Don't You Slip

Slipping is not the right word. It is not a question of "slipping". I have quit many times before. I am highly addicted to cigarettes, and I am learning all my lessons the hard way. One example: I had quit for seven months once, when I watched my sixteen year old son have a grand mal seizure. Fear of my son dying in my arms, panic, extreme distress, call it what you want, the feelings were totally out of control. There was no relief. Only pain and panic and fear. There was no slipping involved. Did I start smoking again that day? You bet I did and it wasn't because it crossed my mind whether I should smoke or not. It was because cigarettes are an addiction, they give you a high and they give you a calm (a temporary one at that) it was all I could think of at the time to ease the pain I was feeling. It wasn't a question to turn in my head, I had to have it and have it now! Therre was no question at all. That is how the addiction works. It takes you over and you lose complete control. And later, once the crisis had passed, the regret, the shame, the hurt, the self betrayal, all come washing back over you, crying why, why did you give in? And so you have to face up to the fact that there is so much more at stake here. People don't always just start again on a whim. Tobacco is as bad a drug as heroine, cocaine, crack,you name it. Some people are more addicted than others. Some find it easier to quit. Some can't seem to manage to quit despite their best attempts. My doctor has told me, it doesn't matter how many times you quit, what matters is you keep on trying to quit for as many times as it takes, and if you cannot, then you have to seek out programs for help and there are not many of them available for tobacco yet, at least not in Canada. So what I face every day, is not am I going to slip? What I face every day is that I am trying my best to get thru each and every day without having a cigarette, and every day that I do is a good day. Will I ever smoke again? I cannot honestly guarantee that, what I do know is that every day I get through and every small crisis I get through, will help me build a box of tools so that when the big crises come, maybe I can make it through them somehow. That is all I can hope for right now. This is a learning process, an

Newly Non-smoker

Welcome Michelle. Check out the March-Mellow (Those who quit in March 07) Lots of us newbies post there, and read read read all the posts you can. There is a vast wealth of information on any concern you may have about quitting. We are all here to help each other thru this journey, no matter how rough the road may get. It really helps to come here on a bad day, because there's always someone going thru the same thing! Congratulations! Not one puff ever (NOPE) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/5/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 10 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 263 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $105.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 6 [B]Mins:[/B] 27 [B]Seconds:[/B] 30

To those who quit in March 07

Welcome Stacey,stick with it. I am on day 10 and I feel so so so much better. It feels great to be able to breathe deeply, to smell things again, and not having a tight chest. Feel shakey sometimes but that is about it so far. I am on the patch though, so still have the long term fight ahead of me to get rid of the nicotine. AM beginning to think cold turkey might have been better. NOPE is the motto. Never again. Keep the quit! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/5/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 9 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 236 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $94.95 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 3 [B]Mins:[/B] 28 [B]Seconds:[/B] 4

I'm having a hard day and

I read this quote recently: "Whenever trouble rears its ugly head, look it squarely in the eye and say "You cannot defeat me! I am bigger than this and I will succeed!" I can handle any crisis!" This, together with a few good deep breaths, is very very helpful! Keep the quit! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/5/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 9 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 238 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $94.95 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 3 [B]Mins:[/B] 33 [B]Seconds:[/B] 42

carrots- go figure

The smoke after a meal used to bug me, so I had a peppermint instead. (It helps the tummy too,) after a few days I was craving peppermints instead of cigarettes. Now it sugar free gum,( keeps me from munching everything in sight,) and the feelings get better with time, it just the first while that you seem to be searching for that substitute. Heck, I used to dig and dig in my purse then it would dawn on me, that I was looking for cigarettes and of course I didn't have them anymore. The old mind plays a few tricks on ya.The straw trick works really good too, I find that one particularily helpful when I get a bad craving! Cause it feels like the real drag. The main thing is try whatever you think will work, because it probably will help. Keep up the quit! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/5/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 8 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 224 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $84.4 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 2 [B]Mins:[/B] 1 [B]Seconds:[/B] 46

Smoking dreams every night....

Had someone tell me this once...visualize a giant cigarette and then beat the "____"out of it with a bat, your arms, whatever weapon you choose. I tried it and it feels really good even if it is a visualization. I guess a bit of therapy in doing it! Try doing this just as you go to sleep and maybe you'll have better dreams! Keep the quit! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/5/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 8 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 215 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $84.4 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 0 [B]Mins:[/B] 58 [B]Seconds:[/B] 30

To those who quit in March 07

Hey March Mellows, hang in there Rachel. With you're having to take the patch off, you are going thru the full blown withdrawal, and they say 2-3 days does it , so you should be near the end of the worst of it. Great job hanging on though, some would not have lasted that long, Good for you! I am on day 9, get a lil antsy here & there, but then I am on the patch so still have the nicodemon under my skin. Am considering dumping him by trying the Chantix or Champix (Cdn). Have a great day everyone and keep the quit. N.O.P.E. Not one puff ever! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/5/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 8 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 211 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $84.4 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 0 [B]Mins:[/B] 32 [B]Seconds:[/B] 4

Show EVERYONE your stats and CELEBRATE !

Am hanging on, today is day 8. Am a lil shakey this morning. Need to take some deep breaths. But doing fine otherwise! Noticed how nice my skin is already since quitting, and how much better I can breathe. It sure feeld good! Have a good day, everyone! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/5/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 7 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 186 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $73.85 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 21 [B]Mins:[/B] 38 [B]Seconds:[/B] 51

To those who quit in March 07

Hang in Rachel, keep on trying something other than giving in. Deep breaths, sugar free gum, go for a wlk, or just cry, whatever it takes to ease the pain. Have you thought about trying the Chantix (or Champix, as it is apparently called in Canada) Am feeling for you,have been there. Read more posts. Read the one about Joe Cool. Just keep on trying! Keep psoting, we will try to help! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/5/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 7 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 193 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $73.85 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 22 [B]Mins:[/B] 25 [B]Seconds:[/B] 12

March 12th - Monday's Marvellous Quitters!

Thanks Mr. Ed. yup, its been a whole week and I have been pretty mellow so far. (I am surprised by that- been down this road before) Nice to see you thought of me! Thanks! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/5/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 7 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 193 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $73.85 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 22 [B]Mins:[/B] 23 [B]Seconds:[/B] 11