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staying free, my biggest problem

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staying free, my biggest problem

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 672

staying free, Good for you !

fwiw, learn as much as you can about nicotine addiction & why it has this hold over you.

NRT, chantix, Anti depressants, whatever you want to call them, they are only quit AIDS.

learn, learn, learn, Consume yourself with finding the know how.

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 1/1/2005
Smoke-Free Days: 1735
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 60,725
Amount Saved: $15,788.50
Life Gained:
Days: 244 Hrs: 12 Mins: 40 Seconds: 11

Quit Meter

$14,654.64

Amount Saved
Quit Meter

Days: 730 Hours: 2

Minutes: 41 Seconds: 17

Life Gained
Quit Meter

4004

Smoke Free Days
Quit Meter

60,060

Cigarettes Not Smoked

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 916

Hi Staying Free!

Welcome to this forum. Maybe a positive approach to the quit helps you. Try reading the Allen Carr Book. Stop Smoking the easy way. You are not leaving your best friend behind, you are breaking apart from your enslaver.

Look at the nonsmokers. They are happy,they don't need cigarrettes to be happy. So the trick is to achieve peace of mind. The physical part o the addiction is gone in one week. It is our smoking brain the one that requieres retraining!

Big Hugs and welcome to this site

Marivi

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 1/23/2009
Smoke-Free Days: 251
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 3,765
Amount Saved: $376.50
Life Gained:
Days: 28 Hrs: 13 Mins: 59 Seconds: 29

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1904

I agree with Hot SiO2. Quitting smoking involves not smoking. Simple, but not easy. You can't give yourself permission to smoke under any circumstances. Addiction is antithetical to moderation. So cutting down doesn't work in the long run, either. It seems that you believe you have the right to smoke when you're stressed. Take away that right during one of your non-stressed out periods when you are thinking clearly. Make a plan for how you will handle that attitude when it pops up.

Years ago, I used to suffer from crippling and constant depression. I used to tell myself that it was okay for me to be depressed, but also that I still had to go to work, etc. anyway. Self-talk is important. Getting passed addictions is a lot like mastering a game. My experience had been that the game got nastier each time I failed. However, there comes a time when you find that you can just strike that ball back over the net no matter how fast it comes at you and no matter what the angle of attack is. You just leave no room for failure. We get sick and tired of being sick and tired. Plus, we realized that quitting smoking tomorrow won't be any easier than it is today, and the pleasure is just wrapped up in pleasing the nicodemon.

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 5/1/2009
Smoke-Free Days: 153
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 4,284
Amount Saved: $1,660.05
Life Gained:
Days: 16 Hrs: 18 Mins: 11 Seconds: 49

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 2778

Hey Staying Free!!!

It is really quite simple! Practice N. O. P. E. ... NOT ONE PUFF EVER ! ! ! You do not have to resort to a cigarette in a stressful situation! Instead, choose a coping mechanism that you feel that will work for you! I used deep breathing and self talk! Basically you have to want freedom MORE than you want to smoke! If you do, you will remain a non-smoker!

You know you are only a puff away from over a pack a day, so just keep telling yourself N O P E when you get a crave! Get it in your mind that you are NOT going to lose one more battle to the nico-demon... that you ARE stronger than the addiction! List your reasons for wanting to be a non-smoker and keep that list with you at all times! When a craving comes up, read that list and re-commit right there on the spot and DO NOT SEARCH OUT ANOTHER CIGARETTE ! ! !

Come here and post!!! We'll talk you through it and you will eventually learn how to deal with these stresses and cravings until you can do it for yourself! Really though, you can do this if you really want to!

Jim

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 3/5/2008
Smoke-Free Days: 575
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 14,375
Amount Saved: $2,371.88
Life Gained:
Days: 97 Hrs: 10 Mins: 50 Seconds: 59

Quit Meter

$48,690.00

Amount Saved
Quit Meter

Days: 1188 Hours: 19

Minutes: 41 Seconds: 14

Life Gained
Quit Meter

6492

Smoke Free Days
Quit Meter

194,760

Cigarettes Not Smoked

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 610

Thanks all,

I really don't even consider myself to be a smoker. But, I know that I am walking on the slippery slope everytime I pick up that one cig and smoke again for a couple of weeks. I never stop at just the one. It turns into a binge any where from 4 days to 2 weeks before I get under control again. But, this uncomfortable state of withdrawing is not good. I feel like I have come so far. Not smoking is so much easier than when I first quit..I felt like I was going to have a nervous breakdown. I just need to jump that final hurdle into freedom. I know at this point, it is a mental thing. I need to unbrainwash myself. Smoking really doesn't do anything to relieve stress or boredom. I will watch the days add up again and come here if I feel myself considering that one cig.

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 9/17/2009
Smoke-Free Days: 2
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 50
Amount Saved: $15.00
Life Gained:
Days: 0 Hrs: 8 Mins: 39 Seconds: 29

Quit Meter

$92,004.00

Amount Saved
Quit Meter

Days: 6085 Hours: 23

Minutes: 31 Seconds: 13

Life Gained
Quit Meter

46002

Smoke Free Days
Quit Meter

460,020

Cigarettes Not Smoked

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 2606

Staying free,

I'd like to officially welcome you the SSC support group. As rock explained, this site provides you with the tools to help you get through your quit. Go through the program at your own pace and use it as you please. Start reading through the forums and checking out past posts from other members. You may find yourself motivated by what someone else has gone through or even find out information you may have been seeking. Everyone's quit is a different experience and what will make it stick for you is also unique. If your ready to lay it all on the line and dive in to be free, we are right here with you to help you along the way.

Keep us posted on your quit, and check back soon.

Samantha, Health Educator

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1843

Welcome to the SSC! I hope that the resources and advice you find here help you become smoke free forever! I recommend that you go through "my program" so you can set up a quit plan. You want to be able to fight off the stress and triggers that are causing you to smoke. I've learned that preparation is key to success! And if you are stressed out and want to smoke, post here and wait for 5 responses. By that time the craving will be gone! Use the search feature here to look up topics like anger, stress, etc. to see how other folks deal with stressful times. There is so much knowledge and experience here, so read as much as you can. You may find something to give you that "aha" moment that makes this your final quit! We're all rooting for your success!
My Milage:

My Quit Date: 8/20/2008
Smoke-Free Days: 395
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 15,800
Amount Saved: $3,950.00
Life Gained:
Days: 58 Hrs: 22 Mins: 25 Seconds: 40

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 610

Hi,

I am a professional quitter! I have quit smoking so many times in the past that I have lost count. I have used every NRT on the market. My biggest opportunity is staying quit. I quit smoking over 4 years ago..staying free for months at a time, then thinking that I could smoke one or two, which turned into smoking for 2 weeks, until I would buy some more gum or lozenges and not smoke again for a few months. I believe the longest I stayed totally smoke free was 8 months without one puff of a cig. I was addicted to the lozenges, so I went on Chantix to help curb the cravings for nicotine when I finally got off the lozenges. Now, I have been taking chantix for at least a year, on and off. I am almost out of chantix, (which I think is a great quitting aid), and I really do not want to go back to any form of nicotine. Stress is my big trigger. If I get mad or under pressure, I go searching out a cig or two,,,which turns into 2 weeks of smoking again. I am in a vicious circle. In the past four years, I have never really felt like I was totally free, even tho I would go months at a time without smoking. Those smoking thoughts are always nagging my brain. It is getting depressing. I want to stay free. Thanks for any help/advice you can give.

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 9/17/2009
Smoke-Free Days: 2
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 50
Amount Saved: $15.00
Life Gained:
Days: 0 Hrs: 7 Mins: 4 Seconds: 49

Quit Meter

$92,004.00

Amount Saved
Quit Meter

Days: 6085 Hours: 23

Minutes: 31 Seconds: 13

Life Gained
Quit Meter

46002

Smoke Free Days
Quit Meter

460,020

Cigarettes Not Smoked

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staying free, my biggest problem