Sazerac

Congratulations, Catlover, on your Two Years of Freedom ! Please celebrate wildly and continue to reward yourself ! I am so happy for you, so glad you have shared your quit with us and continue to give your great support to all of us.

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Here is something addressing anxiety 'I'll Be A Nervous Wreck Forever If I Quit Smoking' and, if you are on medications for anxiety (or anything else for that matter) Medication Adjustments That May Be Necessary After Quitting Smoking

Glad you read Joel's piece. He has a treasure of resources, Joel Spitzer's Quit Smoking Library lollys are good. Deep breaths are free and always available. Here is a link to pages of things that got us through the early days First Week, Nicotine Free

@Vivianne @Vivianne @Vivianne ! Where are YOU ? Haven't seen you since XMas, thinking about you and hoping everything is OK. Love, Saz

The anxiety is certainly exacerbated by continuing to smoke. You will find you have much less anxiety in general when you settle into your new life. Here is a link and some text from our friend, Joel Spitzer, I'm Just Too Weak To Quit Smoking I'm just too weak to quit smoking!" "I can't believe it, I'm just too weak to quit smoking." This statement came to me on the fourth day of a clinic by a participant who could not stop smoking for even one day. When I asked him where he kept getting the cigarettes from, he replied, "They are mine, I never threw them out." When I asked him why he never got rid of them he said that it was because he knew the only way for him to handle not smoking would be by keeping cigarettes around in case he needed one. This man was not capable of succeeding in his attempt to quit smoking. Not because the addiction to nicotine was too powerful. It was his fear of throwing out his cigarettes which rendered his attempt a failure. He figured if he needed them, he would have them. Sure enough, every day he needed one. So he would smoke one. Then another and still another. Five or six a day, never reaching his optimal level and never breaking the withdrawal cycle. He was discouraged, depressed, embarrassed, mad, and, worst of all, smoking. Quitting smoking needs to be done in steps. First, the smoker should strengthen his resolve as to why he wishes to quit. He should consider the health consequences, the social implications, the fact that he is totally controlled by his cigarettes, the expense and any other personal problems cigarettes have caused him. It is helpful to write down all of these negative aspects of smoking. In the future when he does get the thought for a cigarette, his own reasons for quitting become powerful ammunition for not returning to smoking. When the decision is made to quit, the smoker should implement a program that has the greatest potential of success. The first and most important step is to quit cold turkey. To accomplish this goal he should dispose of all smoking material. Cigarettes, cigars, pipes, butts, ashtrays, lighters–anything that was considered smoking paraphernalia. If cigarettes are not there, they cannot be smoked. Then the person only needs to live through the first few days, one day at a time. Physical withdrawal may be rough or very mild. The symptoms will be overcome by making it through the first few days without taking a puff. Within three days the physical withdrawal will peak and by two weeks will cease altogether. But the real obstacle is the psychological dependence to cigarettes. Most smokers are convinced smoking is essential in performing many normal daily activities. Dealing with stress, working, driving, eating, sleeping, waking up, relaxing – just about everything requires smoking. The only way to overcome this perceived dependence is by proving to oneself that all activities done with cigarettes can be done equally well without cigarettes. Just living through the first few days and functioning in normal required roles will prove that the smoker can survive without cigarettes. It may be difficult, but it is possible. Once the initial quitting process is overcome, the rest is simple. Sure there will still be times when the ex-smoker wants a cigarette. But the ex-smoker must realize that he does not have the option of only one. Because he is a nicotine addict, smoking is now, and always has been an all or nothing proposition. The thought of relapsing back to his old level of smoking with all the associated consequences is all the ammunition needed to – NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF! Joel © Joel Spitzer 1984

Sometimes, blood sugar can get low and make you feel crummier (sp?) than you actually feel. Nothing bad can happen to you by quitting smoking. EVERYTHING bad can happen to you if you continue to smoke. Chill out, sweets. You quit smoking ! Reward yourself. Breathe beautiful clean clear breaths.

NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE

-3 yay ! S&D !

Quitting smoking gives us the great opportunity for getting to know and understand ourselves. The 'real you' will be revealed and you will be able to act in a truly authentic way when you are free of addiction. By smoking, you are simply indulging the addict, acting like the addict. We all had to re-adjust and find our free selves. This is exciting and rewarding work. For now, just sit with being uncomfortable. It is OK. It will pass. Watch your blood sugar ! Drink fruit juice and cold water. @Paul723 really helped me with this; "We all had to re-adjust and find our free selves. This is exciting and rewarding work."

You will reveal your power with every damn crave you conquer. You are smarter AND stronger than your addiction ! You are NOT as weak as you think you are, this is a lie that your addiction requires to keep you addicted. Break the chains one link, one crave or trigger at a time and reward yourself, these are v. important esp. in the early days. The Significance of Rewards Good you are reading, read until your eyes bleed, sweetie.

I am so glad you are 'loving my cold turkey quit' ! You are gaining so much self-confidence and trust in yourself. I know these attributes will continue to serve you in your life. Expect marvelous, marvelous changes.

-1 I hope I'm not interrupting...oh wait....yes I do, I hope I am interrupting. Pesky Sticks.

We are here to support you but, this support falls on deaf ears until you are serious about quitting. Deadly Serious about quitting. Have you been educating yourself about nicotine addiction ? Watching any of the films ? Looking at any of the links that have been posted for you ? Making the commitment to yourself and standing by it ? All these things are potential tools at your disposal to help you build a successful quit but, they won't work if you don't do the work. You are putting yourself through much more misery by stopping and starting again. Sure, cravings at the beginning can be quite gruesome but, they won't hurt you, they won't kill you like smoking does. Think of the question our friend, Sirius, poses; "The next time a craving plunks down on your face ask yourself, "What price you are willing to pay to own yourself?" This is your life, the quality of your life that you are choosing. The cravings will only get easier and eventually disappear with time. You just have to live through them, there is no magic bullet EXCEPT Your commitment to yourself to NOPE (Not One Puff Ever).

My Cigarette, My Friend You need to study up on nicotine addiction. It will explain A LOT of what you may be going through. It is time to stop 'trying' and make a serious commitment to yourself and stand by it. Time to be responsible to yourself. " I guess tomorrow I need to try again" You can quit NOW and build yourself a successful quit IF you choose. I recommend you choosing well, your LIFE and Freedom are on the line.

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Yes, naps ! Also, when craves/triggers pop up think about the concept of H.A.L.T are you Hungry, Angry (Emotional) , Lonesome (Bored), Tired. Sometimes, it is not about cigarettes at all Riffing On H.A.L.T

NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE nice to see two splendid 'elders' @cprofits and @Runfree and the rest of you smoke free creatures.

a nice morning Big 0

You are rocking your quit ! You Don't Smoke ! Check out these vids and resources Offers For Cigarettes No, Thank You, I Can't Have A Cigarette How To Deal With People Offering You Cigarettes After You Have Quit

How are you doing ? Check out Joel Spitzer's Library, here are a some specific links I picked out for you. Just Think Of Something Else I Want One Day One Quit Smoking

Drink some fruit juice and keep an eye on your blood sugar. Go for a brisk walk. Distract yourself. These craves do not last long, you will survive.

Welcome, @SamDy and congratulations on making the decision to quit smoking. You CAN quit. There are no circumstances preventing you from succeeding. Here is a video and resources from our friend, Joel Spitzer, How Can I Quit If I Live With A Smoker It is important to learn everything you can about nicotine addiction so, please avail yourself to all our materials. You may find this thread helpful in navigating around the site and building a sturdy quit. 10 Ways To Effectively Use This Forum To Stop Using Nicotine

Congratulations, Senor Porcini on your Five Years of Freedom. Hope you are feeling better and better. Miss you heaps. S

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