Gus

Welcome @LeapOfFaith! It’s good that you’ve decided to quit smoking. If quitting cold turkey is not for you there are nicotine replacement therapy products that are available for you to use. I suffer from severe anxiety and depression and I knew that I would not survive a complete break from nicotine. I used the patch and they helped tremendously. I still had to suffer from the withdrawal of all of the added chemicals tobacco is laced with and that in and of itself was rough. Eventually, as I worked my way through the step program of the patch I basically just forgot to put a patch on one day and I knew that I was done. I’ve never looked back. You are going to have to throw out all of the cigarettes and smoking related items(lighters, ashtrays, etc.) and resolve to not buy new ones. Like with myself and so many other addicts we have the “if you’ve got ‘em smoke ‘em” thought process. Grab a glass of water or fruit juice, brush your teeth upon wakening, something, anything to keep that mouth and those hands busy. You have decided to do something so good for yourself. I hope that you stick with it. It is so worth it. There are a lot of us here to help. Make use of the SOS forum as needed. The more you stay connected with us the more grounded you will be in your quit. Everyone here wants to help you along the way and wants for you to succeed! See you around!

A whole week behind you @Slow progress! You are doing great! You’ve gone from counting minutes to hours to days and now you can start counting off those weeks. I’m so very proud of you!

Congratulations! 6 years quit is amazing! I love your poem!

Reading your post called to mind the first morning I awakened to no thoughts of that ‘first cigarette for the day’ and that I had made it 5-7 minutes into that day before it occurred to me. That was sincerely one of the most exhilarating moments of not only my quit but, my whole life! I will never forget it. I so want that for you and I want you to tell us that you did a most outrageous happy dance that caused your husband to roll his eyes, shake his head, throw his hands up in the air, and leave the room when it happens. lol It is strange how many people experience such negativity from others while they are quitting. How there are those that want to see you fail. Mirrors. Conviction. Accountability. Fear. Selfishness. Pride. I truly hope that your husband hops onto the train with you, but in the meantime for your viewing pleasure….

Congratulations @Katgirl! On your 2 year quit and on your engagement! You are amazing and John is a fortunate lucky man!

Keep at it @Slow progress! You are in the fight of your life for your life!

@ClaireP1973 Amazing! So glad that you are enjoying life so wonderfully without those smelly and deadly cigarettes.

Congratulations @overcome! You have an amazing quit going. The Lido Deck is so very close.

Welcome back @PedroLet us help you keep your quit this time. It’s why we’re here and we can help make sure that you have a little bit more money in your pocket to spend on anything else but cigarettes! LOL

Amazing! It’s good to see you on the board.

Sorry that I’m late to this assist. You are awesome @Brioski! You are doing the smartest thing you can do by getting on here and posting your way through your crave and riding out the anger, frustration, and pain. Peace is coming your way. I promise.

Exactly. I’m 56. I remember “Cold Turkey is the only way to quit.” I don’t remember the last time I’ve heard it though. I believe the acceptance of using nicotine replacement therapy and prescription medicines to assist someone in their quit is directly related to the broadening of society’s acceptance of psychiatric drugs in general. Very few quitters that I speak to quit cold turkey. They almost all used something to aid them. Why shame someone for the method they used to quit? Why does it ‘have’ to be so hard? No matter the method, a person is only going to quit and stay quit when they truly want to. Support. Newbies and not so new newbies and even some vets need our support, not snobbery. Nor any type of negativity. As @intoxicated yoda said, So very thankful that I’m out! So very thankful for the help so many on board here give with their words.

Congratulations on your 2nd month of being quit! You are doing great! I hope that you rewarded yourself well.

Thanks for the information Yoda! I wholeheartedly believe that it is the withdrawal from the additives that affect us so much and that we are fighting so hard against in our quits. As for the nicotine patches, they helped me. I could not handle the increased anxiety I had without them. Even though I skipped the Stage 1 and reduced the time frame by half for the Stage 2 and eventually just forgot to apply the Stage 3 patches, they helped. Weaponized tobacco. How sad is that terminology? Tobacco companies, their lobbyists, and un/mis—informed or just greedy politicians will never be held accountable while on this earth. The anger I felt upon learning how I had been played by these people because of their greed is the main reason I stayed true to my quit and am able to persevere. My vengeance is staying quit and helping others do the same. Reducing their cash intake is the only way to hurt them, but it never seems to be enough. Anecdote: When I was a young girl, early 70’s, I was running up a fallen tree covered in ivy and I slipped and fell into a beehive. After I ran a good quarter mile while periodically dropping and rolling to get rid of the bees, my dad sent my brother to the store to buy cakes of ‘chaw’ that he soaked in water and then applied the juice pretty much everywhere as I had stings from head to toe. Owwies and yuckies! I have no recollection as to how long I had to have walked around with brown streaks, splotches, and patches! LOL

2 years is an awesome quit @Dianne! I hope that all is well.

@Brioski I’m so happy that you chose to not smoke! I have to admit I get a little tickled when I see that you have cursed your way through another crave although I know without any doubt that it is not a humorous situation to be in. I recently celebrated my 2nd year quit and yesterday afternoon I found myself in the happiest of situations. After Easter dinner all of the kids had gone out to play and the next thing I knew, ‘I’ was alone in the house. The other adults had stepped out to smoke! I watched them through the window for a few minutes and had true tears of thankfulness that it wasn’t me out there and then I had another slice of cake to celebrate because I had absolutely no thought or need to go out and join them. It does get easier. Each and every time. It gets easier.

Congratulations Mac! Two years of being smoke free is awesome!

Still here!

I don’t stink anymore! I don’t have to make up lies to avoid going somewhere I knew that I wouldn’t be able to smoke. Finding a special group of people that have done nothing but support me in my quit since the very first day I interacted with this forum! I needed it badly. Everyone here on this train rocks!

Welcome back Steven! I’m sorry that you gave up on your quit, but so thankful that you’ve made it back on the train to start your journey anew! Stay close!

Congratulations @Brioski! You are fighting this addiction and winning! Keep it up!

Congratulations Darcy! You are doing great! 2 months is an awesome quit!

@Brioski “Ok who’s making me talk like this? Lol I sound like a non smoker” LOL This ^ I LOVE IT! You are going to be okay. @tocevoD Welcome! It’s great to see you back and ready to throw the cigarettes out for good this time. It will do you good to stay on this site as much as possible in the beginning. We are all here to help and would love to see you succeed!