Aa
Here I go again-Starting TODAY!
I need to quit smoking, I want to quit smoking (partly) I'm so tired of being a slave to the cigarettes. I have quit many times before and failed so its hard to get excited about this quit. I'm trying to come up with a reason that this time will be different from all the others but can't. I hate to even put this up but I going to need to vent and get support and maybe through the experience I can help someone else.
When I read freebird's post I couldn't believe it because it sounded like I had written it myself because I too use cigarettes as a reward system. Some of the rewards that I've already got are COPD and heart disease, that's why I need to quit. Pretty stupid huh, I want to quit because I'm tired of being an addict. In all other areas of my life I'm pretty smart about my choices, this is the one where I am ashamed about my choice. Tomorrow I will be getting a nuclear stress test for my heart to look for more damage or blockages. I am to have no caffeine or nicotine for 24hrs beforehand. Thus, I am using this opportunity to try one more time, maybe this time I will succeed! With God help and the groups help......Thanks for listening-I will probably be whining alot! I will try to keep it to the minimum! We can do it!!!
When I read freebird's post I couldn't believe it because it sounded like I had written it myself because I too use cigarettes as a reward system. Some of the rewards that I've already got are COPD and heart disease, that's why I need to quit. Pretty stupid huh, I want to quit because I'm tired of being an addict. In all other areas of my life I'm pretty smart about my choices, this is the one where I am ashamed about my choice. Tomorrow I will be getting a nuclear stress test for my heart to look for more damage or blockages. I am to have no caffeine or nicotine for 24hrs beforehand. Thus, I am using this opportunity to try one more time, maybe this time I will succeed! With God help and the groups help......Thanks for listening-I will probably be whining alot! I will try to keep it to the minimum! We can do it!!!
Hey Teko, I'm feeling like you - cravings have been intense all week, but last night was the worst. I am afraid of that first puff, too. We Should be afraid - that's good. I take a big deep breath - it doesn't hurt and I can actually breathe through my nose again. There is no way I'm giving up - I've worked way too hard for nearly a year. I had a terrible time last night after seeing someone light up and smoke on tv. It's watching someone inhale that gets me the worst.
Aheart - where are you??????? Don't go gettin' all quiet - that's never a good sign. Come on, honey - we are here for you!!!
Aheart - where are you??????? Don't go gettin' all quiet - that's never a good sign. Come on, honey - we are here for you!!!
Kicking the habit is hard. Damn hard at that! I believe there is a physical addiction to smoking but I believe the mental one is stronger and the one that keeps us reigned in. I made a living trying to quit smoking. I even got six months out one time and went back. This time I am afraid to smoke, even that first puff. I know if I ever take that first puff I will be back to being a slave again. Today for some reason has been one long continuous crave. I get around someone who smokes and as nasty as it is to me it still starts that craving! I make myself remember what it was like to breathe and the air was not there. No, I can honestly say that that is enuff to keep me from slipping. Just raw fear...
Take one day at a time and dont beat urself up cause each of us has been there. Hang In..
Take one day at a time and dont beat urself up cause each of us has been there. Hang In..
How are you doing, aheart ?
all the best on your goal !! :)
all the best on your goal !! :)
way to go aheart!!! so glad you are with us!! congrats. take it a day at a time hon, use those 'headstrong' tendencies to drive your determination.
keep busy, keep strong and I know you can beat this.....prayers and ((hugs)) to you love..♥
keep busy, keep strong and I know you can beat this.....prayers and ((hugs)) to you love..♥
I only have 58 days quit, but I know it's going to stick this time. What I did was reaserch addiction in general. How addictions work? How addictions affect the mind? Then I began to research nicotine addiction, how it works and how it affects the mind.... the physiological effects. Then I looked at all of the additives in tobacco, (most of them carcinogens in and of themselves) then looked at the effects of those carcinogens after they are ignited and what happens to them then.....scary, scary, scary!
Quitting is just a long road. I too, even today have thought... "well, maybe I'll just have one.". Then I remember if I do that, I am letting tobacco win yet again. It's claws are out of me.... but there's that little voice in my head that keeps telling me to go ahead and have one. I've made a bigger voice that says "I'm going to kick your butt if you do that!".
Withdrawls lasted less than I remember from my previous quit. That however didn't make quitting easier. I just kept quitting at the minds forefront. I kept my mind busy with crosswords, hobbies, reading, anything.... In my plan, I wrote down all of the times I enjoyed tobacco. First thing in the morning, the daily commutes, after a meal, before bed, while having a drink with friends..... and I sat and thought about them. Any given day, I knew I could knock down the tobacco involved with drinking because I don't drink every day.... then I started looking at all of the additional times I used tobacco during the day, just out of habit. Those were the ones that disturbed me most. It was sub-conscious...just grabbing one and going with it. Before it dawned on me, I had one in my mouth....
I came up with alternatives.... sugar-free gum and mints, tooth picks... but I paid attention to the use of all of them. I'd suck on a mint and think..."I am doing this in place of tobacco". That all became conscious, and with that happening I knew I could gain control.
The thing is, being an ex smoker/tobacco user/abuser is like being a dried up drunk. That habit is always going to be there. We just need to keep it at bay. It is doable. If I can do it, anyone can.
Stick in there kid! (My grandpa was a funny guy and had a way with words. One of his sayings that sticks with me is, when you think your world is coming unraveled, my grandpa would say..."don't worry, there will be plenty of days worse than this". ) I didn't get that until adulthood, and for me it puts things into perspective especially around quitting. Right when I thought I was having a tough go at it, I'd remember that saying and laugh. "If this is the worst of my problems, I have it made in the shade!"
Stick in there, you got this handled!
Quitting is just a long road. I too, even today have thought... "well, maybe I'll just have one.". Then I remember if I do that, I am letting tobacco win yet again. It's claws are out of me.... but there's that little voice in my head that keeps telling me to go ahead and have one. I've made a bigger voice that says "I'm going to kick your butt if you do that!".
Withdrawls lasted less than I remember from my previous quit. That however didn't make quitting easier. I just kept quitting at the minds forefront. I kept my mind busy with crosswords, hobbies, reading, anything.... In my plan, I wrote down all of the times I enjoyed tobacco. First thing in the morning, the daily commutes, after a meal, before bed, while having a drink with friends..... and I sat and thought about them. Any given day, I knew I could knock down the tobacco involved with drinking because I don't drink every day.... then I started looking at all of the additional times I used tobacco during the day, just out of habit. Those were the ones that disturbed me most. It was sub-conscious...just grabbing one and going with it. Before it dawned on me, I had one in my mouth....
I came up with alternatives.... sugar-free gum and mints, tooth picks... but I paid attention to the use of all of them. I'd suck on a mint and think..."I am doing this in place of tobacco". That all became conscious, and with that happening I knew I could gain control.
The thing is, being an ex smoker/tobacco user/abuser is like being a dried up drunk. That habit is always going to be there. We just need to keep it at bay. It is doable. If I can do it, anyone can.
Stick in there kid! (My grandpa was a funny guy and had a way with words. One of his sayings that sticks with me is, when you think your world is coming unraveled, my grandpa would say..."don't worry, there will be plenty of days worse than this". ) I didn't get that until adulthood, and for me it puts things into perspective especially around quitting. Right when I thought I was having a tough go at it, I'd remember that saying and laugh. "If this is the worst of my problems, I have it made in the shade!"
Stick in there, you got this handled!
Thank you so very much for your kindness & encouragement. I know all the benes of quitting, know the dangers of continuing but my mind really plays a number on me. First it makes me think that I'll never be happy again without a cigarette. Then it actually tells me
that just one or two a day won't hurt! HaHa We all know that doesn't work. If I could just stop thinking for awhile. Being a type "A" personality and headstrong to boot makes it a long road but I'm going to make that journey! How many days, years, mins do you have now? Thank God I don't have to stop eating too! Thanks again, yak at cha later! Darla♥
that just one or two a day won't hurt! HaHa We all know that doesn't work. If I could just stop thinking for awhile. Being a type "A" personality and headstrong to boot makes it a long road but I'm going to make that journey! How many days, years, mins do you have now? Thank God I don't have to stop eating too! Thanks again, yak at cha later! Darla♥
You can do this.... you've mentioned the key to your success this time and you didn't catch it. You will succeed this time because of falling short the previous attempts. You've got to the point I was at with not wanting to be a slave to tobacco anymore, and frankly are tired of the habit.
Think of your "reward" system differently. Think of those "rewards" as the very thing you are trying to get away from.
Seriously, I'd like to ask you a question, and you only need to answer it for yourself. I know the answer already. Here's the question.... what are the health benefits of smoking?
(The secret is that there isn't one.... not one benefit of continuing to smoke) Its ruining your health, and your health concerns alone ought to make you buck up for the fight.
It isn't easy, quitting that is. You've got to have your plan in place and you have to stick to it. Every day you do not smoke is one day further away from your habit. As the days go by, your habit becomes smaller and smaller in the rear view mirror, and all of a sudden it isn't there to look at you.
Relax a bit... don't allow yourself to get worked up. It's quitting! It's a good thing!
Think of your "reward" system differently. Think of those "rewards" as the very thing you are trying to get away from.
Seriously, I'd like to ask you a question, and you only need to answer it for yourself. I know the answer already. Here's the question.... what are the health benefits of smoking?
(The secret is that there isn't one.... not one benefit of continuing to smoke) Its ruining your health, and your health concerns alone ought to make you buck up for the fight.
It isn't easy, quitting that is. You've got to have your plan in place and you have to stick to it. Every day you do not smoke is one day further away from your habit. As the days go by, your habit becomes smaller and smaller in the rear view mirror, and all of a sudden it isn't there to look at you.
Relax a bit... don't allow yourself to get worked up. It's quitting! It's a good thing!
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