MarylandQuitter

You and your neighbors get a decrease in property tax. I insert a flock of geese heading north.

The best guitar solo in the history of guitars...and solos. This song is mesmerizing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4gV-W93-OY

NTAP! NTAP Shuffle anyone? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qn8_bWeZRVU

I haven't even had my first sip of perfectly brewed coffee yet (it's sitting next to me) and had to respond. So yeah, some things are more important than coffee. :) Great job Tiffany! I'm beyond happy for you. I was so glad to read that you were going out with friends that smoke because until you face these situations, you just sell yourself short of confidence in your quit. Here are a couple of videos to reinforce your decision and ultimately, your victory. :) Avoiding Situations Where You Used To Smoke This video discusses the importance of facing triggers head on as opposed to the natural inclination of many to avoid situations where they used to smoke. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M681p2B-8kA&list=PLB9C6D1DB230060AA Everything You Did As A Smoker You Can Do As An Ex-Smoker This video points out that many people don't even attempt to quit because of the fear that they will not only have to give up cigarettes when they quit smoking but also, all of the activities in their lives that they did with cigarettes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqlyAdvafio&index=13&list=PLCDB8BA311D538113

The Boondock Saints is one of my all-time favorite movies!

Short hair Fireplace or furnace?

This is sad, but it hit home for me. Different circumstances and a generation gap, this was me. How lonely I really was and smoking was never the friend I had thought it was. This could be any one of us should we ever take another puff from one of those death sticks. Life had become a boring routine. She had just been going through the motions of maintaining a normal semblance of existence. Waking up, having a cigarette. Washing up and brushing her teeth, having a cigarette. Eating breakfast, having a cigarette. Doing some light cleaning, vacuuming, dusting, and having a cigarette. Watching a little television while having a cigarette. Preparing a sandwich for lunch, having a cigarette. Taking a short nap, waking up for a cigarette. Reading the newspaper, having a cigarette. Making a list of needed groceries, having a cigarette. Getting ready to do some light shopping, having a cigarette. Driving to the local market, having a cigarette. About to enter the store, but stopping to have a cigarette. Checking out at the cash register, leaving the store and having a cigarette. Going home and starting to prepare dinner, having a cigarette. Eating dinner, having a cigarette. Clearing the table and washing the dishes, having a cigarette. Watching a little television, having a couple of cigarettes. Washing up, brushing her teeth and getting dressed for bed, having a cigarette. Getting into bed, having a cigarette. Going to sleep. Ever since the loss of her husband many years ago, nothing in her normal daily existence seemed to give her life any meaning or any real happiness. Weeks would go by with her barely cracking a smile. Almost nothing seemed to bring her joy anymore. But this day was starting differently. After breakfast her phone rang. She ran for a cigarette. On the fourth ring she made it to the phone and picked up the receiver. It was her daughter. She lived only an hour away, but because of her career, her husband's schedule and the kid's school, soccer, piano, ballet lessons, etc., they only were able to visit occasionally. Well, to her pleasant surprise, she found out that they were coming on Saturday to spend the day. For the first time in weeks she seemed truly happy. As soon as she hung up the phone she grabbed for a cigarette. She had to start planning and preparing to see the kids. She called her beauty shop to make an afternoon appointment. When she hung up the phone she took a cigarette. She got dressed and ready to go shopping, and right before leaving, she took a cigarette. In the car driving to the store she hurriedly smoked two cigarettes for she knew she could not smoke while in the store. She hurriedly went up and down the aisles, with a certain bounce in her step for she was still so excited about the visit. When she left the store she hurried to her car and lit a cigarette. She went home, put away the groceries, prepared and ate a quick bite, smoked a cigarette and hurriedly left the house to be on time for her beauty shop appointment. While she was there she smoked and conversed with the other patrons, glowing as she told of her exciting weekend news. When she got home, she smoked a cigarette, and starting preparing a turkey for the big Saturday night meal. She smoked and ate, smoked and cooked and smoked and prepared for bed. One last cigarette and she slowly dozed off, happy and excited about the joy of the upcoming day. When she woke up she excitedly grabbed for her first cigarette. She got up and cleaned and brushed her teeth, and took another cigarette. She ate breakfast and smoked again. She started preparing her feast and smoked numerous cigarettes. Even though she was not conscious of the fact, she was smoking more than normal. Through years of conditioning she had learned that since she couldn't smoke when around the grandchildren she had better have plenty of nicotine in her system by the time they arrived. A little last minute cleaning, and cooking and smoking. She was ready. The door bell rings. She hurries to the door and opens it up. There is her family. Everyone is excited. She goes to kiss the youngest, who says "Oh grandma, you smell like an ashtray!" She was used to these comments, she loved him anyway. After 15 minutes of talking with all the kids and her daughter and son-in-law, she and her daughter go to the kitchen to work on the dinner. After a couple of hours she starts to feel the twinge for a cigarette. But she knows she can't smoke. The kids are running through the house vigorously. As the hours pass, her patience becomes strained. Too much noise she thinks to herself, boy, does she wish she could smoke a cigarette. She starts to complain of a minor headache. They decide they better eat early, grandma is seeming a little tired and a little hassled. They sit down to eat. The food is good and everyone is enjoying. But grandma seems to be feeling worse and worse. Four hours have passed and still no cigarette. After dinner they all decide grandma needs some rest and mutually everyone agrees they will leave early. She kisses them all good-bye and rushes them out. As the door closes she hurries to her pack and smokes three cigarettes in a row. She finally starts to feel better. She now sits down in a quiet empty room thinking how lonely she feels and how sad that they had to leave so soon. But at least she has her cigarettes. But it had been a long day. She washes up, brushes her teeth, gets dressed for bed, and has one last cigarette. Tomorrow would be another routine day. Joel © Joel Spitzer 1994, 2000 Page last updated by Joel Spitzer on August 24, 2003

Good Reasons To Take A Puff On A Cigarette After Having Quit Smoking For people who think that there are no good reasons to take a puff on a cigarette after quitting, and more importantly, for people who think that there might actually be good reasons. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvHl-zwUdBo Related video: There is no legitimate reason to relapse https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCm_5... Related article: There is no legitimate reason to relapse http://ffn.yuku.com/topic/24 Cigars and Relapsing Video discusses how the only successful quits is the current quit and it will only stay successful as long as you continue to stick to your personal commitment to never take another puff. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNfzs-97ztU Related videos: The lucky ones get hooked: The law of addiction: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2I0NQ... Can second hand smoke cause relapse: Maybe a puff isn't that big of a deal: What should I call myself: Is relapse a natural part of the addiction process: Nicotine is nicotine is nicotine:

Tiffany, you just made my day!!!! :) My relapse was 100% intentional and subconsciously planned. I knew it but was in denial because I was still believing in the cigarette. I sure learned from that huge debacle! lol http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvHl-zwUdBo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Prc1UfuokY

Tobacco lobbyist buying politicians in Washington, D.C. is why cigarettes are still being sold. If anti-smoking lobbyists had more money than big tobacco then and only then would you start to see legislation being pushed to stop the sale of them. Would it work? No. It would probably create more demand just as it did with prohibition in the 1920's and it would create another Al Capone. lol The best way to beat big tobacco is to take away their customers by exposing the lies and spreading the word that quitting smoking is very, very doable, one smoker at a time. :)

Those thoughts will pop up when you least expect it - the length of time quit matters none. Addiction can't count years quit but it has to listen to you when you tell it to shut up. :)

Abby, For right now, this very moment, make a firm decision to quit and no matter what, protect that precious quit of yours. Once you put out your last cigarette, you become a non-smoker. Then we need to learn about this addiction so we can prepare ourselves for cravings and other issues that may or may not arise. The key to staying quit is education and commitment. Right now you're believing in the lies of the cigarette. In reality, you do not love your cigarettes and you don't enjoy smoking. That is the nicotine addiction talking. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVEyGdqwjmQ This is my quit journey. :) Stay active here and post away. Post what you're struggling with, watch the videos in Joel's Quit Smoking Library, the documentaries here on smoking and tobacco and read, read and then read some more. We're here to help 24/7. Once you quit and you feel like you're going to slip up and smoke, post an S.O.S. so we can help. Myself, the moderators and several members get instant alerts to their phones and email whenever an S.O.S. is posted. Just remember that anybody can quit and that Abby, includes you. :)

I Know I'll Quit Again Video discusses the risk of allowing yourself to relapse using the logic that you can always simply just quit again. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHp8yFnHbZQ Get Right Back In The Saddle? Still quit right away but figure out what went wrong and what happened so it doesn't happen again. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcEzzFM6c7A "Well at least I attempted to quit smoking. That's better than not trying to quit at all." This comment was stated by a clinic participant who, after five days of not smoking, gave in to an urge and took a cigarette. It was only going to be one cigarette, he thought. But by the end of the day, he was up to his old level. So what about his logic that at least trying to quit smoking is better than not trying at all? If this was his first attempt, it could be said that it was a learning experience. Maybe he just didn't understand the concept of addiction. He did not believe one cigarette could reestablish a physical dependency on nicotine. After taking one cigarette, he lost all control. So now, if he would ever quit again, he would not question the concept of one cigarette causing a total relapse. But this was not his first attempt quitting. It was his second time in our clinic, as well as multiple previous attempts at other programs, hypnosis and on his own. He once quit for two months before relapsing. At that time he broke all physical dependency on nicotine. Also, after two months he successfully overcame many trigger situations which cause many smokers to initially relapse. Work pressures, family problems, and social situations are obstacles that all ex-smokers initially face when quitting. He overcame all of these trigger situations. But then, one day, out of sheer boredom, he took a cigarette. In that attempt, too, he relapsed right back to his old level. Obviously, taking that cigarette was a serious mistake. This attempt, too, he chalked up to experience. But when considering his latter attempts, it is apparent that he learned nothing. Unless he objectively evaluates what causes his relapses to smoking, he is wasting his time trying to quit again. Because instead of recognizing his past attempts as failures, he rationalizes a positive feeling of accomplishment about them. This type of rationalization all but assures failures in all future attempts. Don't allow yourself to get into the same rut as this man did. On again, off again, one withdrawal after another. Quitting smoking is only the first step in smoking cessation. http://whyquit.com/joel/Joel_03_11_at_least_i_tried.html

I Know I Will Quit Again Video discusses the risk of allowing yourself to relapse using the logic that you can always simply just quit again. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHp8yFnHbZQ Related article: I Know I Will Quit Again http://www.ffn.yuku.com/topic/22978 Related story: http://ffn.yuku.com/sreply/425017/I-K... Related videos: "If I relapse I will smoke until it kills me." "Get right back in the saddle" The lucky ones get hooked Get Right Back In The Saddle? Joel's views on the common phrase of "Just get back in the saddle" being used when a person relapses. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcEzzFM6c7A Related article: I Know I Will Quit Again http://www.ffn.yuku.com/topic/22978 Related videos: "I know I will quit again." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHp8yF... "If I relapse I will smoke until it kills me." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCRLo9... The lucky ones get hooked http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8XvSi...

Tiffany, although smoking may be a bad habit, it's without any doubt an addiction. We are all addicts and that's all that matters. Smoking is not your friend, not a coping mechanism or an escape and so long as you believe these lies, you're going to continue to make this much harder than what it really is. These false notions will cause you to needlessly suffer and make you think that your missing out on something when in fact, you never got any of these things from smoking. These are the same things that people say who relapse. It's the very reason that I relapsed. I thought it would help me cope and it didn't. I'm not talking out of my ass, I'm talking about of experience. Both of my quits were relatively easy but staying quit proved to be very difficult until I finally accepted that I was and am an addict and smoking did not benefit me in any way shape or form. Jesse doesn't need to internalize anything. All he needs to do is be committed to quitting.

I don't know if I pledged already today or not but I'm going to now anyway. Nope!

Every time I forget about that song I always seem to bump into it again. lol I needed a laugh and this was it. :lol: :negative:

I'd like to know why he threw in the towel again and smoked so we can help him. To me, relapse is not okay. I understand it, I get it, I've been there but I also came very close to getting addicted again, so bad that in fact I was concerned that I wouldn't want to ever quit. Relapsing is no more okay than smoking is. What's the difference? Not a single person needs to be a non-smoker to be here. Those who relapse are just as welcome as anyone else and need to be here as much as anybody. When I say that relapse is not okay I say that out of a caring place, not a critical one. Like I've said, I've been there and I get it. However, there is not a single reason why somebody cannot quit and certainly no reason to continue the cycle of quit/relapse/excuses/smoke/quit/relapse and so on. This addiction isn't like cutting sweets or carbs out of your diet as it's firmly taken root in our bodies and even more so our minds. Everything we did from the time we woke up until the time we went to bed revolved around smoking in some way or another. That takes time and vigilance to undo and the only way that we can start to learn to live without cigarettes is to first quit smoking them. Jesse doesn't need to keep coming back over and over again as all he needs to do is bite the bullet and quit. Wherever it is he's failing, we can't help him when he disappears. Until he's honest with himself and us about his addiction, we can't help him. We'll always be here of course, but he may not. The time to quit is now because anybody could wind up that person who dies with a cigarette in their hand or gets stricken down with cancer like Bryan Curtis who died at age 34. I'm quite sure he never in his wildest of thoughts ever gave consideration to dying at age 34 with his little boy at his side. Jesse, if you're reading this, stop making excuses and quit. We'll always be here to help and support you but you have to first make the effort to quit and let us help you when you struggle. I understand that quitting can be hard as I smoked for more years than you are old. So, it's hard. So is being a kid, going to school, work, being a parent, walking away and saying goodbye. All these of these things, quitting smoking is easier. I could make a list of things from just today that I had to do that was harder than quitting but I think you understand. A college professor told me some 20+ years ago that anything worth having in this life is going to take hard work and sacrifice. I'm sure he heard it from somewhere as there are countless variations of the same but that one stuck with me and carried me through to where I am today and that includes quitting and staying quit from smoking cigarettes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gtXGwu3uC4&list=PLCDB8BA311D538113&index=6

If history repeats itself...

Thank you. :)

Sorry, Nancy. I misread your post. I thought you said that a cheat meal has disastrous results for you. Enjoy those cheat meals! :)

Here's a few places. http://sincemylastcigarette.com/ http://www.tickerclub.com/ http://www.tickerfactory.com http://alterna-tickers.com/

I'm not smoking today. It's not the answer for anything and never was. NOPE.

Welcome! It sounds like your quit is coming along very well. Keep educating yourself and never let your guard down. :)