Chrysalis

Ross, what did the vet say about Bobbie's diabetes? Can it be treated?

That's funny, Action. That's exactly what I guessed-- Wendy was somehow involved with rescuing apes. Wendy, why don't you make a donation to RedApes.org and then you can honestly say that you are involved in orangoutang rescue! :)

rural

My experience is much the same as Jackie's. I quit more than 7 months ago. I frequently want a cigarette-- I think about it every day. But then I quickly chase that thought from my head and go on about my life. The "thought" never rises to the level of a "crave" and does not pose a danger. For me, the danger comes in when I start obsessing about a cigarette. I start thinking about it and wanting it and I can't seem to shake the thought. It keeps plaguing me hour after hour, day after day until it wears me down. I don't WANT to smoke, but I can't stand this corrosive, constant fantasizing about cigarettes. That is why I relapsed (in the past, that is)-- I was trying to quiet that voice. Now when I start to obsess about smoking, I have learned to ask myself what is bothering me in my life and why? Why am I feeling tense or anxious or bored or tired? When I have identified what I am feeling and why, then I take steps to dissipate those feelings. Perhaps exercise (which is good for whatever ails you) or more sleep or meditation or call a friend or something. Basically, my brain is used to using cigarettes to deal with any distressing emotion so that I don't actually have to deal with things. Now I know that I have to take conscious, active steps to resolve my problems and then my cigarette obsession magically stops.

yoyo

diamond

O-o-o-o, that looks delicious, Pippa! What is "black vinegar"? Sounds interesting.

groundwater

toxic

slime

Deltawing, almost a year already! Wow! Good for you! :) I'm 7 months quit and I think about smoking every day. They are brief thoughts--certainly nothing as strong as a craving-- but they are there. I really miss smoking a cigarette to relieve stress. Now I know that the only stress smoking relieves is the stress caused by nicotine in the first place. That is true. But still, smoking did relieve my stress and it was nice when all I had to do to relieve stress was to smoke a cigarette. Now I have to do something more active like go for a walk or practice yoga or something. :wacko: Now I look at smoking the way I look at chocolate. In addition to smoking, the other thing that is an instant stress reliever for me is chocolate. I LOVE chocolate!! But I don't eat it because it is fattening and also because I have diabetes. I COULD eat a few pieces of chocolate-- they won't kill me-- but I know that they are not good for me and that whatever stress I am feeling will go away eventually whether I eat chocolate or not. Same with cigarettes. I may want a cigarette but I know that they are not good for me and that I don't want to pay the price of slipping back into addiction. So I choose not to eat chocolate and I choose not to smoke. Neither one of them is a really difficult choice any more. So, yes, I frequently think that I would like a cigarette. Then I immediately dismiss the thought. It's kind of annoying and I wish it didn't happen, but it does happen. So I deal with it.

flirt!

radiator

fleece

I took a Tai Chi class a few years ago. To the uninitiated (like me) it seems to be very similar to Qi Gong in that it consists of a series of slow and graceful standing movements that are designed to increase strength, flexibility and energy. I didn't like the class. The main problem was the way it was taught-- basically just do your best to do the movements the way the teacher does them and if you keep at it for several years you will probably develop good technique. Too rote for me. The other problem is the genre itself. I have a hard time believing that slow, graceful movements are going to do a darned thing for my health. It doesn't matter if it is tai chi or qi gong or yoga or anything else. And in point of fact, after 2 months of weekly tai chi classes and practicing twice a week, I didn't feel at all different in my mind or my body. On the other hand, how can a billion Chinese be wrong? Do you have to believe in it in order for it to work? Or do you keep doing it and be patient and sooner or later you will feel the benefit? I never have figured that one out. So to answer your question-- tai chi and qi gong seem very similar to me. Tai chi is the one that so many Chinese people do every morning in their parks and workplaces. There are videos on Youtube for both of these styles so you can compare them yourself. And please do let me know if you feel any different after doing these exercises.

Qi Gong looks interesting. I'm going to check that out. Thanks!

Geri, I think that you have hit upon one thing that makes quitting permanently so difficult-- you keep wanting that ONE cigarette that will give you the "A-a-a-h-h-h!" of relief! You don't really want to go back to smoking with all the negative associations it has. You just want one "ah moment". The thing is, the only tension that a hit of nicotine eases is the tension that nicotine caused in the first place. When you smoke, the nicotine goes to your brain and you feel calm but the nicotine is quickly metabolized. So as time passes-- 15 minutes, 30 minutes, one hour-- you start to go into withdrawal. Your brain starts to demand more nicotine. You get tense and antsy and stressed. When you smoke another cigarette, the nicotine goes to your brain and you have that "a-a-h-h moment". You feel calm again (temporarily). After years and years of doing this, our brain thinks that cigarettes relax us and dissipate our stress. No. They don't. The nicotine in the cigarettes is a drug "fix" that relieves the addict's withdrawal symptoms. That's all it does. But our brain is confused and THINKS that cigarettes are relaxing. No. Cigarettes only relieve the tension and stress that was CAUSED by nicotine in the first place. One of the things that will help make this quit easier and make it permanent is if you learn to recognize when your junkie brain is starting up one of the Nicodemon lies and you use your rational brain to stop that thinking. Sometimes you just have to FORCE rational thinking onto your junkie brain. But every time you do that, your rational brain will become stronger and your junkie brain will become weaker. If you don't do this, if you continue to "romance the cigarette" this way you will continue to obsess about cigarettes week after week until you're ready to scream! If you do listen to and strengthen your rational brain, you will eventually forget to want a cigarette except for every once in a great while.

How are you doing today, Geri? Are things getting a little bit better? As Pippa said, the worst is over and you NEVER have to suffer through that again. Good for you! Keep reminding yourself of why you quit. Breathe deeply and keep your blood sugar up. And give yourself lots and lots of pats on the back for tackling a tough challenge with courage and determination. You are rockin' this quit! Keep going!

Well of course everybody likes Nancy best! She stole all the LIKES!! :P

love boat

Bakon, I didn't know that you are a poet! My favorite stanza is: "Eggs are bad girls in hiding, the girl next door type, but with leather for Saturday nights and pooka dots Sunday morning.." Set that to music and you will be famous! Keep 'em coming. :wub:

Hi, Geri- Welcome to the emotional see-saw we call "quitting smoking"! Last night you were yelling and screaming and seriously doubting your ability to quit. Today you are calm and rational and able to believe that things will gradually get better day-by-day. What a difference! And do you know what's going to happen next? Yep-- at some point you will be back to the screaming meemies for a while and then after that you will again feel strong and calm... and so it goes. But if you look carefully you will see that the periods of distress become shorter and less frequent and the periods of calm become longer and more frequent. You're doing really well; I am very impressed with you!! Remember to keep reading your list of reasons why you decided to quit in the first place. Repeat to yourself, "I want to quit more than I want to smoke!" You know, one of the saddest posts I ever read was from a father of young children. When he was smoking he would avoid playing with his children or would cut short the games so that he could go outside to smoke. After he quit, he discovered that his young son always felt badly when Daddy went outside. The boy assumed that Daddy was bored playing with the son and used smoking as an excuse to leave the game. The little boy was thrilled because now Daddy would stay with him for a whole hour and finish whatever game or project they were doing together. It's amazing when we get a glimpse into how our children think, isn't it? Then there was the mother who always refused to go on field trips or Girl Scout camping trips because she wouldn't be able to smoke while on the trip. Once she quit smoking, she got a lot more quality time with her girls and they built a lot of happy memories together. So for you, Geri, or for anyone with young children, remember that the negative impact of your smoking on your children is not just as a bad example, a waste of money and possible early illness and death. The impact is right there every single day in the way your addiction is more important to you than your children are-- and your children suffer because of it.

I'm so excited about this HUGE bonfire that we are creating to honor people who have been killed or maimed by cigarettes! I'm kind of frustrated because I want to do more for the bonfire but I already threw in all my unsmoked cigarettes. :( But here-- have some accelerant!! :P

vacation

Geri, hang in there! You're doin' it! You ain't diggin' it, but you're doin' it! You're more than half way through 72 hours-- for Pete's sake don't stop now!! Breathe deeply. Go for a walk if you can. Read your list of reasons why you decided to quit smoking. Remind yourself that you want to quit more than you want to smoke. Educate yourself by coming here to read old posts and watch Joel's videos. Distract yourself from your craves and get a few laughs by reading the "Nonsmoking Cats" thread and the "Nonsmoking Dogs" thread. You are not "a special snowflake". In other words, you do NOT have it worse than the rest of us. We have ALL been through what you are going through. And we're here to tell you that it really does get better and easier every day. Despite what your Nicodemon tells you, people who are weeks or months away from cigarettes do NOT suffer constant cravings. It just does NOT happen!! A few may romance cigarettes and continue to "want to smoke" but that is NOTHING like the craves we experience during the first few days. Hang tough, Geri. You can do this! Keep posting here and whining and screaming and crying. That's OK. That's good. Just don't smoke!!