Trying something new

This is my first time joining a discussion board, but I'm desperate to quit smoking. I thought maybe this will help. I've been smoking since I was 14, 12 years now. I've tried to stop many times and have been able to not smoke for months at a time. Last week my mother died of lung cancer. She smoked for years and finally gave it up 6 years ago, but it was too late. I don't want my kids to see me the way I saw her. I don't want to die like that. Then of course there are the many other reasons,quit smoking now, cost, smell,Herbal cigarettes, constantly cleaning the ashes, butts etc...I need some support, people who know what it feels like to quit, the struggles to stay an ex-smoker...Thanks

Unbelieveable - Canadian Government Anti-Tobacco Site

I was wandering around looking at some other anti-smoking resources out there...not that I have any issues with http://www.whyquit.com or others...just more information is always good, right?Well,quit smoking now, not if you're the canadian government apparently. Quoting:Does everyone who uses tobacco become addicted?No,quit smoking, not everyone who smokes will develop what doctors call "nicotine dependency". The most recent estimates from the United States suggest that about half of daily smokers have a nicotine dependency. The rate of dependency among occasional smokers is very low.

totally screwed up!

Hey, I screwed up today big time and smoked 2 1/2 butts. I was nervous, quit taking my chantex(it makes me really sick), and wanted to go w/out it today. Unfortunately, I gave in when out w/ my husband. To be honest, I don't believe in the "magic pill" (chantex, just has too many side affects for me), and believe it has to be me and pure will power.The thing that sucks, is, I was on day 11 of my quit. I wasn't even going to post my huge screw up, but decided it would probably help me tomorrow. Okay, I have to express this, so here goes: First light up, I felt a bit dizzy and sick to my stomache, and guilty.Second, tasted bad, but I was feeling the rush, I felt happy. The last one 1/2, I felt guilt, bad taste and wondered why the heck I did it again?!Now, I will have to A. take the lousy pill tomorrow and suffer side affects, or B. no pill and go through the mind bending anxiety attacks! My own fault, and I will choose one of those options,stop smoking, because I refuse to go back to being chained to nicotine again. I'm not feeling sorry for myself, just a complete ass. You know, if cigs were illegal, it would be so much easier to quit. (fat chance of that happening, geez big bro and health care sure would lose tons of $$$$!)Well I do know, tomorrow shouldn't be too hard since I'll be in places and situations where smoking is banned and I have a new ride,quit smoking, and won't allow smoking in there, so for most of my day, I do know it won't be too hard to get back on track. It helps to read all the other posts and scary things on here about smoking. Plus, I can't stand the disappointment in my kids eyes over my being weak.Sorry this was so long, but I had to get this out in the "open".1ms.take

What if I stop the gum today-

After going to whyquit.com (great website!) I decided to stop chewing the nicotine gum. I realized I was just prolonging the withdrawl and I just want to get it over with!Does this mean that I have to start the REAL withdrawl now and that everything I have been going through for the past four days doesn't count? I don't get it.It's been two hours since my last piece of gum and I can tell the withdrawl is bad already without the gum. This makes me feel as if all the progress I've made for the past four days was all an illusion.l The gum was just making it seem easier than it was.Now that I don't have the gum, do I have hell to look forward to again for the next four days? How does this all work????Margot

Things I never noticed before

It has only been 17 days without a puff so I should not criticize. I must admit that the people standing outside in the freezing temps,smoking cessation, or huddled in front of the mall entrance in a small cloud are looking awfully silly to me right now. I know I have done this for years,quit smoking, but have never looked at it from this view point. I walked out of a store the other day and a fellow walked by me and lit one. I looked at him just as he took that first big haul and had a good cough. As I passed I thought he was going to hack up a lung right on the spot.These thoughts will now see me through to day 20...a reasonable goal for now. It;s Friday at 4 pm here and just going to start another smoke free weekend......cheers to all who will do the same.......

Tool Maker Loses Lawsuit (No political intention)

OK, lord knows what I think of the intelligence level of the "Average Person"...Ryobi, a power tool manufacturer,smoking cessation, lost a lawsuit in Boston because they didn't license and use a safety technology designed for table saws and made by SawStop. The Jury effectively claimed that any table saw maker is liable for injuries if it does not license this technology and build it into its table saws.Now, I'm all for safety...but to effectively fine a company for not licensing someone else's patent is beyond stupid. Power tools are inherently "risky", and the moron who brought the lawsuit should have either bought a saw from SawStop in the first place,stop smoking, or been careful with his chosen purchase & not blamed Ryobi when he mangled his hand.The stupidity of people never ceases to amaze me.Sammy

Toot toot for an oldfashioned stat parade

we used to do this all the time on the old board, like you all pledging everyday now to keep your quit, this is a golden oldie form of celebrating our smobriety - only way back when, you could see all the topics without having to open the post, and that's where we posted our stats, so very proud,quit smoking, one after another, six months! five days! 2 years!! three hours!! So in honor of the old board that saved my life and the new board that keeps the journey real, I humbly post......Five years, seven months,Herbal cigarettes, one week, four days, 20 hours, 15 minutes and 43 seconds. 40996 cigarettes not smoked, saving $7,174.31. Life saved: 20 weeks, 2 days, 8 hours, 20 minutes.FREEDOM!!! KTQ

This story

was what kick started my quit. I carried a printed copy with me for close to a year. If you read this and than the updates also follow the other links you just may find a well of motivation you have been looking for.I write a note to his family every yr.. On my quit anniversy it allows them to know that HE has and continues to make a difference. The young man may never know how many lives he helped save. I hope if you need it this will be another bullet in your arsenal of quit weaponry..http://www.whyquit.com/whyquit/BryanLeeCurtis.htmlNot one puff as a mantra and this community allow me to post Six years,stop smoking now, eleven months, two weeks, five days,quit smoking, 19 hours, 41 minutes and 29 seconds. 50916 cigarettes not smoked, saving $12,729.10. Life saved: 25 weeks, 1 day, 19 hours, 0 minutes.

The Wolfman Is Back!!

Thank you…. for all the PM’s I have recently received asking me to return. After some thought and deliberation I have decided to do just that. I would like to add for anyone that I offended when I left,quit smoking, I apologize and I’m sorry my last post even happened. As you all know being newly quit is not always easy. With that being said, I’d like to make it clear that I’m only here to help and support people as I did in my early days. If I happen to be on a thread that turns argumentative,stop smoking, for whatever reason, my posting on that thread will end.So…..Hello….the wolfman is back!!

Three Months Today

I think at whyquit.com I turn into a bronze statue or something! It is Three Months Today!Cannot be thankful enough that I made it this far and I am never looking back or going back. I have trouble believing that just three months ago I smoked 30 cigarettes a day. I guess smoking must be a type of insanity because today I cannot find one redeeming quality. This Board has been fun and has kept me thinking of the goal and the reasons I have for not smoking. I have to honestly say that while I am here is the only time I think about smoking, but then it is in a reinforcing, not craving way. I do not have cravings much anymore these days....a random one now and then.I am especially thankful that the Lord helped guide me through this quit at this particular time. I have just been diagnosed with a painful,quit smoking, chonic illness and smoking sure would not have made it any better. I am glad that I can have hope that with a good, healthy, natural diet, exercise, physical therapy and proper sleep, I may be able to lead a normal life. I am just starting to learn what healthy eating really is, but I know one thing is for sure: Since I will not be able to eat any foods with any additives, can you imagine how sick I would get if I kept on smoking!!! There would be no point in even trying to eat healthy! Just one smoke and I would undo all the good of everything else!And I thank all of you who are praying for me and I thank you with all of my heart.So,stop smoking, onward we go, healthier every day, and never taking another puff!Love,Julie

SUNDAY PLEDGE

NOT ONE PUFF TODAY....I will not smoke today....Life is FAR,stop smoking now, FAR, FAR better on this side--the nosmo side!!! Where the colors and flavors are infinitely brighter/tastier and more beautiful!!!It really DOES GET EASIER!!! Not only that but it becomes a beautiful life lived smokefree--where you will wonder how it WAS that you could have even smoked in the first place THAT is a promise!!! There was a time when I really did not know that--when I really wondered..."can that be true??!!! I am here to say ABSOLUTELY YES...it is true!!! It is true only if you take the quit "one day at a time"--not one single solitary puff...and there will come that day for you--THAT IS A PROMISE!!!Wishing you all a beautiful nosmo Sunday!! KTQlove and hugs,quit smoking now, katiem3Y 9M 2W 1D 22H 46Mns $-Saved to date: $8891.42....36,658 cigarettes not smoked.

Thanks for the Anny notes

Thanks to everyone for my Anny message. 5 months, wow, its hard to believe! My step mother said something about me the other day that I hadn't realized about myself; "Once you make up your mind to do something, there is generally no stopping you." In retrospect,Herbal cigarettes, thats pretty accurate. It was just time to do it!! I have started going to Weight Watchers now to get a push losing the extra girthage that came with quitting and my first weigh in was great, 4.1 lbs gone!! I only have about 50 more to do, but as with smoking, one day at a time will get me there happier and healthier. I know I haven't been posting much, and Susan, its nice to know you miss me!! I am lurking. There maybe a little too much bickering on the board sometimes for my comfort level,stop smoking, but I will and do pipe in when I think I can bring something astute to the table. Rest assured, I am here.

There's a full moon out tonight...

Somewhere,quit smoking now, there's a song title along those lines... I have to say that I miss not knowing what's happening in the night sky since I quit smoking. Even in the wet, cloudy winters of the Pacific Northwest, night time is when you're most likely to see sky instead of clouds. So when I'd step outside for my after-dark fixes, I could check on the progress of Orion, etc. as winter progressed into spring. When I locked the garage door tonight (something else that doesn't always happen now that I don't smoke), I stuck my head outside and saw a beautiful full moon surrounded by a halo, but it was too cold for me to stay out and appreciate it. When I was smoking, I would have stood there shivering,stop smoking now, pretending that it's what I wanted to do but really suffering - except for that nice view of the sky. I think all this is meant to say it's OK to still stick your head out the door. Maybe that's the same as getting your head out of the sand - it's getting too late for me to tell. I pledge to be smoke-free on Wednesday 3/11/09. Keep the faith - Never Have Another Puff. ~ Cissy

THANK YOU

Each of you deserves what I can not give you but just wanted to say thank you for the kindness and the congratulations post. After 1 year the anny is not posted unless the memberwants to "shout" it out so now I can relax. My last targethas been reached which was this 1 year mark.It gave me something to look forward to as I postedin support mode. Quiting smoking is a life style for those that want torisk the chance of improvement. JoAnn has been sayingit is a journey and it is and a darn amazing one too!Sorry for my ranting on the board yesterday...and all that craziness happened but hey it is done and it is time to move ahead clocks don't have any interestin waiting around. Again my deepest Thank You goes to all both those heresince today and those that have been here for years. And now it is someone else turn to reach that 1 year mark....who will it be?

symptoms of nicotine withdrawal-

i haven't had a cigarette for almost exactly four days. i think that, as of right now, it's been about 96 hours exactly. anyway,Herbal cigarettes, i've been experiencing some weird symptoms and am not sure if they are common for nicotine withdrawal.i've had- headaches- difficulty focusing- nauseanow, those are what i've had that are normal, as far as i know,quit smoking, but i've also had- tingling hands/feet/face- anxiety- sore-ish throat- random little pains throughout my body, pretty much everywhere- loss of appetite (mostly due to nausea)is this all somewhat normal, or do i have something to worry about?

This was too good, Not to..!!!

Bottle of Wine(Women will LOVE this one!)A woman and a man are involved in a car accident on a snowy, cold Monday morning; it's a bad one. Both of their cars are totally demolished, but amazingly neither of them is hurt. God works in mysterious ways.After they crawl out of their cars, the man is yelling about women drivers. The woman says, 'So, you're a man. That's interesting. I'm a woman. Wow,quit smoking, just look at our cars! There's nothing left, but we're unhurt. This must be a sign from God that we should be friends and live in peace for the rest of our days.' Flattered, the man replies, 'Oh yes, I agree completely, this must be a sign from God! But you're still at fault...women shouldn't be allowed to drive.'The woman continues, 'And look at this, here's another miracle. My car is completely demolished but this bottle of wine didn't break. Surely God wants us to drink this wine and celebrate our good fortune. She hands the bottle to the man. The man nods his head in agreement, opens it and drinks half the bottle and then hands it back to the woman.The woman takes the bottle,Herbal cigarettes, puts the cap back on and hands it back to the man.The man asks, 'Aren't you having any?'The woman replies, 'No. I think I'll just wait for the police...

Recognizing Needs

http://ffn.yuku.com/topic/12585/t/Recog ... Needs.htmlRecognizing NeedsI still have to remind myself of things.One of the most insidious things about the drug nicotine, and it's most common vehicle of entry, the cigarette, is that, over time, the crave they generate hijacks the natural, healthy craves we, as human beings, go through on a regular basis.... daily... hourly.Things like hunger, thirst, the need to sleep, the need to exercise, sex-drive, the need for companionship, the need to be creative, the need for escape, the need to take deep breaths and count to 10....... over time, the crave for nicotine becomes entwined with the natural, healthy, instinctive craves that are associated with healthy living. The nicotine crave feels similar to the others. They become confused. We take nicotine instead of food. Use instead of quenching our thirst. No time for a nap, I'll inhale nicotine instead. I've got a long drive.... I don't want to pull over, I'll use nicotine.... I'm restless, I'll take nicotine (instead of going for a walk).Eventually, the nicotine crave takes over. We use as either a replacement for or as a constant companion to the fulfillment of our normal physical and mental needs. Like a cuckoo bird's egg is laid in the healthy nest of another bird, the nicotine crave is planted amongst our need-to-live craves,stop smoking, and eventually,quit smoking now, like a parasite, takes over.This is important, because, when we quit, we face the challenge of learning to recognize the natural craves of our bodies and minds for what they are. As work 6 or 8 hours without a bite to eat, and we start to feel edgy, we assume it's the call of nicotine, without recognizing that we'd substituted cigarette breaks for lunch breaks so often as smokers that we never understood the call of hunger for what it was. As 3am rolls around, cramming for a final, and the body's need to sleep starts making demands, we mistake it for the call of nicotine, because we'd always used that instead of sleep in the past.One I still encounter results from not drinking enough water. I'll get wrapped up in some project, and forget to have a glass of water or any kind of liquid for hours on end. The pack was always right in the pocket, and an easy reach when I was a smoker working at home. I'd smoke instead of hydrating then. So, now, when I get thirsty, I still occasionally recognize it as a nicotine crave.I've learned -- and this is the point -- when I get what I think is a crave to examine it. To ask myself, okay, I'm craving something... is it really nicotine? Have I eaten? Have I had enough water? Am I run down? Have I exercised in the past couple of days? As often as not, I find that I'm craving something I actually NEED, and not nicotine at all. I find this especially when I get any kind of physical type of crave. I know I'm WAY past withdrawal. But I feel this physical call... my body is demanding something, but it's not nicotine.Learn to investigate your body's craves. You feel something... DON'T assume it's a nicotine crave. Sure, they come now and then, but our body uses similar feelings to get us to fill the daily needs of life. Go through the list. Are you hungry, tired, thirsty, angry, restless, run down? Do you need to eat, sleep, drink, vent, exercise, rest? Your body and mind have real needs, and it has ways of asking for them. Learn to listen, and you'll find that they might not be asking for nicotine as often as you thought. Learn to answer the needs by fulfilling them, instead of replacing them with nicotine, and you'll find health benefits you might not have expected.Cheers, Bob

Rough night

And it has me confused. I am a great sleeper. Always have been. Last night I was really tired and kept dozing off. This was around 8-9 PM. Finally fell asleep around 10 PM once I knew all the kids were out for the night. My oldest likes to read in bed before she sleeps. Well once my toddler woke up around midnight I couldn't get comfortable. I kept waking up, tossing and turning and having a little anxiety. I kept thinking about smoking and was getting mad that it was keeping me from sleep. Is it normal to be restless and not be able to rest? Not mention be sleepy all day? I am fighting hard to not smoke. I was so tempted last night after dropping my daughter off at dance to pick up a pack on the way home. But I didn't. I'm iwaiting for the heaviness in my chest to go away. I've thought about making an appt to get a check up and go over everything with a fine tooth comb. Maybe that will put my mind at ease. Who knows. lol

Sensitive subject with my mom about smelling like smoke..

Okay, my mom and her husband still smoke. They smoke in their house. They're so old school though, that they believe that if they're not smoking WHILE my kids or someone is there, that the house doesn't stink. It's gotten really really bad the past couple of years. Now, I can't even walk in the house at all. I am so thankful that when she picks my kids up twice a week for me that they're playing outside when I get there and I don't have to go in. The problem is this - my boys go in there and drop their book bags and stuff and either stay in there for a snack or to play or whatever, read, watch tv. They're only there for about an hour or so. When I pick them up and they get in my car, I gag because the smell is so bad. I don't want my kids around it! I know many of you will say to just tell her but you have to understand my mom. She'll take extreme offense to this. It will be a big blow-out and she may not speak to me for a period of time. I just don't know what to do. She knows I quit and is so proud of me, she's so supportive. Her and her dh are waiting on e-cigs to come and then they're "going to quit smoking". I don't know if I believe it and will when I see it. I hope so badly that something gives and they do quit. She has COPD and her husband thought last year that he had lung cancer. He did end up having several spots on his lungs but they weren't cancerous. So sad and scary. I just wish there was an easy way to tell her this. Example,quit smoking now, she once gave us some tshirts that had been hanging in her closet that she didn't want anymore. She said, well, they have those yellow marks on the shoulders from hanging on the hanger. I told her that was from smoke. She said, it couldn't be because they didn't smoke in the bedroom! I just let it go and said,smoking cessation, whatever, I've never had yellow marks on shirts from just hanging in the closet. We never smoked in our house when I did smoke. We (dh still goes) went to the garage or outside every single time. Ugh. Thanks for letting me vent this. Any advice on how to approach her? I kind of have to walk on egg-shells around my mom sometimes. You just never know what will set her off.

SOS bombs going off

So here's my story.I ,stop smoking nowquit smoking on March 13th of 2009. I purchased a new car 3 weeks later so the smell of smoke was non existent. Since then I caved in on my birthday a month later when I was hanging out with 20 or so people who smoke. After that I said I'm staying away from them and sticking with this. Well about 2 weeks ago I was out having drinks with a client who smokes. We were at a bar with someone else who also smokes who is competing with me for the clients business.I couldn't stand seeing the two of them bonding over cigarrettes together alone talking about work. I caved in and had a cigarette with them to help close the deal. I'm trying to justify why this is a good idea because it will make me a lot of money.If this was the case I would be ok with the way things workout,smoking cessation, but since then I have found myself smoking. I've smoked about a pack of cigs since December 9th. What do I do? How do I combat this?The only other time I've slipped was about 2 months ago when I was at a gas station. I went to the counter and said fillup on number 6 and a pack of marlboros. I didn't even think about it. I was driving home and smoking a cig. When I realized what I was doing I threw the pack out the window. I'm fighting like crazy again to get back on track.

Saturday and the motivator

when I first came into this community one of my analogy's to the quitting journey was taking a long road trip. If you have ever done a cross country car trip you know that planning , preparing and gathering your tools is essential. Maps to give you direction,an Atlas for the big picture, routes considered for the easiest, shortest, most scenic journey,stop smoking, tools such as water, snacks, appropriate clothes and shoes than glass's and a hat, oh yes gas card or lots of money, spares and a jack cables and the list goes on. Well QUITTING was too my mind like that. It was a JOURNEY not a drive or even a trip. It required much attention on my part and most of all I was going to need to expect the unexpected. Construction, road closure detours bad weather, breakdowns, crappy campsite or worse yet a crappy shanty motel. I needed to be prepared for my ten days to become longer and more arduous and while it is safe to say some neat people would cross my path , some incredible visits to amazing places would take place I had to expect, prepare for the surprises, the challenges and perhaps down right bad luck. Well some great pal of mine from here would call me her Road Warrior Queen as my quit went on.. Today I read this motivator, flashed back to so many years ago when this was just a dream( a six plus year quit!) and I thought of Katie my Lady, Navigator girl and so many who were here to hold me up push me along grab my hand and pull when I was beginning the "cross country" trip and I dedicate my motivator and much love to all of my friends seen or not seenHave a most beautiful day and count your blessings DetoursIt is important to plan carefully, and it is just as important to be flexible. Success and achievement do not end up coming about in exactly the way we planned. While it is vital to have a realistic, workable method for getting from here to there, it is important to keep in mind that the plan is not the goal.To reach the goal,Herbal cigarettes, often requires that we relinquish the original plan, or at least certain components of the plan. Just because something goes wrong along the way, does not mean that the goal is unreachable. And more likely than not, something will go wrong.For example, if you have to get to an important meeting and your car won't start, you call a taxi or find another way to get there. You wouldn't abandon the meeting just because one of the many options for getting there (driving in your car) didn't work out.For anything you want to attain, there are many ways to get there. When one path becomes blocked, don't turn back. Instead, take a detour, and you may soon find that the going is even better than you could have imagined.

REALLY BAD CRAVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't know what my problem is all of a sudden... I think it is this 3 week mark... these 3's are starting to creep me out a little... but I am having the worst craving I have had... worse than day 1 right now... and the only reason why I decided to post is because I know it's bad because I have officially chewed this straw to nothing... I'm surprised I didn't swallow it... UGH!!!!!!!!!!!! I've gone 21 days... I will not walk across the street in 5 inches of snow in the freezing cold to just blow 21 days!!!!!!!!!!1

SOS_22254

I don't know what is wrong with me. We went out last night, spent about 5 hours in a bar with some friends, all of whom smoke, and I was fine. Just fine. Didn't take one drag. So why, this morning, do I feel like day one again? I honestly feel like I am going through physical withdrawls. In my head I am thinking,smoking cessation, go to the store,quit smoking now, by a pack, take one out and give the rest to the woman behind the counter. Tell her to give them away to the next poor sucker that buys a pack. I can not do that. I know I can't. Logic tells me every thing that I would be giving up...but I want one so bad. Someone help please!! I can't start over again. I just can't. Someone please talk some sense into me!!

Rough day

I pretty much had a plan for the normal struggles of quitting since I'd been down that road a few times, but hadn't planned on an added stress that came out of the blue. Keeping very busy all day was helpful, I had moments when I forgot about smoking, the cravings faded away and came back, but being so busy kept me sane. I didn't sleep much last night, my brain wouldn't turn off and let me sleep, I expected to be exhausted. I worked in turbo gear all day and accomplished more than I do on a good day. Near the end of the day closing the shop, I got a call from my friend's wife, he's expected to pass away very soon and tomorrow is a gathering of his friends to say goodbye to him. I was aware people knew something was up, all their conversations stopped and they were watching me, I didn't want to burst into tears. I excused myself from the office and went in the bird room where I cried and only the birds could see me. (The bird room is my "safe place" in the store where I once hid from a crazy man who came in with a gun.) I knew my friend was ill but the illness is taking him so quickly, it came as a shock. It isn't an illness from smoking, he was bitten by a tick 3 years ago when a group of friends went paintballing in the mountains (fun!) I also had a tick, but didn't find mine until the next day- YUCK! The only good a cigarette ever did for me was remove the tick, perhaps saving my life? My friend got lyme disease and his liver failed. He got a transplant and it failed. I'll travel tomorrow to visit with him and help his wife if she needs anything. I got someone to replace me at the store so no problem having the day off. I've never been in this situation before. I can anticipate cravings while driving a long drive. I have already packed a snack bag with things to munch on while driving. I anticipate strong moments of weakness such as stopping for gas, that I could easily buy smokes, so I made a plan to fight it by filling the gas tank tonight and taking no money or credit card, buying can't be an option. I haven't seen these friends in months (too busy) and I know most are smokers. I anticipate a moment of strength if I'm offered any and I refuse,stop smoking now, I'll tell them I QUIT! I know I'll have their support. I felt that today at break time when I didn't run out with everyone else to the smoking area..."no thanks, I quit"! They were pleased to hear it! I was pleased to say it! A coworker said he wishes he can quit, I said "you CAN!" I told him about this website and he feels defeated without trying. Joking they said there's nothing worse than a reformed smoker. I see it differently, what's worse is someone who thinks they can't quit and never tries.Two other times today I had intense cravings...a kitten I had to give an IV to, after the family took their kitten home with a poor prognosis, I wanted to visit the smoking area- but made myself busy helping other people, the craving passed. I call it willpower when I don't allow myself to give up. Quitting takes a LOT of self discipline! It's a drug addiction and its powerful. Quitting doesn't come easy. The drug tries to convince me that I can't live without it so I have to learn new ways of thinking. I have to take the power away from the drug and give it back to myself. I was feeling moods since waking up this morning. Getting bad news didn't give me the bad moods,Herbal cigarettes, I had it all day. I admit I thought about smoking and told myself it would not fix the problem or improve my mood. The only thing it would do is make me feel worse for throwing away 4 smoke free days. The cravings do pass, and when I conquer them one at a time I take it as a personal strength in small steps.(Excuse the long typing, i have too much nervous energy and my thoughts are hard to collect!)I thought by Day 4 the discomfort would start to ease, but it has been the other way around. The first days were easier, now its getting harder. I'm irritated by everything, my patience are short. I don't sleep well. I have some dizziness. My appetite is good! It all sounds like a bad thing but it isn't. Its a healing process and healing is GOOD! My body is cleansing. I had to teach my body to smoke, now I have to teach it not to but also have to teach my mind.I'll stop here, I don't want to make people crazy with the neverending thoughts of a half-crazy person! Also, I have to get up very early to drive 4 hours. My last thought for the night is...my ticker moves another day forward!Wishing everyone a happy night/day and thank you for the strength I see in all of you because it strengthens me too!I may not be back tomorrow, if I don't post it doesn't mean I got run over by the tobacco wagon, only that I'm very busy out of town. Before I sleep, I need to pack my clothes for the trip and pack toys and clothes for my niece. Hugs my friends! Stay strong!

Something for Syl

I know you like doing graphics so I thought I'd show you a couple of programs I use, and some of my work.This is free software which is always a good thing.First up is Terragen. This is for creating 3D landscapes. It is simple to use and you can generate realistic vistas.Here's a link to the download. http://www.planetside.co.uk/terragen/And here's a few of my images.http://www.glasstraps.com/images/graphics/ArcticSunset.jpghttp://www.glasstraps.com/images/graphics/Dusky.jpgNext up is a piece of software called PovRay. This is a whole new ballgame and lets you create the most amazing 3D images. This is a bit more tricky to use because it involves writing a script. So a knowledge of geometry helps.Here's a link to the software. http://www.povray.org/And some of my work.http://www.glasstraps.com/images/graphics/BountyHunter.jpghttp://www.glasstraps.com/images/graphics/Confrontation.jpghttp://www.glasstraps.com/images/graphics/gate.jpghttp://www.glasstraps.com/images/graphics/MushMan.jpghttp://www.glasstraps.com/images/graphics/Observers.jpghttp://www.glasstraps.com/images/graphics/Space.jpghttp://www.glasstraps.com/images/graphics/UnluckyOnes.jpgThe only limit is your imagination. Enjoy.

Saturday Motivator_23889

Daily MotivatorJune 6, 2009PracticeWhatever you practice, you will become skilled at doing. Winning athletes practice day after day, month after month, to hone their skills. So do the best musicians, actors, salespeople,quit smoking now, airline pilots, preachers, photographers,stop smoking, designers -- the list goes on and on.What do you practice every day? Do you practice positive, success-oriented skills and actions? Or do you practice such skills as making excuses, getting angry, complaining, assigning blame, and procrastinating.Remember, the more you practice, the more skilled you become. Every moment, you increase your experience in some area. The more you practice anything, the more it becomes a part of you. So be aware of what you practice each day, each moment. Make sure that what you practice, is what you want to become.

Simply Could NOT Resist

as I was reading thru something this was offered to me as a gift( from the universe) as I see itso read the quote below, think about it , REALLY think about it "There is no use trying,Herbal cigarettes," said Alice, "I cannot believe impossible things.""I dare say you haven't had much practice," said the Queen."When I was your age,stop smoking now, I always did it for half an hour a day."Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."Lewis Carroll, from Alice in Wonderlandnow just for a moment listen really listenThis IS DoAble, than Manageable and Suddenly Magical ( I swear) Dare to Dream the Impossibel its easier after the DoAble

Sandy honey this is for you

stranded at the drive inbranded a foolwhat will they saymonday at school?Sandy, can't you see?i′m in miseryyou made a start now we′re apart there′s nothing left for melove has flown all alonei sit and wonder why, why, why? oh, why you leaft me?Oh, Sandy!Sandy,quit smoking now, baby, someday when high school is donesomehow, somewayour two worlds will be onein heaven, forever and ever we will beoh, please, say you′ll stayoh, Sandy(spoken)Sandy, my darling, you hurt me real badyou know it′s true but baby,quit smoking, you gotta believe me when i say i′m helpless without youlove has flown all alone i sit, i wonder why, why, why?oh, why you left me?oh, Sandy!Sandy...Sandy...why, why, why, why?oh, Sandy! GREASE Baby

Some great reads for newbies, and

perhaps new or re reads to any of us Any of these will be found under the first 72 hrs title on Why quits home page Preserving Your Memory of Your Reasons for Quitting 1. The Law of Addiction 2. Twenty Basic Quitting Tips 3. Developing Quit Patience - Just One Day at a Time 4. Focusing on Victory Here and Now 5. Correcting Low Blood Sugar Withdrawal Symptoms 6. Ex-smokers Need Less Caffeine for Same Effect 7. Using Attitude to Reduce Quit Anxiety 8. Don't Expect Your Educated Quit to Be Difficult 9. Master Your Mind's Junkie Thinking 10. Reconditioning Your Mind's Crave Habit Triggers 11. Learning to Relax and Embrace Your Craves 12. Have at Least Three Crave Coping Plans 13. Quit for Yourself, Not for Others 14. Get Rid of All Your Cigarettes 15. Focus Upon the Positive Changes that Will Occur 16. Prepare Your Mind for Being Around Other Smokers 17. Withdrawal is Just Your Stepping Stone to Comfort 18. Create Your Own Zero Tolerance Relapse Policy 19. Master the Lessons in Joel's Library of Clinic Articles 20. Mastering the Principles of Nicotine Addiction 21. Download a Free Quit Statistics Meter

really tuff weekend -- sunday AM update

So this will be a tuff weekend for me to see how I do under pressureAnd all. And if I can remain true to my not smoking , but I am sure it will not be like other weekends. See we will be picking mom up from the state Penn today at four I guess she’s getting out on good behavior or something. I don’t know . I never really can keep up with her schedule. Her and jail is like a yo yo . Or better said in this room like a chronic relapser. It will be alright at first it is always good to see her out for a few months. But as like all of these big days first it will be gotta get a carton of smokes then to the liquor store. But lord know she cant go in there . I don’t think she knows how to actually pay for something from inside of that place. Now don’t get me wrong I’m sure she means well and dose care some for me and my 12 brothers and sister, thanks to every guard working at the Penn,quit smoking, every fathers day we would all get trucked there in the back of a couple of pick ups . And have like a pot luck dad super. Mom figured if we meet’em all eventually we would get to know are pops. Like she always said in her letters . It s ok if you don’t like something as long as you try it once. Well I don’t mean to be getting so off base with this and should be talking about not smoking. just sometimes when I get to thinking about all this it’s no wonder I smoked in the first place. Hell wouldn’t you? Ok yea so that’s A dumb question of coarse you would , you are an ex smoker for your own reasons. Im sure better then mine, I only started smoking . So I would have a pacifier. Yea so anyways after we get back to the house is when things will Start to get tuff for me and everyone shows up , the bikers and prison guards don’t always get along so good, but they do for the most part know each other, then the drinking starts and moms getting drunk showin off her new prison tats, that’s always a hoot, I just hope she didn’t get the other check done I don’t know if I could bare to see that a** agianAnd I really did wonder why I ever smoked. Gosh was I that stupid.Lucky today is pretty nice out so im sure a lot will be out sideI think if it was a rainy day and this crowed showed up I would be smoking just due to the amount in the air. I would probably get second hand ,stop smoking now,second hand smoke. Did you know that happens when80 people fit into a trailer ,but we are lucky are’s is underpinned that’s almost like a basement so I could always go down stairs .and the chicken wire lets you get a lot of fresh air , not so good for sleeping in the winter , but dose keep the posums out of you left over dinner if you was fixen to save it for in the morning. Well Like I was sayin this is gonna be a tuff weekend for meUp until this quit I had been smoking a pack a day for 14 yearsNow I am kinda wishing I would have waited one more year to quitSo I would be old enough to have my license and just dive away for the day and get outta here. But then again if I was to steal a car dose it really matter if I had a license? I guess I could ask mom , she would know. Oh boy and I haven’t even thought about how I am going to handle the drinking yet. I hope I will have time to post on my other forum. And I need to hide this computer . Before some one recognizes it

One Year Thoughts for Newbies

FIrst, thanks to all for the One Year Congrats. I love reading them all. You don't realize how special those greetings are until you hit that mark! When i was struggling, i gained a lot from folks who had made it to one year and would post about it, because one year seemed virtually impossible to me. So, ahem...clear the stage...here's my one year spiel.I smoked for over 30 years....started in college. Out of the smokers in my group,Herbal cigarettes, i KNEW i would be the first to quit. I was just a social smoker. Every single one of those women (we still get together once a year) quit years before i did. As the decades rolled on, I went from thinking I'd quit very, very soon to really wanting to quit. And, that is when i finally had to admit the addiction was very, very, very strong. Of course, I would hide behind, Well, maybe i just enjoy it too much. Maybe, i don't want to quit badly enough. What about the social hour(s) my husband and I enjoy so much, which involved smoking? We won't talk anymore! --like smoking was the foundation of our almost 30 year marriage, gee whiz. But, the years had taken their toll. That smoker's cough was yuckky. Sometimes, in faculty meetings, i would have a coughing fit, then try to cover it up by sniffling--so folks would trust it was allergy trouble. (I was a closet smoker most of those years).So, repeatedly I blew quits of 30 minutes to 3 days. I had one 3 month quit about 15 years ago, but blew it upon hearing some sad news.Then, i found the QSB and it made all the difference. For the first time, it looked do-able. I quit--it lasted 6 weeks and i gave it up (pre-meditated) during a vacation. My next quit lasted 4 weeks. I gave it up, also. Each time i would come back to QSB, snivelling and on the defensive,quit smoking now, because i did not want the lectures, Thankfully, folks were kind. Tough love would have probably meant i would never have come back. Through all this time, i had the most remarkable quit-buddy a person could have - CJ. Our quit date was 1/26/08. She kept her quit, and insisted i could still be her quitbuddy. While that didn't make a lot of sense to me, i was honored that she was keeping the faith in me. and...6 months later i got sick and tired of blowing quits.It was a struggle. The carrot dangling in front of me was the folks who had gone before - who kept posting on the board how it DOES it get easier. I think it took longer for it to get truly easy for me. But, now it is such smooth sailing. A teeny, tiny bump here and there, but none that require a second thought. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE being free from smoking. Thanks to all who helped make this day come true for me.

Posting because........I can!

And thats the best reason I can come up with. I just passed 3 weeks in this quit. Previously, I had difficulty at this point. Heck, with all the threes for that matter anyway I just realized today how smoothly I am sailing through this quit. I am so happy to be quit. I don't want "just one". I don't envy my smoking friends or coworkers. I don't feel sad or aggitated,smoking cessation, nor am I craving munchies. I even have STRESS! Do I chalk all of this up to the Chantix? Hmmm; who'd have thunk? Me of all people! Seriously,Herbal cigarettes, the med helped tremendously but I always know that this BB is keeping me grounded. First thing I do am is check the BB and pledge (or not).........Home from work - sign right on! At work........sneak a peek! Thank you each and every one for your support here and for sharing your experiences and a piece of you. I am wishing those who have gone would come back and we can all start over......this is truly my "Oz". Pam

Possible help with sleep

Long time quitter, but new to this info. I had trouble sleeping before my quit just over 8 years ago (smoked over 25 years) and it (sleeping) has been a problem since I think around 1994, I was told to get Melatonin 3mg and that would work. I went to the big box store and got some 3mg Melatonin and it did nothing. That was years ago, after working at a health food place I learned that there are differences in supplements. Tired of taking all the meds to sleep and from learning sleep med in school I decided to give it another go because our bodies naturally make it, just less as we age. Went to the local health food store, got some FIVE mg Melatonin (PM me if you want to know what brand I got, it really wasn't that expensive) and by golly,smoking cessation, it knocked me on my behind! I take 2-4 .5mg x a n a x per day for my heart and it just wasn't cutting it for helping me to sleep, can't believe how sleepy I got with the 5mg Melatonin,quit smoking now, feels great to be this relaxed!Disclaimer: I am not a doctor nor do I play one on TV. As with any and all medications, check with your doctor that is usually paid off by the FDA before you harm yourself or spend any money that the FDA cannot get their hands on.

One day at a time....

it's the ONLY way to keep a quit. Don't think any farther ahead than today. When things get tough and craves get brutal, remember they only last three minutes, and all you need to do is get through the day. Most of us can do anything for one day. If that's too long, break it down to the next hour,Herbal cigarettes, or next 30 minutes. Just don't think too far ahead.Tips:A cut down straw to puff on.Drink one large glass of water before and after every meal.Get plenty of sleep, your body is in major change mode and needs all the rest you can give it.H.A.L.T. Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired - can mask as craves - be aware of themIf at all possible post here before you puff and wait for at least three replies - by that time,stop smoking now, you will have faced down your addiction and feel stronger. Remember every crave not given into makes YOU stronger and the addiction weaker.This is so do-able, one step at a time, one day at a time. YOU ARE WORTH THE EFFORT!!!!Stay tuff, don't puff!!!!KTQ

Political confusion about AZ, Skip, Bill...can ya'll help-

So I see these political guys that are IN AZ, (not the Gov woman) that want to boycott Arizona, and from what I'm hearing, Arizona is mostly people that are both legal and illegal, but they,quit smoking, for a good part are Mexican families (from hear~say in the news I get), and are calling for the boycott too. I also hear that Arizona is out of money, completely broke. This being the case, in a sense, are they not boycotting themselves? Won't the same people that are calling for a boycott,Herbal cigarettes, be the ones that suffer because of the boycott? Like, it doesn't hurt me in the Carolinas, I doubt it will hurt anybody in the north east. Who exactly is this boycott suppose to be hurting? Even the President of Mexico is mad about it. What's his problem, isn't he suppose to be running his country?From looking in from the outside.......this makes no sense at all. I mean, they seem to have a problem, but is this the answer? I don't get it?

quitting cold turkey

So i was at the beach today with DH,stop smoking now, and as some of you know, i quit cold turkey and he quit using the patch.....and i know some people want to be just done with the nicotine and get it over with so they go cold turkey. well...was so funny...we both went into the ocean...but i chose to just get in quick..water was a little chilly, and i was in within 10 seconds. he crept and crept....inch by inch, with such a look of torture on his face...i kept saying...just go under and get it over with!! but he wouldnt..took him like 30 mins to get to where i was in the water. lol. can getting in the water slow be compared to dragging the patch out ? and diving in,stop smoking, goes with cold turkey? was just funny to me.

Please read

When we list reasons why we like our quit, one of the top reasons is "smelling good". I would like to share a story. It is not about smelling good, it is about breathing. Today I took my love of life dog Sky along with my boyfriend who has never smoked (neither of them) on an 8 mile hike. I was having some problems getting my breath at times,quit smoking now, so were they. This is at a state park and lots of woods up and down trails. I have smoked for over 40 years.My dad died on 9/11/1982 at the age of 57. My mother died 1/29/2003 at the age of 78. Both of them smoked a pack a day for all their lives. My dad died of lung cancer. They had an accounting practice. Both were CPAs. After dad died mom carried on the business. I went into business with her about 15 years ago. Mom never quit smoking. She began losing her best girlfriends one by one. She said, it was their loss. She never lost any clients but I know some of them just could not wait to get out of the office because my mom smoked right there in front of them. Her philosophy was, if they did not like it, they could leave. Little by little she quit doing things and going places because of the Nonsmoking laws. Soon she retired for good and just sat and read and watched TV and smoked and smoked and smoked. Her friends quit coming to the house because of the smell. Her doctor wanted to put her on oxygen at night at least but she refused!! She was getting confused and forgetful, so we had lots of tests done,stop smoking, all of which were negative for Alzheimers or the like. It was lack of oxygen to the brain because of her smoking. We quit going lots of places because she could not walk very fast. Never, ever did she ever blame it on the cigarettes. She always said, "I enjoy smoking, it is all I have left to enjoy" . Soon mom stopped doing her housework and hired a house cleaner. She said she deserved it for working hard all her life. Soon mom did not even go out to the mailbox. She did not have the energy. The cigarettes were sucking the life out of her. But she would proudly claim, my chest x-ray is good, no lung cancer for me!!! Mom was too young to die. I left her house and a couple hours later when I did not get her on the phone, I checked on her and she had died on the couch, just sitting there, an overturned ashtray......It was about breathing and the smell. She lost her friends. She could not longer breathe. She would never, ever consider quitting smoking. Because she enjoyed her cigarettes.Thanks for listening. This time of year I am feeling the sorrow of losing both of my parents to the nicotine monster. Not one puff. Not tonight.

Progress Report_18640

As some of you may know I just had the joy of celebrating months on Saturday- I am really looking forward to next month when I can say I have been a non smoker for 6 months! Again some of you may also know that I had a dear friend overdose last saturday night... Yesterday was his funeral and it was probally one of the tuffest days I have had in months, thankfully I didnt give in as much as I wanted too... honestly I still really want one but I know it wont make me feel any better and clearly wont bring Andy back. So i guess I just wanted to let everyone know that I am hanging in there are difficult as it may be right now.

one of "them"

I keep pendulum swinging between the words "a smoker that is not smoking right now" and "one of them non-smokers". I can't call myself a non-smoker yet. I haven't earned that title yet. When will I? What is the criteria for that? I feel like I will always be a smoker, but maybe one who doesn't smoke. I used to consider myself one of a club or group. If you met someone who smoked you instantly liked them. I would strike up conversations in the outdoor outcast section all the time. People I know will maybe avoid me now because I won't be smoking. It is the same issue that alchoholics have. But after 28 years of smoking, I have no idea what it would be like to not be a smoker. To actually be treated with respect? To not have people look at me with disgust in the outdoor outcast section? Maybe not showing the world my weakness on the outside will make them treat me better? To be able to stand next to one of "them" and not be ashamed that I smell,quit smoking now, or am less than them? I don't remember what it feels like to not be an outcast,smoking cessation, but I want to find out. I am angry and determined to find out.

On A Different Note...

I went to play Mud Volleyball Saturday to support the Carrie Tingley Children's Hospital...and of course, there being 93 volleyball courts and some 500 teams, there were COUNTLESS smokers everywhere. A friend of mine, well this smoking buddy that I hung out with during my last relapse...I mean my FINAL relapse...was on my team and of course we were standing in line @ the ATM and he was smoking. Then he has the nerve to hold the cigarette in front of me, gesturing...(He knows I quit) So I just looked at it,quit smoking, looked at him and rolled my eyes. We have that kind of relationship. Haha. But he said he was "testing" me...and I passed! Hard day, but in the end, I'm so glad I have my quit. I saw people that just HAD to have that nicotine fix, and I thought, "Wow! It's so nice to be able to be outside, hanging out with friends and DB (I'll make it Dear Boyfriend, since I'm not married! Haha), and not have to get that fix every chance I can!!!" Plus which I was having a beer which is my BIGGEST trigger. So just thought I would share a success story...and I'm on day 15! So tomorrow I'll be on day 16,stop smoking, which is where I made it to my previous quit! =0) One day at a time, and it's working out just fine!

Passed all the tests

The hubby and I have just returned from a trip that included air travel and several days with in-laws who smoke, and I'm happy to report that I passed all the tests. As for the traveling, I appreciated that there was no need to "load up" on nicotine before departure, dreading the enroute abstinence, or getting as many ASAP "fixes" upon arrival. Just like other non-smokers, all I was concerned about was if the planes went up and came back down in the right places and at the right times.As for being around the smokers,stop smoking now, I definitely learned that there is nothing about the smell of burning tobacco that appeals to me. Due to boredom and indoor temperatures,quit smoking, I made several outdoor breaks, often with the smokers. Absolutely no temptation.As an added bonus, anything resembling stress was significantly reduced because I didn't need a "fix" before dealing with it.Freedom is wonderful!!!

Question for those who have used Zyban or Chantix

Im on my 5th day quit,Herbal cigarettes, but I'm having a lot of problems with depression, anxiety, and irritability/frustration. I really, really want to maintain this quit and I should be happy that I'm doing it. Check that, I *am* happy that I'm doing it... but I'm not happy about *anything* else. I've had a few failed quits in the past and it hasn't been this bad. So, I talked to my doctor on the phone and he's thinking of either Zyban or Chantix for me. My appointment isn't until the 16th and I'm just hanging in (tooth and nail) until then. I know that these symptoms usually come with quitting. I've had them before,stop smoking, just not to this extent. I can handle it most of the day, but I'm barely functional in the evenings. I'm curious if anyone that has tried either of those meds noticed that they helped with any of these problems? Is one more geared to help with this than the other? My doctor has never smoked and I'd love to have some imput from experience. I'm researching as much as I can, but textbook info just isn't the same as experience.I'd really appreciate any input at all. Thanks!

Looking For Comfort in a Cigarette(repost)

Looking for comfort. This is one of the biggest reasons that can make a person's quit fail. I know from experience, that this was the reason that made me give away many quits in my day. It's amazing how I used to look for comfort in the very thing that I was trying to free myself from. Why did I do this? Was it simply because I was a nicotine addict? While I can't deny that I was (still am) a nicotine addict. This irrational thinking was also caused by something else. I was also brainwashed. I was still under the illusion that smoking did something for me. I was under the spell of thinking that on some level, cigarettes helped relieve my stress, that they helped me to cope with my emotions, and that they made me feel better. The problem was, these junkie thoughts were only re enforced every time I tried to quit smoking, because everytime I quit: 1. I felt more stress 2. My emotions felt up and down 3. Withdrawal made me uncomfortable. It wasn't until I educated myself,stop smoking now, that I realized that smoking didn't help me with any of those things that I mentioned. As a matter of fact they created these problems. The only thing smoking could do was relieve withdrawal. A withdrawal that the previous cigarette created. That's all it could do! It is a one trick dog! But what a trick it was! It kept me addicted for 21 years. 12 of them with me saying daily that I hated smoking. This is the cruel trick that cigarettes play on smokers. They create an illusion that we want to smoke, by taking away and giving back just enough to make us think we need them. This illusion causes smokers to focus on the relief that the cigarette gave them and causes them to quickly forget that it was the previous cigarette that created the anxiety in the first place. Being in the grip of addiction makes a smoker terrible at math, because if we could have just added 2+2 together. We would have realized this obvious, simple equation. Think about when you smoked. What did you feel? The more a smoker smokes, the more nothing seems to happen. All it does it bring the smoker back to a temporary feeling of inner peace. This is the cruel trick. It is a false sense of accomplishment, because even though a cigarette causes a smoker to take two steps back. The smoker only focus's on the one step forward that came from relieving withdrawal. A withdrawal that shouldn't have been there in the first place. The sooner a person quitting is at peace with the fact that they no longer need cigarettes. That they see smoking as a lie. The quicker they will find comfort. Comfort does come from getting past withdrawals, craves and thoughts, but understand,stop smoking, it also comes from something else. Comfort also comes when you quit fighting yourself. By reading and educating yourself here. You will break this illusion of smoking. You'll erase the misconceptions you have about smoking. This will help you quit fighting yourself. For the new quitter. Breaking the illusion of smoking, might not stop withdrawal or craves and thoughts. What it will do is change how you deal with them. Understand that smoking doesn't do anything FOR you. It only does TO YOU! It takes away your choices. It takes away your freedom. It takes away your confidence. It takes away your hard earned money. It takes away your health and it may very well take away your life! Do not look for comfort in the very thing that you are freeing yourself from, because there is none! You didn't like smoking when you quit and nothing will change if you decided to smoke one now. Look at all your past quits and you'll see that you don't even have to take my word for it. There is no comfort in cigarettes. Only addiction and misery. The only thing that will change is the fact that you were on the other side of the fence with addicition. The freedom side. By tasting freedom, it only makes smoking that cigarette taste that much more bitter. I cannot stress this part enough. Quitting is not forever! Trust me it is not. Yes when we first quit, we go through withdrawal. The withdrawal turns into craves. Those craves turn into thoughts and eventually those thoughts will turn into memories. Craves do not last forever!! The only people who have craves forever, are people that don't quit smoking. The beautiful part of quitting is that you now have a choice! Keep choosing FREEDOM!!! NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF!!!Eric

My message

You do not have to be too clever to know who I am because my mesage is the same, that it is easier to become a nonsmoker than it was to become a smoker.All smokers today believe they "quit smoking" at least once. Some "quit" for hours, days,smoking cessation, weeks, months and even years. If they are still smoking today, they didn't "quit". They only went "on the wagon".Although the average person can have an occasional drink without going on a bender, it only takes one drink for an alcoholic to fall off the wagon. To stay "on the wagon" an alcholic needs constant support and has to take a daily pledge to not drink today, and he will live in that "one day at a time" prison for the rest of his life. When an alcoholic realizes that he is no longer an alcoholic he will be free for the rest of his life.I am not knocking the need for support when you are trying to change. I am merely saying if you need that support and have to take a not one puff tody pledge after months or years of not smoking, you are still "on the wagon" and you will live in the "one day at a time" prison for the rest of your life.To become a nonsmoker you have to get rid of the misconceptions you have been brainwashed into believing about smoking.To start with, if you haven't smoked for 72 hours, you have kicked the physical addiction for smoking. That leaves the psychological addiction,stop smoking, the habit.That is my message and if you don't like the message, shoot the messenger.

My Cigarette, My Friend (re-post)

My Cigarette, My FriendHow do you feel about a friend who has to go everywhere with you? Not only does he tag along all the time, but since he is so offensive and vulgar, you become unwelcome when with him. He has a peculiar odor that sticks to you wherever you go. Others think both of you stink.He controls you totally. When he says jump, you jump. Sometimes in the middle of a blizzard or storm, he wants you to come to the store and pick him up. You would give your spouse hell if he or she did that to you all the time,Herbal cigarettes, but you can't argue with your friend. Sometimes, when you are out at a movie or play he says he wants you to go stand in the lobby with him and miss important scenes. Since he calls all the shots in your life, you go.Your friend doesn't like your choice of clothing either. Instead of politely telling you that you have lousy taste, he burns little holes in these items so you will want to throw them out. Sometimes,quit smoking, he tires of the furniture and gets rid of it too. Occasionally, he gets really nasty and decides the whole house must go.He gets pretty expensive to support. Not only is his knack of property destruction costly, but you must pay to keep him with you. In fact, he will cost you thousands of dollars over your lifetime. And you can count on one thing, he will never pay you a penny in return.Often at picnics you watch others playing vigorous activities and having lots of fun doing them. But your friend won't let you. He doesn't believe in physical activity. In his opinion, you are too old to have that kind of fun. So he kind of sits on your chest and makes it difficult for you to breathe. Now you don't want to go off and play with other people when you can't breathe, do you?Your friend does not believe in being healthy. He is really repulsed by the thought of you living a long and productive life. So every chance he gets he makes you sick. He helps you catch colds and flu. Not just by running out in the middle of the lousy weather to pick him up at the store. He is more creative than that. He carries thousands of poisons with him which he constantly blows in your face. When you inhale some of them, they wipe out cilia in your lungs which would have helped you prevent these diseases.But colds and flu are just his form of child's play. He especially likes diseases that slowly cripple you - like emphysema. He considers this disease great. Once he gets you to have this, you will give up all your other friends, family, career goals, activities - everything. You will just sit home and caress him, telling him what a great friend he is while you desperately gasp for air.But eventually your friend tires of you. He decides he no longer wishes to have your company. Instead of letting you go your separate ways, he decides to kill you. He has a wonderful arsenal of weapons behind him. In fact, he has been plotting your death since the day you met him. He picked all the top killers in society and did everything in his power to ensure you would get one of them. He overworked your heart and lungs. He clogged up the arteries to your heart, brain, and every other part of your body. In case you were too strong to succumb to this, he constantly exposed you to cancer causing agents. He knew he would get you sooner or later.Well, this is the story of your "friend," your cigarette. No real friend would do all this to you. Cigarettes are the worst possible enemies you ever had. They are expensive, addictive, socially unacceptable, and deadly. Consider all this and - NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF!Joel Spitzer

MILD COPD AFTER 4 MONTHS

Dear Peeps,smoking cessation,I just had to post this because I am almost shocked athow my lungs are responding to not smoking.And besides I am a test bed for others that might be interested inknowing if it is worth it after so many years of smokingto quit and it the answer is a flat HECK YES !!!I am confessing that after 40 years since age 10 Ismoked and yet even after what doctors said I haveas mild copd compared to how I feel now is AMAZING.Ok did I start right out and power walk and get physical?Yes I did...started right away even doing lung exercisesby doing slow deep breath in....pause 3 seconds.Then slow exhale out and relax...doing about 10 or 20a day 2-3 times a day....just do them any old time.Calms you down too so DO NOT do that while drivinga car it can be risky.Anyway back to the hamster cage and the test results.I could actually detect the mild copd before I alwaysknew there was a funny way I was breathing but as asmoker I said...heck I am fine....sure....just fine.NOT fine !! I quit when I heard I hadMILD COPD.So here is what I am getting to. For the last few weeks my copd sensations have NOTbeen as noticeable! I was so use to it and now I am thinking...gee what is happening here?I was always aware of it before and yea I know thereis some damage but heck I am 110% more energetic.I have more air now than ever. I was shooting a basketball last weekend with my neighbors kid age 13and my neighbor that still smokes could only watch.Last summer I could only watch...BUT NOT THIS YEAR!So if you wondering if the body DOES really heal and your wondering if your life WILL be better. All I can sayis I never knew before because I did not quit. But now that I quit and have more than 4 months...IT IS REAL !!!Thank you for hearing me out.I know many of you have heard my story. I am not looking for a cradle here I am only sharing mystory so others can have hope they might need it. Hope or just an inspiration of some sort toget a quit going.Yea so that is my sermon for the month...have a great day and take every day as if it is youvery last day alive. I am seeing so many people dyingaround me age 45 age 50 age 60 from cancer.This is war folks..we need to stay in the battle !Best to all of you,stop smoking now,Jeff

Natural tonics

A series of posts to try to assist peopleTo be honest a lot of you seem to be going through a lot of problems. in fact if i told my gp about some of your problems. he would probably offer me a bucket of valium. {but thats quit addictive}.[you probably have all this sort of information but its not around at the moment]So i thought we could perhaps discuss alternatives that might help you and meget over difficult situations.Stressdrink plenty of water the brain functions better when its hydratedConsider talking to someone if you feel you can't handle your stress.Find the hassles that stress you out and try to get rid of them. You may need to change some of your routines.this might not sound correct but if the stress is caused by everyone else then its time to realise you cant allow these situations to rule your lifeBe sure to take a day off and enjoy what makes you happy.Be sure to get the proper amount of sleep each night. if you cant do this ensure you rest your body for the correct amount of time.Get a hobby take time for yourself.Keep away from caffeine it can cause disruptions in sleeping patterns and cause nervousness.Laugh, never take life too seriously.Never hold back feelings learn to let them out.Practice deep-breathing techniques help to ease stress.Relax try meditation or yoga.Make your home a stress free environment easyier said than done but put some nice music on, some food you like ,and a good book, Vitamins neededVitamin B ,Vitamin C,unsure about below any comments will be appreciated please check about allergic reactionHerbs that are supposed to help with this condtion arecatnip,chamomile,Kava Kava,smoking cessation,Passionflower,Wild Oat,Valerian Root,Siberian Ginseng,St. John's Wort,quit smoking,Hops,me i use a nice cup of drinking chocolate at night

Need to celebrate!!!

Hey everyone!! I am off to work and it looks like a busy day so I will not be here until tonight!! But I have to say....My counter says 45 days!!!!!!!! And that is huge to me.. that is where I was when I had that smoke,stop smoking, back in August and blew the first part of my quit!!!! And yesterday WOULD have been my 3 month Anny,Herbal cigarettes, except for that stupid stupid moment.... I took quite the beating when I came here about that relapse, deserved or not.. I do not care anymore... But I feel the need to celebrate today!!!! ANd to say... I DID IT!!!!!! I am all caught up and looking ahead to a wonderful future.. with no smoking!!!!But I am really happy today!! And I love my quit right now and it feels great!!! I am working so hard at everything and it feels great to be where I am!!!!! 3 months in on my journey and 45 days pure and clear!!!WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!I am actually doing this!!!!! and can I say... this quit looks GREAT on me!!!!

MOUNTAIN'S "I KNEW ONCE" POST REPOSTED

Since for some friggin reason i kept getting locked up trying to bump Mountains old post i'm just going to paste it.Seems like it might be helpful to some of us around here.Hope you don't mind Mountain!Before I retired, I worked in sales of very conservative but very complicated financial investments The biggest part of my job was meeting with potential clients and explaining what these investments are and how they work. The explanation was very detailed and intricate, but it was organized so that, by the time I finished, any person of normal intelligence would understand the safety and rewards of these investments. It was also my experience that about soon after I left the meeting, the clients would forget most of the information.I developed a method for dealing with this lack of retention of the details of my presentation. At the conclusion of my presentation, I first made sure that the clients thoroughly understood the investment, that all of their questons were answered and they were completely comfortable with their decision to invest. Then before I left, I said this: "Right now you understand all apects of this investment. You are completely satisfied with it, you understand its safety and you understand why this in the right choice for you. The presentation you just saw was long and detailed. About five minutes after I leave, you are going to forget most of what I said. When that happens, just remember that you understand it NOW. Remember that all of your questions have been answered and you are confident that your decision is correct. So, if you ever doubt your decision to invest with me, just tell yourself, 'I understood the reason ONCE, and the reasons are sound.' " I have read posts in which Quitters say that, at the moment of an especially powerful crave, they might waiver and forget the reasons that they decided to Quit. If that ever happens, tell yourself, "I have very good reasons to Quit. The reasons are sound and compelling. Nothing is more important than keeping this Quit. Even though I am tempted now, I knew all of the reaons for my Quit ONCE. "This has,stop smoking now, in fact,quit smoking, become one of my mantras - "I knew once. I knew once." and pretty soon the urges pass. Mountain

Looks like I needed to hunt down that nicman this morning!

Yikes, I've been deglecting my hunting duties since I've been sick. Not that Carol's Jake and the other doggies haven't been doing a great job, but I probably know where to find this bad man better.Up early........ first stop over to Flyingfree's house. Man that bad guy was buzzing and hopping around there like he owned the joint. I straighted him out REAL quick - a straight KAPOW to the OLE smelly kisser! A few mighty kicks to the ribs and he's was yelping as he ran OUT OF THERE! Flyingfree, relax and take it easy today... you are going to be OK!Next stop to Dragonwings... yep that's where that sucker ran to after Flyin's house. Ah ha! I knew it! Found him in the corner of the garage. Poured some oil on his head, lit a match and he was screaming out of there. You are good to go for another day, Dragonwings.Thought I best check out things at Barbararosa's. Yep, there he was,Herbal cigarettes, moaning, running the hose over his burnt head. He looked up, saw me,stop smoking now, and I only had to make a start at him and he was GONE. I think he's off to the woods today... or having a strong one at the pub. He won't be brothering any of us today....(Mike... I need that smile face fighter guy along with that devil face smoking. Can you combine those for me???? )

Lessons Learned

Lessons Learned by: Author UnknownOne day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live.They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, “How was the trip?”“It was great, Dad.”“Did you see how poor people live?” the father asked.“Oh yeah,” said the son.“So,quit smoking now, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?” asked the father.The son answered: “I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.“We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.“We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs.“We have walls around our property to protect us,smoking cessation, they have friends to protect them.”The boy’s father was speechless.Then his son added, “Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are.”

My Cigarette My Friend_11902

Sunday was always a great day to post this sage piece... How do you feel about a friend who has to go everywhere with you? Not only does he tag along all the time, but since he is so offensive and vulgar, you become unwelcome when with him. He has a peculiar odor that sticks to you wherever you go. Others think both of you stink.He controls you totally. When he says jump, you jump. Sometimes in the middle of a blizzard or storm, he wants you to come to the store and pick him up. You would give your spouse hell if he or she did that to you all the time, but you can't argue with your friend. Sometimes, when you are out at a movie or play he says he wants you to go stand in the lobby with him and miss important scenes. Since he calls all the shots in your life, you go.Your friend doesn't like your choice of clothing either. Instead of politely telling you that you have lousy taste, he burns little holes in these items so you will want to throw them out. Sometimes, he tires of the furniture and gets rid of it too. Occasionally, he gets really nasty and decides the whole house must go.He gets pretty expensive to support. Not only is his knack of property destruction costly, but you must pay to keep him with you. In fact, he will cost you thousands of dollars over your lifetime. And you can count on one thing, he will never pay you a penny in return.Often at picnics you watch others playing vigorous activities and having lots of fun doing them. But your friend won't let you. He doesn't believe in physical activity. In his opinion, you are too old to have that kind of fun. So he kind of sits on your chest and makes it difficult for you to breathe. Now you don't want to go off and play with other people when you can't breathe, do you?Your friend does not believe in being healthy. He is really repulsed by the thought of you living a long and productive life. So every chance he gets he makes you sick. He helps you catch colds and flu. Not just by running out in the middle of the lousy weather to pick him up at the store. He is more creative than that. He carries thousands of poisons with him which he constantly blows in your face. When you inhale some of them,stop smoking now, they wipe out cilia in your lungs which would have helped you prevent these diseases.But colds and flu are just his form of child's play. He especially likes diseases that slowly cripple you - like emphysema. He considers this disease great. Once he gets you to have this, you will give up all your other friends, family, career goals, activities - everything. You will just sit home and caress him, telling him what a great friend he is while you desperately gasp for air.But eventually your friend tires of you. He decides he no longer wishes to have your company. Instead of letting you go your separate ways, he decides to kill you. He has a wonderful arsenal of weapons behind him. In fact, he has been plotting your death since the day you met him. He picked all the top killers in society and did everything in his power to ensure you would get one of them. He overworked your heart and lungs. He clogged up the arteries to your heart, brain, and every other part of your body. In case you were too strong to succumb to this, he constantly exposed you to cancer causing agents. He knew he would get you sooner or later.Well, this is the story of your "friend," your cigarette. No real friend would do all this to you. Cigarettes are the worst possible enemies you ever had. They are expensive, addictive, socially unacceptable,quit smoking now, and deadly. Consider all this and - NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF!

Never Take Another Puff_23575

I said it every day of the clinics, it's in almost all my posts, and you see it at the end of each of these short articles. Even so, I still feel I cannot repeat it enough - NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF! It is not that I am afraid that you will like the cigarette and decide how wonderful going back to smoking will be. To the contrary, it will probably make you dizzy, nauseous,quit smoking, and generally sick. You may absolutely hate yourself for having done it. Even this, though, is not the problem.The real danger is the reinforcement of the nicotine addiction. It is a powerful addiction. One puff can send you back to your old level of cigarette consumption within days. We have had clinic participants who have previously quit smoking for periods exceeding 20 years. One day they decide to try just one. Even after this great period of time, the first cigarette is enough to start the whole addiction withdrawal process. They are again hooked on a drug and within days their full chemical dependency returns. All of the physical dangers, psychological problems, and tremendous expenses return to their previous levels. If you do not believe this can happen to you, come into the first or second night of my next stop smoking clinic. Listen to all of the new enrollees who are there to quit smoking. These are people who were once off cigarettes for a substantial period of time before, people who liked not smoking, people who loved not smoking, people who now need help to once again reclaim their nonsmoking status because of one tragic mistake. They were not immune to the first drag. The odds are, neither are you. Consider this the next time you have a passing thought for a cigarette.Now you have a choice. You can remain an ex-smoker or you can become an addicted smoker once again. Consider both options carefully. Which way of life better suits you - a slave to a deadly weed or a truly free person? The final decision is yours. If you choose the latter,Herbal cigarettes, simply practice the following advice - NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF!

Make it so

Daily MotivatorDecember 26, 2006Make it soYou know what it is you wish to accomplish. Today is the time to make it so. The moment you hold in your hands right now is the link between intention and reality. This day is the arena in which life can be lived and dreams fulfilled.How long have you wished, how intently have you imagined what the world could be? Here is your opportunity to make it so. The past has already faded into memory. It cannot stop you nor can it push you. This moment right now is yours to live, free of any that have come before.You have more knowledge,quit smoking now, more experience,Herbal cigarettes, and more wisdom today than you've ever had before. Make use of it all. Make it count. Make it happen. Make it so.

Motivator...

Daily MotivatorJuly 21,stop smoking, 2007Which way?Where you are is not nearly as important as the direction you're moving. No matter how far down you are, you can quickly turn around and head back up. You cannot instantly get to the top, but you can instantly be on your way.Which way are you headed right now? Are you moving steadily toward an important goal? What will you do today to keep yourself moving that way?Are the things you're doing moving you toward where you want to be? If not,stop smoking now, why in the world are you doing them? Do you really believe you can get somewhere by walking farther and farther away from it every day?There's something you can do today to keep yourself, or to get yourself moving toward exactly where you want to be. Do it! Every day you spend drifting away from your goals is a waste not only of that day, but also of the additional day it takes you to regain lost ground.Know where you want to go. Get on track and stay on track. Keep yourself always moving forward.

New Laser Treatment Worked for me!!

HI there everyone. Well,stop smoking, my story is similar to yours. I was a smoker (three packs a day) for the past 40 years. I tried everything in the book..patches, meds, louzenges, gum, hypnosis, you name it. It was not untill my doc told me I had the beginnings of Empysemia that I tried this treatment at his recommendation. Its this new Laser machine that they use on the accupressure points on your ears, face and hands. Its painless and fast ( 1 hour). I was vry skeptical as you can imagine. A Laser? It does not cut, burn,stop smoking now, its just a light wave. I had no cravings or withdrawals at all.. The CD you listen to is awesome.....its really cool and I almost went to sleep but it changed my life filks! Iam now 1 month cig free and I feel great! I don't know how it all works so well, I am just telling ya all that it worked! This place is in Newport Beach, Calif. They treat people from all over the USA....fly in and out... Its called Breathe Today and you should check out the web site to learn more or write to the gal that runs it. GO the BreatheToday.com and send them a question. Tell them that Susan sent you. Its the coolest thing yet..I have sent many folks there already and so far so good! Its worth a look/see for those of you that want to know more. Thanks Breathe Today for saving my life. My hubby thanks you too!

My name is Charlene and I am a smoker...

Hi everyone. I stumbled upon this board after countless hours of searching for a support group to help me with my struggle to quit smoking. I am 34 years old, although my skin tell you I'm 40. I have been smoking for (I hate to say this, but) 18 years. And I am sick of it!My decision to quit has been with me for over a year now. I have made over a dozen attempts, using every single product available. And with each new attempt,stop smoking now, I tell myself "This time I'm going to do it!" But then, failure.The time is upon me once again. MY QUIT DATE IS JANUARY 16, just 5 months before my 35th birthday. I want to look at 35 and say "I am aNON smoker!"I look forward to the advice and support. I look forward to reading your posts, sharing your struggles and ultimately your success, as well as my own!Take care,quit smoking now, and wish me luck!

New Pointless forum

You may have noticed a new forum named Pointless.Any messages posted in the ,smoking cessationQuit Smoking Main Board forum that attack someone else or don't have anything to do with quitting smoking are subject to being moved into the Pointless forum.The Pointless forum is where posts go to die. They will be deleted automatically after seven days. Posts in the Pointless forum can't be edited or replied to, but they will be visible for all to see. So think before you post.This forum is a QUIT SMOKING FORUM. This is not a forum to post attacks on other people or to post other pointless messages. NO ONE INITIALLY CAME TO THIS FORUM TO READ POINTLESS MESSAGES!If you don't like what someone has to say here you have a few choices:1. Ignore it.2. Leave.3. Send a private message.4. Post a carefully considered response that DOES NOT ATTACK THE OTHER PERSON.Start acting like adults.Thanks to everyone who has put up with this mess and has maintained their composure,quit smoking now, dignity and sanity.

I will be me again--one of my favorites from Barb

Recopied and moved it up! Feeling bad, depressed, crazy... read this one from BarbI have been thinking this for the last couple of weeks. And it is late, so please bear with me and typos. I celebrate 9 months today. 9 months of a nicotine free life, a life without the chemicals, a life lived in the moment, not in the thought of when can I get out of here,smoking cessation, not in the hiding around the corner smoking, not in the gosh, I hope they can't smell me. I live life in the moment. Point- went out with a friend today who never smoked. Shopped, talked, laughed. Went to lunch- big thing- went to lunch. And at no time while in the restaurant did I have to think- "ok, lets go, need a fix". I just ate, drank, talked, laughed,quit smoking now, carried on, acted a fool. With a friend. And never left. Never blew smoke on her. Never got distracted.Wow. About 2 or 3 weeks ago I realized something. I am me again. I am just me again. I am back to my habits and routines. I am back to my thought processes. I am back to my activities. I am just me again. I am not a smoking me. I am not a quitting smoking me. I am just me. Took a while, but Oh My Heavens- I am just me. My point- someday everyone one of us will get here. You WILL JUST BE YOU AGAIN. Only better. I guess my point is I realized a couple weeks ago that I am normal. Just normal. A no smoking normal. Please, if you are struggling- know it comes. It really does. I am just me. And for the record, I didn't even remember it was an anniversary. And then when I did I couldn't remember how long it was. Normal guys. How incredible normal feels. At the end of the day my friend got out of my car- we ended up being out from 8:30 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. - she looked at me getting out of the car and simply said- "it is so nice not to duck the smoke all day". Wow. That is the life I want. Blessings Barb

Just need to vent

So good morning,I just want to vent.....here it is... the boyfriend and i quit smoking together on December 1st he quit for about 3 days and cheated in that time but then went back to a pack a day telling me its too hard...like i didnt know that....all i could think about was smoking. Then he told me that he had quit just for me and that he was going to get prepared like i did and quit on New Years. All good he smokes outside and not in my car. So he kept saying how he was ready to quit and new years came and he quit and again said it was too hard and now again he is back to a pack a day. i am a little angry its difficult knowing its in the house and i still choose not to smoke...... So I guess i just feel that he gave up too easy. i never suggested that he quit because i had made the decision to quit,quit smoking now, i dont even know what made me decide to quit it just kept coming into my mind and i decided it was time, and i am ready to have things in life and the money i spend on smoking will that i am saving now will help me get that. so now he is acting mad at me because i quit and he didnt......Not even sure if this makes sense. i just needed to vent. I am not really jealous that he is smoking anymore,quit smoking, i get a little anxious when he does go outside but i dont grill him when he comes back in and ask him how they taste like i did in the begingging so i know that i am getting better. i now realize that even when he brushes his teeth the smell of the cigarettes comes from deep within our longs and i can still smell it. ok i am just rambling i should stop. just needed to vent. thank you for letting me share.

I'm new here

[b]Hi everyone Well I had caught a bad cold this past week and for five days I had a hard time breathing and every time I would smoke I would cough to where I couldn't smoke well today marks three days of not smoking cold turkey I must say what a challenge it has been and still is I still feel sick from my cold but It could also be from not smoking..I just have to say congrates to all that have gone threw this it tough but As long as you put you mind to it you can do anything..Well I hope and pray that I will not pick up another cigarette every again [/b]

I want to quit NOW

Hello I'm Samantha and I need to quit; I'm a hard period of my life but that's just an excuse. I want to quit. I use nicotine patches. I quit so many times I can't even recall how many times. But I want this to succeed. Are there any good tips or advices from 'relapsers' who did finally quit for good? I really need to do this for myself I do.I drink a lot of fluid. My grandma's funeral will be on thursday and I'm in a bad place but smoking causes me to have psychotic symptoms and having breathing problems. I might come here very often to talk if that's okay!Good luck everyone