I'm coming back.....

[Sazerac]

Are your SOS's happening around the same time of the day ?

I'll have to look.

 

For expected crisis times,  maybe you could plan for a little ceremony of 4 conscious breaths

or some special activity...something/anything/everything. 

 

Getting your body to physically switch up the pattern will help break associations.

Jumping jacks, Singing a whole song, Spin around three times.

 

Dumb tricks to distract The Lizard part of your brain.

 

You are doing really good, your resolve stands. 

You are smoke free !

[...]

Are your SOS's happening around the same time of the day ?

I'll have to look.

 

For expected crisis times,  maybe you could plan for a little ceremony of 4 conscious breaths

or some special activity...something/anything/everything. 

 

I don't know.  I havent' paid attention.  I'm just barreling through the damn things.  

 

I did get a moment, actually several moments, of reprieve today.  I was walking down the corridor when it was like I hit a wall of clarity.  Like a time warp of some sort.  I was myself again.  I had no craves, my mind was clear and I was ok.  It was nice. 

 

This morning I was throwing a massive internal hissy fit.  

 

Since my reprieve, it hasn't been near as bad as it has the last couple of days.  I still got a VERY STRONG thought tonight to give up.  But it still wasn't as bad as yesterdays, or the day befores or even this morning.  

 

And my mouth has been full of ulcers, canker sores, that have made it really difficult to eat.  Quite painful actually.  I think even those are beginning to clear up.

 

I am noticing I can smell someone smoking in the next county now.  That's a little weird.    

 

But as for me, myself and I......we are still smoke free.  

 

And looking forward to staying that way.  

[Sazerac]

I love hearing about your reprieves. You are defeating your addiction.  This couldn't be better news 

These moments of clarity will become more and more frequent.

Your 'massive internal hissy fit'  was crap for you but, you know what ?  You WON !  You Beat it Down.

Congratulations.  Reward yourself.

 

Sorry about your poor mouth.  You must be incredibly uncomfortable, oh dear.

You probably know all these tricks but, just in case.

Stay away from sugar.

Rinse your mouth often with salt water or baking soda (1tsp/half cup water).

Eat real yoghurt, plain no sugar or vanilla or fruit,  with acidophilus. It is soothing to let it hang out in your mouth for a while too.

Dab sores with Milk of Magnesia.

 

Yay you,  another day under your belt and things are improving bit by bit.

Plan some Joy for yourself this weekend.  Simple Pleasures...more nuzzles with muzzles.

 

I have a lot going on during the next few days but, will try to check in.

Will be thinking about you throughout the day.

Read read read and learn about your addiction.

It really helps to know what you are dealing with.

S

[bakon]

Sounds like your moving along fine

[sharonsiff]

I know folk poo poo it Tiff but have you considered that your anxiety, and strong feelings, are down to the lack of other crap in cigarette smoke? My doctor confirmed this when I went to see him, as I felt mentally poorly. I was vaping (with nicotine) at the time so could not understand why the nicotine wasn't hitting the spot. He explained, in detail, what was in cig smoke and that it had been acting as an anti depressant for years.

 

Feel fine now, of course, as that was three years ago. Just saying that for some people's chemical make up that stopping smoking is like coming off anti depressants cold turkey, which can obviously be done, but not a particularly pleasant experience. Might explain why you feel as you do.

 

Glad you got another day under your belt.

[Doreensfree]

Nothing to add TIFF...just keep doing..what your doing..

[...]

Thank you !!!

 

Today is SO FREAKING MUCH BETTER !!!!!

 

I woke up feeling good. My mind is clear, I'm smiling again. No anxiety, no sadness whatsoever.

 

My canker sores don't hurt anymore, except for one is being a nuisance but not painful.

 

According to my "Cessation Nation" (an app on my phone) states that in a couple of hours, I will be 12 days smoke free. I havent' smoked 380 cigarettes. I know that doesn't sound like a lot to y'all, but to me it's a life changing number.

 

I'm still having craves.... But not near as bad as they have been. Just waiting them to pass and they do.

 

I am so happy I am doing this. I feel so much better.

 

I can't thank y'all enough for all the support. I'm going to be a non smoker for the rest of my life. One day at a time.

[...]

I know folk poo poo it Tiff but have you considered that your anxiety, and strong feelings, are down to the lack of other crap in cigarette smoke? My doctor confirmed this when I went to see him, as I felt mentally poorly. I was vaping (with nicotine) at the time so could not understand why the nicotine wasn't hitting the spot. He explained, in detail, what was in cig smoke and that it had been acting as an anti depressant for years.

Feel fine now, of course, as that was three years ago. Just saying that for some people's chemical make up that stopping smoking is like coming off anti depressants cold turkey, which can obviously be done, but not a particularly pleasant experience. Might explain why you feel as you do.

I agree 100%. I am a very energetic person and I am beginning to think that a lot of that "energy" is probably anxiety. I know I used cigarettes as a relaxing tool. And not having them really increases my anxiety and depression. Although I didn't feel depressed when I was smoking, I may have masked it with anxiety.

 

I'm going to learn more tools. Healthier ones.

[sharonsiff]

I agree 100%. I am a very energetic person and I am beginning to think that a lot of that "energy" is probably anxiety. I know I used cigarettes as a relaxing tool. And not having them really increases my anxiety and depression. Although I didn't feel depressed when I was smoking, I may have masked it with anxiety.

I'm going to learn more tools. Healthier ones.

Exactly..healthier ones.

 

Like you I didn't feel in the slightest bit depressed as a smoker, so can be quite shocking when it raises its ugly head cant it?

 

So glad today is feeling like a good day, that's brilliant. On a crappy day (you know what I mean) just look back where you wrote today was a good day, it might help you see that there are plenty of good ones and the crap day won't be the norm every day. That helped me an awful lot, gave me hope.

[Sazerac]

Thank you !!!

 

Today is SO FREAKING MUCH BETTER !!!!!

 

I woke up feeling good. My mind is clear, I'm smiling again. No anxiety, no sadness whatsoever.

 

My canker sores don't hurt anymore, except for one is being a nuisance but not painful.

 

According to my "Cessation Nation" (an app on my phone) states that in a couple of hours, I will be 12 days smoke free. I havent' smoked 380 cigarettes. I know that doesn't sound like a lot to y'all, but to me it's a life changing number.

 

I'm still having craves.... But not near as bad as they have been. Just waiting them to pass and they do.

 

I am so happy I am doing this. I feel so much better.

 

I can't thank y'all enough for all the support. I'm going to be a non smoker for the rest of my life. One day at a time.

 

This makes my day, Tiff !  

 380 is a huge number !  

That is 380 gnarly craves you have defeated, awe inspiring work, bebe.  Awesome.  :D

[...]

Still smoke free !!!

[sharonsiff]

Still smoke free !!!

Fabulous... keep doing what you're doing.

[Doreensfree]

Yipeee

[...]

Today hasn't gone so well.

 

I always have an issue with this train of thought....maybe y'all can help.

 

The thought is...."ok, you did it. You quit. You've shown yourself you can do it. Now go smoke".

 

I don't wanna say I've come close to throwing it away, but the thought was really strong. Forever is showing it's ugly head.

 

Still smoke free

[Boo]

I always have an issue with this train of thought....maybe y'all can help.

 

The thought is...."ok, you did it. You quit. You've shown yourself you can do it. Now go smoke".

 

Addiction is a master manipulator and quite adept at making bargains.  Not much help to offer up other than resolve and commitment.  That line of thought can be turned quite easily...ok, you did it.  You quit.  You've shown yourself you can do it.  No point turning back now.

 

 

Still smoke free

 

So long as you don't smoke, the quit is going perfectly.  Proceed.

[sharonsiff]

Today hasn't gone so well.

I always have an issue with this train of thought....maybe y'all can help.

The thought is...."ok, you did it. You quit. You've shown yourself you can do it. Now go smoke".

I don't wanna say I've come close to throwing it away, but the thought was really strong. Forever is showing it's ugly head.

Still smoke free

You know the drill...ignore the thoughts, expect them but ignore..you've been there done that and know how it ends.

 

You just know that you can continue doing what you are doing, each day, no worries about forever...that just seems to happen all by itself in time.

[bakon]

You have to not want to smoke. So if you are thinking you did it, you quit so now it's ok...well then you still want to smoke and therefore have not really quit.

Kind of a Niches type argument.

 

If you are thinking it's ok, then it's not because just thinking about it proves you haven't made it.

 

Huh?

[Paul723]

Quitting is not an event. Tell yourself that you aren't done with the process.

[Sazerac]

Today hasn't gone so well.

 

I always have an issue with this train of thought....maybe y'all can help.

 

The thought is...."ok, you did it. You quit. You've shown yourself you can do it. Now go smoke".

 

I don't wanna say I've come close to throwing it away, but the thought was really strong. Forever is showing it's ugly head.

 

Still smoke free

 

Your quit is young and you must actively protect it.

The best tool you must nurture will be the ability to recognize the voice of the addict.

 

At some point, you are going to have to cop to the  'forever' part.

It is coming to terms with the Reality of  addiction.

We are addicts forever and that is the sorry truth.

.

We become 'former addicts' forever and that is where I get strength.

[sharonsiff]

How's today Tiff...where's your head at today?

[ChRiSpY]

Today hasn't gone so well.

 

I always have an issue with this train of thought....maybe y'all can help.

 

The thought is...."ok, you did it. You quit. You've shown yourself you can do it. Now go smoke".

 

I don't wanna say I've come close to throwing it away, but the thought was really strong. Forever is showing it's ugly head.

 

Still smoke free

 

You have not done anything yet. One has to go through full calendar year to say they have "done it".... all the different seasons...all the different triggers...etc etc etc.  Once you get to that year..and you can say "I 've done it"  then you will not want to smoke anyways cause you made it a year...why the hell would you want to smoke.

 

Keep on keepin on

[...]

I am still here. And still quit. I was quite the lazy one yesterday and didn't go anywhere. I stayed home and a lot of the things I did at home, I associated with smoking. That may be why I felt like I did. I would finish something and almost instinctively reach for my cigarettes.

 

I do want to quit. It's just taking time for my brain to rewire itself.

 

So right now.... I'm doing to ole "fake it till you make it" routine.

 

Still quit. 15 days now and 495 cigarettes not smoked.

 

I really liked this......

That line of thought can be turned quite easily...ok, you did it.  You quit.  You've shown yourself you can do it.  No point turning back now.

. I read this last night and have been doing it. And it has worked thus far. I expect one day for the thought to get stronger as I don't give it what it wants. And I'm prepared to get louder when it does.

 

This is a strange thing..... Quitting. It's amazing what we teach our brains to accept. And the work that is involved to restructure that teaching.

 

I am not smoking. And I will say it again..... I will be smoke free for the rest of my life.

 

Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart, for EVERYTHING y'all are doing to help me. It really truly does help.

[...]

Just checking in.... still smoke free.  

[Sazerac]

Hiya Tiff,

So glad you are a non smoker, a free person.  Congratulations for each crave you beat.  

 

"This is a strange thing..... Quitting. It's amazing what we teach our brains to accept. And the work that is involved to restructure that teaching."

 

With the one puff, addiction completely gangstered our brain.  An incredible amount of things we did, we did only to feed the addiction.

We even gave up our reward and pleasure centers to nicotine.

Thankfully, we can get right again.

But, we must do the work now to restructure.

 

 H.A.L.T. 

Are you Hungry, Angry, emotional, Lonesome, Tired.

really helped me.

Here are two links on Qtrain 

Babs on HALT

and one I penned

RIffing On HALT

[sharonsiff]

Just checking in.... still smoke free.

 

Knew you would be..wink. Rinse and repeat.