SMOKERS... LETS KICK the HABIT!!

[Strappie]

HI Thread Stalkers and Do'ers!! lol

I have to apologize to each of you. I admit that after I had troubles with the e-cig. I was discouraged again and fell back to my old habits.

I have to tell you that it's FUCKING HARD and all you peeps that have kicked it, I can't tell you how PROUD and HAPPY I am for you! I wonder why the HELL can't I do it?? I know I can, I just haven't to set my mind to it. However, that is part of my problem.

When I quit smoking I have such bad anxiety I can't focus on anything while people say they gain weight from quitting I lose it because I can't stay focused enough to sit in one spot for more than 5 minutes with out losing my mind. I'm up down up down and then I "run" to make it thru the "surges" you know the ones, they only last 10 minutes but to me it feels like it lasts hours. I know some of you have suggested meds. I'm very scared of them to be honest. I have NEVER had to rely on pills, in most cases I don't even take the pills the Doctor prescribes for me for pain or being sick.

I know I have to do this it's something I've talked about and tried doing since entering my 30's and now I'm 45 and here I sit, still a smoker and NOT proud of that.

[Scorp]

Strappie my boi!

You can do it! Baby steps, take baby steps and don't beat yourself up for not doing it as quickly as you'd like. It's a process and do it at your own pace.

Hang in there brotha!

Originally Posted by Strappie

HI Thread Stalkers and Do'ers!! lol

I have to apologize to each of you. I admit that after I had troubles with the e-cig. I was discouraged again and fell back to my old habits.

I have to tell you that it's FUCKING HARD and all you peeps that have kicked I can't tell you how PROUD and HAPPY I am for you! I wonder why the HELL can't I do it?? I know I can, I just haven't to set my mind to it. However, that is part of my problem.

When I quit smoking I have such bad anxiety I can't focus on anything while people say they gain weight from quitting I lose it because I can't stay focused enough to sit in one spot for more than 5 minutes with out losing my mind. I'm up down up down and then I "run" to make it thru the "surges" you know the ones, they only last 10 minutes but to me it feels like it lasts hours. I know some of you have suggested meds. I'm very scared of them to be honest. I have NEVER had to rely on pills, in most cases I don't even take the pills the Doctor prescribes for me for pain or being sick.

I know I have to do this it's something I've talked about and tried doing since entering my 30's and now I'm 45 and here I sit, still a smoker and NOT proud of that.

[Strappie]

Originally Posted by Scorp

Strappie my boi!

You can do it! Baby steps, take baby steps and don't beat yourself up for not doing it as quickly as you'd like. It's a process and do it at your own pace.

Hang in there brotha!

Thank you Scorpie it means a lot to hear that. Yet at the same time, I've heard it so many times ya know. It's so disappointing to let your friends and family down time and time again.

[Scorp]

I hear ya Strap. I am a "reformed" smoker so I feel you on that one. Honestly, when I have a few drinks I still like to have a smoke and glad I have the "self control" to put it down when I need to.

BUT...As you already know, ya gotta do this moreso for YOUR health and not the family and friends (even though everyone is concerned about you, because they love you). Hopefully, they don't ride you too much on that and cut you some slack for trying and NOT police you. That would make a person want to smoke more because you feel like you're "disappointing" folks.

That's why I said "baby steps" in my prior post. It takes time bud, and you can do it. Even if you cut down to 4 or 5 smokes a day. Try and commit to yourself to do that. Basically, start off with "realistic" plan that will work for you at YOUR own pace.

It's cool to have a great support system, but you can't do this for anyone else but YOU.

Much love brotha...

-S

Originally Posted by Strappie

Thank you Scorpie it means a lot to hear that. Yet at the same time, I've heard it so many times ya know. It's so disappointing to let your friends and family down time and time again.

[hpychick]

All on the path to being smoke-free!!

I would like to extend myself to each of you as support in your cessation program!

I stopped smoking September 17, 2007. I don't regret stopping, but there are times that I miss it.

If you need some support - if you're having a stressed day (b/c let's just be honest - that's when most relapse) - if you just need to talk about some of your symptoms, please send me a PM or post on my wall and I would be happy to be supportive of your cessation efforts!

Here are a few facts (about my own smoking cessation):
Within 3 days after I quit smoking, I didn't wake up congested
I was able to walk up 7 flights of stairs within 2 weeks
I could smell how icky my clothes in the closet smelled from the smoke in the house (and I didn't have the door open)

You can do it! Trust me! I know it isn't easy, having been there myself - but I do know it's possible!

Go Y.O.U for wanting to be healthier and to smell better!

RAH RAH RAH

[gaea]

Originally Posted by Strappie

HI Thread Stalkers and Do'ers!! lol

I have to apologize to each of you. I admit that after I had troubles with the e-cig. I was discouraged again and fell back to my old habits.

I have to tell you that it's FUCKING HARD and all you peeps that have kicked it, I can't tell you how PROUD and HAPPY I am for you! I wonder why the HELL can't I do it?? I know I can, I just haven't to set my mind to it. However, that is part of my problem.

When I quit smoking I have such bad anxiety I can't focus on anything while people say they gain weight from quitting I lose it because I can't stay focused enough to sit in one spot for more than 5 minutes with out losing my mind. I'm up down up down and then I "run" to make it thru the "surges" you know the ones, they only last 10 minutes but to me it feels like it lasts hours. I know some of you have suggested meds. I'm very scared of them to be honest. I have NEVER had to rely on pills, in most cases I don't even take the pills the Doctor prescribes for me for pain or being sick.

I know I have to do this it's something I've talked about and tried doing since entering my 30's and now I'm 45 and here I sit, still a smoker and NOT proud of that.

Strappie i am on a sub-lingual b complex i swear im calm as can be not fidgety and im not experiencing those surges your referring too, dude get some bcomplex sub-lingual stuff it isnt meds and it will help.

here for support if you need.

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by Strappie

HI Thread Stalkers and Do'ers!! lol

I have to apologize to each of you. I admit that after I had troubles with the e-cig. I was discouraged again and fell back to my old habits.

I have to tell you that it's FUCKING HARD and all you peeps that have kicked it, I can't tell you how PROUD and HAPPY I am for you! I wonder why the HELL can't I do it?? I know I can, I just haven't to set my mind to it. However, that is part of my problem.

When I quit smoking I have such bad anxiety I can't focus on anything while people say they gain weight from quitting I lose it because I can't stay focused enough to sit in one spot for more than 5 minutes with out losing my mind. I'm up down up down and then I "run" to make it thru the "surges" you know the ones, they only last 10 minutes but to me it feels like it lasts hours. I know some of you have suggested meds. I'm very scared of them to be honest. I have NEVER had to rely on pills, in most cases I don't even take the pills the Doctor prescribes for me for pain or being sick.

I know I have to do this it's something I've talked about and tried doing since entering my 30's and now I'm 45 and here I sit, still a smoker and NOT proud of that.

Strappie -

Do NOT beat yourself up for this. It IS hard to quit. It is fucking hard!

I know I mentioned here that I used Chantix to quit. I didn't use Chantix the first or second time I tried to quit.

The first time I used patches. And like you, my anxiety was so high that I lost weight and instead of being irritable, I cried at the drop of a hat. I remember day two...getting ready for work...I was actually whistling some tune...and all of a sudden I started sobbing. Just sobbing. It was so whacky. It took me 45 minutes to calm down just to call out of work. My emotions were ALL over the place. I also couldn't sleep and couldn't tolerate being awake. I would come home each night and drink a glass or two of wine so that I would fall asleep by 8pm. I just wanted to get away from thinking about wanting a cig. I last 3.5 months. Which means, I lasted 2 weeks after I finished the patches. That was in my mid-20's.

In my late 30's I tried again. This time I decided to do it cold turkey. I took 4 days off from work over Labor Day and along with my trying to quit smoking g.f., headed to the beach. Cold turkey was horrible for me.

HORRIBLE.

I literally felt like I was jumping out of my skin. Like my skin was crawling. I could not sit down, I was so restless. When it got so bad I would go outside and run down the street at full speed until I couldn't breathe anymore. Over and over again. Probably 10 times a day...and I am not kidding. And I really
didn't care if I looked like an idiot. I really felt like someone who was...well, going through withdrawal!

A week or two after the beach I got on the Chantix, which helped a little, but the withdrwal was over by that point. I lasted a couple of months, I think without cheating. Eventually, I went back. That was about 2.5 years ago (late 30's).

1.5 years ago I did Chantix. I smoked for the first week, quit on schedule and took it for 3 months. I got my provider to agree to give me meds for an extra 3 months. I have been smoke free since that time.

You say you don't want to "rely" on medication. I assure you my friend, you will NOT be feeling that you are relying on it. You will go through the withdrawal, same as usual. The difference is you won't be an anxious wreck, you won't be depressed, and if you cheat it won't give you that "zing" of "hitting that sweet spot" so to speak that all addicts get when they light up a cig after not having one for a while (It will just feel flat and like you are smoking air.). It isn't relying on meds b/c the meds ARE NOT KEEPING YOU FROM SMOKING. You are doing that all by yourself.

The last three days I have been craving cigs like mad. No idea why. Just really crazy bad. I almost bought a pack on Saturday and almost bought a pack today at lunch time. I am glad I didn't. It was hell quitting. Hell.

Know one thing...when you are one of those people who have a really tough time quitting, after you make it on the other side, you will be less likely to pick up again. It is Just. Not. Worth. It.
Hang in there. Seriously consider Chantix.

And if you are like me and connect bars and beer with drinking, don't go out for a while. And only be around non smokers. And switch to hot tea if you drink coffee, or vice versa.

Also, I hear that for many quitting smoking in the summer is easier. For me, that is SO not the case (it is actually probably the summer weather that has kicked my cravings into gear). I seem to connect "good times" and activity with smoking. People think less activity means less smoking. Hell, I used to put my pack of cigs. in my backpack when I would go mountain biking. When we would stop to catch a breather, I would be catching a smoke!

[gaea]

Similar to Dapper i to have quit multiple times with this last one being my last, i will never pick up another cigarette again as long as i am given the breaths needed to sustain life.

The first time i quit back in early 20's was for my "children" , well that dit go well at all, the looked at me crosseyed or cried (they were lil ones then) and wanted a smoke, smoking had become my escape my "me" time if you will.

The second attempt well i had no idea i was going to quit it was one year after my dad had passed and my then ex-partner who was still in my house at the time kept "stealing" my cigarettes and it pissed me off so i went on an "ill show you bs kick" and i laid the cigarettes down. 4 mos later I was moving me and my kids and she called me incessantly from some party she was at talking about happy anniversary i received so many calls from her that night and having my kids complain because i took them out of there home in which i did, however i thought i had to be strong and not break down and cry like i wanted to,,,so i smoked a cigarette...

The above was 8 years ago, had i just cried i would be 8 years non smoker blah blah...perhaps

3 years ago when my youngest granddaughter was born i tried again...I went through all kinds of mental head games and trips and wow i don't think i made it 4 weeks.

So now this time whats so different now? well I prepared my body by increasing my vitamin intake especially my c vitamins as a smoker you lose 50 mg of vit c every time you smoke which is why you cant smell anything....so increasing my vit c levels to 500 mg above what i was depleting every day helped me to begin smelling things especially the tobacco which started stinking everywhere i went and because i was a smoker i stunk too.

I also picked up the "Easy way to quit smoking" by allen carr, great book im still reading it, i also read The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks...these two books along with my want and desire to be smoke free has truly helped me.

Then i read Incubus post and although i had a goal date of 4/19 for personal reasons having read hys post pushed me over the edge a week early and i was done and i knew i was done.

Im leveling out my vit c levels now, still reading both books and smoke free.

Because i want to be...it is after all for me and really it is about me. and f** those that say do it for so an so and blah blah because in reality its all about YOU doing it for you your health your well being etc.

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by gaea

I also picked up the "Easy way to quit smoking" by allen carr, great book im still reading it, i also read The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks...these two books along with my want and desire to be smoke free has truly helped me.

I remember reading about the Carr book a couple of weeks after I had already quit.

Aren't you supposed to be smoking while reading it? I mean literally smoking at the time?

I heard it is really helpful to people.

Maybe this would be a good idea for you Strappie since you don't like pills!

[gaea]

Originally Posted by DapperButch

I remember reading about the Carr book a couple of weeks after I had already quit.

Aren't you supposed to be smoking while reading it? I mean literally smoking at the time?

I heard it is really helpful to people.

Maybe this would be a good idea for you Strappie since you don't like pills!

yes and i was still smoking when i began reading it, there are a couple of chapters early on that will make you go wow, ok i don't want to do this anymore.

also he encourages you to smoke while reading however ultimately the choice is up to the individual and he recognizes this.

One chapter in particular that got to me was the "Devastation" chapter.

Seriously its a good read.

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by gaea

yes and i was still smoking when i began reading it, there are a couple of chapters early on that will make you go wow, ok i don't want to do this anymore.

also he encourages you to smoke while reading however ultimately the choice is up to the individual and he recognizes this.

One chapter in particular that got to me was the "Devastation" chapter.

Seriously its a good read.

Thanks for the info.

I may check it out, just for reinforcement of choosing not to smoke, you know?

[gaea]

Originally Posted by DapperButch

Thanks for the info.

I may check it out, just for reinforcement of choosing not to smoke, you know?

yes do, I actually found this book whilst on a hunt for a couple of healing books for a friend of mine, it screamed my name and jumped into my arms lol, I'd recommend it to anyone who is trying to quit has already and or is struggling with a quit.

I would also recommend the big leap as a side book.