Hello everybody

[prism]

My name is Vince and I "quit" smoking on 2/13/19. I put quit in quotes because  the quit was done for me.  I was diagnosed with pneumonia and was so sick that for the first time in my adult life I could'nt consider smoking. You could say I got a "Get of Jail For Free " card. I went through the worst part of withdrawal without even realising it. Now, I'm 72 days into this and I miss the hell out of it! I feel like an integral part of me is missing. It's so sick, it's disgusting! My teeth are ruined from this awful habit. God only knows what other damage I did to myself over the past 40 years of smoking. For the record, I smoked 4 packs a day for 20 years and then went down to 2 packs. I was never going to quit because I was too weak to deal with the withdrawal. I admire and commend all of you that had the courage to commit to quitting and saving yourselves. Thank you for listening to my story!

[Doreensfree]

Hello and welcome Vince ...

So glad you found us ...we have all been were you have ...this horrible addiction has took its toll ...

We have a train full of people that will tell you it's so doable to put this Demon go sleep....

Take time to check out all the information here...watch all joels videos...

Go to our main board ,and read all the green pinned posts ,they will get you going on your journey ...

Stay close to this place ...we will support you 100/% on your journey ....

You can have freedom ...you just need the desire to be free...

[Ankush]

Welcome aboard Vince!!! I hope you have fully recovered from Pneumonia. Smoking takes a toll on physical health. As people who have quit smoking, our best ammo is the commitment to ourselves not to go back to smoking. Join the NOPE pledge on the board and reach out to the people here on the SOS section when a craving takes place. All the best!!!

[Lilly]

Welcome Vince. 

 

It always shocks me when people smoked 4 packs a day. How does anyone have time to smoke that many?

 

Well done on quitting and I look forward to hearing more from you. 

[Reciprocity]

Hi Vince and welcome to Quit Train.

 

So you understand some of the harm smoking has already done to you and are concerned about what harm may have been already been caused but you still aren't ready to fully commit yourself to a life without smoking. You would like to but, you haven't really made that commitment to yourself yet - am I right?

 

Only YOU can do that Vince, We here have already done that for ourselves and turned our lives around so, it IS possible but the first step is to make that unwavering commitment to yourself to quit for good! Next step is to educate yourself about nicotine addiction by reading all you can here - there's lots of information available and even reading the posts from others who have made the journey helps a lot. Watch the Joel videos on smoking. Education is SO important in order for you to understand all the lies your addiction have been telling you all these years. Once you truly understand that smoking does nothing good for you and only takes, it will be a lot easier to leave it behind. We all "loved" smoking at one point Vince but now we know the truth about it and we guard our quits with our lives. I hope you stick around and take your life back Vince. It IS possible for anyone to quit. The beauty of this place is you have a lot of others who know exactly what you are going through and can give you unconditional support along the way. That in itself is a great quitting aid.

[prism]

Thanks for the responses and support everyone! Back in the eighties I worked on Wall St as a broker. It was a very high stress situation. You could smoke at your desk; if it helped you do business, that's all they cared about. Smoking was the first and last thing I did everyday.

[prism]

To be honest Recip. I am committed to staying away. I have to be honest with myself and others that I am an addict  and always will be. It is very humbling to finally understand the full extent of my addiction. Thank you for taking the time to respond and for your encouragement.

[Mee]

Hi Vince and Welcome to the train.  This is truly a wonderful place to help you with your quit. I smoked for 42 years and never felt I had the ability to quit.  These people helped me realize the possibility.  Cigarettes have controlled most of your life.  Don't let it be the major reason for the end of your life.  You already have been through the tough time and will just have to learn  to change your pattern of thinking.  Breath deep, feel that clean air sweeping in and out of you lungs and redirect those craving thoughts. 

Be sure and shout out for any help you need.  We are here to help you.

[Martian5]

Welcome aboard Prism good to have you along for the journey.  All those above have hit all the points you need to continue your quit.  Education and commitment are what you need, you have a good quit going at this time.  Now you need to learn how to handle the craves and also how to deal with the "new" you now that you are smoke free and that is a journey unto itself and we here would be glad to help you along.  Come here often to read and to post and will be of great help to you.

[jillar]

Welcome Vince and congratulations on your 72 day quit. I was a 35 year smoker and had a hard first year quitting. I felt like I missed it too. I quit due to my breathing problems and was mad that other people "get" to smoke and I couldn't.

But really they don't get to smoke they HAVE to smoke.

Try focusing on all the benefits you're already seeing at 2 1/2 months quit instead of doing like I did. By now your probably seeing better breathing, sense of smell and taste are back, hair and body doesn't reek of stale smoke, etc.

We also have tickers for your signature that you can make to show the time quit, money saved and cigarettes not smoked which was a huge motivator my first year

Edited April 27, 2019 by jillar

[Reciprocity]

2 hours ago, prism said:

To be honest Recip. I am committed to staying away. I have to be honest with myself and others that I am an addict  and always will be. It is very humbling to finally understand the full extent of my addiction. Thank you for taking the time to respond and for your encouragement.

 

I am happy to hear that you HAVE made that commitment to yourself because that is a critical step. That brokerage job on Wall Street must have been crazy pressure  I have the DVD Wall Street - Love It!!  I'm sure it's not like the reality but still 

 

So now it's time for you to take care of YOU and we can help you do that. Hang around and find out because smoking is high stakes too - your life may depend on what you do. We choose life here on the Quit Train!

[Lilly]

3 hours ago, prism said:

Thanks for the responses and support everyone! Back in the eighties I worked on Wall St as a broker. It was a very high stress situation. You could smoke at your desk; if it helped you do business, that's all they cared about. Smoking was the first and last thing I did everyday.

 

You made me think of Michael Douglas in Wall Street - god I fancied the pants of him. 

 

I remember smoking at work. I'm so glad it's not allowed now here. 

[johnny5]

Welcome to QuitTrain, Vice.  Congratulations on 72 days smoke free.  Stick around, the support and knowledge you will gain here can really help you stay quit for good.

 

And yes, like Reci and Lilly, I am thinking of Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) from Wall Street.  That is a stressful job for sure. 

 

I'm glad you are committed to keeping the quit.  It is good to have you here.

[Boo]

Welcome to the Train Vince.

 

We all have regrets about what we did to ourselves with cigarettes.  Unfortunately we can't unring that bell.  All we can do is vow never again and embrace a new way of living.

 

Onward and upward.

[Rozuki]

Welcome aboard the QTrain, Vince! I am also a 40+ year smoker who got thrown into a quit situation due to a medical issue that put me in the hospital for a week. Best thing that could have happened as things would get even worse before getting better but at least I had quit for over a year when the 2nd medical issue reared its ugly head. That is how you should look at your bout with pneumonia...it's the Universe way of saying "Hey, wake up...look what you are doing to yourself.....time to stop!"                                           

[desperate1]

Hi and welcome and congrats on your quit. 

[JB 883]

There will be easy times and also tough times trying to keep the quit. Just during those tough times, do not give in. I went through a recent "Slip" and the few cigarettes I did smoke, here is what it brings - frustration, dizziness, guilt, nasty taste, wondering if we just set off a pattern full force.

I was thinking, "Maybe I can do one or two cigs a day" but we ALL know where that leads.