using NRT patches. I'm not familiar with how to use this site yet and so any tips would be welcome. At the moment I woke up and smoked, getting fed up with myself for lacking 'grit', have put on a Step 1 patch and found this forum...thank you for being here.
    1 point
  31. Time, by Alan Parsons Project This band reminds me of Pink Floyd
    1 point
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QuitTrain®, a quit smoking support community, was created by former smokers who have a deep desire to help people quit smoking and to help keep those quits intact.  This place should be a safe haven to escape the daily grind and focus on protecting our quits.  We don't believe that there is a "one size fits all" approach when it comes to quitting smoking.  Each of us has our own unique set of circumstances which contributes to how we go about quitting and more importantly, how we keep our quits.

 

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