Martian5

NOPE!!!!!

Well I never thought I would be here but after more than 40 years of smoking I have now completed 4 weeks of no smoking and starting off on my 5th. After going thru this I do have a few thoughts: 1st week -- Hell Week, lived up to its name but I found out it was not as bad as I thought and that it was not impossible, hard yes but not impossible. 2nd week -- Heck Week, I began to see that this could be done and I found this forum to help me through. Physical symptoms began to fade and started to learn to cope with the pyschological symptoms and cravings. 3rd week -- I could smell again, I mean really smell -- the air never smelled better and brought back many memories that had been repressed. As for most my taste it began to come back, I can breathe better and my blood pressure began to improve (still have to take medication but is under full control at this point). Many things happened for the better and I really began to appreciate being nicotine/smoke free and came to the full realization of the addiction and what it had been doing to me thus increasing my desire to make this "the quit". 4th week -- I really did a lot of learning this week because now I see that I have to be on guard so I can fight the thoughts of smoking again -- they are still there but are not as strong and I am learning how to navigate through them. This has definitely been a difficult journey but I have found so many positive aspects while going down this road (and will continue to go down this road). I have found my health, old pleasures that I thought were lost, that I could withstand many different things without "my old friend" and in fact found out it was no friend at all. I found out that this journey is not as hard as I let my mind think it was going to be. And let's not forget I found a few friends along the way in this forum, Thank You All.

NOPE!!!!!

Prior to my retirement 2 years ago I worked for the now 2nd largest cable company in the U.S. That being said I cut the cable cord shortly after retirement and spend my time on the computer and streaming. Big savings. (by the way I did not get free cable, my house was located in another cable company's territory so I had to pay)

Better everyday

NOPE!!!!

Well I can definitely say that this is not my first quit but by far the longest I have gone and I do not want to do this again so I am making this my actual quit. As to the ideas presented above about most smokers not being to quit on the first try I think that web sites and written material for smoking cessation give smokers an easy way out of quitting by saying that most people do not quit on the first try. It is almost leading the smoker to denial, I know I was there and that was my thinking. Thought I could never quit. Then I saw I was in complete denial about the addiction and what it was doing to me. Almost 4 weeks ago I woke up and really saw what this addiction was doing to me (along with the help of some others).

NOPE!!!!

NOPE!!!!

My congratulations to you on your 1 year, I look forward to your thoughts and inspiration as I continue on my journey.

Thank you for your insight and the ability to motivate us all.

Thanks for this Jenny. Very timely for me at this time during my quit. Not that I was going there physically but my mind wanted to me to mosey down that road and as I thought about it I just did not want the addiction to continue, this posting helped me have a stronger realization of that.

NOPE!!!!

NOPE!!!!

Yipper Doodle, I have not mentioned any celebration dates because I wanted to get to that 4 week mark, never made it past 10 days on other quits and usually not through 1 day. Feeling the positive now.

NOPE!!!!

You are doing great and it keeps getting better

NOPE!!!

NOPE!!!

NOPE!!!

Welcome BTR it is good to have you along on this train. There are many people here that will be more than happy to help you along the way -- especially when the going might get a little tough, there is always a hand there. I have been only doing this for the last 2 1/2 weeks and this sight and the people here have been fantastic. Read, research and post -- it really does help.

Katie you can do this. I won't go over the points the others have stated already. Just remember that we are here for you --- you just have to reach out. When I get my strong cravings I remember what made me want to quit and how lousy those last few cigarettes were or I come to this site and read from all the past posts--- it helps keep me centered on "NOPE". We can all do this together.

NOPE!!!

NOPE!!!

Keep it going Octain, since were so close to each other on quit date I follow your posts and what your are saying and are doing greatly helps me keep me motivated. Keep up the good work, we can do this.