jillar

3. Drinking glasses

Geez @overcome, I just realized I put the wrong number, sorry about that I changed it on the heading but kept what I wrote just to trip everyone out lol. Anyway, happy seven monthaversary!

MarylandQuitter Quit Date: 10/07/2013 Posted October 17, 2014 I know for me, my family truly had not a clue about the addiction much less what it was like to quit. This is why I suppose my doctor told me to get involved in a support group. Nobody Understands What I'm Going Through Video discusses what family members can and cannot do to help their loved ones to quit smoking. Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/3132-nobody-understands-what-im-going-through-while-quitting-smoking/

1. Use for homemade jam

9. Use to take food to a friend

Hey Molly, they say it takes about three days to rid your body of nicotine so that's probably why day 3 is so hard for a lot of us. Your body is screaming for its fix. Hopefully tomorrow will be better for you

I agree this is a great post @DenaliBlues and we've had many members who felt the same as you did I'm sure. For me when I NOPED each day I did so because for that day I did feel like I would never take another puff ever. I didn't allow the word ever to keep me from using what was a powerful tool for me.

You're doing awesome @darcy, and look at all the money you've already saved! Crazy how quickly it adds up isn't it?!

@Molly2310, so glad you are posting and surrounded by nonsmokers for your first week quit. You're doing great!

Hi @Molly2310, congratulations on taking back your freedom. We've got a great group of members here so reach out to us with any questions or concerns you have, chances are someone else here has experienced it with their quit We also have a great library of information, even videos if that's more your thing so be sure to take a good look around...

Congratulations @DenaliBlues on a full year quit! That is so AWESOME and you should be so proud of yourself. I love the support you offer and have no doubt you've helped many people already. I really hope you stick around for years to come

Congratulations @AceWhite on two years quit, that's AWESOME! Hopefully you'll check in and tell us how you're doing

Lots of us get insomnia in the beginning of our quits but thankfully its only temporary. I took an OTC sleep aid a couple times and that helped get my sleep pattern working again. Glad you're sticking close and reading all you can. We also have a huge video forum with lots of information there. I'm going to move this thread to our main board since you'll be using it to track your quit

You're doing great @darcy and as you get past each trigger will become easier to get past in the future. Glad to see my JAC (jillars air cigarette) is working well for you. I used mine the whole first year of my quit.

Welcome @Slow progress, Congratulations on deciding to quit this nasty habit The first year can be a struggle with thoughts of .pissing the very thing that was killing you but as your quit grows and things like your sense of taste and smell return, your breathing improves and your bank account grows you'll start seeing that there's more to love about NOT smoking then there is to miss smoking I recommend making yourself a ticker for your signature so you can see all the time, cigarettes NOT smoked and cash saved since quitting, it's a huge inspiration to keep the quit

babs609 Quit Date: 07/13/2012 Posted March 29, 2014 Quitting tobacco is a process. It doesn't happen overnight, but compared to the amount of time most of us spent smoking, recovery from nicotine addiction is relatively short. Years of smoking taught us to react to literally everything by lighting a cigarette. When we were happy, we'd celebrate by lighting up. When we got angry, smoking would calm us down, or so we thought. Tired? Smoke a cigarette to stay awake. Hungry? Feed yourself a smoke. This list goes on and on. Between the physical addiction to nicotine and the mental associations that tie what seems like all of our activities to cigarettes, it can feel as though we're chained to the habit with links of steel. Successful recovery includes learning how to hear the message behind the urge to smoke and respond with more appropriate choices, such as a nap or a meal, for instance. Have patience with yourself. This skill takes some time to hone, but you'll get better at it. Eventually, cigarettes will fade as a fix for physical and emotional needs, and you'll make choices that actually address the signal your body is sending without thinking twice about it. When the Urge to Smoke Hits, Think H.A.L.T. H.A.L.T. (Hungry,Angry,Lonely,Tired) is a powerful checklist to help you decode the urges to smoke that you experience. Nine times out of ten, a craving can be traced to one of these four things: Hungry Have a snack or a meal. If you are hungry, food is the answer, not a cigarette. If you're concerned about weight gain, try drinking water before you eat a snack to help control the amount you eat. Keep healthy snacks on hand. Celery sticks, raw baby carrots and frozen grapes make good low calorie snacks. Normal weight gain due to quitting smoking is 5-8 pounds. Metabolism does slow a bit initially, so some daily exercise is a good idea. Things will balance out and that quit-related weight will drop off within a couple of months as long as you're eating the same as you were before you stopped smoking. Don't be too hard on yourself. Try to eat in moderation, but until you get your quit program under solid control, don't fret if you gain a few pounds. Quitting tobacco must be in the top slot of your priority list for as long as it takes. Weight can always be lost later. Angry Anger is a big trigger for most of us. Find healthy outlets for your feelings of frustration. If at all possible, deal with the situation that is bothering you head on and be done with it. Talk to friends and family about your feelings or write in your journal. The important thing is not to let anger simmer and get the upper hand. Reaching for a cigarette can seem like a quick fix, but it is a false fix. We may not always be able to choose the events that happen around us, but we do have control over how we let external situations affect us emotionally. Come up with a few ideas of things you can do to help you shift negative energy that bubbles up before it has the chance to do any damage. That way, when a situation arises, you're prepared. It will help you maintain control and get through it without smoking. Remind yourself that no one has the power to affect your emotions without your approval. You control your inner environment, for better or worse. Take responsibility for how you feel and it will empower you to control difficult emotions smoke-free. Lonely For most ex-smokers, loneliness is more accurately described as boredom. Smoking was such a constant companion it was an activity in and of itself. Early on in cessation, distraction is a useful tool that can help you manage feelings of boredom. Get out for a walk, watch a movie, or work on a hobby. Come up with a list of things you enjoy doing and do some of them. Make them fun and they will help you over the hump of this type of smoking trigger. Depression also falls under this category. People quitting tobacco are especially susceptible to the blues, at least early on. Leaving cigarettes behind can feel like the loss of a friend, albeit a destructive, life-stealing friend. After years of smoking, most of us feel the loss of smoking in this way to some extent. If you feel yourself slipping into a funk, take action. Change your environment(internal, external, or both) and it will help you change your attitude. It's ok to mourn the death of your smoking habit, but don't glorify it as something it was not. It was out to KILL you, remember that! Tired Fatigue can be a big trigger for the newly quit. Instead of lighting up when you're tired, give yourself permission to slow down and relax a little, take a nap, or go to bed early if you need to. Sounds so simple, yet people often push themselves too far with all of the demands of life these days. Be aware and take care. Don't let yourself get run down. A tired you is going to be more susceptible to junkie thinking and the threat of relapse. Protect your quit by protecting your health, both physically and mentally. It may feel like you'll never be free of cigarettes and thoughts of smoking will always plague you, but have some faith in yourself and the process, and please be patient. We taught ourselves to smoke, and we can teach ourselves to live comfortably without smokes too. Soon enough, you'll get to a place where smoking cessation is no longer a daily effort. You may even wonder why you didn't quit sooner, because life without cigarettes has become natural and easy. In the meantime, keep H.A.L.T. in your arsenal of quit tools and use it to decipher those urges as they come, one by one. great article by Terry Martin Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/9-halt/

7. Make tropical fish

4. Improvised paint pallet

Congratulations @overcome on being a half a year quit! That's fantastic Its also great to see you offer so much support to your fellow quitters. It means so much, especially to those coming behind you

You're doing great @darcy, you're done with HELL week, the hardest week of all and you're also almost through HECK week already! Yay you!!!

@Kerry, glad to see you're stepping down. Even if it gets a little tougher it's only temporary so hang in there. The only way past is through....

2. Use for lunch sandwich and chips

Congratulations on five years quit @catlover, I hope you have a great day and thank you for sticking around and giving your support to everyone

Don't feel that way @Kerry, there's no wrong way to quit our addiction so long as you have an exit plan to be off the nicotine gum, you're fine Lot's of members here have quit the same way, so no shame in that game