DenaliBlues

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Way to go @Pilgrim!

Cheering you on @shy!! Things are simpler if you just take smoking off the table. Period. It ends the “Can I make it through this craving?” debates as well as the shame cycle. When I first quit, I couldn’t fathom not smoking for more than 24 hrs, let alone a month or a year. The thought of being without smokes for any length of time was terrifying. The trick for me was to not think about tonight or tomorrow or forever. I’d start to panic when I would think about measuring time. Instead, I focused on what am I doing right now, in this moment, to help me through the discomfort if NOT smoking. A subtle - but powerful - perspective shift. Also, I equipped myself with lozenges to use at times where I felt my will crumbling. I had to be careful about the dosing, since I also used patches for a few weeks. (So I used mini low-dose lozenges.) But they saved my quit a couple of times. Again, it’s about how to creatively equip/support yourself through withdrawal… which is temporary, I promise! To cope with all the emotions that came up I talked things through here on the Quit Train, came up with many activity distractions, shouted/cussed a lot, and gave myself permission to self-soothe in any way I needed to, EXCEPT by smoking. I eventually made it to the other side, and so can you!

Yikes! Scary stuff @Stewbum. Glad that intervention was timely and that you’re here with us to tell the tale. Take good care! KTQ!

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Hang in there, Stew! Hoping that the diagnostics won’t be too tough.

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Me too @Melissa247! I re-read this post whenever I find myself romanticizing what it was like to smoke. Glad to have you with us! How long since your last smoke or vape?

That’s a lot to deal with, Stew! And you’re right about this irrational addiction… how many times did I smoke through bronchitis and pneumonia? Crazy. But it’s great that you can address this current cardiac challenge as a nonsmoker! KTQ Hang in there, buddy. Crossing my fingers for a good outcome.

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NOPE Hurricane Gulch, Cantwell Alaska

Wow, those hours, days, weeks and months are really adding up! So glad that you are here with us and are building such a great quit. Keep climbing toward that one year mark… with style!

Congrats @SD2026! Five months is major… you’ve built some strong quitting muscles and laid a great foundation for your Forever Quit. It’s been wonderful to have you in this community. You deserve a pat on the back!

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Love this post @Stewbum. Radical candor is a powerful antidote to prevent relapses and Stinkin Thinkin.

Ugh, so sorry that life is throwing you these left curves, Stew. Attaway to stay strong!

Well done, Wayne! Hats off to you!

Thanks for sharing this candid and important story @stzr500 And congratulations on your month of being nicotine free. Agreed that nicotine is a very powerful drug. So protect that beautiful and precious quit that you’ve worked so hard for!

You can do this @shy! Cravings are not commands. They are just loud obnoxious commercials for junk you don’t wanna buy. Like a big noisy trash truck. You wouldn’t chase a trash truck, would you? No, you’d just let it roll on by. Same with cravings. Just let them roll on by. Stay busy with other things. Another thing to consider is that by smoking occasionally you are probably INTENSIFYING your cravings. It’s counterintuitive, but for most people the weaning or “cutting back” method ends up backfiring. Because you keep re-activating the part of your brain that is used to nicotine, which keeps you in a constant state of withdrawal. And every time you smoke you start the cycle all over again. (Yeah, addiction is just bonkers…) Break the vicious cycle. Give yourself a chance to get through to the other side of withdrawal. Good things await you there!

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Well done!!

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