Reciprocity

You should stop having so many of those "truly uncomfortable days" soon because you are almost 1 month quit. You will just have to power through the bad days unfortunately. Do something that takes your mind off the urge to smoke, or at least reduces the discomfort of those urges. Have you watched all the Joel quit smoking videos that are available here? If not, try that or, watch TV or Netfix or whatever will distract you. We all have to find our own way out of withdrawal.

^^^ I would disagree. I know I found it hard, particularly that first week and even at times for the first month or so. By hard I just mean it was something I had never done before and didn't know what to expect. The increased anxiety and the constant battling of craving to smoke was a hard time to endure. Mentally and physically draining on many days for me. Maybe it's not that way for all but it is for some. Yes, I know attitude makes a big difference - I realize that but it's sometimes hard to have a chipper positive attitude when your anxiety levels are through the roof. In any case, easy or hard - we are all here to learn how to become smoke free for life. That is the one common denominator we all share and it's what binds us together like a family, even though most of us have never met.

Not sure how I missed that.

So Kieth Richards of Rolling Stones fame, is still smoking and looks like this on the outside. What's going on inside?? How's this guy still alive? I know there's a little drug use involved in addition to the smokes but; holy cow :o

NOPE!

You're doing great Peace Train!! Keep it up no matter what. It will be so worth it and yes, when thought about smoking become secondary - that's progress :)

I'm on that road and I don't look for any exits until I reach destination "Smoke-Free". Others need to follow us and take their lives back!

iceberg lettuce

OO

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Congrats ExTex on reaching the 1/2 year mark. I hope you're enjoying your smoke free life out there somewhere :) Stop by and say hello sometime.

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This is a very important message for new quitters or people who are just lurking and thinking about quitting and, it's true! This is not something that you even think about when you first quit. It's probably never been a reason that someone has quit but, it's probably one of the most important benefits to quitting smoking and one that is not realized by many early on in their quit. A good reason to hang in there through the early part of your quit so you too can enjoy these many benefits of being a non smoker.

There's some powerful stories here. Reading this stuff helps strengthen my resolve which is one of the reasons I really appreciate this place. Now, back on topic - keep 'em coming folks :) I don't miss feeling like a social pariah all the time!

Congrats on reaching 2 months PT!! Great work and thanks for all you contribute to this place too! Reward yourself for reaching this milestone then keep that train a rollin'!! You've got a great quit base now to build on :)

NOPE!

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Rationing cigarettes for the evening after I would get home from work and realize that I only had a few left in the pack and I didn't want to go out again to get more.

Hi Jewel :) Glad you are on here interacting with us all. It really does help and we have all been there so we truly do understand. You are coming up to the 1 month mark which is Great but, still pretty early in your quit. You will still have up and down days for a while but those really will start to smooth out for you more and more all the time now and will become easier to deal with too. The anxiety will also fade gradually. Sooner for some and later for others but it will settle down eventually for you. I still think of smoking as well at times like; oh gee I miss doing it at times and I miss the taste too at times but then I think of the realities and that snaps me out of my daydream pretty quickly. There are so many stories I have read about people with pretty long term quits who have givin in to similar thoughts which leads them to relapse. I read the same thing every time. The regret and the shame they feel afterward is incredible. I just know, I never want to experience that myself so I hold the memory of those stories in my head always so I don't get trapped into a similar relapse situation. The other thing I think about when I'm thinking I might like to smoke again is that we always seem to remember the good things and never the bad about past experiences. Sort of like an old failed relationship. Oh, wouldn't it be nice to still be with so & so. We had such fun times together! Yes, that's probably true but there was also some other stuff that lead you to split and you've now forgotten just how intense that was. Anyway, you're doing great so keep it up and focus on all the good things you are starting to notice since you've quit :)

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Ouch! That sucks huge :( I keep meaning to go get the vaccine that is available for that but like a lot of things, just never get around to it. Hope it clears soons for you!

Congrats on reaching the 4 month quit mark PS!! Hope you're enjoying your smoke free life and all's well :) Actually, I know what happened to you and ExTex but I'm not supposed to say anything.

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NOPE!

Good to hear Jules. Keep your guard up and you should be fine. You'll soon wonder why you ever smoked so much for as long as you did and realize that all those cigarettes were not doing a thing for you - just feeding you addiction and; at your expense!!