DenaliBlues

Venting is healthy! Good for you for sharing @Keith. Life is full of trials and triggers, for sure. Family problems, job problems, house problems, losses, things that are unfair… the world keeps throwing things at us that will test our quitting commitments. Be especially aware of HALT moments, when you are Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired. All of us who are addicts are habituated to using nicotine (alone or in combination w other substances) to try and soothe or suppress those feelings. Which never really resolved anything. But now, as a quitter, you have a much bigger toolkit for coping - and for getting those needs actually met! Have a snack. Take a walk. Phone or text a friend. Browse this site. Clean something. Cuddle a pet. Tackle a small task around the house. Take a nap. Do something you’ll feel proud of. Help a neighbor in need. Play a game. Express excess energy thru shadow boxing or wall push-ups. Etc. Etc. Etc. There are literally a million things you can do with your time and your feelings - just so long as you don’t put anything in your mouth and set it on fire! Every minute of every day that you don’t smoke makes your quit even stronger. You can do this.

N O P E

^^^ This! Oh yes. Because Addict Mind will spin all kinds of rationale to justify smoking again. But it’s just a trap. Because 1 is too many and 1000 is not nearly enough, right? It’s worth grinding through, because getting that monkey off your back forever is PRICELESS! In the meantime, let those cravings float by. Stay busy and distracted. Cravings are mere commercials for junk you don’t wanna buy any more. Change the proverbial channel!

spurt

up scale

beauty queen

deck swab

glue stick

poo

litterbugs

Xantic Sargo

N O P E

Hey, @Keith. Welcome to the Quit Train! So glad you found us! Lots of us have struggled to quit and relapsed many times. So you’re not alone. This is a really tough addiction to beat. But Quit Train is a wonderful forum where you can get useful info/perspectives as well as encouragement, distraction and connection. It’s helped me and many other people to quit smoking for good! The first part of withdrawal can be grim, but if you can make it through things get MUCH better on the other side. Talking things through with other quitters helps. What are you doing to manage your cravings? And what are your motivations for quitting? Let us know how things are going!

NOPE

Welcome, Desmond! Congrats on the first 18 days of your quit. This forum is a wonderful place to reinforce your commitment, get info and encouragement, and connect with fellow quitters. How have you been doing, and how are you handling your cravings? We’re here to help!

Legolas

pelts

Well done @GonSo! Four months is an awesome achievement! Those days and weeks are starting to really add up now!!

NOPE

Thanks for sharing this… and many congrats on the completion of your time on hormone blockers. When I get discouraged about what they are like to be on, it will help me to remember that you made it through, @GonSo!

How beautiful that you found Holly and took her in! ❤️

Indeed, he enjoyed a wonderful life @Reciprocity. He was dumped in a state park that we were visiting. He sought us out one rainy, stormy night. He was skinny, bloody, trembling, and covered in motor oil. We could see right away that he was special. We took him home, and for the rest of his life, he got all the food, play, naps in the sunshine, and snuggles that his heart desired. And he gave us so much back in return. I’m devastated. But I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Hi, folks. I wanted to offer an update on this long, winding road called cancer. After surgery, chemo, antibody infusions and radiation, my bloodwork officially shows “no evidence of disease.” In other words, the cancer is gone. Phew! I’m lucky to have had the quality of care and support that led to a good outcome. Full truth, though: the treatments that saved me also come at a cost. Radiation treatments caused damage to muscles, tendons and ligaments that are requiring intense rehab and might never fully heal. Radiation also caused some lung scarring that will require careful monitoring. I’ll need to be on oral meds for 10 more years, and those pills cause joint pain and many other obnoxious side effects. Having gone thru chemo will also increase my chances of problems with my heart and bones down the line. Still, I’m stronger than I was. Spring is coming. And I’m here to enjoy it. So I’m thankful. For anyone reading this, please avail yourself of all preventative cancer screenings that you can. Early detection has saved a lot of lives, including mine. And stay committed to your quit. It will help your body be more resilient, no matter what the future has in store.