Sirius

Jillar, Thanks for posting this. People start their quit full of enthusiasm, excitement, and/or terror. As with all things wherein we clock the hours it can become a grind. .

She tickled my funny bone.

Question was raised so I will answer here. in formal attire.

I don't experience cravings anymore. Let me rephrase that. I have not experienced a craving in quite some time. Same with the smoking dreams. That stuff is in the past. If I am around people who smoke there is no trigger. Just a mild annoyance. You are free from smoking when its no longer a question you bother to ask. As Sazerac says, it just takes time.

People putting disgusting things in their mouths is hardly new if there is a perceived benefit. Also, I noticed you didn't say ex-wives... so... umm... you from Utah?

Sgt. Barney, I gather from the fecal matter present in your posts that you have nothing but contempt for verbalized commitments. I did quit and I did, on occasion, pledge. It can help us conceptualize what we want (or don't want) and help to renew our commitment by making it a daily, verbalized, focus of attention. By making the pledge in public we magnify the commitment as we incur social expectations and well wishes ...or disappointment. A pledge is just another tool in our arsenal. I confess that I am morbidly curious how you might value the concept of prayer in terms of its usefulness in defeating addiction as, while very similar, a prayer is an externalized plea wherein a pledge tends to be more of a internalized affirmation.

Redemption 3, You say that you want to restart smoking, but I'd like you to look a bit deeper. You want to quit smoking. If you didn't, you would never had quit to begin with. It's actually the addiction that wants you to restart. The longer you abstain from smoking the more removed the addiction will be from your person. Never think for a moment that you want to smoke.

While I don't recommend this practice to stop smoking (Bakon, go ahead). It worked for me.

blur, To break a habit you must create a new habit. Paving over the old with the new. First thing in the morning you stare into the mirror and tell yourself NOT...ONE...PUFF...EVER. At night, as you wait for sleep to claim you, tell yourself you can do this. That it's all just a repeat. Yes, the cravings can be tough but remind yourself that nobody dies from a craving. They don't last more then a few minutes so keep the goal firmly pictured in your mind. Carry gum, cinnamon sticks, mint toothpicks; whatever. Smoking will pick your pocket and rob you of your dreams. Get on the train and post often. We're all rooting for you but we want to hear some success. Give us a day without smoking and how your going for day two! When I go into a sundry store I see all the packs of cigarettes behind the counter and it means... it means nothing to me. No reaction at all. You can have that as well. A freedom from addiction.

I'd like to add that helping others who are struggling is a great way to maintain your quit. Doubly true if your quit is new. The new quitters feel the pain while the older quitsters can only remember it.

The patron saint of addicts and addiction.

When it comes to breaking an addiction like smoking, the shortest path is through the mud. You're gonna be a mess before you're through, but when you're through you'll be pristine.

A week not smoking (based on a pack-a-day habit): A day of your life saved. Saving 35 USD or 27 GBD or 2 troy ounces of triple 9 fine silver (that's 10 pounds of pure silver yearly!). Approximately 16 hours doing something else besides smoking. Oh, the possibilities....

Sister blue bird, flying high above! https://youtu.be/Yu9ykgGUm1w

I'm going to guess they took the song to heart.

Actually if you "really" want some amusement take your birth-date back 9 months and see what song you were conceived to. Mine was... wait for it... "Where did our Love go?" By the Supremes.

LOL! "Ticket to Ride"

Sometimes I think we have to quit each association separately. You probably got it worked out that you don't smoke while driving or eating or working and everything is just fine until you, say, enroll in a college class and are walking on campus and that craving hits because you always smoked while in college and...your now in college. Spend enough time on the campus NOT smoking and the cravings will go away right up until you are studying late at night and you always smoked when you study late at night so.... Anyhow, we have to work through these associations by dissociating smoking with what we previously did smoking. That or do completely different things as non smokers. Its a pain but we get well practiced ignoring cravings. The occasional momentary discomfort beats being on a ventilator.

I'd like to relate a little story about what happened to me a few years after my quit. Was a hectic time in the office and had less then a half hour before the next blood-on-the-floor meeting was to take place so I ducked out, went down stairs and out the front of the building to the smoking area to have a smoke. Got all the way to lobby on the first floor before I realize I'd forgotten my cigs. Back upstairs and walking into my cubicle (ugh!) and reaching for my bag when the realization struck...I don't smoke. Hi stress, fast paced, rush hour autopilot and I'm operating in a yester-year's mode without a conscious thought. I'd triggered and hadn't even realized it.

I got 87% but I take issue with a few of the statistics....?

Drink whiskey and the piercings and bungee jumping just sorta happen. I've yet to see the Grand Canyon.

Sazerac, Not sure if you were really a spoiled brat or just in denial about what you were actually doing. Regardless, I see you on this board constantly helping others so maybe the karma will balance out someday. ????

You fear smoking will kill you, and when you are afraid you smoke to calm your nerves. I recommend that you step back and review. Transcede this death-spiral or be claimed by it. I'm not judging you, merely pointing out that this is where you stand. You are at the edge where the winds of limbo roar. I have faith that you can succeed. That you have the resolve within you. Crisis is the knife edge that can fuel your break through. Have faith in yourself. Focus on your goal. Understand that the pain is transitory, but the freedom from addiction will last as long as you want it. What we pay for most dearly we prize most highly. You will look back and swear that quitting was the best decision you ever made. ...and keep posting. Win-lose-draw everyone on this train is rooting for you. Never quit quitting.

I live out in the woods so this advice might not be *advisable*. Regardless, I'd take those cigs outside and piss on them. After all, that's what they've been doing to you all these years.

There are more ex-smokers now then current smokers in the U.K. https://www.thesun.co.uk/living/1814592/more-than-14-million-brits-have-quit-smoking-and-for-the-first-time-ex-smokers-outnumber-those-hooked-by-two-to-one/ It's a well trodden path through temporary discomfort. If 14 million Britties can quit, it's not an impossible venture. Just...persevere. Withdrawal symptoms suck, but at the end of the day you won't have the guilt and regret that you smoked.