What are things that help you stay a non smoker.

[Diane R]

Hello everyone,

 since most have you have a much longer quit than me what are the things that stop you from letting that nasty  addiction creep back into your life? 

[Sazerac]

"What are things that help you stay a non smoker ?"

 

I have chosen to never ever smoke again and I stand by that commitment every day.

Continuing my education about nicotine addiction also feeds my quit.

 

Addiction doesn't 'creep back in'

we make a conscious choice to smoke or never take another puff.

Edited July 19, 2019 by Sazerac

[Doreensfree]

Fear....

When I arrived here. I was in fear of having my feet amputated.....due to smoking..

Quitting when I did ...I avoided this ...

Why would I go back there ..not a chance ....

[Diane R]

Doreen thanks a good reason for sure! 

[Boo]

When I quit, it was primarily out of frustration with the cigarettes being in control of my life.  I was sick and tired of being a slave to the smokes.  With that in mind, any time the voice of addiction was trying to convince me that "just one" would do the trick I thought beyond the "one" and saw where it would lead.  One turns to two.  Two leads to three.  And so on.  I knew if I smoked one, I would be right back at 25-30 per-day.  And recognizing that I would have ceded control of my life back to the smokes, that would have meant that I would be constantly thinking about how desperately I needed to quit.

 

Sometimes breaking the cycle is a simple matter of putting your head down and continuing forward progress.  Once I had a couple of days under my belt, I figured since I was already on the right trail I might as well keep on hiking.

[Martian5]

 I just remember how I felt just before I quit smoking -- that can help.  One thing I do is still come here daily to read and to do the daily NOPE pledge so that I keep my focus and commitment to not ever smoking again and that has been a game changer.  Also remember to you have to remain ever vigilant to the voices of addiction (as Boo calls it) because the nicodemon  is always calling out to you -- the good thing is that the longer you are quit it gets harder and harder to hear or pay attention to that voice. And answering questions like this that may come up (good question by the way) helps keep my mind in the right place!!!!!

[jillar]

Finding a forum with people who understood what I was going through was instrumental in helping me. Doing the NOPE pledge daily and continually telling myself that all good(?) things must come to an end really helped keep my mind on the prize.

[Wayne045]

2 hours ago, Boo said:

When I quit, it was primarily out of frustration with the cigarettes being in control of my life.  I was sick and tired of being a slave to the smokes.  With that in mind, any time the voice of addiction was trying to convince me that "just one" would do the trick I thought beyond the "one" and saw where it would lead.  One turns to two.  Two leads to three.  And so on.  I knew if I smoked one, I would be right back at 25-30 per-day.  And recognizing that I would have ceded control of my life back to the smokes, that would have meant that I would be constantly thinking about how desperately I needed to quit.

 

Sometimes breaking the cycle is a simple matter of putting your head down and continuing forward progress.  Once I had a couple of days under my belt, I figured since I was already on the right trail I might as well keep on hiking.

 

This.   My thoughts exactly 

[Diane R]

Thanks everyone. It never hurts to have as many way to stay a non smoker that you can get. I don’t like. To be controlled by anything and cigarettes have Certainly done that to me for many years. It’s time I take back my time. Geez when I think about all the things I’ve missed because I was smoking.

[jillar]

Another thing that helped me, especially with really bad craves, was my JAC (jillars air cigarette). I just pretended I was holding an actual cigarette in my fingers and then went through the motions of "smoking" it. Some use cut straws, pens, etc.

[Martian5]

^^^^^Yes this, when I read about Jillar's air cigarette I made one right away and it really helped -- great idea!!!!!

[johnny5]

A support forum like this one.  It really gave me a sense of accountability in my quit and wound up making quitting a much more enjoyable experience (something I didn't think possible).

 

I also read Allen Carr's The Easy Way to Quit Smoking.  Some people don't like that book but it really helped me realize that smoking did nothing positive for you at all and that quitting is one of the best things you can do.  I still wouldn't call it an "easy way" but that book helped me and many others. 

 

I smoked for 20 years.  The first 10 years, it was a very sociable experience.  The longer I smoked, though, the more of my smoking friends either quit or I lost track of.  I eventually grew to think of smoking as living under a dark cloud (literally and figuratively) of negativity, isolation and poison.  I wanted out of that.  When quitting, I really tried to focus on the positive.

 

In time, you will see that smoking does absolutely nothing positive for you whatsoever.  There is no negative in quitting.  It can be tough but it is worth it.

Edited July 19, 2019 by johnny5

[Diane R]

I use twizzlers hold them like a cigarette. Take a little bite yummm

[NADA]

5 hours ago, Diane R said:

what are the things that stop you from letting that nasty  addiction creep back into your life? 

 

It takes absolutely no effort now to remain smoke free.  I have zero desire to smoke.  Ever.  

 

After 39 years as a smoker I didn't think it would ever be possible to get to that point, but it is.  You'll get there Diane.  Just keep going.

[garry mhudson]

Not feeling that cigs are controlling my life was a factor and the bad feeling when you have to find a reason to slip out or just get away from a group of friends to take a smoke.

[MLMR]

Recognizing that Junkie Thinking is nothing more than a brain pattern at work. Crying receptors.

 

It takes time  but it is trainable. 

 

The emotional side of the Junkie Thinking needs attention too, but rather in a constructive way: Ask yourself, am I Hungry Angry Lonely or Tired? (HALT).

[notsmokinjo]

It's hard to explain...but basically it's a mind set thing...when I quit this time I sort of just fell into it. I have a previous very long quit that I planned. Even though I stayed quit for years last time I was still thinking like the junky I was, focussing on what I was missing, and searching daily for a reason I could justify smoking again...for years... This time... Didn't plan to quit, just did it to sorta test meself but the big difference.... I don't even think about smoking anymore it doesn't tempt me ...and the big difference, I decided I would never smoke again, there is no reason that will make it acceptable. But it took time to get to this point.

 

Confession:  few months ago I had a really bad day at work...man I wanted a smoke...I smoke would fix it...went across the road to the cafe and bought some chew, just normal gum not NRT, and chewed my way through the day. Crave gone. 

 

And being completely honest...I am terrified that if I did smoke I would loose the friends I made after quitting.

[Diane R]

Well I would hope people wouldn’t stop being for friends for that reason. This time I had be thinking about quitting for a long time and I just had my doctor write the script for Chantix. I had it for over 2 weeks before I started taking it. Not knowing if I really believed it would work. I didn’t set a quit date. I just thought I see what happens. And after about the 3rd day I found myself not smoking as much. Til one day I didn’t really need the cigarettes after I lite them and I just put them out. But still I decided not to put too much pressure on myself to set a date. I found this site and than I set a day I would try to on Monday. Well I did quit but not til Monday night. I had 2 cigarettes Monday and I haven’t smoked since. I still find myself thinking I would be having a smoke while I wait to do this or that, but I find I can just not do it. I hope it stays this way. I know there will be times I think a cigarette would make me feel better. But I’m lying to myself I know it won’t and I’ll just me mad at myself for letting that little cancer stick control me once again. I can I will I must.

[jillar]

12 minutes ago, notsmokinjo said:

 

And being completely honest...I am terrified that if I did smoke I would loose the friends I made after quitting.

 

Then they're not really friends because true friends are there for the good or bad.... And will help pick you back up when you fall!

[notsmokinjo]

I know me mates wouldn't snub me if I smoked, but I will admit, especially early on, I stoked that fear and used it to keep me not smoking.

 

 

Congrats @Diane R for being smoke free since mundee. That is brilliant. 

[Diane R]

Now the trick is to not get another vice to take the place of smokes! I’m trying not too. 

[Diane R]

Not smokin jo it is my dream to come to  Australia. It’s one of my big bucket list place to go! And I love the  accents

[notsmokinjo]

What accents, we don't have accents, everyone else does ..lol, joke Joyce.

 

Australia is the greatest place on earth (not biased)... and when you get down here you will love it. Just plan well it's the same size almost as the USA so unless you come for a long time you won't manage to see everything..it's a huge place. Wait that gives me an idea....get one of those money tins or jars and each week put the money you would have used to buy ya smokes in there....before you know it you'll have some of you coming to Australia money...two bucket list items for one, Visiting Aus and being Smoke Free.

[Sazerac]

 

[Diane R]

Thanks Sazerac. I really don’t want to replace smoking with anything. I’m working are not to.