MarylandQuitter

NOPE!!!

Awesome "non-action", Sarge! :) Thanks for sticking around the QT!!

Welcome, Gina! Thanks for sharing a bit about yourself and I like your approach to staying quit. :)

I get it crystal clear; it's junkie thinking, Tiffany. You've given yourself permission to relapse and have already thrown in the towel. You must make a commitment to yourself to never take another puff, take it seriously, actually mean it and actually NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF. Be uncomfortable, accept it and make it your normal for now. If you don't like that, too bad. Take a stand and stick to it. The problem that you've always had that always leads to your relapses is that you think you're giving something up by quitting smoking. You say your brain can't wrap itself around this concept and I say, so what? You don't have control over your thoughts but you DO HAVE CONTROL over how you act on them. You have a choice and your nicotine addiction is not stronger than mine. The difference is that I outsmarted mine and have remained smoke-free. You're not stronger than the addiction but you need to outsmart the thing in order to stop the constant struggle and cycle of relapse/short intervals of quitting and so on. Please let us know this morning what happened. :) I Gave Up Smoking Video discusses how attitude can play a major role on how easy or hard quitting and staying fee can be. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSe3iH-N2LU&index=34&list=PL4F05C03D0F9B86DB The Lucky Ones Get Hooked Video discusses how not all people who take a cigarette after quitting instantly get hooked--only the lucky ones do. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8XvSiHmlQ8&index=2&list=PL4F05C03D0F9B86DB

NOPE!

NOPE!

Thank you! :)

Look who's back!

Awesome job, Tiffany! Maybe you have but if you kept a journal and read back through every entry and remembered each small struggle you went through, each crave you endured until it passed and to where you are now, you would probably resolve that you will never let nicotine into your body again. I guess this thread (and your posts in other threads) can serve as a similar purpose. You cannot under any circumstances ever take another puff or introduce nicotine back into your body now. Something you wrote to another member recently. :)

We did a color refresh of sort. Just something to change it up a little. :)

Awesome job, Marlene!

Just stay close to the forum and spend as much time as you kind learning about this addiction. :gamer1:

Of course you can! In the meantime, it's imperative that you learn as much as you can about this addiction and commit to never take another puff, ever. We beat this addiction by understanding what's going on and being smarter than it, not stronger than it. Please watch the above videos as well as the videos in the link. Being proactive and active in your quit will ensure your success! :)

Marlene, please start here watching this series by Joel. If you have any cigarettes, destroy them. Don't keep a single cigarette. Get rid of them all! In the meantime, a few videos to help sort out what you're going through. Prolonging Nicotine Withdrawal Video explains how the 72 hour withdrawal symptoms that I discuss in many of my videos and articles is only applicable to true cold turkey quitters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHx12A8-mFg&feature=youtu.be Cold Turkey Quitting Redefined Video discusses that when you see or hear news reports related to studies comparing cold turkey quitting to other methods of cessation, the studies may actually have nothing to do with cold turkey quitting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMA0OhCYVo0&feature=em-upload_owner Quitting By Gradual Withdrawal While many people assume that quitting by gradual withdrawal or cutting down sounds like an easier approach, it just results in a prolonged and often more painful state of withdrawal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dvkxt_GMG-0&index=14&list=PL0F23FAFB942E402A The Law Of Addiction (Updated Video) "Administration of a drug to an addict will cause re-establishment of chemical dependence upon the addictive substance." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbOeOvA940U

Absolutely! NRT works for some and we support the use of NRT, provided the goal is to get off of ALL nicotine sooner rather than later. I see you as suffering and most likely because of the that patch. I could be wrong, but that almost always is the case because you're prolonging the inevitable which to become nicotine free to beat this addiction. :)

Nope!

Of course you can make it a full day! Do you think the patch is helping you or keeping you wanting to smoke? The way to stop the cravings is to get nicotine completely out of your body. You're prolonging this and as long as you have the patch, you're keeping the nicotine alive and active.

Our smoking addiction was ingrained in every waking (for some even when not awake) moment of our lives. For me, I had to smoke with my morning coffee and for me, it felt like the best thing in the world and there was no way I wanted to give that up. But I yet sit here and type a response to you and couldn't imagine letting a nasty cigarette ruin my perfectly brewed cup of coffee. I ain't having that. I, like yourself and countless others, would reward myself with a cigarette for many things, some of which were routine. For example; if I started my car I instantly lit a cigarette. After all, one shouldn't drive without a cigarette, should they? In the last 12 months alone, I've put over 40,000 miles on my little Honda. Not once did I smoke, feel like I was missing out on anything or felt awkward or something was different. Mind you, this was 2+ years after I quit smoking but look ahead and focus on where you want to be because as the more time you earn under your belt of not smoking, you make new "normal's" and smoking won't have a thing to do with it. Not even a desire. The only way to get here is to do what you just did and reach out for help and continue putting in the time. Don't stop now! Using Cigarettes As Rewards Video discusses how what many people find themselves not wanting to do certain activities because they can no longer reward themselves with a cigarette for completion of their tasks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYq43i2tKaY You can do that (go outside and smoke) but you've chosen a better path and made a firm choice to never take another puff. Congratulate yourself for that! You're not giving anything up and instead of getting not only your freedom back, but all sort of huge benefits; some come now and others will come later. Enjoy this process because trust me, YOU WILL look back and fondly remember this as the best choice you could have made. You can "just sit" without smoking. I do it all the time and in fact, it's one of my favorite pastimes, that and napping. :lol22: Now I can "just sit" and not have to smell the stench of chemicals and death coming from my cigarette, don't have cigarette smoke in my eyes, don't have to put out a cigarette and check the pack and figure out how much time I have left to feed the addiction before I have to run down to the store to get more and the list can go on and on. How To Do Nothing Without A Cigarette Video discusses how what many people find the most difficult time periods to get through when first quitting smoking is when they have nothing really to do. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WylBJlR-3E Life As A Smoker Is A Balancing Act While quitting may result in a person feeling some discomfort for a few days, smokers face discomfort on a daily basis from having to maintain a constant and comfortable nicotine level. Maintaining this level is a constant balancing act. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfiH2iX_aIU Although I drink less coffee now compared to when I was smoking, I didn't intentionally decrease it. Over time the amount of caffeine I needed to sustain my addiction to it (yes, I am addicted to caffeine!) decreased on it's own. Although I still drink enough coffee in one day to last most people 2 or 3, it's still much less compared to when I was smoking. When my doctor asks over the top of her reading glasses, "Wait. You drink how much coffee?", leads me to believe that I still drink quite a bit. HA! For me, I find that I can concentrate much better without nicotine which increased my heart rate, increased my blood pressure and released an Army of adrenaline when I didn't need it. That is supposed to be for the "fight or flight" response to a legitimate crisis, not working on computer (as was mostly my case) or homework. It will get better, there is no way around that no matter how much rationalizing somebody wants to do. That's good news! :) Why I Recommend Cranberry Juice When First Quitting Smoking Video discusses how cranberry juice can help people when first quitting smoking, but that it use is only helpful during the initial withdrawal period that lasts only 72 hours or less. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVkuOU7MBjQ The Terrible 3's This video discusses why people "may" have problems at three day and three month marks. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTIr3UEez1w&list=PL4F05C03D0F9B86DB&index=11 Frequency And Duration Of Thoughts And Urges Smokers often want others to tell them how many urges they are likely going to have when first quitting smoking, how strong will they be, how long will they last and will they face these urges for the rest of their lives. This video addresses these concerns and gives some practical advice as to how to deal with urges when and if they do occur. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuRQVdXv7Is&feature=em-upload_owner

What a great thread!! :)

Glad you quit again but let me ask you this question: Did smoking help you through whatever you were dealing with today? If so, why did you quit again? Don't answer that because I know the answer and so do you. It didn't help. It never did and it never will. How can we help you stop this cycle of quitting/relapse? Bad things happen, Evelyn, and oftentimes with no reason or explanation. Certainly not one to satisfy our search for "why" something has happened. Sometimes things just happen and we have to accept that. We cannot let these things or times be the defining moments of our lives. Even if it was something that happened decades ago, we cannot let it or continue to let it define us. It's normal to ask "why did this happen to me" but once that question has served it's purpose, we must ask ourselves, "where do I go from here?" We have to because if we don't, we end up in constant state of despair with little reprieves here and there. We need to get to the point where we have longer periods of feeling good and stop punishing ourselves (no more reprieves!) for things we cannot and probably never had control over. I know in your case, you HAD NO CONTROL so please stop punishing yourself for things that you couldn't have stopped from happening and it was and is no reflection on you whatsoever. You're a good person. Even when you're hurting you still reach out to those in this support group and offer kind word of encouragement. You always have friends and a home here and we want to see you succeed and maintain a long quit DESPITE all of the shit that has happened and the unavoidable shitty days to come. We all have them. I had a shitty day for about 9 months one time. :) Stay strong and remember, "By endurance we conquer!"--Sir Ernest Shackleton

Congratulations! Now, think of what all you endured to get to this point. When people relapse, they have to go through all that crap AGAIN! Not worth it! The benefits of staying quit grow more and more each day we don't smoke. Just a heads up; while you're enjoying your newfound freedom from this deadly addiction, don't EVER forget that you once were a smoker and are an addict. The time we forget this or become complacent in our quits, we end up in trouble. For me, smoking was something that I used to do, something I cannot do over and it's become a part of who I am. I never want to forget because I never want to go back. :) Complacency Video discussing the importance of not allowing yourself to become complacent after longer term success not smoking. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZSktbwotI4&index=30&list=PL4F05C03D0F9B86DB I Know Too Much About Smoking To Ever Relapse Video discusses how some people may erroneously begin to think that when they fully understand all aspects of smoking and quitting that there is no way that they could ever relapse back to smoking again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMU8ON0G4G0

You're quite welcome! Yes, the little milestones are very, very important because they keep you motivated and focused. Also, celebrate those little milestones!!

Yep. You can just quote the person and then on top or... you can just quote the person and then reply underneath like this. Replying underneath is the most common way to respond. :)

Are People Doomed To Fail If They Don't Get Professional Help To Quit Smoking? Video discusses the reality of how most people who have successfully quit smoking did it without any professional help or medical intervention, and often with little to no understanding of how to quit smoking. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtX_oEOdbn8 Real World Quitters Video discusses the reality of how most people who successfully quit smoking did it without any professional help or medical intervention. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E72P_5saQAU What Programs Do I Recommend? Video addressing a question I am asked frequently about what other smoking cessation programs I recommend to people from different areas. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3DBj_c5-Z8

Welcome, hford! You will learn that it's impossible that smoking can calm you when you're stressed. Nicotine raises your blood pressure, increases your heart rate and causes adrenaline to soar through your nervous system. Your body is flooded with the "fight or flight" mechanism of survival. We thought it calmed stress because in between cigarettes we were in a mild state of withdrawal which in and of itself is stressful. So, what did we do? We smoked which relieved the withdrawal symptoms and we erroneously believed it calmed us when we were stressed. Smoking causes stress, in more ways than just the immediate effects as increased heart rate etc. I too used to reward myself with a cigarette when I was happy, completed a job, needed a break etc. What kind of reward is that? As you stick around and take advantage of all of the articles, videos and posts to educate yourself about this addiction, you'll beat it once and for by being smarter than it, not stronger than it; a fallacy often associated with smokers unable to quit or stay quit for very long. Are you quitting cold turkey? How do you plan on dealing with urges to smoke today? Videos to start watching today, your new beginning and being free from this addiction I'll Be A Nervous Wreck Forever If I Quit Smoking Video explores the fear that people have that they will become much more nervous when they quit smoking, and likely be more nervous the rest of their lives if they stay free. Despite these fears, most people become calmer as former smokers than they were when actually smoking. The video explains why this is usually the case. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJBu7Bf3LpM&index=15&list=PL0F23FAFB942E402A Be Proud That You Quit Smoking Video discusses the importance of being proud of yourself when you are first quitting smoking. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpxnCA7fBNs&list=PL8EB359C247D3FE6C&index=15 Using Cigarettes As Rewards Video discusses how what many people find themselves not wanting to do certain activities because they can no longer reward themselves with a cigarette for completion of their tasks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYq43i2tKaY Smoking Doesn't Help Solve Stress Video discusses how smoking cannot solve stress, and in actuality usually results in making people more nervous in general than if they were former smokers or had never smoked in their lives. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6C5eTa93JSs&index=25&list=PL4F05C03D0F9B86DB