Hello Again!

[MichelleDoesntSmokeAnymore]

Hi Everyone....I am back. My screenname used to be MichelleDoesntSmoke but I cant log into that account so I made this one. I'm going to give this quitting thing another try. I know that you can quit cold turkey...many people have, and I know the first four or five days are the hardest but I just can't seem to get past that point so I'm going to go the patch route. I hope that I don't get "flack" for that. I really need the support. I started when I was 13 and I'm now 51. I've had two successful year long quits before. Anger always leads me back. Silly really but I think its like that for a lot of us. So it looks like tomorrow is my day...I'm going in to the local tribe's office at noon to sign up for their support program. They provide gum, patches, candy and support. Saturday I will start the NOPE pledge while flooding my system with icy cold water. That really helped last time. I'm looking forward to meeting everyone!

[jillar]

Welcome Michelle and congrats on deciding to take your life back We've got plenty of successful quitters here who have used the patch and other types of NRTs. There is no right way to quit. Do what works for you. 

I found sticking close to the board reading, posting, socializing and celebrating milestones really helped keep my mind off my misery. So I can't stress enough the importance of coming here everyday even if you only have time to NOPE. Also, please post an SOS if you feel yourself caving to a crave. It works, and people will come running to help you through it.

[Martian5]

Welcome aboard Michelle, the important thing is that you are quitting -- Use NRT if it will help you stop from lighting up another cig.  Yes the cold water helps as does deep breathing techniques.  Also remember to come here often --- we are here to help you on this journey!!!!

[Sslip]

Michelle, great to have you on board. Take your time and get settled in, we're a friendly bunch here. As Jillar said, do whatever you need to do in order to get off the cigarettes, it is your quit.

 

I found it important in the early days to spend a lot of time here, reading, posting and having fun in the games section. Anything to keep my mind occupied. Nope was a perfect way to start the day. I didn't need to get too far ahead of myself, just keep the promise for that one day before repeating the next.

 

Look forward to seeing you around.

[Reciprocity]

Welcome MDSA (for short lol)

What Jillar said! Look forward to getting to know you and following your forever quit

[MichelleDoesntSmokeAnymore]

Thanks all. When I used this forum during my last quit i was here CONSTANTLY and it really helped. And people DID come running to help me when I posted SOS....I'm so grateful for that, and it really helped, so thats what I'll do this time. I'm going to get my NRTs tomorrow at noon. I dont know if I can stay vape free until then but I will try. Yeah...vaping...I started two years ago thinking that I could gradually reduce the amount of nicotine I took in but it tastes good and for me, it didn't work. Maybe for some but not for me. I want to quit for good, then spend the rest of my life filling my body with antioxidents, supplements, get lots of exercise and try to make the rest of my life much healther than it has been so far!!!

[Reciprocity]

 You'll be happy to know, there's an exercise and healthy living page here too. Not sure if it was here when you were here before or not

[MichelleDoesntSmokeAnymore]

Ooooh thanks. i'll check that out!

[Sazerac]

Hi Michelle,  I remember you and I'm glad to see you back.

 

There is no Wrong way to quit smoking. 

 

I am cold turkey-centric but, that doesn't mean you won't have my support.

 

I may encourage you to seriously examine your nicotine addiction but, that isn't to be considered 'flack'.

 

It is just to remind you that your nicotine addiction is active and you will need to face that reality at some point.

 

Please take what you need from me and leave the rest, I only want to see you living as a free person.

 

Smoking will not abate your anger issues, those need your attention whether you are smoking or not smoking.

 

Look, Michelle,  quitting smoking and addressing our nicotine addiction takes our full attention and commitment.

We end up making it harder or easier for ourselves by our intent and our actions/reactions.

 

The magic bullet is to simply decide to never take another puff or feed your body with nicotine as long as you live.

 

If you want to quit smoking and deal with your nicotine addiction, you will.

We will help anyway we can.

S

 

Edited May 25, 2018 by Sazerac

[Jenny]

Welcome back Michelle  Great to have you back!  Remember NOPE!

[Nancy]

Welcome back, Michelle!  Let's make this your forever quit!

[notsmokinjo]

Welcome back Michelle. I'm almost half a year quit and I used NRT gum to get through the first 8-9 weeks. No one ever gave me flack for choosing this way to beat my demons (although in my paranoid mind they did but as someone likes to remind me I'm not a princess and it isn't really all about me). So, especially early on, just do it one day at a time, 24 hour goals. I'm not a first time quitter either so listen when I say, think about what you learnt from your last time and then forget it... don't worry about those old quits this is the sticky quit. Focus all your attention on this quit, nurture it because those old quits are gone and besides the lessons you learnt they don't deserve any more of your time or energy cos you need that for this time round,

 

The way I see it you have to do what works for you and do it with pride, because you need to own it (your quit). You need to use patches to get through the crazy go for it, you want to chew gum, no problems as long as its all getting you to that finish line of being smoke and nicotine free you do it. I'll have ya back and so will everyone else.

[MichelleDoesntSmokeAnymore]

Thanks you guys. I am pretty knowledgable about addiction...of course i don't know EVERYTHING. no one does. But my addiction to other substances is in remission one day at a time as long as I go to my meetings and work my program...which makes me CRAZY that I have yet to have a long term quit from nicotine. I didn't have to "step down" or "wean down" on any of my other substances. I just stopped and it was hell for a while but got easier and easier. I wish I could apply that same dedication to nicotine. But I keep trying and failing and I'd rather have the help from NRTs for the first bit. Kudos to everyone who's quit, whether you've used NRTs or not. I respect everyone's recovery. Thank you for being welcoming!

[WeegieWoman]

Morning michelle, i used the patches and lozenges in the beginning and wow i thought the patches were amazing. Just putting one on in the morning i instantly felt ready to face the day smoke free. Whats your longest quit before? Mines was 22 days!!!! And im now over 6 months! You know the drill, keep reading and posting. Hang around here as much as you can. You sound ready to do this. And have experience and knowledge and have came here. Sounds like this could be the one, your forever quit. 

[Doreensfree]

Welcome back M !!!

Glad to see your ready to take your life back...let's make this your sticky...

[lml]

Hi Michelle and welcome back!  I used the patch the first week, until I gained the confidence that I was stronger than any old crave  

 

You can do this Michelle. You ARE stronger than a crave. Believe in yourself. 

 

One day at a time...NOPE!!! 

[johnny5]

Welcome back, Michelle.  I'm glad you are taking your life back from nicotine addiction.  Stick close here.  There is a lot of good advice, support, and knowledge you can get here.

[JB 883]

Not much I can add. Maybe on top of the things you plan to do to Quit, also examine exact details of what caused you to relapse the last times and try to avoid those pitfalls. Most important is to not have any temptation around if at all possible.

[MarylandQuitter]

On 5/24/2018 at 6:12 PM, MichelleDoesntSmokeAnymore said:

Hi Everyone....I am back. My screenname used to be MichelleDoesntSmoke but I cant log into that account so I made this one. I'm going to give this quitting thing another try. I know that you can quit cold turkey...many people have, and I know the first four or five days are the hardest but I just can't seem to get past that point so I'm going to go the patch route. I hope that I don't get "flack" for that. I really need the support. I started when I was 13 and I'm now 51. I've had two successful year long quits before. Anger always leads me back. Silly really but I think its like that for a lot of us. So it looks like tomorrow is my day...I'm going in to the local tribe's office at noon to sign up for their support program. They provide gum, patches, candy and support. Saturday I will start the NOPE pledge while flooding my system with icy cold water. That really helped last time. I'm looking forward to meeting everyone!

 

Good to see you again!  Thanks for not giving up on quitting.  I noticed you said that you're going to give this quitting thing another try.  Perhaps a change in perception might help.  Why give the power to the cigarettes?  You're in control of whether or not you remain quit.  It's a choice.  Make a firm choice to never take another puff instead of simply leaving it to chance by saying you're going to give it another try.  You can stay quit and I bet that if you don't relinquish you're control of this choice to remain quit, you'll have a very long and successful quit.  Great idea on signing up for the support program that you signed up for. 

 

As an aside, I can combine both of your accounts if you like.  You'll just have to let me know which one you want to keep.   

 

 

 

[notsmokinjo]

Hey @MichelleDoesntSmokeAnymore  how is your first week of the quit going. Don't forget we are here to yell and scream at and help you work through that first week of crazy.