cpk

Another good piece of advice by Markus...given that new activities will NOT have associations with smoking...it would make sense to start up a lot of new things. However, newbies also experience dopamine depletion, causing a kind of "blah" feeling, and a loss of motivation. This is where TRUSTING what the master quitters say. I might need to push on through and have faith that the old sticky quits know what they are talking about. I'm going to try for one new association per week...something I can do that has no association with smoking. Bowling, anyone?

I think this is a really good idea. I can't believe how easy it is to forget - but I guess that's part of the addiction. I was thinking about what you wrote. Day 8 of my quit was horrible. I couldn't breathe, felt so sick and anxious, and considered going to the hospital. I NEVER want to repeat a quit. So I'm going to cement the memory of Day 8 in my mind. Love this suggestion...thanks so much for sharing.

awake? sleep talking? i'm too young for old pharte jokes... still a newbie just whining and catching breath you were right about sun, then storms up/down agony/euphoria stench of cigarettes and selfish addicts and quit meter telling me how many unsmoked keeping me in nonsmoking mode thanks for looking star for you

:wizard: nope

No jealousy. None. His smoking does not upset me. His smoking and ruminating on a Quit Train site does. He can smoke and ruminate all he wants. I just don't know why he's doing it here. I was pretty irritable when I wrote those responses...not out of jealousy. Just because I'm a newbie of 5.5 weeks and am irritable a lot these days. I don't belong on this thread. I need to protect my quit. GTQ. Time is precious and I'll spend mine near the serious sticky quits. PS Sorry for the thin/fat remarks. I have struggled with maintaining a normal weight my whole life, and have found that not putting so much food in my mouth, and moving around more actually works. Go figure! I'm really off this thread but enjoyed everyone's comments.

It's spring, I'm hanging out with the horses again ~ they don't smoke, they deep breathe. Breathing deep is literally saving my a** this week.

thanks for star

work, too

yeah, yeah thank goodness i got the girls...the steely goddesses of the quit, they multi-task can sleep. eat, take care of kids, support me ...all at same time

riding on his new hog, wind blowing through his hair, all those unsmoked skull and crossbones stretched out behind him has he forgotten the newbies waiting for medals and stuff?

Wow! You know, that thing about the tobacco enhancement...this was not something I considered. It just blows my mind!!!! Okay, really good to hear about someone who describes that strange feeling of not getting the reward...instead...the empty counter. I kept my smokes in the freezer, so I'd go to get a smoke and would feel that cool air...and then...yes...go outside. I am really surprised that the smoke I miss the most is the one I'd have before going out... So now, I just go out. Why the hell is that so hard???? :unsure: I did go out and played with horses all day and had a blast! It's so healing to be able to talk about this with peeps who understand, because how the heck could this ever be explained to those who don't understand how deep the addiction takes hold? Deeply grateful to you for your comments. All have really helped, tremendously! xx :tender:

Love, love this! Was having a "moment" when I wrote this. Then went out and played with horses for 4 hours. They liked it when I did deep breathing with them. One horse got nose to nose and did "deep breathing" right along with me! It was soooooo cool!!! And magical and spiritual. The universe really does support healing, but I have to keep climbing back on the rainbow when I slip off...x...Ta! english bird....

Thank you, DD! I wish you could just follow me around and whisper this into my ear every minute! Oh, there you are, in miniature, sitting on my shoulder! Because I DO get through these periods, but WHILE IN THEM it's so tough. And today I did remind myself that on Day 8 of my quit I was so sick I considered checking into the hospital, while today, at 5 1/2 weeks I am enjoying more and more freedom. It would be insane to give that up!

3 and 1/2 hours: ranch work - sweeping, throwing hay, barn maintenance, feeding and playing with frisky horses. None of this strenuous but required continuous movement. It was only afterwards I realized I didn't get out of breath and actually "forgot" I was in recovery from smoking. No chest pain or tightness. I practiced deep breathing while near horses and they liked it and kissed my face, and one horse got nose to nose and did deep breathing right along with me. It was great fun, and very healing.

Thanks, Markus. I relate to every single sentence. Today I was angry that everything good and bad in my life had been punctuated by smoking. That's the insidious nature of the addiction--- that it weaseled its way into every activity --- either during --- or afterwards, as some kind of fake reward. There's an awful lot of rewiring to be done. Even if I grasp it intellectually, emotionally it's very hard. The support offered by master quitters, and their kindness towards others new to this journey --- is gold! Great post. Ta! (Brits: I'm stealing your words!)

It would be great if once you quit, and are serious, that you could just put it in the past. And during the "good times" that's how I feel. Maybe this is when the vigilant quit is strong. But other times...like, when trying to accomplish tasks...it's harder. Oh yeah, I'm rewarding myself like crazy. A bit of spoiling going on. Posting like a pesky baby. Haha. But, you know, when I am not as efficient in daily life have to remind myself that a lot of rewiring is going on. This is where I feel the "hole" the most. I did not know how much I used a smoke as a "reward" after finishing a task. Then there was the "getting ready to go out" smoke. Like now, I am getting ready to go out and this is always when I used to have a smoke while writing a list of errands, or tasks, or whatever. It DOES sound insane when put it into words. Thanks for listening....xx

Thank you! Really helps this weekend... :wub:

Weird how mental pulls get stronger just when physical cravings are almost all gone This is where the rubber meets the road, and exercise seems to be the only way to rewire the circuits... thank goodness weather is finally cooperating with my quit. Any other 1 month to 2 month-ers and more, and master quitters...have thoughts?

sage wisdom, here

Congrats!! :wizard:

Food for thought, MQ. I'm pretty sure I haven't seen too many movies where the main character is actively quitting smoking FOR GOOD.

No other quit is this quit. Although hard, this can also be the happy quit when you leave the skull and crossbones in your past FOREVER, and live your powerful life powerfully.

Have a lovely day in Liverpool! :wub: