SMOKERS... LETS KICK the HABIT!!

[Ms. Meander]

Congratulations to all of the non-smokers and anyone even thinking of quitting!

I have been struggling to quit for years. There have been a couple times I have quit for a while but have always gone back to it in times of stress. It is the last great (destructive/unhealthy) coping mechanism I have left. Had.

I last smoked over 60 hours ago. My official quit date being the 24th. I have been reluctant to post about it because I have been feeling like a miserable wretch and I have this thing about keeping my misery largely to myself.

I have just awaken at 4am in a pool of sweat. My sleep has been out of whack these few days and I feel like I have been in a haze. I am more sensitive than usual, irritable and weepy. But I keep reminding myself WHY I am doing this. There are of course the myriad of health reasons which are the facts behind the motivation but when it comes down to that moment when I am struggling through a craving, I have to keep telling myself that I WANT this.

Also, in the past year I have made several attempts. The first few days/week are absolutely the hardest part and I keep putting myself through this torture only to pick up the smokes again, setting myself up to have to go through it again in the future. I am done with that. I am done with smoking. I am done torturing myself. I am done poisoning myself. And soon, I will be through this withdrawal and I will be free.

But for the moment, I am still a wretched mess.

Thank-you for posting how you're feeling Ms.Meander. You've been brave to post the bad bits about giving up. As you've said the worst bit is the first few days.

You want it and you can have it. All it takes is some deep breathing exercises (or some such, the deep breathing worked for me) through your cravings and keep reminding yourself that you're doing this fabulous thing for yourself. Being a bit mad for a while is a small price to pay.

You can do it!

Please keep us updated on your progress.

[Julie]

Ms. Meander...

You are at the crossroads - This is soooooooooooo amazing and Incubus is so correct about the breathing.

Good for YOU!

Julie (5 weeks / 2 days / Hours unknown)

Originally Posted by Julie

Ms. Meander...

You are at the crossroads - This is soooooooooooo amazing and Incubus is so correct about the breathing.

Good for YOU!

Julie (5 weeks / 2 days / Hours unknown)

More than a month Julie! That's awesome.

[Julie]

Thank You, Incubus.
I feel GOOD!

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by Ms. Meander

Congratulations to all of the non-smokers and anyone even thinking of quitting!

I have been struggling to quit for years. There have been a couple times I have quit for a while but have always gone back to it in times of stress. It is the last great (destructive/unhealthy) coping mechanism I have left. Had.

I last smoked over 60 hours ago. My official quit date being the 24th. I have been reluctant to post about it because I have been feeling like a miserable wretch and I have this thing about keeping my misery largely to myself.

I have just awaken at 4am in a pool of sweat. My sleep has been out of whack these few days and I feel like I have been in a haze. I am more sensitive than usual, irritable and weepy. But I keep reminding myself WHY I am doing this. There are of course the myriad of health reasons which are the facts behind the motivation but when it comes down to that moment when I am struggling through a craving, I have to keep telling myself that I WANT this.

Also, in the past year I have made several attempts. The first few days/week are absolutely the hardest part and I keep putting myself through this torture only to pick up the smokes again, setting myself up to have to go through it again in the future. I am done with that. I am done with smoking. I am done torturing myself. I am done poisoning myself. And soon, I will be through this withdrawal and I will be free.

But for the moment, I am still a wretched mess.

Keep it up! Keep going!

You have been through the withdrawal before, so you know that it ends...then after getting over that main hump, it is mostly psychological.

You CAN do it. You WILL do it!

And freedom is exactly the right word. I had never seen it as freedom before until a few months after I had quit, but that is SO correct.

Keep posting for support!

[Ms. Meander]

Thank you all for being so supportive. I think sharing is an important part of this process. By letting others know what I am trying to accomplish, I make myself responsible to someone other than myself. Which just might be enough to make me think twice when in a difficult moment - which just might be enough to keep me from caving in.

I have been "deep breathing" through cravings, as mentioned. It is a helpful tool. I think of all that smoke-free oxygen being delivered to my lungs - it almost makes me light-headed sometimes!

Congratulations Julie - You are amazing and inspiring!

[princessbelle]

Originally Posted by Ms. Meander

Thank you all for being so supportive. I think sharing is an important part of this process. By letting others know what I am trying to accomplish, I make myself responsible to someone other than myself. Which just might be enough to make me think twice when in a difficult moment - which just might be enough to keep me from caving in.

I have been "deep breathing" through cravings, as mentioned. It is a helpful tool. I think of all that smoke-free oxygen being delivered to my lungs - it almost makes me light-headed sometimes!

Congratulations Julie - You are amazing and inspiring!

Horrayyyyyyy!!!!!!!!! Way to go!!! Hang in there...you are doing awesome!!!!!

[gaea]

(((Hugs to you all))))))))

omg amazing i havent been here in a couple of weeks and this thread seems to have some new comers...awesome...

Way to go Jules!!!!!!!
Way to go Belle!
Way to Go Ms Meander.......keep on keepin on dear.

im at week 6 day 4 ( i think) and let me say the first 5 weeks were a piece of cake, icing if must say...the last two I've had more tantrums than even i want to admit too more break downs than my normal happy days self...

my smokes allowed me to deal with life without "emotion"...shit suddenly i have these damn emotions and i don't understand them....oops..it sucks waking at 40 and realizing I've never dealt with any of my emotions and now i get to...no more poison no more killing myself slowly..


Heather
6 weeks, 4 days, 7 hours and 53 mins.

i wont give up these last 6 weeks..even tho i have my days and moments that i want to, i wont...

[Ms. Meander]

Struggling not to eat everything in sight

And just for the record:

Originally Posted by gaea

(((Hugs to you all))))))))

omg amazing i havent been here in a couple of weeks and this thread seems to have some new comers...awesome...

Way to go Jules!!!!!!!
Way to go Belle!
Way to Go Ms Meander.......keep on keepin on dear.

im at week 6 day 4 ( i think) and let me say the first 5 weeks were a piece of cake, icing if must say...the last two I've had more tantrums than even i want to admit too more break downs than my normal happy days self...

my smokes allowed me to deal with life without "emotion"...shit suddenly i have these damn emotions and i don't understand them....oops..it sucks waking at 40 and realizing I've never dealt with any of my emotions and now i get to...no more poison no more killing myself slowly..


Heather
6 weeks, 4 days, 7 hours and 53 mins.

i wont give up these last 6 weeks..even tho i have my days and moments that i want to, i wont...

Go you!! You're doing brilliantly, I'm so chuffed for you. You're hitting the 'hump' now but it does pass.......eventually. One just develops new strategies for coping with emotion.

Originally Posted by Ms. Meander

Struggling not to eat everything in sight

And just for the record:

Try not to substitute food for cigs...you'll hate yourself for it in the long run. Do something active instead of eating. I purposely didn't do the oral substitution but have still managed to put on a quarter of my original body weight.


Keep the faith both of you!