I hope everything goes well for you!

I am still having a craving to smoke about once a day, and it is usually triggered by something. Today, it was looking at my porch and the chair where I used to sit and smoke...just talking about it is making me crave smoking now! If it continues to be an issue, I'll rearrange the porch or go through another door to get inside my home. Still don't feel strong enough to be around smokers.

Stay strong everyone! We can do this!

So fantastic your doing so well...keep it up!

And thank you for the well wishes.

Good idea to change things up. New habits that don't included smoking are necessary. Once that nicotine is out of the body (usually after two weeks) do things that REALLY make you feel good. You need to have a way of getting your body to release dopamine (you get this when you smoke or do any drug and it's a big help in keeping us addicted). This is one BIG reason why quitting is so hard. Take that money that you are saving and get a massage, go to Six Flags, or workout.

Good Luck Everyone

What Incubus said :)

2 weeks...smiles
 

Great Job non smoker!!!!
I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers until you are back here with us.

Let's try again...

Day 1

I was thinking about the electronic cig, but right now, I just want all of this crap out of my body the fastest way possible...

Cold Turkey and lots of water....

I've tried the patch, the pill, rationing, the gum, behavior modification...

I always weaken and give in to that nagging impulse...

So... Let's just see if I can just not smoke... not make a big ass deal out of it and give cigs the attention they deserve... none...

I'm tired of this smell on me, my clothes, in my house....

I suggest using unsweatened greatfruit juice ALOT...lol and cinnomin gum and toothpick..flavored or not..they are really helping me. And fruits and veggies..they are free foods

Thanks for the grapefruit suggestion... Any reason you suggest it?

Gum, dumdums, craft sticks, two bags of apples.... I need to get some celery and cut up my carrot sticks...

I'm going to try a different tactic this time... I'm going to attempt to stay calm and not have the OMG I DON'T HAVE ANY IN THE HOUSE panic attacks that have been a major downfall...

My self worth does NOT depend on having a smoke... lol

Go you for hopping on the non-smoking magic carpet again.

Can I suggest that instead of an e-cig that you try an inhalator. For me it helped break the visual cues in a way that an e-cig can't because it looks like a cig. My friends called my inhalator 'the tampon'. :cheesy:

I don't envy you going cold turkey, I could never have done that; I used Chantix and the inhalator for the hand-to-mouth habit. I also, sadly, had fear on side as I had just nigh on died from the worst chest infection I'd ever had. It was so bad I cried because I literally didn't have enough oxygen to move and only just about enough to keep breathing. :| Srsly!

You seriously don't wanna end up where I am. My story is posted in this thread if you go back and find it. I'm sure I don't need to type it out again.

It's tough but no-one ever said giving up nicotine was easy. It requires monumental amounts of will-power to achieve success but I can tell you that it will be one of, if not *the*, best gift you ever give yourself.

I wish you will-power and luck in pursuing this gift to yourself.

Come check in with us on the non-smoking magic carpet when you feel you can and remember that you only need to do it today. You can't worry about yesterday or tomorrow, just today. Break the day up if you feel it's too much; do it hour by hour if needs be. Half hour by half hour if necessary. Whatever it takes for you.

May the force be with you :tinfoil:

and a spare :tinfoil: for all you who are managing to stay on the magic carpet one day at a time.






ps. Day 19 of sobriety

Greatfruit juice unsweetened,cinnomin oil or flavor cleans the palet and in most people, makes it to where you do not have the urge t smoke..If you take a sip of the juice and hold it in your mouth a second when you need a smoke it helps.


Sorry haven't been around been in bed all day.

However...day 17 and still moving along...smiles

Keep it up!!!

I slipped up :( I had some major stress over the weekend and I went out on Friday night...None today though and I don't plan on starting back up. Almost bought more nicorrete today to keep for those moments of extreme weakness, but because they are so expensive, I will try to be stronger next time. It's really hard to live with smokers when I have those moments of weakness. Haven't smoked all day, but have had a craving to smoke. Well, here I go again...

Hop up on the carpet again m'dear. There's a revolving door but careful, make sure that the door doesn't revolve too quickly and keep you spinning round and round :cheesy:

Yanno yesterday I suggested a Nicorette inhalator and I know they cost dollars but what's more important, a few dollars or your desire to quit smoking? Consider it an investment in your future.

It's always gonna be hard to quit whether you live with smokers or not. Again, as I said yesterday, it takes monumental amounts of will-power to do this regardless of your living situation. You can do it. You live with smokers huh? Do they care about you? Are they supportive of your decision to quit? Ask them smoke outside...it may be cold but that just means they'll either smoke less or quicker! It could be their contribution to helping you quit.

I guess I got lucky, or not depending on your point of view, that I lived alone when I was quitting. It would have been so easy just to have a smoke when the cravings hit and no-one would ever have known but I found other things to do. My stairs had never been vacuumed so much ;)

There's a phrase I use/d for myself (and am currently using on a daily basis) many times and have said to many other addicts, whatever their addiction, and that is - There are no reasons to smoke/drink/use only excuses. Smoking/drinking/using is an extremely temporary relief, the stress will still be there whether you have a ciggie or 5 or not.

So, in saying all that, welcome back to the magic carpet and may the force be with you. :tinfoil:


...and finally a :tinfoil: and a :tea: for all those who are getting comfortably esconced on the non-smoking magic carpet, may the force be with you, just for today too.








ps. Day 20

Hey...you will be fine. You know you can call me if you are in a spot. I would do the same if it were me, I know you are there for me...You are a strong woman and you can do it. I have complete faith in you.:gimmehug:

But, if you buy nicorette, won't you be ADDING nicotine to your system? You are off all nicotine right now. Why put more in, to only then have to come off of that nicotine? Remember, each time you take a piece of nicorette and add nicotine to your system, 20 minutes after you toss it out, your body has to go through the withdrawal process of the nicotine you just put in it (that is why we desire cig after cig...20 minutes after a cig is gone nicotine starts to leave our system, so we pick up another to get rid of the craving...to get that nicotine back in us to keep a steady level..there is no difference with the gum...you will come back to the same place over and over again).

I know it is hard. Try to just forgive yourself for the slip and go back to doing what it was you were doing to stay off of all nicotine.

Thank you :-) I am doing much better...now, if i could just get rid of this head cold! Sinus headaches are no fun! I haven't had a craving today and I think I had one yesterday, but it passed quickly and my stress level has decreased greatly.

Thanks for the support!

I'm glad you are doing good. I now have your silly head cold/sinus headache. Thanx for sharing. I'm glad we can share such things being the friends we are...lol

Sharing is caring :-). But, seriously, I'm sorry you got sick. I will try to both keep my germs to myself and to avoid smoking and smokers when I'm feeling weak. I will not not buy the nicotine. I debated on it thinking I could use it in emergencies, but, in reality, I would just keep using it and having multiple emergencies, because that is how my brain works (or doesn't work LOL)

So far, so good, no desire to smoke, thank goodness!

Don't give up!

You are so awesome, Miss. Keep up the good work.

Hi, Lady Pamela.

I was speaking specifically to uniquetobeme who I think (or at least thought?...could you please clarify, uniquetobeme?) to have been using no nicotine replacement for a period of time. Subsequently, she would be adding nicotine to her body that was free of nicotine.

Yes, that is right. I had gone awhile without taking any nicotine. I slipped up, and thought that maybe having a supplement of some type may help in an emergency...but I realized I would just end up using them.

I passed someone smoking in a truck and I had to LOOK AWAY! I feel so weak but I'm being strong :)

Good for you for staying strong after the slip! In your situation, the hardest thing for me would be to have smoking roommates. I am impressed with your strength. Keep it up! It WILL get easier! I know that is hard to believe now, but there really will come a day when it isn't all you think about 24/7.

I know exactly what you are talking about when it comes to feeling free. I did not realize this "side effect", so to speak of quitting, but it really is true. It is SO very nice to not worry about having cigs, where I am allowed to smoke, when I will be able to smoke (work, events), how to cover up the smoke smell so I don't offend others at work, etc. It was actually quite energy consuming and time consuming. So, add that to the benefit list of quitting!

Also, the part about feeling you have the power and that something else (nicotine) doesn't have a hold of you is another side effect I didn't realize would be so powerful. For whatever reason when I was smoking it didn't bother me...after I quit, I was almost embarrassed that I let myself get in a situation where a substance had the power to pull me around by the nose (if that makes any sense).

Great stuff, Incubus! You always have great insight to share with the quitters here (I think that is great!)!

Also...CONGRATS on day 24!

No more slip ups :) I remember when I smoked I hated how it controlled me, how I would have to take a break and smoke or I would not be able to focus at work. I would have to smoke. I hated it. I have been feeling much stronger. Thank you all for helping :) I feel like you all are back up strength, like a strength boost when I feel like I may slip up :)