4 Months Tomorrow

[Ramona]

I will have 4 months nicotine & smoke free on March 6th.  These have not been easy months - indeed, I have found that my most intense challenges take place closer to now than back then.  This has always been the case for me.  I can consistently achieve 1,2,3 months.  But making it to 4,5,6 (and on) has been nigh impossible.

 

I smoked for 15 years (from age 16 till 31).  I am praying that this quit is my final quit.  I want to make it to one year!!!  I have never achieved a year.  The closest I came was 10 months back in 2009. Quitting smoking is priority #1 - - it is vital to my physical, emotional and (most importantly) spiritual growth & well being.

 

Tears fall heavily and unpredictably without nicotine to glaze over my emotions.  Many times I have returned to smoking due to uncontrollable bouts of weeping.  This time I will not be ashamed to "cry it out."  I will learn to accept & own my emotions.  I have grief, anger, and self-destructive tendencies which refuse to be ignored...so I will feel them, go through them, and come out stronger on the other end.  This is my intention.

 

I am grateful to discover this forum where people seem genuinely concerned and gentle.  I was once a member of the WhyQuit forum (back in 2007) and I wasn't allowed to return (due to a relapse).  I appreciate how this community treats its members with more compassion and acceptance.  

 

Looking forward to knowing you all!

TEW 

[buMbLeB]

The emotional repercussions were the hardest thing for me as well, and somewhere around month 2-4 I went into a very dark hole. In fact it was SO dark, I knew it had to be an effect of quitting, and I was therefore able to depersonalize the experience and just observe myself suffering, without succumbing to it. I know that sounds bleak, but within a month or so I was over the hump, and nearly 3 years later I've never looked back.

 

Welcome. Cry your heart out. Yell at the walls (this one worked great for me!). Do whatever you have to do, we've all been there and we're on your side.

 

Oh, and while we are more forgiving than WhyQuit (I never joined over there because I never thought I'd make it), the rules of the game are mostly the same. No smoking.

 

That is all.

 

edit: Congrats on almost 4 months already!

[Pippa]

Hey TEW - welcome to the train ! You will find lots of support here ! Smoking helped us mask heaps of emotions and even at 4 months it is natural to be emotional - I know I was always all over the shop at that point in my quit ! - so stay close. Remember - it is much better to ask for support than to smoke ! xx

[Runfree]

Quitting smoking is priority #1

 

THIS ^^^^^ is the key.  And, the information and people here have been an integral part of my success.  I think we're all fortunate to have landed here on the QT.

 

Yea, just cry away.  I figured crying was a part of this (stuffed emotions for years, never learned how to deal, etc) but when it extended into month 2, I got concerned.  The good folks here reassured me it was all a-ok and normal and keep the tissues close.  And so it goes.  

 

Congrats on your 4 month quit!  Stay close to here and you'll be at a year before you know it.

[BAT]

Welcome to the QT :)

[babs609]

Welcome Teary Eyed Woman!!  Congrats to you on 4 months...that is fantastic!!!

You sound like you are on a great path of growth, spiritual development and well-being...and we are thrilled to have you on the quit train  :)

[Doreensfree]

Hi and welcome to the quit train....

You already have a fabulous quit....

Stay close and post when ever you need us.....all the support you need to succeed is right here...

[Nancy]

Four months is a huge accomplishment.  Welcome to the QuitTrain!

[Tink]

welcome to the quit train :)

 

tears are welcome here also as they are healing and we have shed many ourselves

 

4 months, you are doing great :)

[Still winning]

Welcome :)

 

I'm sorry you're feeling emotionally over whelmed. That can happen from time to time. My addition would be to make sure you see al the good stuff happening too though :) How deep is your deep breath now, your body is healing itself at a rapid rate, financially better off.  Later come some superb benefits that you haven't seen yet but will, like belief in yourself, freedom from thinking about wanting to smoke.

 

It's a genuine path. Spiritual...well now you're playing my tune!! :)  Mind and body feel much more united after a time just being a non smoker, truly!

 

Welcome and celebrate that you already have 4 beautiful smoke free months and are scheduled for lots of celebrations coming soon.

 

x

[JackiMac]

Hi and welcome on board, and congratulations on already reaching 4 months, as you know from previous attempts quitting is an emotional rollercoaster and a very rewarding journey, you and your body are going through some amazing and important changes, stay close and post as often as you can, you will witness alot of emotions here, and we welcome them, educate yourself on the addiction within we are here to help and support you as much as you like, looking forward to sharing your journey with you xx

[beacon]

I think at four months or so I was the raging maniac imagining conspiracies at work. I think also this was the time I let myself start eating anything I wanted at any time. I think it is that you really get tired of the thoughts and fighting and fighting. I have seen other people fold at 3-4 months. But i see the ones who hold on and there is a time of relief soon coming, a joyful one. Now are you getting good things to help like a massage or something you want to buy or eat or do because you quit smoking ?

[El Bandito]

I think at four months or so I was the raging maniac imagining conspiracies at work. I think also this was the time I let myself start eating anything I wanted at any time. I think it is that you really get tired of the thoughts and fighting and fighting. I have seen other people fold at 3-4 months. But i see the ones who hold on and there is a time of relief soon coming, a joyful one. Now are you getting good things to help like a massage or something you want to buy or eat or do because you quit smoking ?

Beacon. No. It was not a conspiracy. I really was coming to get you.

 

Bwahaha.....

 

TEW, Welcome!

 

Every day is better and better. Take a moment each day to focus on a benefit or two of quitting, and to pat yourself on the back.

 

Come here and help a newbie who is scared and worried.

 

Getting to where you are is brilliant. Fantastic times lie ahead.

[Fay]

Congrats on 4 months!  Welcome to the QT!

[joe]

I smoked for 15 years (from age 16 till 31).  I am praying that this quit is my final quit.  I want to make it to one year!!!  I have never achieved a year.  The closest I came was 10 months back in 2009. Quitting smoking is priority #1 - - it is vital to my physical, emotional and (most importantly) spiritual growth & well being.

 

I am grateful to discover this forum where people seem genuinely concerned and gentle.  I was once a member of the WhyQuit forum (back in 2007) and I wasn't allowed to return (due to a relapse).  I appreciate how this community treats its members with more compassion and acceptance.  

 

Looking forward to knowing you all!

 

TEW

 

Welcome TEW..

 

It's great that you have been able to stay quit for as long as you have in the past... I am going to assume that you have read up on nicotine addiction. The only way to beat it, is to understand it. Your past quits have been long enough, that the nicotine was completely out of your system, and all the physical craves should have stopped by then also. It sounds like you may be "romancing the cigarette".

 

If you haven't read "Allan Carrs the Easy Way" , I would recommend it.. It is available online, and, if you can't find it, let me know... I have it and can pm you the link.

 

As you have noticed, there are a lot of great people on this forum, who are more than willing to help and support you when you need it.

 

Use the resources here. Read everything you can to educate yourself, and if you EVER feel like you want to light a cigarette, please post in the S.O.S. Section... There is someone here all hours of the day and night, and some members have it linked to their phone so they are notified when someone needs help and can respond right away...

 

Congrats on the 4 months that you already have! Please stick around here and do anything nessasary to protect that quit!

[Humbled]

Welcome to the QT family - and thank you for sharing your story with us. This is an amazing group, there is always someone available if you need to reach out. I can honestly say that I may not have been as successful without this board. It is a journey and you have done amazingly well in the past and you are currently having a great quit... You have already done the hard part - there is no more physical attachment to smoking for you it is all emotional now - I guess you just have to ask yourself what it is about smoking that you miss at times because it isn't the deadly chemicals or the wonderful aroma etc.. I admire your drive to never give up trying but this time has to be different - you indicated that your triggers are all tied to your state of mind - that is actually a good thing because your are very aware of it - that alone will give you a heads up of when you historically reached out for a smoke instead of help... I would suggest sticking close to the board, getting involved with some games etc.. but most of all Pledge NOPE everyday and post as much as you need to if you find yourself in a bad way -  respond to your own SOS is a good place to post to get this started as well. Make this your sticky quit we are here for support but you are in control - congrats on being a Non-Smoker!

[DCCXXVII]

Welcome and congratulations on 4 months freedom :)

[deltawings]

Happy for you! If you haven't already, then you will soon notice that this milestone is a turning point! Your mind would start "accepting" you as a non-smoker and would get used to it. Better days are yet to come, and you will soon notice that you are no longer a teary eyed woman!  ;) Congratulations to you! Keep us posted.