Jump to content

jillar

Moderators
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    25682

  • Joined

  • Days Won

    211

 Content Type 

Blog Entries posted by jillar

  1. jillar

    "The Smoker's Vow"

    By jillar,


    General
    abbynormal
    Quit Date: 1/1/2019
     
    Posted December 5, 2019 
     
    The Smoker's Vow
    by Joel Spitzer
     
    To be said just before taking your first puff after
    having quit for any appreciable period of time.
     
    With this puff I enslave myself
    to a lifetime of addiction.
    While I can't promise to always love you,
    I do promise to obey every craving and
    support my addiction to you
    no matter how expensive you become.
     
    I will let no husband or wife,
    no family member or friend,
    no doctor or any other health professional,
    no employer or government policy,
    no burns or no stench,
    no cough or raspy voice,
    no cancer or emphysema,
    no heart attack or stroke,
    no threat of loss of life or limbs,
    come between us.
     
    I will smoke you forever
    from this day forth,
    for better or worse,
    whether richer or poorer,
    in sickness and in health,
    till death do us part!
     
    "You may now light the cigarette."
     
    "I now pronounce you a full-fledged smoker."
     
    https://whyquit.com/joel/Joel_04_11_Smokers_Vow.html
     
     
    Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/13316-the-smokers-vow/
     
  2. jillar

    addiction or habit ?

    By jillar,


    General
    ...
     
    Posted July 22, 2014 
     
    Sometimes I do charity work for a homeless shelter. A really good friend of mine runs it and I help her out whenever she needs it. In the last 2 weeks, she has called me in twice. Seems she is getting an influx of abscesses from IV drug abuse. The first one I saw was from heroin abuse. 23 years old with a 4 year old little boy that she doesn't have custody of any more. The second one I saw last night. She has already lost one arm in an infection from an infected meth injection and now has another abscess in her remaining arm from the same thing. And she has an 8 year old little boy that she does have custody of. And this morning, I get another call from her. She has another one in there that I will see tonight.
     
    I've been thinking, more in awe, at how much people will put their poor bodies through to get that next fix. I have listened patiently and not said anything as people have announced on here and other places calling themselves nicotine addicts. I haven't ever agreed with that term. To me, these people are addicts. Me, personally, have always felt that I have developed a habit that's really hard to break. I have never thought of myself as an addict.
     
    Which has led me to think.......are we doing this much damage to our bodies and it's just not as evident. I would NEVER EVER let anything come before my children. I don't understand that. But one day, I made my son go to the neighbors and get me cigarettes. She knew I was trying to quit and I knew she wouldn't not give them to my son if he asked. Is that manipulation or addiction talking ? It's a fine line there.
     
    And then I thought about Doreen's husband and about all the patients I see that are on borrowed time and how they sneak smoking. Knowing that is what got them there in the first place. Does that define addiction ? One loses an arm and I call it addiction. One loses his life and I call it a habit.
     
    I have a really hard time with the word "addict".....but seeing these people and knowing what I would have done for a cigarette at times has got me wondering. What if cigarettes, today, became immediately illegal ? What lengths people would go to to smoke.....would I have been one of those people ? What is the only form nicotine could be taken was IV ? Would people still do it to the extent they do today in inhalation form ?
     
    Just me wondering and being angry. Angry that someone could actually want to hurt themselves and their kids by just getting a good feeling. There are so many good things about life and they just seem to be short changing themselves. It's sad. And wondering if I'm the same as them. I don't want to be.
     
    Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/2043-addiction-or-habit/
     
  3. jillar

    The Addiction is Real

    By jillar,


    General
    Gus
    Quit Date: 3-17-21
     
    Posted 1 hour ago -(edited)
     
    Sorry to hear @Breath-of-Power. This addiction is real. It is powerful. I don’t know how much time you’ve spent reviewing the information about nicotine and the additives that cigarettes contain, but the stuff literally rewires your brain. Your brain. That organ that controls everything about you. After the nicotine withdrawal it’s what you will be fighting against. Of course it’s going to fight against reconditioning. You try again. Again and again. You write down why you are quitting. The truth. The ugly part of it. Carry that around with you. Read it every time you want a smoke. We all have something that we want more than that cigarette and one day if we allow ourselves the liberty to do so, we just smash a link in that chain of addiction and crawl out from the unbearable weight of it and in time we find ourselves standing against it and some day dancing on it’s grave.  There are good times to be had. For years you’ve had to base decisions around your ability to indulge in your habit. Being able to enjoy a smoke. Lies. Smoking puts so many constraints on so many aspects of your life. Step back and realize that it’s not only affecting you, but those you love most. Not in the second hand smoke way, but just being able to 100%  be there for someone. It’s hard. Conquering this addiction is so hard, but doable. I hope that you hop back on the train. I hope that you take advantage of this thread you created. Post, post, post. Just writing down all of your thoughts helps so much. Everyone here has gone through what you are going through. No judgment here. Just encouragement and support. I hope that you will try again. 
     
    Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/25067-smokeless-thoughts/
     
     
     
  4. jillar

    Red Flags

    By jillar,


    General
    Sazerac
    Quit Date: October 23, 2013, A Good Day to be Free.
     
    Posted May 1, 2018 
     

     
    I have confidence in my quit and estimate my chance of relapse is low
    still...addiction is a wily condition and I am human.
     
    Here are my four maneuvers to avert relapse, 
    (  Think again,  Get right with yourself,  Contact an ally,  Post an SOS  )
    and a slew of red flags... 
     
     
    When you know better yet, are purposefully leading yourself astray
     
         ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~
     
    If you have tiny tempting smokey thoughts that you are nuturing by not dismissing immediately and aggressively 
     
         ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~
     
    I won't get addicted this time
     
         ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~
     
    Whenever you start to 'romance smoking'
     
         ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~
     
    If you seriously entertain the idea that smoking looks attractive or makes you feel carefree and part of the fun
     
          ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~
     
    If you are having silly thoughts like, my smoking friends are having a great time and I'm missing out
     
          ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~
     
    If you really wonder, what it would it taste like now, 
        
          ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~
     
    Will I still get that, 'ahhhh' feeling ?
     
         ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~
     
    When you start to think that you are 'different' and that you can handle just one. 
     
         ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~
     
    Do you think you can quit again without much effort? 
     
          ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~
     
    If you want to give yourself permission for just one, once in a while, just this once 
     
         ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~
     
    If you feel too secure in your quit and start to act cocky 
     
         ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~
     
    If you propose to test your quit
     
         ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~
     
    Are you starting to believe, you've been quit long enough to handle a puff or two?
         
          ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~
     
    If you know too much to get addicted again
     
         ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~
     
    Whever you are doubting your commitment to your quit
     
        ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~
     
    If you ignore the reality that smoking is a terrifying choice with significant consequences
          
          ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~
     
    If you are dismissive of the fact that you can Never Take Another Puff,  Not One Puff Ever.
     
          ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~
     
    I forgot the major red flag,  I am not an addict !
     
     ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~
     
    I'm an adult and I'll do wtf I want !
     
     ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~
     
     
    Have you more red flags to add ?   Different manuevers ?
     
    link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/10297-red-flags/
     
     

     
     
     
  5. jillar
    jillar
    Quit Date: May 29, 2016
     
    Posted October 18, 2019 
     
    Are your hands and feet always cold? Mine were. Until I quit smoking. 
    I knew smoking affected my lungs and blood pressure. I've been on blood pressure medicine since my late 30's and instead of quitting smoking I chose to have tubal ligation surgery because my Dr wouldn't prescribe birth control after 40 years old IF I WAS A SMOKER.
    But I never contributed my cold feet and hands to smoking until I quit. When you lose circulation to your extremities you risk the loss of limb.  I wish I remembered just how far into my quit I was before I noticed it but at the time I was too concerned about my bleeding gums to even notice. Turned out this too was the new flow of blood due to quitting and within a month or so my gums had color back to them. Many of our members have had tens of thousands of work done to restore their teeth after quitting.
    As far as my hands and feet are concerned, they've never been warmer. So why am I bringing this up three years after quitting? Because I don't want to ever forget where I came from. 
    So for anyone still on the fence about quitting, all you need to do is search our forum with the keyword circulation and you'll find many former smokers who had these issues too. And you'll also see how much better they got after they quit smoking.
     
    Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/13153-smoking-and-circulation/
     
     
  6. jillar
    Markus
    Quit Date: 02-19-2008
     
    Posted April 13, 2014 
     
    Want  to quit smoking?
     
    Good. That takes some nerve and that alone is enough to get it done. You don't have to be smart, you just need to use the courage and will that you have, in the right way, and get that brain of yours aligned to make it happen. Just quit. Do it now. There, you just quit. It's that easy. Now you are craving a smoke of course.
     
    It gets better, just as soon as you set your mind to being a non smoker and you free yourself from yourself, and from how you choose to live your life.
     
    This place cannot help you quit, it can't give you a quit, and it can't keep you quit. Only you can do that, and it's a choice. Either smoke. Or quit.
     
    The only thing that can happen to you here is to get encouragement and support. All that people here can do for you is to tell you how and to promise you that it can be done.
     
    You are absolutely going to have to hold yourself accountable and commit to staying quit, all on your own.
     
    This place can be effective in teaching you how to start walking after you've been crawling (quit) on your own, if you use it the right way.
     
    Understand that you are an addict first, and that's why you smoke because smoking is your answer to everything.
     
    If you are quitting you should realize that smoking is the answer to nothing.
     
    This also includes the journey ahead of you. A cigarette will never be the answer to anything you need.
     
     
    Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/589-want-to-quit-smoking-consider-this/
     
  7. jillar

    WILLPOWER

    By jillar,


    General
    Mee
    Quit Date: 08/01/2018
     
    Posted August 31, 2019 
     
    I used to think I did not have the willpower to quit smoking.  Every attempt, my thoughts would drift back to needing that cigarette and the excuses of why I could not quit.  
    Last night, as I lay in bed, I could not get this word out of my mind.  I realized that, over the past year, this word has really changed meaning for me.
    I always had the willpower to quit smoking, I just did not know how to do it.  Stumbling across this forum was a life changer for me.
    We all have the power to change our lives for the better, but many times we do not feel we have the strength or "will" to do so.  That has a lot to do with our self esteem.  How can we not feel lowly about ourselves, when we are addicted to a behavior that is destroying ourselves.  
    Know that you can change your life and , in my case, the meaning of this word.  Now that I have quit smoking, I have the willpower to do anything I want.  I have the willpower to stay in control of my life.
    What a wonderful feeling. 
     
    Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/12930-willpower/
     
  8. jillar
    Poprini
     
    Posted 20 June 2014 
     
    No I'm not trying to hypnotise you or play Jedi mind tricks.  I'm talking about relapsers or quitters who continue to have smoking thoughts and desires.
     
    Nobody WANTS to go back to smoking. They quit because they want to quit (for whatever reason). What they want from time to time is to smoke. And what that means is something else. It means all of the things that people "like" about smoking:
     
    A break in the day
    Stress relief
    Bonding time with buddies
    Anxiety relief
    Thinking time
    Reward for finishing a job
     
    etc
     
    And it also means not having to THINK about not smoking all the time. Gawd I remember that. I remember thinking - "When will it ever end?...I just want to stop thinking about not smoking!" I see people saying it here all the time "I don't want to fight with myself any more! When will it end?!"
     
    But it's not that you want to be a smoker again.
     
    I reckon most smokers don't want to be smokers! If you gave someone a choice between being a smoker (with all the expense and smell and health fears and social shaming etc that goes with it) and being a happy non-smoker - of course they would choose the latter. But most smokers simply don't believe they can be happy without smoking. They believe they LOVE and need their cigarettes too much to live without them.
     
    And when we quit it (generally) takes a lot of retraining for the brain to dismiss all of that addiction thinking and learn that we can actually get all of those good things in other ways without all the bad stuff you get with smoking. Some people are lucky and once they make the decision to quit, they are solid in it. Easy peasy. But lots of people struggle. And that's OK. The struggle is part of the process. Embrace it as part of the process. Look at it as the price of freedom. That's basically how I did it. I wanted freedom most of all. Freedom from smoking addiction and everything that went with it. The price became easier to pay over time. It took less. Every now and then I have a "want" to smoke but it's fleeting and easy to dismiss. Because I KNOW I do not want to be a smoker. No way.
     
    Make a commitment to yourself. A promise. Promise yourself that you will never be a smoker again. And don't worry if you want to smoke from time to time. That's fine, because you know that it's really about something else and you definitely don't want to be a smoker again. No way. Ewgh
     
    Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/10483-you-know-what-you-dont-want-to-be-a-smoker-repost-by-poprini/
     
  9. jillar

    Decisions/Resolve

    By jillar,


    General
    Sazerac
    Quit Date: October 23, 2013, A Good Day to be Free.
     
    Posted July 10, 2018 
     
    Some quit on a whim,
    others quit making a sensible plan and map it all out as best they can.
    There are many successful quits between the extremes.
     
    The important bit is the seminal moment in your life when you say,
    'I quit smoking'.
     
     
    I spontaneously said,
    'I've quit.
    If I don't feel better in a few days, I can always smoke
    but, let's see your mettle and give this an honest try'
     
    I had no idea the process took a lot longer than a few days.
    I had no concept at all about nicotine addiction.  I was supremely ignorant.
     
    To be honest, it actually takes nicotine a lot longer
    than a few days to completely leave your body.
     
    Think about it...we have nicotine infested tar in our lungs clinging to our cilia. 
    Tar, ffs.  This doesn't disapate in a few days.
    Ever have tar on your feet ?  It takes a solvent like gasoline to remove it.
     
    The miracle is that our bodies do purge themselves of most. 
     
    Still, remnants remain.
    Remants remain forever in our DNA.
    A sobering fact.
     
    After a few days, gathering more knowledge about addiction,
    I extended the premise of starting smoking again
    'if I don't feel better in ...days...weeks...'
     
    Some days, I thought, if I don't feel better in five minutes I can always smoke.
    There were many times when acknowledging the choice saved my quit.
     
    My decision to quit smoking held
    and my resolve to commit to this choice grew minute by minute.
    It grew by quantumn leaps every damn crave I beat.
     
    I'm sharing this thinking about new quitters
    and
    smokers on the fence, 
    before the choice to quit becomes clear and non negotiable.
     
    You may not have a serious dose of resolve about your decision to quit.
     
    Do not worry about this, resolve grows with knowledge and time.
    After a while there should be no turning back,
    you will know too much and will have a deeper power committing to your decision.
     
    This decision to quit smoking is one of the best decisions you can make in your life.
    It teaches you about commitment.  It nurtures your self respect, self confidence.
    It saves your life.
     
    Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/10704-decisionsresolve/
     
  10. jillar

    Patience!

    By jillar,


    General
    cpk
    Quit Date: 02/04/2015
     
    Posted March 3, 2015 
     
    I've been doing some research online - various sites - and one thing I've noticed is that all those into new quits are extremely impatient, including me. All the newbies are asking, "When will this fatigue get better?" "I feel like crap...when will it go away? "My sleep is all off..." and I won't even go into the weight thing. The general sense I have is newly quits are a pretty impatient lot.
     
    I think part of it is what I'll call the "freak out" ---
     
    There are so many changes going on, good and bad. It's almost like being a teenager. It's just a general freak out, at not having a handle on what's going on with the body, the mind, the emotions, one's responses and reactions to the outside world.
     
    As well, teens have more social pressures, increasing responsibilities, heavier workloads...
     
    When my son was a teen he'd open the refrigerator door and just stand there...
     
    I'd say, what are you doing?, if you want something, get it and close the door...why are you standing there...?
     
    He'd act like he was just waking up, would say, I don't know what I want...and he'd close the door, but would be back 20 minutes later and do the same thing all over again.
     
    That about sums up this experience for me. I'm like a teenager. I don't know what I want.
     
    I think patience would help me see this isn't a bad thing. I'm freaked out because it's all new.
     
    I'm uncomfortable a lot. Like a teenager. But hey, being teenager-like at my age is okay for now.
     
    Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/4664-patiencei/
     
  11. jillar

    How quickly we forget

    By jillar,


    General
    joe
    Quit Date: 11/20/2013
     
    Posted December 21, 2014 
     
      Yesterday was 13 months since my last cigarette.... 
     
    While wrapping presents tonight, my wife asked if I feel any "different" this year than i did last year.
     
    After thinking about it for a few minutes, I had to say , that I truly dont remember how bad it REALLY felt last year...
     
    Don't get me wrong,..I know I was having cravings every time I turned around and I think to some degree, still going the the "withdraw" process...maybe not physically, but mentally. I am sure my mind was always searching for an excuse to run outside and light up.....BUT
     
    to actually remember that it was SOOO unbearable, or painful...I really cant remember...  I do remember that early in my quit it was a struggle..like we all have...but..its now more like a vague memory....
     
    So..any of you newbies ou there who are recently quit..or one of you lurkers who are on the fence... The best advise I can give is to jump in with both feet and commit to the quit!!  There will be times that it seems almost impossible, but as time goes on, you will wonder to yourself why you ever even thought that it was impossible to quit!..
     
    Just put your mind to it, commit to N.O.P.E. and you will soon find out what I am talking about...What you perceive as "hard" or "painful" is only temporary...the permanent effects from quitting smoking are sooooo much more memorable!!
     
     
    Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/3890-how-quickly-we-forget/
     
  12. jillar

    To NOPE or not to NOPE

    By jillar,


    General
    Cbdave
    Quit Date: 10th oct 2015
     
    Posted February 4, 2019 
    G’day
    I’m cbdave and more often that not I get to raise the NOPE pledge of a morning. Being close to the international date line and living on the east coast of Australia means that I get to see the new day a lot earlier than most.
    If I’m off fishing it can be really early as I hate my phone smelling of fish bait.
    It wasn’t always that way. I never posted a NOPE on the QSMB board in those first months. I thought it was a tad daggy. Couldn’t see the sense in it, if I smoked it was my fault it wasn’t needed to keep me honest.
    Had a bit of a rethink about the three month mark as I had two quit killers coming up.
    First a wedding with old friends who smoked and drinks... normally a recipes for smoking if every there was.
    On my return a biopsy for cancer. Sobering.
    So I started to post to keep myself in touch with the board and more importantly as an acknowledgement that Yes I was really an Addict. It really hit home that I needed to fess I that I was only a puff away from going back to that standard 20 cigs a day!
     So that’s me, now a diferent board ....but still taking the time to acknowledge the addict in me.... if only once a day. 
    So pledge or don’t pledge but never forget what it stands for 
    Not One Puff Ever
    Chris
     
    Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/11876-to-nope-or-not-to-nope/
     
  13. jillar

    Benefits of Smoking

    By jillar,


    General
    Sirius
    Quit Date: May 27, 2014
     
    Posted August 16, 2019 
     
    What?!?!?!
     
    Say again?
     
    Well according to a few studies and some peripheral observations there ARE a few benefits to regularly using tobacco products.
     
    Lower's risk of total knee replacement in men. Lower's risk of Parkinson's disease. Lower's risk of obesity. Lower's risk of unwanted pregnancy..b'cuz you ain't getting any Ashtray-breath. The Joys of momentary gratification as you feed your habit. There are suggestions that smoking alleviates ulcerative colitis. No need to plan for your 80th birthday.  
    There is some blurriness to this list.  For instance, you may not need total knee replacement because you weigh less because of smoking BUT if you DO need total knee replacement as a smoker your chance's of complications are much, much higher.
     
    In just about every other way smoking increases your risk of acquiring or worsening every other disease or medical complication, for instance (and just to name a few):  
     
    Alzheimer's Dementia Glaucoma Macular degeneration Coronary Heart Disease Aneurysm Peripheral vascular disease Stroke Heartburn Peptic ulcers Vericose Veins Crohn's disease Gallstones Osteoporosis Asthma Lower respiratory tract infections Stained teeth Premature tooth-loss Various gum diseases Premature aging of the skin (your largest organ) Persistent coughing Smelly hair Yellowed fingers Bronchitis High cholesterol Weaker immune system Infertility (see benefits #4) Major diabetes complications Blood clots Early menopause COPD High blood pressure Decrease in sense of smell Pregnancy complications New born complications An increase of varying degrees of just about every kind of cancer Renal failure Increased chance of falling asleep and dying in FIRE.  Yes, this has happened. Increased chance of complications and lengthened recovery periods of many medical procedures and surgeries ...and most significant of all...erectile dysfunction (see benefits #4; again).  
    And these are just the medical disadvantages to smoking.  We won't bother considering the disadvantages related to personal expenses, taxes, social stigmata, or the medical disadvantages of second hand smoke that impacts those YOU ARE CLOSEST TO YOU, or the resale value of that ashtray-on-wheels you call your car or the stench rising from your cloths.
     
    Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/12878-benefits-of-smoking/
     
  14. jillar

    WILLPOWER

    By jillar,


    General
    Mee
    Quit Date: 08/01/2018
     
    Posted August 31, 2019 
     
    I used to think I did not have the willpower to quit smoking.  Every attempt, my thoughts would drift back to needing that cigarette and the excuses of why I could not quit.  
    Last night, as I lay in bed, I could not get this word out of my mind.  I realized that, over the past year, this word has really changed meaning for me.
    I always had the willpower to quit smoking, I just did not know how to do it.  Stumbling across this forum was a life changer for me.
    We all have the power to change our lives for the better, but many times we do not feel we have the strength or "will" to do so.  That has a lot to do with our self esteem.  How can we not feel lowly about ourselves, when we are addicted to a behavior that is destroying ourselves.  
    Know that you can change your life and , in my case, the meaning of this word.  Now that I have quit smoking, I have the willpower to do anything I want.  I have the willpower to stay in control of my life.
    What a wonderful feeling. 
     
    Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/12930-willpower/
     
     
  15. jillar
    Doreensfree
    Quit Date: 7 /8/2013
     
    Posted July 12, 2019 
     
     
    Women Who Smoke At Risk of Vulval Cancer
    27 June 2019
    By Frances Hardy
    In the UK, 58 women are diagnosed and 21 die each day from gynaecological cancers. Here a doctor explains the impact smoking can have on a woman's body
    For many people, the idea of developing cancer is hard to comprehend. 
    Yet young female smokers are at particular risk of developing the disease – in parts of their body they might not even know could be affected by their habit. 
    Dr Jeff Foster, a private GP based in Leamington Spa, explains: “Smoking is a serious risk factor for many cancers including lung, breast and throat. But it’s easy to forget it is having the same impact all over the body.”
    What Does Smoking Do to Your Reproductive Organs?
    The Impact of Smoking on Male and Female Fertility
    Gender and Smoking: How Men and Women Differ
    In particular, smoking is a risk factor for gynaecological cancers. In the UK, 58 women are diagnosed and 21 die each day from one of these cancers, which includes womb, ovarian, cervical, vaginal and vulval.
    This last is probably the least known type - yet vulval cancer is diagnosed in 1,000 women each year, according to the Eve Appeal, the charity which specialises in gynaecological cancers. 
    Mostly found in women over 60 – although younger cases are becoming more common – vulval cancer has been linked to the human papilloma virus (HPV) infection as well as a weakened immune system. It can also be due to a skin condition called lichen sclerosus.
    And according to Cancer Research UK, researchers have found a clear link between vulval cancer and smoking.
    Researchers have found a clear link between vulval cancer and smoking
    This is partly because smoking weakens our immune system so that it’s harder to get rid of infections such as HPV which cause cancer.
    It is also possible, says Cancer Research UK, that the harmful substances in tobacco damage cells in the vulva directly and so lead to the development of vulval cancer.  Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is a risk factor for vulval cancer as well as cervical cancer. It is possible that being a smoker may mean that you are less able to get rid of the HPV infection from your body.
    One of the dangers of this type of cancer is that its intimate location means women may not notice early symptoms, so diagnosis comes later than it should.
    “Many women will only be diagnosed with vulval cancer,” Dr Foster explains, “when they are examined for something else, like a repeat smear test.”
     
    However, there may be earlier signs, including a new itch or sore patch, a lump or swelling on the labia, or a burning pain when you pass urine. "Women should never be embarrassed to contact their GP if they experience any of these," he adds.
    Treatment is surgery, Dr Foster says, unless the cancer has spread into lymph nodes. “Vulval cancer doesn’t usually spread too far so chemo is not often needed although a course of radiotherapy may be used.”
    Survivors of vulval cancer are grateful but tell of operations which have left them feeling less feminine as a result. 
    Clare Baumhauer, in her 40s, from Kent, explained in her blog that radiotherapy had sent her into an early menopause, saying: “In May 2016 I had the surgery to remove a tumour from my perineum, but they couldn’t get clear margins so I had radiotherapy but unfortunately it had spread to my lymph nodes so I then had two further operations on my lymph nodes and more radiotherapy.
    Giving up smoking is essential
    "Which put me straight into the menopause and I now have lymphedema in both my legs, pelvis and abdomen, among other side effects.”
    On the whole, survival rates are good. According to Cancer Research UK, for all women with vulval cancer more than 80 percent will survive their cancer for five years or more after diagnosis.
    "Giving up smoking is essential," says Dr Foster, to "prevent further cell damage and to help your body recover faster."
    “Better still,” he says, “young women could be encouraged to give up smoking before cell changes make cancer inevitable.”
     
    Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/12727-interesting-article-for-the-ladies/
     
  16. jillar
    Aine
    Quit Date: 2-26-2014
     
    Posted May 4, 2019 
     
    The Law of Addiction
     
    Most quitting literature suggests that it normally takes multiple failed quitting attempts before the user self-discovers the key to success. What they fail to tell you is the lesson eventually learned, or that it can be learned and mastered during the very first try.
     
    Successful recovery isn't about strength or weakness. It's about a mental disorder where by chance our dopamine pathway receptors have eight times greater attraction to a nicotine molecule than to the receptor's own neurotransmitter. We call it the "Law of Addiction" and it states:
     
    "Administration of a drug to an addict will cause re-establishment of chemical dependence upon the addictive substance."
     
    Roughly half of relapsing quitters report thinking that they thought they could get away with using just once. The benefit of fully accepting that we have a true chemical dependency and permanent priorities disorder can't be overstated. It greatly simplifies recovery's rules while helping protect against relapse.
     
    Key to arresting our illness is obedience to one simple concept, that "one is too many and a thousand never enough." There was always only one rule, no nicotine just one hour, challenge and day at a time.
     
    Navigating Withdrawal and Reclaiming Hijacked Dopamine Pathways
    Like clockwork, constantly falling nicotine reserves soon had hostage dopamine pathways generating wanting for more. Sensing that "want" thousands of times per year, how could we not expect to equate quitting to starving ourselves to death?
     
    Again, the essence of drug addiction is about dependency quickly burying all memory of our pre-dependency self. Thus, the first step in coming home and again meeting the real us is emptying the body of nicotine.
     
    It's amazingly fast too. Cut by half every two hours, our mind and body become 100% nicotine-free within 72 hours of ending all use. Extraction complete, peak withdrawal now behind you, true healing can begin. While receptor sensitivities are quickly restored, down-regulation of the number of receptors to levels seen in never-users may take up to 21 days.
     
    But within two to three weeks your now arrested dependency is no longer doing the talking. Quitting fears and dread are gradually thawing and melting into "like" or even "love." You're beginning to sense the truth about where you've been.
     
    It's critical during early withdrawal to not skip meals, especially breakfast. Attempting to do so will likely cause blood sugar levels to plummet, making recovery far more challenging than need be. Why?
     
    A stimulant, nicotine activates the body's fight or flight response, feeding the addict instant energy by pumping stored fats and sugars into the bloodstream. It allowed us to skip breakfast and/or lunch without experiencing low blood sugar symptoms such as feeling nervous or jittery, trembling, irritability, anxiousness, anger, confusion, difficulty thinking or an inability to concentrate. Minimize or avoid those symptoms. Eat little, healthy and often.
     
    If your diet and health permit, drink some form of natural fruit juice for the first three days. Cranberry juice is excellent. It will aid in stabilizing blood sugar while accelerating removal of the alkaloid nicotine from your bloodstream.
     
    Also, heavy caffeine users need to know that (as strange as this sounds), nicotine doubles the rate by which the liver eliminates caffeine from the bloodstream. One cup of coffee, tea or one cola may now feel like two. While most caffeine users can handle a doubling of intake, consider a modest reduction of up to one-half if feeling anxious, irritable or unable to sleep following caffeine use.
     
    One caution. While we need not give-up any activity except nicotine use, use extreme caution with early alcohol use as it is associated with roughly 50% of all relapses.
     
     
    The above is an excerpt from John Polito's article, "Nicotine Addiction 101". It explains the science behind why it is so darn difficult to quit nicotine and to stay quit.
     
    The full article is here: https://whyquit.com/whyquit/LinksAAddiction.html
     
    Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/12338-the-true-nature-of-nicotine-addiction/
     
  17. jillar

    The Dark Room

    By jillar,


    General
    Nancy
    Quit Date: 07/07/2013
     
    Posted April 7, 2014 · IP 
    Bonnie, I looked and it did not originate there, so here it is...
     
    THE SMALL DARK ROOM;
    an analogy of a quit
    (Reposted from Laurap414 from The QuitNet )

    Once, my existence was confined to a small, dark room. In the room was a button. When I pressed the button the room was filled with light. It was a warm, sunny light, which filled every crevice of the room with its brilliance. The light made me happy, and made me feel safe. The problem was, after a few minutes, the light would begin to fade. Soon the room would be completely dark again and I would have to press the button again. My life consisted of always getting to that button when the darkness began to fall. The darkness was scary. It was tiring
    getting to that button hour after hour. And in this life, it was always, always night.

    I heard people say that if you could endure one night in the dark, without pushing that button, you could experience Day. In Day, the button would not be needed. It would always be light, and there would be no dark to be afraid of. People said that when it was Day, you could actually leave the room. The button was still there, but you would not be reliant on it anymore. I remembered my life before the button, and looked at my friends who lived in the Day. And I knew that was what I wanted, more than anything. I hated it always being night; even though I had my button to light the world it was still depressing living from brightness to darkness, never being free, and never seeing the sun. And so one day I decided to stop pushing the button, to try and be free.

    At first, the darkness was a little uncomfortable. I could not see a thing, but then again the light had only been out for a short while. I knew what was in the room, no monsters there, right? Just the dark. But then, as the night progressed, scary things began to happen. I heard strange noises in the dark. Sometimes ghosts and apparitions would appear to me. And each time, no matter how much I wanted to be brave, something scared me so bad that I would reach for that button again. I never made it for more than a few hours in the dark. I would run screaming for the button, and give it a good smack. Thank God!!! The light would be warmer and more lovely than it had ever been. But then, as always, the light would begin to fade. And I would realize to my horror that it was midnight again. And I was even more afraid of the encroaching dark than ever.

    One day I heard of a group of people who had made it through to Day. I wanted to get out of my terrible night, and so I asked them how they made it to dawn, and then to sunrise and Day. And they told me some secrets. They told me how to deal with the ghosts who would appear in the dark, how the room would change and how all sorts of horrible things would happen. They warned me that it would be worse than a nightmare at times, but that I could do it. Best of all, they said they would help me make it through the night. This is the story of how it happened, one minute at a time.

    11:59 pm. I push the button for the Very Last Time. I am very afraid..

    12:00 midnight. The room is dark. Not so bad. I can do this.

    12:15 am Hearing scary noises. Scared, but Im ready for this. I can do it.

    12:30 am A man appears out of nowhere.

    "Push the button!!!!" he screams. "Arent you afraid of the monsters? Arent you scared of the demons? Push the button! It will be light again!!!! Just do it!!!!". He is scaring me.

    I look at him fiercely. He goes away. He comes back many times during the night.

    1:00 am The floor has turned to snakes. I am horrified. I can hear them slithering around. I want to turn on the light. I need to see them. I need them to go away. I ask my friends and they say this is normal, that it will get better.

    1:30 am I can hear moans in the dark. The snakes are still here. I think this room is haunted. I am so scared of the dark. I want to push the button so the light will make the ghosts go away. I keep telling myself I am headed towards the dawn.

    1:45 am Something cold and dead brushes my face. I scream. I reach for the button. My friends tell me Im doing a great job. They tell me the noises are just phantom noises. They tell me to think of the coming dawn. The snakes are still around my legs. I think the floor is getting wet and sticky, I cant tell. The noises are getting stranger. I am shivering with fear and revulsion.

    2:00 am If it werent for my friends I would have gone insane or hit the button hours ago. I begin to think that the floor is wet and sticky with the blood of people who have killed themselves in here. My friends tell me its just my own sweat. I know that if I hit the button it will all go away. The noises are unbearable. My only comfort is knowing I have made it this far. I tell myself I can make it a little longer. I break down in tears from exhaustion.

    2:15 am Its getting a little better now. The dark is still filled with bizarre monsters and strange sounds.

    2:30 am I look out the window to see if the sun is coming up yet. It is still pitch dark. I cannot see a thing.

    2:45 am The scariest part of night. I sense that I am surrounded by ghouls. I am trying to be strong even though I am beside myself with fright.

    Suddenly a woman appears in the room. She is holding a candle. She looks like a very competent lawyer or something, and looks very kind. I am so relieved to see her, and I invite her to sit down.

    She explains that she has contacted the owners of the room and that they have agreed to make an exception for me. Since I am experiencing so much fear, they will let me push the button once without setting the clock back to midnight (right back where I started). She said that they have been watching me, and since Ive been so brave, they will allow me a little bit of light to "get me through the night".

    "I thought that once I hit the button, I go right back to where I started no mater what", I say.

    "No, no, we have made a special exception in your case," she says, smiling. She looks so caring and professional. I begin to believe her. She seems completely trustworthy.

    I look over the contract she has brought. It all looks very legal and above-board. I get to push the button once, and the clock is not set back to midnight. It sounds extremely sensible. I am listening to the noises in the dark. There is a big bump from the darkest corner.

    "What was that?" I say.

    "That was a ghoul," she says pleasantly. "It will rip your throat out and kill you if it gets you. So not to rush things, but perhaps you want to sign the contract right NOW".

    I look into her eyes. I want to believe her. I reach for the pen. And then I see behind her smile, this evil green glimmer. And I smell death on her clothes. With horror, I realize that she has been sent by the Nicodemon. She is pure evil. She leans in closer, and hands me the pen.

    I pull back. "Get away!" I scream. "Get out of here at once!!!!".

    "Oh no, sweetie" she says in her pleasant voice of death. "You asked me to sit down. You read my contract. Im going to stay a while". I know she is in league with the Demon but I cant seem to move or scream. I am transfixed with her voice, her glinting eyes, her tempting smile. "Why dont we sit and chat awhile my dear?" she smiles sweetly. It seems like two hours pass. I cannot move. I have never been so scared. Crazily, I still think about signing the contract she is holding. I think of how hitting the button would make her go away.

    Finally I summon all of my strength, and with great effort I am able to make myself realize that she is evil and full of lies. Finally, when I admit this to myself, she stands up to leave . "Ill be back for you!!!!!!" she shrieks as she leaves. I smell her horrible stench after she goes and I want to vomit.

    I am shaking with the effort and terrified, but I realize I have won a battle. I am slightly proud.

    3:00 am Still afraid but hanging in there. Telling myself Ive made it this far. Trying to ignore the snakes and ghouls. When I ignore them they are not so bad.

    3:15 am The man keeps coming back. He is not as scary anymore.

    4:00 am I think I can finally see the dawn rising in the far distance. I am completely exhausted. But I think , this is it! I have made it to Day! I am very excited.

    4:15 am A little old lady appears. She is very sweet looking and gentle. "Hi honey!" she says.

    "Hi there" I say, glad for some company.

    "Rough night, huh?" she says.

    "Ill say", I agree. I feel relaxed, relieved, happy, so proud of myself.

    "And youve done such a great job," she says. I thank her for the compliment. "Such a great job, " she says, "that you deserve to hit that button one more time. Just to see it once before its gone. It was such a lovely light wasnt it?" she says sweetly.

    "It was a lovely light," I say. I look fondly at the button, and then look outside to the greying sky, which is filling with a dirty pale light. I think of my brilliant warm light and how it used to cheer me up instantly.

    "You do deserve it," she says.

    We chat for some time about what a great job Ive done getting through the night. She is a very sweet and understanding lady. We stroll around the room for a while, and then I look down. When I do, I realize my hand is on the button. I look into the nice ladys eyes, and suddenly I see the glint of evil green grinning back at me. "Why dont you push the button now?" she growls, in a voice that sounds like the grave.

    "AARGH!" I yell. I jerk my hand off the button. The lady vanishes in a puff of noxious fumes. But her words were powerful poison and it is a while before I can walk away from the button. I am terrified by the close call.

    4:15 am Its getting brighter now.

    5:00 am Things are going OK. I have survived a few more close calls. The old lady came back, and so did the lawyer lady, but I fought them off. The snakes and ghouls I realize were only in my head. Things are looking normal. I can see again!

    6:00 am Sunrise! I never thought I would see it. Its only a matter of time before I get to see the Day. I realize I will never need my horrible button again. I am so relieved I could just cry. I am full of gratitude and thanks. I am so proud of myself, so humble. Ive come so far.

    And then I hear the voice. It is icy cold and gravelly, and sounds like a thousand monsters whispering together. It comes from everywhere and nowhere, it echoes through my brain.

    "There are monsters everywhere, my friend," it says. "There are monsters which can attack you in the grey light of dawn, monsters under the bed at sunrise, and monsters which will haunt you invisibly during the Day. These monsters can only be conquered by pressing that magic button. Did you think that daylight would protect you? Oh no. Never forget that the monsters are ALL AROUND, my friend. And the button is the only thing that will keep them away FOREVER. So watch out where you step, and listen wherever you go".

    I am chilled. I am terrified. I look to make sure the button is not far away. It is still there, and I am slightly comforted by this. The sunrise is not as safe as it seemed.

    6:15 am I look around for day-monsters. Sometimes I can see them lurking under the bed. I had no idea that I would be afraid after sunrise. I miss my brilliant warm light. Just waiting for Day to come.

    7:00 am. Sun keeps rising. Doing much better now. Monsters are less frightening. Really beginning to feel positive.

    7:15 am Getting very bright. Feeling great. Knock at the door. Its the neighbour.

    "Hey lady," he says. "Howya doing in here? Listen, I dropped off because I noticed your light wasnt on. I just wanted to let you know that if you push that button over there, you can see a whole lot better!"

    "Yeah I know", I say, "but when you push the button, it stays night. The longer I leave it off, the brighter it gets, and eventually itll be as bright as Day."

    "Well, I hate to tell you this," he says, "but you know, it never really gets as bright in the Daytime as that light was. I mean, I tried that whole Day thing and it aint what its cracked up to be. Sure, the light gets kind of bright during the Day, but then there are cloudy days, and whatnot. And you can never really read a book with the same amount of clarity as you get with that button".

    "Really?" I say. "I did not know this. Because you know, I am a big reader".

    "Oh, yeah, that Day light, its never the same! You cant read by Day light!!! Not the way you can with this baby you got right here. I tell you what -if you want, I can jimmy this light so that it doesnt get dark at all! That way, itll be on all the time, and youll NEVER know its night outside. What do you think?"

    "You can do that?" I say. "I mean, I tried that before. I tried a LOT of different things to make it not seem so bad. But I still knew it was night. That light still kept going out."

    "No, no, no -- that was last time. I guarantee you I can fix it so that you will never feel scared that its night, and that light will always be on. Believe me, it beats the hell out of Day. I promise you. I mean look at this crappy light", he said, jerking his thumb towards the weak sunrise.

    "Well, OK" I said. "What do I have to do?"

    "Just push the button once, so I can get it going, then youll be all set," he said. "And if you dont like it, you can always try this Day thing another time, right?" He grinned pleasantly, and gave me a friendly wink.

    I looked him over to size him up. He was really a good-looking guy, so friendly and polite. It was obvious he knew what he was talking about, and he had a very honest face. Perhaps, I thought, my friends were wrong about this Day thing? I mean, here was a guy who could just rig up my button to fix it up just like that. And it sounded like he knew from experience that the button light was better and brighter than Day. Plus he had promised that it would work. Why would this guy lie to me?

    He was still standing there, smiling at me.

    "OK" I said, "What the heck". And I reached to shake his hand.

    "Excellent" he grinned. But as he smiled I got a glimpse of what was between his lips, and saw that his mouth was full of maggots. Suddenly I realized that he reeked of rotting corpses and death, and when I touched his hand, it felt like cold icy death. I looked into his eyes and saw that I was staring face-to-face with none other than the Nicodemon.

    "Nicodemon!!!" I shrieked.

    "Yes, my dear" he growled, and as he grinned at me, moving his face closer to mine, his breath smelled like ashes and cancer. "Just push that button and Ill fix that little button for you RIGHT AWAY". The maggots were still spilling out of his mouth, and to my horror I realized that his body was made up of decaying flesh. Every surface of his body was covered with sores, and from the sores leaked pus and phlegm. I looked down and saw that I was still clutching his rotting, deadened hand.

    "Argh!" I yelled. "You are a LIAR!!!!!! That stuff is not true! What you say is never true!!! You cant fix that button! If I push it Ill be back in the night! The button will not make the monsters go away! It never did! All it did was keep me in eternal night!!!!! NOW GO AWAY AND GET OUT OF HERE!!!!!! YOU BASTARD!!!!!"

    And I kicked him right in the balls.

    "AAAAAUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!" shrieked the Nicodemon. With a cloud of poisonous fumes and toxic gases he began to melt into a puddle of phlegm, until nothing was left of him except a small pile of ash.

    "Ha". I said. I swept up the ash and put it outside. I had won this battle, and I deserved to be proud. I had outwitted the most clever villain of all. And I had done it all by myself (with a little help from my friends).

    But I knew he would be back.


    Epilogue


    Sometime Around High Noon

    Well the sun has finally come up and its Day. Its everything my friends promised it would be. The sun is out, the birds are singing, and its simply glorious. Eventually, I even walked out of that small dark room, and left the button behind.

    The best part about it is, the sun never goes down here. It just stays high noon all day long, and the sun is shining almost all the time. My friends are here with me, and we never have to go back into that horrible night.

    The Demon came back a few more times, in a few more disguises. He almost fooled me that night that I went through the dark, and he might fool me again. But Ive got my friends behind me and they tell me about the different tricks he likes to use. He is a crafty, conniving, horrible, evil spirit, and I know that he will always do everything in his power to try and get me back.

    But I will be ready, and waiting. And God willing, Ill keep outwitting that son-of-a-bitch.
     
    Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/343-the-dark-room/
     
     
  18. jillar
    Sazerac
    Quit Date: October 23, 2013, A Good Day to be Free.
     
    Posted June 4, 2016 
     
    Please, Take Your LIVES Seriously
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    In 'real' life and here on the QTrain, I see people being careless
    about their lives and their quit,
    like they have all the time in the world !
    'I'll quit next week, maybe tomorrow, I'll quit again sometime'.
    Are they not understanding how dangerous smoking is ?
    It's a friggin' Slow Suicide !
    The ramifications are Horrible.
    This is no joke.
    Ask our beautiful friend, Doreen !
     
    I, too, used to be casual about quitting, casual about smoking.
    so, it is no surprise to see others in Denial.
    I wasn't listening to any kind of Sense, or Logic, or TRUTH, either.
    Then, suddenly, I 'got it'
    and thanks to the information here,
    I educated myself about Nicotine Addiction.
     
    After that, there was simply no other choice
    except to Quit and be Quick about it !
    I would no longer live as a Slave, or die as one either !
     
    I wish I could give that Eureka moment to everybody struggling with addiction
    but, I don't know what happened or why.
    At a certain point, I listened and Understood
    and I give this to you,
    Understand your addiction, and Be Free of it.
    Your Lives are Precious.
     
    Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/7092-please-take-your-lives-seriously/
     
  19. jillar
    Sirius
    Quit Date: May 27, 2014
     
    Posted July 12, 2016 
     
    The following was some of the more weird things I did
     
    while going through the stress of decompress.
     
     
     
     
     
    Sharpen knifes.  Oh Vay!  scrape, scrape, scrape....
     
    Take your time with it.  Focus on getting the sharpest edge.
     
    All my knifes are very sharp.
     
     
     
    Emptied out my ashtray into a glass jar (with lid).  Added a 
     
    bit of water to the mix.  When I feel the need I take a good 
     
    long look at this stuff.  If I still feel the need I unscrew the
     
    lid and take a long deep whiff.  Really brings back the whole
     
    smoking experience - to include the gagging, retching, and 
     
    full body coughing.
     
     
     
    If the time and place allows for it; a good stiff drink.  
     
    One shot only!  
     
    Purely for medicinal purposes.  
     
    Bonus points for Barcardi 151.
     
     
     
    A personal favorite.  Chopping Wood.  Nothing like swinging an axe 
     
    to work out the aggression and utter unfairness that constant 
     
    denial piles onto my little psyche.  Plus, I'm doing something 
     
    constructive!
     
     
     
    Hold your breath until the desire to breath meets and exceeds 
     
    the desire to smoke.  While holding your breath contemplate
     
    how each cigarette you consume brings you closer to holding your
     
    breath involuntarily. Breathing is far more satisfying then smoking.
     
     
     
    Enjoy a fresh Jalapeño. Pop the whole thing in your mouth and 
     
    chew slowly.  mmmmmm...  Bonus points for not having water 
     
    near at hand.  
     
    Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/7287-the-weird-things-i-did-to-quit-smoking/
     
  20. jillar

    The Roller Coaster Ride

    By jillar,


    General
    babs609
    Posted February 13, 2015 
     
    Quitting smoking is often referred to a roller coaster ride, and with good reason.  While one minute you are feeling confident and strong that you finally "beat" that sucker.  Thinking.."Yes!  I'm doing it..I'm gonna make it"..only to be followed by feelings of doubt, fear, anger, frustration, sadness, lonliness..and these feelings can change within just moments.  This is the part that would beat me down in prior attempts.  I just was tired of the ups and downs.  I think having the "ups" was actually a deterrent to my quit because it would set me up...when I would feel restless...it would piss me off because I thought I was done with all that.
     
    Please please please...keep in mind...these thoughts that just pop up out of nowhere are not YOU.  Any thoughts that pop in our heads are not actually us.  We aren't controlling them...we are just going about our business and them BAM!  there's a thought.  Now....you have a decision to make.  If you are someone who normally runs with their thoughts...this could be trouble for you.  You actually may believe these thoughts to be true without question.  You give these thoughts power by believing they are true when in fact.....they are a complete lie all made up in your head. 
     
    Being an ex-smoker in the early days or weeks of quitting without truly grasping the reality that your thoughts are not true...then you may be not only heading for relapse but are in danger of becoming a chronic relapser until you change your thought patterns. 
     
    No matter what...don't believe you are a weak person.  This kind of thinking re-enforces to your subconcious that other quitters are stronger and you are weaker and therefore....quitting is harder or even impossible for you.  That's total BULL$HIT.  That just gives the addiction more power.  It's already powerful...more powerful than you.  Otherwise..you would have quit long ago or maybe not even started.  
     
    Although the addiction is stronger than you....it's not smarter. 
     
    "Keep your friends close and your enemy's closer"....that saying couldn't be further from the truth when referring to the addiction.  Learn all you can about the addiction.  Don't just read....absorb it...live it...taste it....feel it...and most of all...believe it.  Learn all the tricks it will try to play on you...learn what fellow quitters have done when faced with these challenges. 
     
    Believe with your whole heart that you are no different than anyone else.  You are not weaker than us...your addiction is not stronger than ours... 
     
    Until you understand that...you will either struggle and continue this fight and give up quitting altogether until illness or death forces you to quit....OR..you will struggle and fight and relapse after relapse after relapse until you either finally absorb the teachings of fellow quitters...wasting months or years in the meantime and just making it harder for yourself than it really has to be.
     
    I wish this could be a post where a lightbulb goes off in your head and you say "aha! I got it!!!  I finally got it"  But that lightbulb moment is different for everyone and that's why I just ask everyone lurking and reading and contemplating quitting...to just keep coming back here...keep reading...keep reading...keep reading.  Lots of posts and video's to help you "undo the brainwashing" that has been planted in your head from the years of being a smoker.  It takes time......it takes patience..it takes re-enforcement... In short, it takes work...but it is sooooooo worth it.
     
    When you finally are ready...and you put down your final cigarette...
     
    Keep your arms and legs in at all times...put your buckle on...and enjoy the ride.  You might as well because even though we enjoy when we feel good...it's the hard times that strengthens you.
     
     
    ONE DAY AT A TIME>>>ONE MOMENT AT A TIME
     
    Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/4460-the-roller-coaster-ride/
     
  21. jillar
    Peter_is_in
    Quit Date: 11/22/2003
     
    Posted January 26, 2019
     
    For me personally and what I have seen, I reflect on the word "Struggle" . . .
     
    To watch a loved one die from cancer while all you can see is the whites of their eyes. The pain and frustration only shows in the wrinkles of their face, because they cannot talk . .. that's a struggle.
     
    That cannot be undone  
    To hear about a roadside bomb hitting a convoy of peace keepers in Afghanistan . . . and your child may be in that convoy . . . communications are automatically cut for several days . .. that's a struggle.
     
    You have no control  
    To give up on planning yearly fishing trips with your best buddy, because cancer just stole him away from you. . . that's a struggle.
     
    That cannot be forgotten  
    To hear the last words of your sister in moans and groans because the pain before dying of cancer is so much. . . that's a struggle.
     
    That cannot be erased  
    To see a family member taken off life support. . . that's a struggle.
     
    That cannot be erased  
    To learn about others who have no food to eat tomorrow, and likely will die . . . that's a struggle.
     
    That cannot be ignored  
    To have a strong crave to smoke a cigarette . . . that's not a struggle . . . That's an inconvenience.
     
    That can be undone That can be controlled That can be forgotten That can be erased That can be ignored  
    You can do it!
     
    Peter: Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/11825-i-reflect-on-the-word-struggle/
     
  22. jillar
    Markus
    Quit Date: 02-19-2008
     
    Posted April 4, 2014 
     
    It's all very personal.
     
    Even though the methods used to quit are the same with slight variations depending on an individual's preference it all is a very personal thing.
     
    You always choose what works for you or just wing it. You do that on your own, always. Some plans I see I just cringe, but you know it usually ends up that it works for that person.
     
    A step-wise plan to quit is a good idea but doesn't need to be complex, and a fallback plan is even better. You can start by acting like a nonsmoker; see yourself a few weeks and a few months from now. What do you look like, what are you doing?

    Get to the reading and the writing. Post and become a part of this forum and pay it forward to cement your quit in your mind. You will do this on your own with a little help (minimal) assistance from your friends here. Nobody can quit for you, but you can learn how to stay quit here.

    Any or all of items 1-7 below, will make it better.

    (1) Commit to Not One Puff Ever (NOPE).
    (2) Commit to Never Take Another Puff (NTAP).
    (3) Educate yourself about your addiction. Read, post, learn, overcome. Lather, rinse, repeat.
    (4) Decide that you do not want to smoke more than you want to smoke. This may save you from relapse.
    (5) Take control of your life, reclaim your mind and body, and get it straight about who owns you. Is it you? Or your addiction?
    (6) Realize that you'll always be an addict, a puff away from a pack a day, but you choose not to smoke. That's all of us.
    (7) Start acting like a non smoker, like you never smoked, walk the walk. A cigarette is never the answer to anything but disease.
    ( 8 Have a plan B if Plan A that you are using now fails. Make your plan B from steps 1-7, above.
    *(9) Celebrate your quit! Talk it up, be proud of what you have accomplished!

    Alright, enough with the steps and commitment to this and that already! Look at this logically if you will. 
     
    How else can you possibly quit smoking by any other means than stopping using cigarettes? The addiction to nicotine cannot be overcome by administering the same thing to yourself that you are addicted to, (nicotine).
     
    What that means is when you are at 5 days, 7 days, 10 days, 28 days quit, and you find yourself craving a cigarette (your delivery device for nicotine), you cannot beat that crave/association with a cigarette.
     
    You might fix a bad hangover with some hair of the dog that bit you, but you can't fix a cigarette crave with a cigarette and still expect to quit smoking. Can you? Now go look at the items again, you have the desire.
     
    What is missing if anything? You decide along the way, revamp the plan if you need to, adapt to your conditions, if something isn't working, get rid of it. Anything to keep the quit.

    You have to be fair to yourself, but firm. It will get better over time, but you'll only see it if you commit to it.
     
    And so you will.
     
    Welcome to a new life!
     
    Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/221-welcome-to-a-new-life-your-quit/
     
  23. jillar
    Soberjulie
     
    Posted April 23, 2014 
     
    Sometimes
    it takes every last bit of you to keep your balance
    and not do something self destructive.
    I'm not talking about willpower, I'm talking about
    something else.
    I'm not sure how to describe it.
    It's like the part of you that wants to live,
    the part of you that is committed to not smoking,
    is connected by only the most slender of threads to
    the part of you driving the car,
    making the decisions.
     
    Sometimes you just hang in there,
    a minute at a time.
     
    You ask for help, but you know
    if you choose to
    you can turn away from that pretty easily,
    or even accidentally
    on purpose.
     
    Sometimes
    not sliding backwards
    counts as moving forwards.
    Sometimes not actively trying to die is
    living large.
    Sometimes holding your ground
    is a fragile miracle.
     
    Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/926-hey-my-fellow-newbies-hold-your-ground/
     
  24. jillar
    Colleen
    Quit Date: 6/2/13
     
    Posted June 13, 2015 
     
    I was scared too.  Thought I had this super addictive personality and all those who had successfully quit before me weren't really addicted to smoking.  Shortly after you quit, you are going to figure it out, but I'll let you in on the secret now...it's a bunch of baloney.  Nobody is more addicted to smoking than anyone else.  It's the monster otherwise known as nicotine playing tricks on you, kick his ass to the curb because once you let go of that illusion everything seems to fall into place.  
     
    Remember sticking your toe in the pool and thinking it's much too cold to swim in?  Do you also remember once you jumped in (or were pushed in) you realized it wasn't that bad at all?  That is exactly what quitting smoking is like.  It's 10 times more easier than you thought it was.  Okay, so it's not always rainbows and unicorns, but it's nowhere as bad as you think it is.  Trust me, this is coming from someone that couldn't go 3 hours without a cigarette.  Or trust my ticker, it doesn't lie 
     
    Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/5481-are-you-scared-to-quit-smoking/
     
  25. jillar

    Mental Balloons

    By jillar,


    General
    gonfishn21
    Quit Date: 11.15.15
     
    Posted March 1, 2018 
     
    For Nancy
     
    Mental Balloons
    Posted by gonfishn21 on 16 January 2015 - 06:17 PM
     
    As I'm now chasing the tweenie label, and have been thinking a lot about the concerns I have had regading No Man's Land, its got me thinking again.
    As most of you know, that means I'm going to ramble.

    Although I am not one that needs a lot of kudos, it seems that it is a necessary part of this process for a while.
    We make it through day 1 HURRAH!!!!!!!!!!
    We make it through hell week HURRAY!!!!
    Heck week over, " I feel better" HURRAy!!
    Two weeks, wow, learning to get through the craves, HURRay!
    Three weeks, can be around my friends and family without committing a felony, HURray
    Four weeks, nerves under control, waistband a little tight, not bad, HUrray
    Five weeks, walking, eating right, digestion shut down, but not smoking, Hurray
    Six weeks, no craves, no moods, no smoking, digestion shut down, HUH?
    Seven to eight weeks, no one wants to know but you, how you are doing. By the way, my digestion is shut down!
    They really stopped wanting to hear weeks ago, you just kept talking about it. You can see it in their eyes when you walk up. They probably have a pool about how long it will take you to bring it up. Or even worse, the day your digestion works!
    Yeah, wow woot woot yippee, big deal.
    Hello No Man's Land'
    How am i going to keep going with this?
    I need to bring my own ballons to the party. I know my friends and family care, but they dont get it.
    Even as firm as I have been since day one, this is one of the hardest things I have ever done. I know it, thats all that matters.
    As i reach the little milestones ahead, I need to be the one who says HURRAY!!!!!.
    I need to be the one who acknowledges the accomplishments. Afterall, in the end, I made the decision to quit, I made it through hell week, heck week, and i am the one who may never digest food again.
    I need to remind myself everyday, how much I have accomplished, BEFORE I have a chance to get weak. In that way, I can stay ahead, be ready to face any challenge with a strong defense.
    Smoking is no longer an option for me. Smoking is just something I used to do. I control my actions, and smoking is a choice. I choose not to smoke, even if I never digest food again.
    I found a website the other day, that actually teaches you HOW TO SMOKE. I couldn't believe it. It takes you through lighting it, drawing on it, how it feels.......Holy Crap I was feeling it!!!!! Two flipping months into this, and I was feeling it, and then I knew. I had to make mental ballons and carry them with me at all times.
    Everyday is a celebration, everyday needs reminders, and everyday has its challenges. There is no one here, that can not do it. I'm not special. I'm just going to carry my own balloons.
    Just sayin,

    Gon
     
    Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/9819-mental-balloons/
     

Twitter

About us

QuitTrain®, a quit smoking support community, was created by former smokers who have a deep desire to help people quit smoking and to help keep those quits intact.  This place should be a safe haven to escape the daily grind and focus on protecting our quits.  We don't believe that there is a "one size fits all" approach when it comes to quitting smoking.  Each of us has our own unique set of circumstances which contributes to how we go about quitting and more importantly, how we keep our quits.

 

Our Message Board Guidelines

Get in touch

Follow us

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Guidelines

  I accept
Please Sign In or Sign Up