Quitting is hard !

[Eight-Toe Joe]

So, I'm lying in bed, unable to sleep again, tossing and turning, worrying and wondering. Wondering why you rarely see unicorns with a saddle. I mean, I get why the unicorns without riders don't have a saddle. They portray the magical wild and magical freedom, kinda like wild mustangs on the prairie. But when you see a rider on a unicorn, they're usually riding bareback, grabbing on to it's mane. ( which, I must say , if I were a unicorn I would get pissed if you pulled my mane)  But you never see a saddle. Not even a blanket. I think that a unicorns hair is course and stiff, like wire....like a wild boar. That would be uncomfortable . It would chafe the inner thigh. Especially when the unicorn reared up on it's hind legs and you had to squeeze tight to hold on. The whole magical adventure would kinda suck. I would need, at the very least a blanket. Oh sure, I could wear jeans or maybe chaps,unicorn chaps, but It's Summer and it's my magical adventure, so I'm wearing shorts. I would definitely want a saddle. Maybe with a high back. Like a bucket seat and foot pegs instead of stirrups...yeah....foot pegs. Then I got out of bed, thought about cooking some bacon, but ate a pop-tart instead, cuz it's easier.
            Then it dawned on me that I just spent about 3 minutes thinking about unicorn saddles.....and that I am ,indeed, insane. But I also realized that ,although I'm having trouble sleeping,and that quitting sucks.... I am still a non-smoker. In the end, I may not be getting 8 hours of slumber, I may be eating too many pop-tarts, my thighs may be rubbed raw because damn unicorns apparently don't come with saddles.....but I didn't smoke today, and that's pretty magical !!

 

Edited July 19, 2019 by Eight-Toe Joe

[Mee]

Gee Joe, a Pirate thinking of unicorns seems like a nightmare to me.  

Your still in the tough part of quitting.  I promise it will get better just around the corner.  You are doing great and I love your humor.  

 

[Sazerac]

A saddled unicorn, pegs, cute chick with an annoying voice.

This could easily be porn but, it may be nightmare fodder.

 

Glad you are powering through the fog.

Stay focused.

 

Quitting DOESN'T suck.

SMOKING SUCKS

and 

Freedom is Delicious

 

 

 

Edited July 19, 2019 by Sazerac

[Doreensfree]

Yaaa I had messed up sleep at the start of my quit ...it's tough...

Some nights I would be here ,25/7.... I was told to ride it out its all Temporary....

It did and it was ...the reward is so worth it ....

Can't do much with the unicorn with no saddle ...maybe try Germolene...

[Eight-Toe Joe]

wow......sleep deprivation....so sorry for the 3am ramblings .  Don't they use sleep deprivation at CIA black ops interrogation sites?  If they don't,they should because I would admit to being on the grassy knoll as JFK drove by, just to catch some zzz's.
        I knew this would come, this latest test of my journey, but it doesn't make it any easier. Averaging about 3 hours a day for the last week. Last night I told myself that "Just a few smokes a day wouldn't be that bad" ya know....that old chestnut. I kicked that plan to the curb. But this sure is a test , isn't it.
       Forgive me for my sleepless ways....Thanks for lending me your support once more. Have a great day !

Edited July 19, 2019 by Eight-Toe Joe

[Doreensfree]

Your body has been used to pumping in loads of chemicals posions 20 times s day for decades...

If will take time to adjust ....

Keep winning your battles ...keep your eye on winning the war ...

[Sazerac]

If you are able to slow down and relax (concentrated breathing helps )

and not flip out that you aren't sleeping,

your body will do many of the repairs that it does while you actually sleep

and you can feel at least partially rested.

It is the anxiety (Fkuc !  I NEED TO SLEEP ! )  that causes more trouble than missing zzzz's, I think.

 

Coming here, reading and posting is GREAT !  I am so glad you are sharing your quit with us.

 

 

[Sazerac]

 

[Eight-Toe Joe]

I'm so glad I found people to help me.
Yeah....anxiety....struggle with it. Have my whole life. So this is that much more of a challenge.No meds anymore.One demon at a time.
 S~ These videos are spot on. So incredibly helpful. I don't know what my "normal" is yet as far as sleep pattern. Chronic stimulus/depressant effect....Yeah. Very helpful. It's a bumpy road back to "Normal". But it's a one-way highway for me. No off ramps. No u-turns. Just forward!

Edited July 19, 2019 by Eight-Toe Joe

[Sazerac]

Addiction creates more anxiety than you can imagine and you may find, like many others,

that your anxiety will mellow out considerably as time goes on and you keep your quit.

@MLMR's thread,  Introsucktion,  has honest, first hand experience concerning this.

 

and 

 

Edited July 19, 2019 by Sazerac

[Eight-Toe Joe]

That's it alright. So I think I'm about to enter a new phase . Weeks 3&4 ....The drug has been flushed out. The crazy rationalization tricks are still here,but I don't feel as vulnerable to them . I haven't eaten a full bag of Doritos in a while. Thank You,my friend...for all you do.

[Sazerac]

Give No Quarter, matey.

[Eight-Toe Joe]

Aye !

[Martian5]

Yes the sleeping issues can be a bother but it will get better especially as you move towards the 1 month mark though it can mess with the brain fog at times -- even cause these bizarre infatuations with unicorns.  The good thing the site is here 24/7 and you can come here at any hour with just about any thought to help you thru.  Personally I think you are doing great!!!

[NADA]

Smearing one's thighs with Pop Tart jam (if that's what it really is) prevents chaffing from unicorns.  However, it does cause constipation to the animal.

 

I found that my sleep began to normalize after a month or so. 

[Eight-Toe Joe]

Thank You so much Martian5. It's a strange trip to be certain. Along with Unicorn saddles, I had thoughts of how much I love the word " Oscillating " and how I could use it more on a daily basis. Lying in bed awake listening to the fan has that effect on me.

BKP  !!  No unicorns were harmed in the filming of this bizarre rant. And now ......I want some strawberry pop-tarts. Thanks a lot.

Edited July 19, 2019 by Eight-Toe Joe

[Sazerac]

The A-Z of Splendiferous Words

 

another game for your enjoyment

[MLMR]

Toes, so sorry that you have a rough time with sleep. Please keep telling yourself that this will be temporary, because it is, my friend. This will pass, it really really will. 

 

In the mean time, keep writing. Its important to have a place to go to with these thoughts. 

 

My sleep is better than its ever been in my life. I awake so much more relaxed than I used to, my body and brain do what they are supposed to do at night: rest and heal. Soon enough you will reach that stage as well.

 

Take care, upwards and onwards  . ,<- thats a poodle, yes. No unicorn in stash.

Edited July 19, 2019 by MLMR

[Eight-Toe Joe]

Ya know....I bet you could shave a poodle and have a saddle of unshaven poodle-fur left on it's back. That would be awesome !
  Fantastic words of encouragement,MLMR !! I read your Introsucktion thread. Amazingly helpful ! Onward and upward it is !!  Thanks!

[jillar]

Love your posts eighttoeJoe, you gave me quite the giggle although I have to disagree with unicorns having course and stiff hair. Every unicorn I've ever seen, and I've seen a bunch back in the day if you know what I mean , had long flowing hair that I could only imagine was soft as silk.

But seriously, you're doing so good, I love the attitude and I do agree that oscillating is a pretty cool word.  

[Diane R]

I listen to some stop smoking  hypnosis videos on YouTube. I don’t know that they are helping with not smoking but I did feel  relaxed and rested. It’s worth a try. I’ll try anything to feel better. 

Edited July 19, 2019 by Diane R

[Eight-Toe Joe]

LOL....I stand corrected. "Free Range" unicorns do indeed have soft silky hair. I didn't recall them because I did it right back in the day if you know what I mean.
                        I must control my random thoughts and stop oscillating back and forth about the texture of the hair of the unicorn.
    Your unicorn hair opinions, although correct, are distracting me from quitting and therefor ,I must ask you to refrain from further comments on this, a very important issue in the magical animal kingdom.
  But seriously, You rock, Jillar !   Your help is so important !

 

[Eight-Toe Joe]

Hypnosis.....Wow Diane. That's great !
I'll go check 'em.

[Diane R]

Here is a short one 

 

 

[Eight-Toe Joe]

Agree....relaxing, Diane. We can not have too many weapons in our arsenal to fight this war. Whatever may work has value ! Thanks for sharing !