Things that are painful and hard to do but we do it anyway.

[Devil Doll]

As I was writing the Facebook status about quitting and withdrawal the hamster jumped on the wheel and started running. 

 

A lot of people cite "the fear of the withdrawal" and as a reason that stopped them from quitting sooner. After being quit for a little while I now am thinking, how odd is that? 

 

There are tons of things that we as humans do all of the time that we fear and do them anyway only to find out that the pain or discomfort is only temporary.

 

One of them (as a woman) pregnancy and childbirth... discomfort and ouch for 40 weeks of your life... but the beauty and pride that you experience afterwards will last your whole life.  Hmmmm kind of how I feel about my quit right now.  

[ChRiSpY]

I try to instill in "the boy" that nothing worth having is easy.  You have got to work (or hurt in the case of pregnancy).... to be rewarded.  The harder you have to work... the better the "pay off pitch" will be.

 

I feel you Ds.... quitting smoking was hard and it sucked and it sucked some more.... but I feel AWESOME about it.  I feel as though I can do anything if I try.  All we can do as vets of this quitting smoking thing is tell the newbs... "it does get better...actually...it gets amazing.  Hold on...and fight... you too will be there before you know it"

 

Keep on keepin on Ds.

[Leanna]

Nicely written DD!

 

Quitting was the absolute best decision I've ever made. It wasn't easy, but not much in life is.

 

Anyone can quit. It's a matter of being committed and it's about not making excuses to give in or give up.

 

And DD... my mom told me giving birth is like taking your lower lip and pulling it over your head, so... lol.

[MarylandQuitter]

Fear generally stops us from realizing our full potential.  Fear of moving, a new job, school, marriage (reason to be scared about that! :P ) and all sorts of things that once we face the fear, it really wasn't as bad as we made it out to be (childbirth is probably worse though, lol).  Quitting smoking is the same deal.  To afraid to quit and the fear is generated by the addiction and junkie thinking.

[Kristin]

For years I hated being a smoker, and kept doing it because I was afraid not to.

 

The second someone would mention quitting I would go into panic mode and go have a smoke just to make sure they were still there. 

 

I'm not sure what changed this, but somehow I mustered a good feeling about quitting. Instead of being afraid, I feel like I am challenging myself and winning.  :D

[Devil Doll]

For years I hated being a smoker, and kept doing it because I was afraid not to.

 

The second someone would mention quitting I would go into panic mode and go have a smoke just to make sure they were still there. 

 

I'm not sure what changed this, but somehow I mustered a good feeling about quitting. Instead of being afraid, I feel like I am challenging myself and winning.  :D

Almost 3 weeks! You sure are winning!! 

[Still winning]

For years I hated being a smoker, and kept doing it because I was afraid not to.

 

The second someone would mention quitting I would go into panic mode and go have a smoke just to make sure they were still there. 

 

I'm not sure what changed this, but somehow I mustered a good feeling about quitting. Instead of being afraid, I feel like I am challenging myself and winning.  :D

I agree with this and the original post.

 

There comes a point where you just draw a line...it's you against nicotine and the battle lines are declared.  

 

It's weird what devildoll said, I totally compared my quit to labour and never said that. In labour I decided every discomfort was one step closer to meeting the love of my life...I wasn't wrong!!  In quitting, I decided each crave or trigger faced down, was one step closer to being free of the addiction thoughts.  I stick by this. Labour though, stings a bit ya know!! Quitting, well it never did.

 

I thought it would be "painful" to quit, and it was at a basic level, a series of thoughts. Thinking doesn't cause pain. So why did all those people I spoke to say it was "the hardest thing", "I still have thoughts" etc etc. They say this because they don't learn about nicotine addiction. I say this quite confidently, I relapsed over and over for not learning what I was truly facing. Once I understood what it was, the rest became a straight choice to smoke or not to smoke. 

 

Places like this really are the missing link. 

[Jenny]

Yup, it's not a rational fear at all and there are far worse things to go through than quitting smoking.  I have never felt stronger in my life than when I decided to take control and my only regret is that I didn't do it sooner.