sure could use some support

[skypeople]

I quit smoking just before 10:30pm on Monday and even though I am using nicotine gum, I have been really struggling to not start smoking again.  I was wondering if anyone else is going through same thing as I am.  I just need a friend or more that would not mind being a buddy for me while i go through these withdrawal symptoms.  I really need to quit as was diagnosed with moderate COPD but several crisis problems is that I lost a dear friend on mine on march 29th and then lost my older brother (by ten months) died of throat cancer (he was diagnosed with stage four in november) and died on March 30th.  How many of you do have or do not have, someone there to be support system?

[moonpiebaby]

Hows it going? Hope you are doing well with your quit. I know its hard, But nothing worth doing or having is ever easy. Write us back just to let us know if you need someone to talk to or just help you through a ruff patch. If you fall off your quit, thats o.k. too. Every day offers something new! Best of luck!! :o) ~Teresa

[moonpiebaby]

Skypeople- I had no support at all, just myself. But, I needed to do this for myself. Every day when I got up I would repeat outloud "Oh am sorry I dont smoke" or  "Am no longer a smoker"! Look in the mirror and say it. I felt inpowered when I said it and it felt good to say those words! I know sound crazy, but, it worked for me. Just repeating those words inplanted the fact in my brain that I no longer smoked. I smoked for 30 yrs!!! When I got  craveings, I would just repeat those words. Either to myself or out loud. Until the cravings would pass. Or I would think about how far I have come be it a day or months!!! Hey, give it a try it might work, it did for me.You can do this, find out what works for you. Good Luck!!! Let us know how its going and if you slip, get back up and try again. Teresa

[kathyjo]

good for you.......just keep hanging in there and read the articles at whyquit,com, it really does help : )
It is one of the most difficult thngs to do, but rewarding.

Good luck!

[skypeople]

I plan to use the gum for a short period of time to get through the worst of withdrawals...now have over 5 1/2 and yeh for me; but sure tired and still antsy...but know in time I will adjust; just hanging in there and sleeping a lot but that is ok also.  I have used gum before and was able to quit that in relative short period of time.  I sure know I can never go back to smoking as just too darn hard to quit.

[kathyjo]

The difficult part of quitting is not about the physical addiction to nicotine and the many other ingredients (600) in a smoke, but the emotional addiction.
Nic gum, well it's going to be with you for a long while (trading one addiction for another). I know people who quit smoking years ago but are still chewing the gum. As long as you are feeding your body with nic, you are prolonging the addiction. Is that what you want? 72 hours for physical withdrawals, that all : )
Support was very important in my quit. I didn't tell anyone I quit until I was past the 3rd day and they didn't notice but in fairness to them, I smoked outdoors. When I did let them know my intentions, they were supportive initially, but if you don't smoke then you can't know how difficult it is to quit, so after a few weeks, this forum became my support and it still is!
In addition to the forum there is whyquit.com which is where I learned about the emotional aspect of my addiction....it was there that I found the tools to quit. I learned why I smoked and how to lessen the urges and change up routines and get through my day as best as I could.

I'm sorry for the loss of your brother and sorry for your diagnosis (I have it too). You can quit and take back your life. After 40 years of smoking, I finally have control of mine : )
We are here for you!

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2y 6m 1w 1d 11:52 smoke-free, 20,268 cigs not smoked, $4,864.32 saved, 2m 1w 3d 9:00 life saved