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Perfect. Thanks.

If you're replying to something said in this thread @Nellie then this thread is the appropriate one to respond in

I never tried either of those but from stories I've been exposed to it seems like it's a godsend to some and a nightmare for others. You do whatever you feel you have to do in order to get started on your quit and what works is different for all but in my mind when you strip away all the hype and all the marketing magic, quitting eventually boils down to how badly you want to be quit and that desire (commitment) must last for days, weeks & months in order to solidify your long term quit. The moment you get over confident or just plain lazy in your quit process is the moment your junkie brain will successfully whisper sweet smoking lies to you and before you know it you're right back to the start again. Our addiction is crafty and smart. It lays low and rises up to strike us at our weakest monments. We must ALWAYS remain on guard! It becomes second nature the longer one remains quit.

This is a really interesting message, Meg. Thanks for it. The tracker sounds like a splendid thing. I wanted to share what happened to me many years ago, an experience that put me off trying to quit for a long time. I started talking Zyban, which was the same stuff as the antidepressant Wellbutrin, but in a smaller dose. It was miraculous at first. I didn’t have the remotest interest in smoking. I was so happy. Then a couple of weeks or so in, my palms started itching. Then my scalp and the soles of my feet. And then hives everywhere. Then I started wheezing. Luckily, got to the ER in time to get treated for a massive allergic reaction. (Turned out to be the blue dye in the pills). Stopped taking them at once, of course. Which you’re not supposed to do with antidepressants. And was a hot mess for a month or so. Until I decided that the only way to feel better was to smoke again. Which I acted upon, of course. And did feel better. But was three times more addicted as a result. I wish it had worked, and I know Zyban and champix have done wonders for many. Scared the willows out of me, though. cheers, Nellie

Hiya. Should I be replying in another thread, or is this one okay? I agree with the sense of regarding a quit as more complete, in a way, after a year. Because of the seasonal changes and “I always did it this way” kind of behaviours around special occasions and festivals. My mum (now departed) and I used to cook Christmas feasts together every year, and each step of the process was punctuated by “having a little ciggie” on the back deck, before the next thing. I think tobacco is probably tied up with heart warming memories for a lot of people. The trick is to start new traditions, smoke free. cheers, Nellie

NOPE

Salad

Light dinner

Wide road divides

Only go away

Pick apples

X-ray machine

Zebra

Special

Acrobats are always airborne

Yarden

Maternity Ward nurse

It's a good thing you are recognizing your somking triggers @Nellie, as you mentioned above when making a recipe. By realizing when you habitually smoked, you can prepare yourself for when these triggers may come up throughout your day. Once you realize a trigger may be coming along, you can pay special attention to changing up that routine in some minor way so you don't follow your old smoker's way. I realized after I'd quit that the real job in not only quitting but more importantly staying quit is to become comfortable with little changes to your daily routine so you can overcome those triggers to smoke. It really is just rinse & repeat. Learning to live life again the way it was meant to be lived ... without cigarettes! You'll find that once you overcome each different trigger to smoke once, it's never really a challenge again because you'll know what to do instead of smoking. This is why it really takes a full year of living to really and truly completely quit. You have to face not only daily smoking triggers at least once but also seasonal triggers as well. Social gatherings, special holidays, change of seasons; all those thingsthat your mind will associate with smoking. It's certainly doable if you take things one day at a time. Don't look to far ahead and overwhelm yourself just small steps will get you to your desired goal

Alligator

Grated cheese

Swiffer pads work

LOL I noticed that!

NOPE!