MarylandQuitter

We all learn until the day we die but that's a very generalized statement about life and Jonny is talking quitting smoking and staying quit. There is a big difference and you can't make such sweeping generalizations when somebody is talking about something very specific. Quitting smoking, staying quit and being a happy, content non-smoker does not require constant learning for the rest of your life. It requires vigilance and awareness, but not constant learning. This isn't engineering or computer science where things are rapidly changing. The laws of addiction have largely remained the same and in the case of nicotine addiction, they are static. I know that I keep my guard up by never forgetting that I'm an addict. Jonny is the same way. Being confident in your quit is your best weapon against never smoking again. If you walk around with the mindset that you may or may not ever smoke again, you're doomed to repeat the past. Once you come to the realization that you've not given anything up by quitting, you're going to feel like you're on some kind of diet and are depriving yourself of something. This does not sound like a pleasant way for me to spend the rest of my life. There is no "one size fits all" solution to quitting (like I wrote in the "About Us" section) but there is a one size fits all solution to remaining a happy, content non-smoker for the rest of our lives. Allen Carr taught me this as he has millions of others. Allen Carr was a happy non-smoker because he understood that he gave nothing up by quitting smoking and that he never really enjoyed smoking in the first place. Allen knew he would never smoke again and I can guarantee that he didn't have the mindset that that he may or may not ever smoke again. Furthermore, Jonny5's aunt is a nurse who deals with smoking cessation and I can't speak for Jonny5, but I would imagine that he has a different perspective on this whole quitting thing than the rest of us.

This is the foundation of a lasting, non-burdensome quit. This is how to get to Freedomville. Even when life gets tough or you're stressed to the max, you will not reach for a cigarette once you fully believe that you've not given anything up by quitting smoking. Smoking offers nothing but stress, disease and slavery to Philip Morris (insert your master of choice here).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVEyGdqwjmQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TL2Vh7goJc&noredirect=1

The longer you continue to smoke you're going to wake up that addiction and fall into past patterns all over again. Before you know it you'll be back to where you were when you quit. I suggest that you quit ASAP. Don't give up quitting! I have chances to buy cigarettes whenever I want. I can bum one whenever I want. You will always have the opportunity to smoke but when you're a non-smoker you don't smoke. What led up to this relapse? How long was the junkie thinking going on? As you know, relapses don't just happen as they are planned as soon as that inner junkie plants the seed and you let it grow. You made a bad choice and now you're going to make a great choice by quitting ASAP. You can do this, Amy. Putting things in your mouth and setting them ablaze is not normal. It may feel normal because all you're doing to chasing withdrawal. When you put out your last cigarette, immediately create your own thread in this forum and post each day, as many times as you need to about how your feeling, what you're struggling with, if you need to vent etc. Here's 112 hands, grab one so we can pull you back up on the train and get you back to being a non-smoker. We will be waiting for you to sign back on. Hang in there and keep your chin up. That's an order. :)

Welcome, Laura and congrats on your decision to quit smoking! How long have you smoked for and how many per day? Anything specific that you want to deal with right now?

Glad you still have your quit! Running was a much, much better choice than smoking and unlike cigarettes, running actually does relieve stress. :)

The members of this board offer the best support that I've ever witnessed. So many people looking out for one another. What more can you ask for? I'm proud to be among such great people. :)

If it's in front of The White House, then yes. lol Hey, maybe I can get President Obama to sign up here. Rumor is that he quit, but not from what I heard. The junkie thinking is strong in that man. ;)

People stand on street corners dancing and waving signs for tax services and furniture sales. Why not for quit smoking? Maybe I'll get a permit and dress up in some corny costume to draw attention to myself and go stand in the front of the Whie House with my Quit Train sign. Not only will the locals see it, but so will millions of Americans as they watch the 24/hr news channels. Maybe I can even get an interview or two with some news media. I may have to spend a few nights in jail, but if it saves just one person's life...

The signs of a non-smoker who is in control. Job well done! :)

I hope you're doing well, Rachael. Please don't let the jerks of the world or the stressors in life control your quit, much less ruin it for you. I can tell you from experiennce that not only is it not worth it, but you won't feel any better. It's okay to say **** it about the people or situations, but never, ever about your quit. Hold onto your quit like it's the most precious gift you've ever received. In many ways, it is. Please let us know how you're doing. :)

Awesome job, Armed! A woots for you! :lol:

Could be anything from acid reflux to nothing. Hang in there, I'm sure you're fine. This day and age, doctors are so concerned about being sued that they cover all their basis and turn us into pin cushions. :angry: Now the dentist, you're at their mercy as you sit in that mercy seat, butt puckered and legs stiff as a board. lol

Absolutely. Water weight from eating foods higher in sodium, what time of day you weight yourself, bathroom habits etc. You can't gain four pounds of anything except water weight in one day.

Gordon Lightfoot is at the top of my list. Not only did I get to meet the legend [1], but I also got to watch him tune his guitar and strum a few without his band and just sitting outside in a fold-up chair [2]. Footnotes: [1] Charlotte, North Carolina [2] Cleveland, Ohio https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKb2XvemUeI

Ava, the idea is to get your butt moving on a regular basis and sweat. Ain't into it? Life getting in the way? Horse hockey. That is junkie thinking about exercising. Get moving, Ava.

You did? :P

Thank you guys but the designer who made it knocked it out of the park. I gave her some colors that I wanted and she stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and cracked a grand slam. ;)

Congrats, comrade!

Hi Evelyn, You seem to be very proactive in looking after your wellness by getting treatment, following your doctor's advice etc. Does your doctor want you to quit smoking right now?

My wife looked at me like I was insane and was pissed that I burned them all. She said the least I could do was give them to somebody to who smokes cigars and I said nope. I'm not going to contribute to anybody smoking. She thought I was nuts but had totally forgotten about them for the last 3 years. It didn't bother me a bit. I got more enjoyment tossing them to instant destruction than just crumbling them up and tossing them in the trash. Boring. ;)

A couple of weeks ago I was going through some old boxes in the basement and found my old humidor 1/2 full of cigars, most of which were Rockey Patel's. We had our first outdoor fire today so I decided to dispose of them when everybody came in the house for coffee. I dumped them out of the humidor into the fire and walked away. At $10-18 per stick, I burned a lot of money today but better to burn that crap in a fire than in my lungs. They were probably from 2011 or so. Yuck.

Not smoking cigarettes today.

Don't assume that is my intention. Big mistake to make with me. Tag team? What tag team? I'm in the minority opinion here. The white robe stuff is getting old. It's played out, man.

Perhaps not everybody is always looking for the great debate. I asked because I wanted to know, and smell and taste obviously wasn't the only reason why you enjoyed smoking so I wanted to know more. Instead, you chose to respond to me with a condescending attitude because of some kind of bad experience that you've had with others about the subject. I certainly didn't and still don't see the big deal about the question. Pull up the anchor and starting making headway, Sarge. Everybody else who says they enjoyed smoking, I'm not going to debate the issue with you. I just would like to know what you enjoyed about it. This is a forum about quitting smoking and if you say you enjoyed smoking, why not explain why, when asked what you liked about it? I can tell you that I didn't enjoy it like I thought I had and have explained all over the place what I didn't like about it.