MarylandQuitter

Evelyn, you have come so far since I first met you. You're far more confident than you once were and you're not afraid to take the bull by the horns. I'm proud of you not just because you're beating the crap out of your nicotine addiction but more so because of who you are. You're a strong, strong woman. I can see it plain as day.

But it had to be done. CARL!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czybZ-J_X9g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OecZW2kDnM0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_VLzElVlTE

Written while the Vietnam War was in full swing and so was the draft...great little piece here. :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m57gzA2JCcM

Completely normal! You can't remove something that was so intertwined in your life, much less something so addictive and expect to not think of it from time to time or even often. For everybody it's different. Dreams of smoking are powerful and the last one I had I woke up, made coffee and logged into the forum and started reading; the entire time thinking in the back of my mind that I had relapsed! After the powerful cup of black water sparked my brain back to life, I sighed a breath of relief that I was still reeling from the dream and in a bit of a fog. I think of smoking every day. The day I completely forget that I was a smoker is the day I could fall into a trap. I'm not going to try and pretend that I never smoked and it doesn't bother that I used to. I hate the fact that I used to but I can't go back and change it. When I remember that I used to smoke I feel good about what I've achieved as a non-smoker and it just plain gives me peace. When I was smoking the last thing I had was peace because of the inner turmoil knowing that I shouldn't be poisoning myself to an early grave. Well, that's my 2¢. :)

Welcome, Kristin! Congrats on 6 days. :) Check out some of the pinned topics in the Quit Smoking Discussions Forum and especially Joel's video library.

Love this! You're 100% right, it's a freaking con-job. Once we realize that we never really truly enjoyed smoking, the conflict is removed and we no longer feel like we're depriving ourselves of something.

:read:

There are a couple of changes that I need to make but you won't have to make new tickers. When the changes are made it will just show in your current tickers. :)

Tickers have been updated and if you've like a new one, there are 8 different versions to choose from. :)

Click on QT Ticker tab at the top of the main forum page. :)

Smoking Breaks Video explains how most smokers productivity and level of personal comfort are negatively impacted by the chronic need to having to smoke to alleviate the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qJkZ8Wfmsk Related articles: Smoking breaks http://ffn.yuku.com/topic/11950 The Economic Costs of Smoking http://www.ffn.yuku.com/topic/22948 Related Videos: "I'll never be as productive again if I quit smoking" Disorientation that may occur when first quitting smoking Blood sugar symptom Common symptoms Going back to normal after quitting smoking "How can I be addicted, I can go hours without smoking"

Happy Birthday, Colleen!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZzSvDNIG_o

Just remember that when you feel ick because you're retraining your mind for life without cigarettes (AKA freedomville), that smoking makes you feel like complete crap. When I look back and think how I felt when I was smoking, it's almost like I could feel myself dying. Smoking is not a good feeling at all. I thought it was for so many years, but I guess I just got used to the feeling of a slow and miserable death which became normal for me. I'll never go back to that life ever again. Ever. Who Wants To Go Back To Smoking? This video discusses how former smokers at times think they want to go back to smoking, but if they really remind themselves of the package deal that goes along with being a smoker, it will be easy for them to stick to their quit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DG9qGjf2hd8&list=PL76365B6CE2DA076B Related articles: "I think I have decided to go back to smoking" http://ffn.yuku.com/topic/11399 "I made a conscious decision to smoke." http://ffn.yuku.com/topic/11400 Craves and thoughts that occur over time http://www.ffn.yuku.com/topic/207

Hope you are well today. I found this little gem in Markus' blog and it's very relevant to you (and all of us!). :) It takes time to unravel yourself from a life of feeding your addiction to nicotine. I wish I could say that I remember feeling how you do. Maybe then I could respond in a way that makes sense and maybe help you a bit. How could I ever know how you feel? I can only read what you say and remember how I felt and write about it. Was I ever scared. I have faced down a lot in my years. But, I hadn't even quit for 2 minutes and was overcome with such sadness. I was going to lose my old friend, the cigarette and I could tell that I was going to change, and lose some of myself. It all came true. What I saw when I started did become reality. And, in looking back at that time, I got exactly what I asked for. I made that choice, but I never knew what it would mean. And so you too will become exactly what you seek if you so choose it. You will lose yourself as you are, and become who you were meant to be, a free person. But, it comes at a price, and we have all had to pay it. You have to leave yourself behind to find yourself anew. When you can do that you will know that it's real, and that it will be forever. The rest of your life awaits. Congratulations on your quit! KTQ, Markus

We know. For shuffling, one does not need anything fancy and in fact, it wouldn't look right if you wore something nice. :lol22:

You know how you shake that feeling? You don't smoke and the longer you don't smoke this feeling will be less and less and certainly no longer an internal conflict. The conflict will be removed once you've retrained your brain that smoking doesn't benefit it us in any way at all. You will get here once you get through all the different seasons both literally and figuratively speaking. It takes a full year in most cases to experience the typical cycle of changes in the seasons, holidays, emotions and a huge list of other things that can cause cravings and urges to smoke. One thing we both know is that you're beating this addiction! It takes courage which you obviously have lots of or else you would have relapsed by now. Don't ever give a damn inch against this addiction because your life depends on it. In the meantime, never forget the commitment that you made to yourself to never take another puff from one of those damn cigarettes. They bring nothing but death and disease. You've come this far and there is no way that your support group is going to let you succumb to this addiction. Keep posting and writing about your feelings, concerns, triumphs etc. Have you rewarded yourself for the great work thus far?

I think you're still believing in the cigarette. There have been other members who have had the same problem. What do you think you're missing by not smoking? Certainly you can make a list of positive things since quitting rather quickly but I think you'd have a hard time making a list of bad things since you've quit smoking. You're unable to pinpoint what exactly it is that you're missing out on by not smoking so what you're listening to is the nicotine addict. Junkie thinking; recognize these thoughts for what they are and soon you'll retrain your brain know without a doubt that you're not missing out on anything. Have you watched this video? Boy, Do I Miss Smoking! This video discusses how if people use the phrase "Boy, do I miss smoking," long enough, they may end up believing the message and putting their quits at risk. People don't usually miss smoking--they miss cigarettes and more accurately, they miss the "good cigarettes" they used to smoke. Really though, just how many of their cigarettes were "good cigarettes?" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BT5ZL02832s Related articles: "Boy, do I miss smoking!" http://ffn.yuku.com/topic/20665 I Smoke Because I Like Smoking! http://www.ffn.yuku.com/topic/17137 The Fallacy of "Good Cigarettes" http://ffn.yuku.com/topic/11348 Related videos: "I smoke because I like smoking" http://youtu.be/nCkt_ajgTQE Who wants to go back to smoking? http://youtu.be/DG9qGjf2hd8 "I gave up smoking" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSe3iH... "No thank you, I can't have a cigarette." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HD25Zz...

Do you feel like you're missing out on something by not smoking?

That's still not a video of anybody shuffling. :)

Trust me, you're not the only who has struggled like this. The important thing is to hold on and don't let go of this quit. No matter discouraged you may feel, it pales in comparison to one of the many horrible diseases that smoking causes. Every quit is different. Every Quit Is Different Video discusses how it is impossible to determine with any certainty what kind of withdrawals or problems a person may encounter when quitting because every quit is different. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYHkaGt-YhE Related videos: Comparing quits with others https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIlyD... Amount smoked https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8MEE... The fear of failure https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_64R... If I relapse I will smoke until it kills me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCRLo... Quitting smoking is more doable than most people think https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gtXG... What is withdrawal really like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbEoM... Related article: Every Quit is Different http://www.ffn.yuku.com/topic/11549

Yeah I let him know about it. Dang it! lol