jillar

Sazerac Quit Date: October 23, 2013, A Good Day to be Free. Posted July 31, 2016 All you quitters will remember this scenario, all you smokers don't have to live it anymore. "Man, gimme a smoke. I just need a smoke. Everything is just too much. I need a smoke." "ahhh. thanks, that's better." Really ? What's better ? The situation is still the same situation. Nothing is better, things are just what they were. The only thing that changed is you are chilled because you fed your addiction. You are a good slave. An obedient Slave. What seems better is only an illusion....what was accomplished ? You delayed withdrawal symptoms for another twenty minutes until the next crave. In twenty minutes or so, no matter what is going on...real crisis or no, you will have another crisis, the need to feed your addiction again because you are a good slave, a very good slave. The Truth is you don't need that smoke. You need to get a grip and stop your blind obedience to nicotine addiction. Your body and mind need to remember how to live. Your body needs water, food, rest, deep delicious breaths of oxygen. You Need to be Free. Remember when you were Free ? Maybe you don't remember because addiction has hijacked your brain and your soul. No worries, you WILL remember how to be free. It's simple. It's Freedom. Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/7355-you-need-a-smoke/

I've got entertainment coming

-15

-12

@David Percival, I'm not really sure why you're here if you're so adamant about remaining a smoker. Maybe another forum would be better for you but if you ever decide you'd like to quit smoking we'll be here to help you along the way.

Oh no brioski, I'm sorry for your loss. I'm so proud of you for staying committed to your quit through it all. (Hugs) xoxo

-7

-5

5

Great post @stzr500 and great to "see" you

Congratulations on four weeks quit @tocevoD

MarylandQuitter Quit Date: 10/07/2013 Posted August 2, 2014 This is sad, but it hit home for me. Different circumstances and a generation gap, this was me. How lonely I really was and smoking was never the friend I had thought it was. This could be any one of us should we ever take another puff from one of those death sticks. Life had become a boring routine. She had just been going through the motions of maintaining a normal semblance of existence. Waking up, having a cigarette. Washing up and brushing her teeth, having a cigarette. Eating breakfast, having a cigarette. Doing some light cleaning, vacuuming, dusting, and having a cigarette. Watching a little television while having a cigarette. Preparing a sandwich for lunch, having a cigarette. Taking a short nap, waking up for a cigarette. Reading the newspaper, having a cigarette. Making a list of needed groceries, having a cigarette. Getting ready to do some light shopping, having a cigarette. Driving to the local market, having a cigarette. About to enter the store, but stopping to have a cigarette. Checking out at the cash register, leaving the store and having a cigarette. Going home and starting to prepare dinner, having a cigarette. Eating dinner, having a cigarette. Clearing the table and washing the dishes, having a cigarette. Watching a little television, having a couple of cigarettes. Washing up, brushing her teeth and getting dressed for bed, having a cigarette. Getting into bed, having a cigarette. Going to sleep. Ever since the loss of her husband many years ago, nothing in her normal daily existence seemed to give her life any meaning or any real happiness. Weeks would go by with her barely cracking a smile. Almost nothing seemed to bring her joy anymore. But this day was starting differently. After breakfast her phone rang. She ran for a cigarette. On the fourth ring she made it to the phone and picked up the receiver. It was her daughter. She lived only an hour away, but because of her career, her husband's schedule and the kid's school, soccer, piano, ballet lessons, etc., they only were able to visit occasionally. Well, to her pleasant surprise, she found out that they were coming on Saturday to spend the day. For the first time in weeks she seemed truly happy. As soon as she hung up the phone she grabbed for a cigarette. She had to start planning and preparing to see the kids. She called her beauty shop to make an afternoon appointment. When she hung up the phone she took a cigarette. She got dressed and ready to go shopping, and right before leaving, she took a cigarette. In the car driving to the store she hurriedly smoked two cigarettes for she knew she could not smoke while in the store. She hurriedly went up and down the aisles, with a certain bounce in her step for she was still so excited about the visit. When she left the store she hurried to her car and lit a cigarette. She went home, put away the groceries, prepared and ate a quick bite, smoked a cigarette and hurriedly left the house to be on time for her beauty shop appointment. While she was there she smoked and conversed with the other patrons, glowing as she told of her exciting weekend news. When she got home, she smoked a cigarette, and starting preparing a turkey for the big Saturday night meal. She smoked and ate, smoked and cooked and smoked and prepared for bed. One last cigarette and she slowly dozed off, happy and excited about the joy of the upcoming day. When she woke up she excitedly grabbed for her first cigarette. She got up and cleaned and brushed her teeth, and took another cigarette. She ate breakfast and smoked again. She started preparing her feast and smoked numerous cigarettes. Even though she was not conscious of the fact, she was smoking more than normal. Through years of conditioning she had learned that since she couldn't smoke when around the grandchildren she had better have plenty of nicotine in her system by the time they arrived. A little last minute cleaning, and cooking and smoking. She was ready. The door bell rings. She hurries to the door and opens it up. There is her family. Everyone is excited. She goes to kiss the youngest, who says "Oh grandma, you smell like an ashtray!" She was used to these comments, she loved him anyway. After 15 minutes of talking with all the kids and her daughter and son-in-law, she and her daughter go to the kitchen to work on the dinner. After a couple of hours she starts to feel the twinge for a cigarette. But she knows she can't smoke. The kids are running through the house vigorously. As the hours pass, her patience becomes strained. Too much noise she thinks to herself, boy, does she wish she could smoke a cigarette. She starts to complain of a minor headache. They decide they better eat early, grandma is seeming a little tired and a little hassled. They sit down to eat. The food is good and everyone is enjoying. But grandma seems to be feeling worse and worse. Four hours have passed and still no cigarette. After dinner they all decide grandma needs some rest and mutually everyone agrees they will leave early. She kisses them all good-bye and rushes them out. As the door closes she hurries to her pack and smokes three cigarettes in a row. She finally starts to feel better. She now sits down in a quiet empty room thinking how lonely she feels and how sad that they had to leave so soon. But at least she has her cigarettes. But it had been a long day. She washes up, brushes her teeth, gets dressed for bed, and has one last cigarette. Tomorrow would be another routine day. Joel Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/2168-isolation-of-a-widowed-smoker/

Hey stew, I remember you calling yourself a basket case in 2016 and having a hard time. The thing is each quit is different so what you experienced your last quit may be way different from this quit. As far as the headaches go I believe without a doubt its the quitting caffeine and not from quitting smoking. The brain fog on the other hand is and how long it lasts varies too. I seem to recall having it for about three weeks or so. Drinking juice or sweets seem to help and make sure you're drinking lots of water. That helps loosen the junk in our lungs to make it easier to cough out. You're doing great so keep it up We do have a curse it thread in our Off the Record forum : https://www.quittrain.com/topic/835-can-we-have-a-curse-it-threadwith-warnings-as-sometimes-i-just-wanna-ffffffffffff/

I feel ya Chris, it's a brutal disease for sure, xoxo. I quit for the same exact reason and almost four years after quitting suffered respiratory failure as you all know from something viral (Covid?) it's unknown......... My tip is don't wait until you have shortness of breath to quit. COPD is a chronic condition with no cure that worsens over time. You can slow the progression greatly simply by quitting smoking!

7

6

6

Welcome aboard the train my friend, it's about time! You have a great group of 2023 quitters along with the rest of us with you so you're in good company to get your forever quit

-19

-17

-15

-14

-12

Hi @robin0212, yep its pretty common. I had it too. I just took an OTC sleep aid every few nights and it worked great at getting me back on my sleep schedule. Hang in there

-10