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Hey everyone, The site was down, but I didn't quit. Although I must say, it was and still is quite difficult at times. However, it has now been nearly 17 days since June 6, 2024, when I finally succeeded in quitting. I feel amazing. I mean, I sleep less, I am more confident, I do lots of things, and I believe the addiction is getting weaker day by day. It still requires some struggling and inner discussions from time to time. But convincing myself to go and buy a smoke after 16 days without it is much harder than it was after just one day, so I guess this also plays a role in weakening this demon. So, yeah, let's keep going, guys!

Hello hello hello, it is currently sunday 7:13am time in Prague, Czechia. I am about to go through another 12 hours shift, today I forget my chewing gums home, but I did not take any money with me so I cannot buy any kind of vape or nicotine So I should be fine today and get through day 3 smoothly, hope so! Yesterday evening my mood was pretty down. Mornings seem to be better with quitting, more optimistic. About this night, I did have a really deep sleep from 9pm to 3:33am and then wake up full of energy (you call it morning wood in english I think hahah - which should really tell positive things to a men´s health). I am surprised that after last night, this time was a deep rest and also some nice dreams. I noticed that I wake up easily, 3:33 I was full of energy and no red eyes, motivation to go out, see things, to live a life you know. Which kind of dissapears with addiction. I already knew that before but when I go through this recovery I can feel it again. The life´s beauty shines through the nicotine shield slowly but surely! I am happy to enjoy things such as good food, ray of sunshine, aromatic things, good music. These things go to the background with shaded mind that is ill with addiction. So Have a nice sunday all, I am clean now 2 days and 11.5 hours, not going to give up at least today no As I gave my promise and thank you for all the support, may the power be with you all.

Genecanuck Quit Date: August 19, 2024 Posted August 23 Do you know him?, Quitnet Repost, 1998 from Billi Peel, on another site in 1998 Hi Everyone, My name is Nicotine. This is my story. For many years no one knew I was a killer. I am very cunning, while looking so innocent. I am dressed in a white wrapper. I think my shape is great. I am long, slender and easy to hold. This is great for the 90's image. I've come a long way baby. Billions of dollars have been spent to keep me looking good. My favorable image is an illusion. My addictive power is reality. My advertising team has worked very hard to continue to present me as a positive influence in daily life. I have been showcased as making men strong, sexy, and full of life. I have been packaged to make women think they are sexy, daring, and provocative. It took longer to get the women to use me, but in time I won them over. I am a liar. I tell you that you can enjoy and be more comfortable in every situation if you use. I am always there for you when you are bored, nervous, or upset. I will tell you how cool you appear while you smoke me, how good I taste. I especially like to tell younger folks how much I can do for them. I lie. I have some friends and associates: Caffeine, Alcohol, cough medicine, and Mouthwash. I make money for a lot of other industries, beyond the tobacco folks. Doctors love me too. Now caffeine, alcohol, and I go way back. We have worked together on almost everyone. You may think you can get rid of us, but we will make your life miserable if you try. I will cause people to leave their homes in the middle of the night in search of me. I am powerful once I have you. I will require a lot of your time. I need to have ashtrays and lighters. I make a mess as my ashes drop on your carpet, car seat, furniture, and loved ones. It delights me to see the little burn marks in your expensive clothes, furniture, counter tops, and carpets. Did I mention how awful I smell? I have a particular aroma that will linger in your hair, clothes, and your furniture. I can turn your car into an ashtray. I will mark you. I am an addiction. I tried for a long time not to let this secret get out. It was bad enough when people said I was a nasty habit. Now everyone knows I am an addiction. Once I get in your grasps, you cannot easily put me down. If you try I will make your stomach crawl, I will give you bad headaches, the shakes, and make you nervous. Once you are addicted to me I own you. I have no conscience. Loyalty is important to everyone. I certainly enjoy your loyalty to me. Do not ever be confused that you have mine. I will have you standing outside in the rain or bitter cold for a few precious puffs while others enjoy the comforts of staying indoors. I am demanding. You will walk away from loved ones to get your fix. You will try to hold babies in one hand while grasping me in the other. I will make you uncomfortable with people who do not smoke. I am a killer. I will take your breath away. I will eat your lungs. I will render you voiceless. I will cause you bad sinus problems. I will embarrass you with the ugly cough I give you. I will make you unable to walk up a flight of stairs without having a hard time breathing. I will hurt your loved ones around you who don't even use me or have a choice. My name is Nicotine. I am an addictive and powerful DRUG!!! Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/26599-the-quitnet-lounge/?do=findComment&comment=526773

Raya Quit Date: June 30 / 2011 Posted April 14, 2015 Its late and I am awake , and I got thinking how this quitting process has truly has been a roller coaster . Remember the first days quitting smoking are much like a roller coaster so if an hour from now you don't feel so good; RIDE IT OUT . There may be bit of a turn, and you feel queezy and wonder if you made the right decision ; RIDE IT OUT. There may be a hill , and you are filled with fear where you don't know whats on the other side ; RIDE IT OUT. Then you overlook that fall ahead of you ; and it takes your breathe away ; RIDE IT OUT . You may feel fear and panic and tears ; you may feel like screaming , shouting and you are just hanging on for dear life ; RIDE IT OUT. There are smooth patches and straightaways and the roller coaster does come to a stop, but in the beginning of quitting smoking just as in a real roller coaster ride , we don't quite know what to expect . It looks big and it looks scary . We step on with little faith and with little hope only protected by a buckle ; for the RIDE OF OUR LIFE. Oops! ( think I lost myself there and all of you LOL) Lets get back to quitting smoking and lets just sit at the top of this rollercoaster and think about things a bit shall we . Yup we have stopped at the top, and we are rocking back and forth . la ta da ta da back and forth. Ok so this is my thinking : If we were to ride the same roller coaster everyday then we would know what to expect and we are not as fearful when we know what to expect . Our fear and anxiety slowly subsides . The ride is still exciting and becomes rather enjoyable and even comfortable. We find the next turn won't scare us and the next hill won't take our breathe away , and roller coasters won't scare us anymore . And at the end of the day we get off excited and thrilled that we accomplished the uncertain and the unknown . Thats why "ONE day at a tIme works . Do it over and over and over ; at the end of each day be a winner . Some day you will tell this story to your grandkids, the story about the smokers rollercoaster quit ride . Perhaps someday you will go on a roller coaster ride with your kids and grandchildren to the county fair ; you will eat cotton candy ; ride on the ferris wheel ; or just watch ; but please if you do please share with them all the dangers of smoking and help them to understand that listening to advertisements about smoking and other smoking methods. may look appealing ; but they are preying on your young ; killers of your health ; your families health ; thieves of your money , and your life time. Smoking will never bring you happiness . Teach them that happiness is free ; you create it. There is no charge . OH by the way ? Are you still rocking back and forth up there on that roller coaster ? Move forward . You have a lot of friends cheering you on and waiting for you below . C YA ALL TOMORROW Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/5103-ride-it-out/

Hey! I am getting through very difficult period in my job, having season right now, busy asf. Well that does not help very much, but I am steadily reaching 6 clean days in 6 hours from now. Morning run, cold shower is already an automatic routind and seemes to help me. Overall, mornings are very powerful, positive and full of energy. I dont sleep too much, but feel very energetic, which is always being felt afternoon where energy going a bit down acravings are quite strong yesterday and today...So far helps me this daily quittrain blog and also that I already shared my success with family and friends and would feel like an idiot if I just go now and smoke again...So...I guess I just stick with it further and finish another day :))))

Gus Quit Date: 3-17-21 Posted 1 hour ago -(edited) Sorry to hear @Breath-of-Power. This addiction is real. It is powerful. I don’t know how much time you’ve spent reviewing the information about nicotine and the additives that cigarettes contain, but the stuff literally rewires your brain. Your brain. That organ that controls everything about you. After the nicotine withdrawal it’s what you will be fighting against. Of course it’s going to fight against reconditioning. You try again. Again and again. You write down why you are quitting. The truth. The ugly part of it. Carry that around with you. Read it every time you want a smoke. We all have something that we want more than that cigarette and one day if we allow ourselves the liberty to do so, we just smash a link in that chain of addiction and crawl out from the unbearable weight of it and in time we find ourselves standing against it and some day dancing on it’s grave. There are good times to be had. For years you’ve had to base decisions around your ability to indulge in your habit. Being able to enjoy a smoke. Lies. Smoking puts so many constraints on so many aspects of your life. Step back and realize that it’s not only affecting you, but those you love most. Not in the second hand smoke way, but just being able to 100% be there for someone. It’s hard. Conquering this addiction is so hard, but doable. I hope that you hop back on the train. I hope that you take advantage of this thread you created. Post, post, post. Just writing down all of your thoughts helps so much. Everyone here has gone through what you are going through. No judgment here. Just encouragement and support. I hope that you will try again. Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/25067-smokeless-thoughts/

Well good morning to you all. I did manage my first real craving yesterday after gym and sauna. I did not want to sleep, I think I slept like 3-4 hours only and my mind is racing but..I feel more energy than if I slept 8-9 hours. So at this moment we have 8:30am in Czechia, I am in work today since 7am and clean from nicotine currently 1.5 day to be precise it is 36.5 hours. Today I work 12 hours, have some things to do and also watching finals of WTA French open, something to look forward to and getting slowly through my day 2. Also I feel so much inner power and agression (might be testosterone), very very good feeling, confidence, this is the way to go. Just need to be ready for some cravings today, have my chewing gums and water, so lets do it.

Markus Quit Date: 02-19-2008 Posted April 13, 2014 Want to quit smoking? Good. That takes some nerve and that alone is enough to get it done. You don't have to be smart, you just need to use the courage and will that you have, in the right way, and get that brain of yours aligned to make it happen. Just quit. Do it now. There, you just quit. It's that easy. Now you are craving a smoke of course. It gets better, just as soon as you set your mind to being a non smoker and you free yourself from yourself, and from how you choose to live your life. This place cannot help you quit, it can't give you a quit, and it can't keep you quit. Only you can do that, and it's a choice. Either smoke. Or quit. The only thing that can happen to you here is to get encouragement and support. All that people here can do for you is to tell you how and to promise you that it can be done. You are absolutely going to have to hold yourself accountable and commit to staying quit, all on your own. This place can be effective in teaching you how to start walking after you've been crawling (quit) on your own, if you use it the right way. Understand that you are an addict first, and that's why you smoke because smoking is your answer to everything. If you are quitting you should realize that smoking is the answer to nothing. This also includes the journey ahead of you. A cigarette will never be the answer to anything you need. Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/589-want-to-quit-smoking-consider-this/

babs609 Quit Date: 07/13/2012 Posted September 28, 2015 As a young child and early in my teens, I was very confident. I wasn't the prettiest, smartest, most athletic, or funniest girl (well..I did win class clown in the 8th grade) as a matter of fact, I was an average teenager...but I was okay with that and pretty comfortable in my own skin. Somewhere along the line....in my teens...there was a decline in that confidence. It wasn't sudden. It was so gradual that I didn't even know it was happening. Years and years went by and I still thought inside I was this confident person I used to be but I wasn't. I was playing the role of the person I used to be. The person I wanted to be again. I didn't know how I lost it...I only know I wanted it back. Fast forward 25 years later and I quit smoking. It wasn't until then that I realized how much smoking had destroyed my confidence in myself. I didn't make the connection until I was free from the addiction. Today, more than ever. I realize how really damaging smoking is for not only physical health but mental health as well. I can honestly say that I am worthy, I am healthy, I am loveable, and I can achieve absolutely anything I want to in this life. Amazing! It wasn't even something I had to do....all I had to do was STOP. Stop putting things in my mouth and lighting them on fire...sounds simple enough, right?? LOL...the funny and ironic thing..is that it really is that simple. Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/6028-smoking-turned-me-into-a-total-coward/

jillar Quit Date: May 29, 2016 Posted May 20, 2018 the perfect quit by jwg1763 » Tue Jun 22, 2010 8:03 pm Welcome come right in ,, how can I help you today? Umm yes I would like to see about buying a quit Well sir you have certainly come into the right store Let me show you some of our newer and maybe are best Ok ,, that would be great,, are they expensive? Lets just look and then we can talk price Umm , umm ok.. Now here this is a wonderful quit, about seven years old fully matured No cravings I can see no real problems for you and this quit I think it could fit you well… but you do have to walk it by 7 am oh and that’s after a good breakfast Umm , I work nights im not up at 7 am Well if you want this quit you will have to get a new job you can only work 9-5 with this quit do you have something else? Why sure we do,, we have the perfect quit right here for you this is the one,, it is only 2 ½ years old but very mature and well behaved However you do have to sit every day and eat two bags of pop corn While you watch the soap operas Ohhmm ,, I don’t like pop corn or soap opera s I think this is a house wife quit . Not for me Well sir quits don’t have a gender there just tailored Oh ,, I see well I need a quit that works nights Likes to sleep in in the morning,, play some video games Doesn’t like pop corn and about two meals a day What do you have like that? Well sir I don’t think you understand you have to Tailor yourself to our quits we don’t tailor them to you.. These quits have taken years to fit there original owners That’s what I want a quit tailored fit to me Where do I get one of those? You can’t buy one of those ,, you just have to stop smoking and Let it grow,, you have to nature it , love it, and respect it If I could just buy a quit like that just for me how much Would it cost? Sir a quit like that is priceless,, you do not have enough money `jwg` Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/10435-the-perfect-quit-repost-by-jwg/

Hello, I finished my first clean week. This is an incredible achievement for me. Energy Level Changes: First 5 Days: I was full of energy. I could read all the news, go to the gym, run, work, sleep for only 4 hours, and talk all the time. Day 6: I experienced huge cravings and spent the whole day thinking I might fail. However, I still went to the gym and replaced the craving with some burgers and a good night's sleep. Day 7: My energy crashed. The weather in Prague was changing every 20 minutes, alternating between rain and sunshine. I ended up sleeping after lunch. I even considered deleting this account to avoid wasting time, but I reconsidered because I feel I might be able to help others in the future. I went to sleep early and woke up today at 8 AM, which is the longest sleep I've had since day 0. Summary: I am now 7 days, 13 hours, and 27 minutes clean and still going strong. TGIF!

I must say, today is very difficult. As yesterday seemed easier. But it would be kind of stupid to fail again, so I dont have much a choice. I am trying to focus on all those positives, that I wake up with energy and motivation, my brain is functioning better. So lets keep going. Some chocolate and food helped me today to go through. Mood is not the best, but closing 5 days in around 4 hours and that gives me a good prospect.

Hello, today is my first whole clean day ahead. I am now 13 hours clean and finished my morning running with cold shower, getting into work and got my sugarfree gums ready to get through this day. Even getting through 1 day for me is something almost unachievable before, I almost never did the whole 24 hours. So if you see me here after that, I guess we are on a good way and I already gave my promise today...so I think I will make it. Anyway, will keep it active and share my thoughts later. Stay strong

Sazerac Quit Date: October 23, 2013, A Good Day to be Free. Posted July 10, 2018 Some quit on a whim, others quit making a sensible plan and map it all out as best they can. There are many successful quits between the extremes. The important bit is the seminal moment in your life when you say, 'I quit smoking'. I spontaneously said, 'I've quit. If I don't feel better in a few days, I can always smoke but, let's see your mettle and give this an honest try' I had no idea the process took a lot longer than a few days. I had no concept at all about nicotine addiction. I was supremely ignorant. To be honest, it actually takes nicotine a lot longer than a few days to completely leave your body. Think about it...we have nicotine infested tar in our lungs clinging to our cilia. Tar, ffs. This doesn't disapate in a few days. Ever have tar on your feet ? It takes a solvent like gasoline to remove it. The miracle is that our bodies do purge themselves of most. Still, remnants remain. Remants remain forever in our DNA. A sobering fact. After a few days, gathering more knowledge about addiction, I extended the premise of starting smoking again 'if I don't feel better in ...days...weeks...' Some days, I thought, if I don't feel better in five minutes I can always smoke. There were many times when acknowledging the choice saved my quit. My decision to quit smoking held and my resolve to commit to this choice grew minute by minute. It grew by quantumn leaps every damn crave I beat. I'm sharing this thinking about new quitters and smokers on the fence, before the choice to quit becomes clear and non negotiable. You may not have a serious dose of resolve about your decision to quit. Do not worry about this, resolve grows with knowledge and time. After a while there should be no turning back, you will know too much and will have a deeper power committing to your decision. This decision to quit smoking is one of the best decisions you can make in your life. It teaches you about commitment. It nurtures your self respect, self confidence. It saves your life. Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/10704-decisionsresolve/

Sirius Quit Date: May 27, 2014 Posted July 12, 2016 The following was some of the more weird things I did while going through the stress of decompress. Sharpen knifes. Oh Vay! scrape, scrape, scrape.... Take your time with it. Focus on getting the sharpest edge. All my knifes are very sharp. Emptied out my ashtray into a glass jar (with lid). Added a bit of water to the mix. When I feel the need I take a good long look at this stuff. If I still feel the need I unscrew the lid and take a long deep whiff. Really brings back the whole smoking experience - to include the gagging, retching, and full body coughing. If the time and place allows for it; a good stiff drink. One shot only! Purely for medicinal purposes. Bonus points for Barcardi 151. A personal favorite. Chopping Wood. Nothing like swinging an axe to work out the aggression and utter unfairness that constant denial piles onto my little psyche. Plus, I'm doing something constructive! Hold your breath until the desire to breath meets and exceeds the desire to smoke. While holding your breath contemplate how each cigarette you consume brings you closer to holding your breath involuntarily. Breathing is far more satisfying then smoking. Enjoy a fresh Jalapeño. Pop the whole thing in your mouth and chew slowly. mmmmmm... Bonus points for not having water near at hand. Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/7287-the-weird-things-i-did-to-quit-smoking/

Aine Quit Date: 2-26-2014 Posted May 4, 2019 The Law of Addiction Most quitting literature suggests that it normally takes multiple failed quitting attempts before the user self-discovers the key to success. What they fail to tell you is the lesson eventually learned, or that it can be learned and mastered during the very first try. Successful recovery isn't about strength or weakness. It's about a mental disorder where by chance our dopamine pathway receptors have eight times greater attraction to a nicotine molecule than to the receptor's own neurotransmitter. We call it the "Law of Addiction" and it states: "Administration of a drug to an addict will cause re-establishment of chemical dependence upon the addictive substance." Roughly half of relapsing quitters report thinking that they thought they could get away with using just once. The benefit of fully accepting that we have a true chemical dependency and permanent priorities disorder can't be overstated. It greatly simplifies recovery's rules while helping protect against relapse. Key to arresting our illness is obedience to one simple concept, that "one is too many and a thousand never enough." There was always only one rule, no nicotine just one hour, challenge and day at a time. Navigating Withdrawal and Reclaiming Hijacked Dopamine Pathways Like clockwork, constantly falling nicotine reserves soon had hostage dopamine pathways generating wanting for more. Sensing that "want" thousands of times per year, how could we not expect to equate quitting to starving ourselves to death? Again, the essence of drug addiction is about dependency quickly burying all memory of our pre-dependency self. Thus, the first step in coming home and again meeting the real us is emptying the body of nicotine. It's amazingly fast too. Cut by half every two hours, our mind and body become 100% nicotine-free within 72 hours of ending all use. Extraction complete, peak withdrawal now behind you, true healing can begin. While receptor sensitivities are quickly restored, down-regulation of the number of receptors to levels seen in never-users may take up to 21 days. But within two to three weeks your now arrested dependency is no longer doing the talking. Quitting fears and dread are gradually thawing and melting into "like" or even "love." You're beginning to sense the truth about where you've been. It's critical during early withdrawal to not skip meals, especially breakfast. Attempting to do so will likely cause blood sugar levels to plummet, making recovery far more challenging than need be. Why? A stimulant, nicotine activates the body's fight or flight response, feeding the addict instant energy by pumping stored fats and sugars into the bloodstream. It allowed us to skip breakfast and/or lunch without experiencing low blood sugar symptoms such as feeling nervous or jittery, trembling, irritability, anxiousness, anger, confusion, difficulty thinking or an inability to concentrate. Minimize or avoid those symptoms. Eat little, healthy and often. If your diet and health permit, drink some form of natural fruit juice for the first three days. Cranberry juice is excellent. It will aid in stabilizing blood sugar while accelerating removal of the alkaloid nicotine from your bloodstream. Also, heavy caffeine users need to know that (as strange as this sounds), nicotine doubles the rate by which the liver eliminates caffeine from the bloodstream. One cup of coffee, tea or one cola may now feel like two. While most caffeine users can handle a doubling of intake, consider a modest reduction of up to one-half if feeling anxious, irritable or unable to sleep following caffeine use. One caution. While we need not give-up any activity except nicotine use, use extreme caution with early alcohol use as it is associated with roughly 50% of all relapses. The above is an excerpt from John Polito's article, "Nicotine Addiction 101". It explains the science behind why it is so darn difficult to quit nicotine and to stay quit. The full article is here: https://whyquit.com/whyquit/LinksAAddiction.html Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/12338-the-true-nature-of-nicotine-addiction/

Nancy Quit Date: 07/07/2013 Posted April 7, 2014 · IP Bonnie, I looked and it did not originate there, so here it is... THE SMALL DARK ROOM; an analogy of a quit (Reposted from Laurap414 from The QuitNet ) Once, my existence was confined to a small, dark room. In the room was a button. When I pressed the button the room was filled with light. It was a warm, sunny light, which filled every crevice of the room with its brilliance. The light made me happy, and made me feel safe. The problem was, after a few minutes, the light would begin to fade. Soon the room would be completely dark again and I would have to press the button again. My life consisted of always getting to that button when the darkness began to fall. The darkness was scary. It was tiring getting to that button hour after hour. And in this life, it was always, always night. I heard people say that if you could endure one night in the dark, without pushing that button, you could experience Day. In Day, the button would not be needed. It would always be light, and there would be no dark to be afraid of. People said that when it was Day, you could actually leave the room. The button was still there, but you would not be reliant on it anymore. I remembered my life before the button, and looked at my friends who lived in the Day. And I knew that was what I wanted, more than anything. I hated it always being night; even though I had my button to light the world it was still depressing living from brightness to darkness, never being free, and never seeing the sun. And so one day I decided to stop pushing the button, to try and be free. At first, the darkness was a little uncomfortable. I could not see a thing, but then again the light had only been out for a short while. I knew what was in the room, no monsters there, right? Just the dark. But then, as the night progressed, scary things began to happen. I heard strange noises in the dark. Sometimes ghosts and apparitions would appear to me. And each time, no matter how much I wanted to be brave, something scared me so bad that I would reach for that button again. I never made it for more than a few hours in the dark. I would run screaming for the button, and give it a good smack. Thank God!!! The light would be warmer and more lovely than it had ever been. But then, as always, the light would begin to fade. And I would realize to my horror that it was midnight again. And I was even more afraid of the encroaching dark than ever. One day I heard of a group of people who had made it through to Day. I wanted to get out of my terrible night, and so I asked them how they made it to dawn, and then to sunrise and Day. And they told me some secrets. They told me how to deal with the ghosts who would appear in the dark, how the room would change and how all sorts of horrible things would happen. They warned me that it would be worse than a nightmare at times, but that I could do it. Best of all, they said they would help me make it through the night. This is the story of how it happened, one minute at a time. 11:59 pm. I push the button for the Very Last Time. I am very afraid.. 12:00 midnight. The room is dark. Not so bad. I can do this. 12:15 am Hearing scary noises. Scared, but Im ready for this. I can do it. 12:30 am A man appears out of nowhere. "Push the button!!!!" he screams. "Arent you afraid of the monsters? Arent you scared of the demons? Push the button! It will be light again!!!! Just do it!!!!". He is scaring me. I look at him fiercely. He goes away. He comes back many times during the night. 1:00 am The floor has turned to snakes. I am horrified. I can hear them slithering around. I want to turn on the light. I need to see them. I need them to go away. I ask my friends and they say this is normal, that it will get better. 1:30 am I can hear moans in the dark. The snakes are still here. I think this room is haunted. I am so scared of the dark. I want to push the button so the light will make the ghosts go away. I keep telling myself I am headed towards the dawn. 1:45 am Something cold and dead brushes my face. I scream. I reach for the button. My friends tell me Im doing a great job. They tell me the noises are just phantom noises. They tell me to think of the coming dawn. The snakes are still around my legs. I think the floor is getting wet and sticky, I cant tell. The noises are getting stranger. I am shivering with fear and revulsion. 2:00 am If it werent for my friends I would have gone insane or hit the button hours ago. I begin to think that the floor is wet and sticky with the blood of people who have killed themselves in here. My friends tell me its just my own sweat. I know that if I hit the button it will all go away. The noises are unbearable. My only comfort is knowing I have made it this far. I tell myself I can make it a little longer. I break down in tears from exhaustion. 2:15 am Its getting a little better now. The dark is still filled with bizarre monsters and strange sounds. 2:30 am I look out the window to see if the sun is coming up yet. It is still pitch dark. I cannot see a thing. 2:45 am The scariest part of night. I sense that I am surrounded by ghouls. I am trying to be strong even though I am beside myself with fright. Suddenly a woman appears in the room. She is holding a candle. She looks like a very competent lawyer or something, and looks very kind. I am so relieved to see her, and I invite her to sit down. She explains that she has contacted the owners of the room and that they have agreed to make an exception for me. Since I am experiencing so much fear, they will let me push the button once without setting the clock back to midnight (right back where I started). She said that they have been watching me, and since Ive been so brave, they will allow me a little bit of light to "get me through the night". "I thought that once I hit the button, I go right back to where I started no mater what", I say. "No, no, we have made a special exception in your case," she says, smiling. She looks so caring and professional. I begin to believe her. She seems completely trustworthy. I look over the contract she has brought. It all looks very legal and above-board. I get to push the button once, and the clock is not set back to midnight. It sounds extremely sensible. I am listening to the noises in the dark. There is a big bump from the darkest corner. "What was that?" I say. "That was a ghoul," she says pleasantly. "It will rip your throat out and kill you if it gets you. So not to rush things, but perhaps you want to sign the contract right NOW". I look into her eyes. I want to believe her. I reach for the pen. And then I see behind her smile, this evil green glimmer. And I smell death on her clothes. With horror, I realize that she has been sent by the Nicodemon. She is pure evil. She leans in closer, and hands me the pen. I pull back. "Get away!" I scream. "Get out of here at once!!!!". "Oh no, sweetie" she says in her pleasant voice of death. "You asked me to sit down. You read my contract. Im going to stay a while". I know she is in league with the Demon but I cant seem to move or scream. I am transfixed with her voice, her glinting eyes, her tempting smile. "Why dont we sit and chat awhile my dear?" she smiles sweetly. It seems like two hours pass. I cannot move. I have never been so scared. Crazily, I still think about signing the contract she is holding. I think of how hitting the button would make her go away. Finally I summon all of my strength, and with great effort I am able to make myself realize that she is evil and full of lies. Finally, when I admit this to myself, she stands up to leave . "Ill be back for you!!!!!!" she shrieks as she leaves. I smell her horrible stench after she goes and I want to vomit. I am shaking with the effort and terrified, but I realize I have won a battle. I am slightly proud. 3:00 am Still afraid but hanging in there. Telling myself Ive made it this far. Trying to ignore the snakes and ghouls. When I ignore them they are not so bad. 3:15 am The man keeps coming back. He is not as scary anymore. 4:00 am I think I can finally see the dawn rising in the far distance. I am completely exhausted. But I think , this is it! I have made it to Day! I am very excited. 4:15 am A little old lady appears. She is very sweet looking and gentle. "Hi honey!" she says. "Hi there" I say, glad for some company. "Rough night, huh?" she says. "Ill say", I agree. I feel relaxed, relieved, happy, so proud of myself. "And youve done such a great job," she says. I thank her for the compliment. "Such a great job, " she says, "that you deserve to hit that button one more time. Just to see it once before its gone. It was such a lovely light wasnt it?" she says sweetly. "It was a lovely light," I say. I look fondly at the button, and then look outside to the greying sky, which is filling with a dirty pale light. I think of my brilliant warm light and how it used to cheer me up instantly. "You do deserve it," she says. We chat for some time about what a great job Ive done getting through the night. She is a very sweet and understanding lady. We stroll around the room for a while, and then I look down. When I do, I realize my hand is on the button. I look into the nice ladys eyes, and suddenly I see the glint of evil green grinning back at me. "Why dont you push the button now?" she growls, in a voice that sounds like the grave. "AARGH!" I yell. I jerk my hand off the button. The lady vanishes in a puff of noxious fumes. But her words were powerful poison and it is a while before I can walk away from the button. I am terrified by the close call. 4:15 am Its getting brighter now. 5:00 am Things are going OK. I have survived a few more close calls. The old lady came back, and so did the lawyer lady, but I fought them off. The snakes and ghouls I realize were only in my head. Things are looking normal. I can see again! 6:00 am Sunrise! I never thought I would see it. Its only a matter of time before I get to see the Day. I realize I will never need my horrible button again. I am so relieved I could just cry. I am full of gratitude and thanks. I am so proud of myself, so humble. Ive come so far. And then I hear the voice. It is icy cold and gravelly, and sounds like a thousand monsters whispering together. It comes from everywhere and nowhere, it echoes through my brain. "There are monsters everywhere, my friend," it says. "There are monsters which can attack you in the grey light of dawn, monsters under the bed at sunrise, and monsters which will haunt you invisibly during the Day. These monsters can only be conquered by pressing that magic button. Did you think that daylight would protect you? Oh no. Never forget that the monsters are ALL AROUND, my friend. And the button is the only thing that will keep them away FOREVER. So watch out where you step, and listen wherever you go". I am chilled. I am terrified. I look to make sure the button is not far away. It is still there, and I am slightly comforted by this. The sunrise is not as safe as it seemed. 6:15 am I look around for day-monsters. Sometimes I can see them lurking under the bed. I had no idea that I would be afraid after sunrise. I miss my brilliant warm light. Just waiting for Day to come. 7:00 am. Sun keeps rising. Doing much better now. Monsters are less frightening. Really beginning to feel positive. 7:15 am Getting very bright. Feeling great. Knock at the door. Its the neighbour. "Hey lady," he says. "Howya doing in here? Listen, I dropped off because I noticed your light wasnt on. I just wanted to let you know that if you push that button over there, you can see a whole lot better!" "Yeah I know", I say, "but when you push the button, it stays night. The longer I leave it off, the brighter it gets, and eventually itll be as bright as Day." "Well, I hate to tell you this," he says, "but you know, it never really gets as bright in the Daytime as that light was. I mean, I tried that whole Day thing and it aint what its cracked up to be. Sure, the light gets kind of bright during the Day, but then there are cloudy days, and whatnot. And you can never really read a book with the same amount of clarity as you get with that button". "Really?" I say. "I did not know this. Because you know, I am a big reader". "Oh, yeah, that Day light, its never the same! You cant read by Day light!!! Not the way you can with this baby you got right here. I tell you what -if you want, I can jimmy this light so that it doesnt get dark at all! That way, itll be on all the time, and youll NEVER know its night outside. What do you think?" "You can do that?" I say. "I mean, I tried that before. I tried a LOT of different things to make it not seem so bad. But I still knew it was night. That light still kept going out." "No, no, no -- that was last time. I guarantee you I can fix it so that you will never feel scared that its night, and that light will always be on. Believe me, it beats the hell out of Day. I promise you. I mean look at this crappy light", he said, jerking his thumb towards the weak sunrise. "Well, OK" I said. "What do I have to do?" "Just push the button once, so I can get it going, then youll be all set," he said. "And if you dont like it, you can always try this Day thing another time, right?" He grinned pleasantly, and gave me a friendly wink. I looked him over to size him up. He was really a good-looking guy, so friendly and polite. It was obvious he knew what he was talking about, and he had a very honest face. Perhaps, I thought, my friends were wrong about this Day thing? I mean, here was a guy who could just rig up my button to fix it up just like that. And it sounded like he knew from experience that the button light was better and brighter than Day. Plus he had promised that it would work. Why would this guy lie to me? He was still standing there, smiling at me. "OK" I said, "What the heck". And I reached to shake his hand. "Excellent" he grinned. But as he smiled I got a glimpse of what was between his lips, and saw that his mouth was full of maggots. Suddenly I realized that he reeked of rotting corpses and death, and when I touched his hand, it felt like cold icy death. I looked into his eyes and saw that I was staring face-to-face with none other than the Nicodemon. "Nicodemon!!!" I shrieked. "Yes, my dear" he growled, and as he grinned at me, moving his face closer to mine, his breath smelled like ashes and cancer. "Just push that button and Ill fix that little button for you RIGHT AWAY". The maggots were still spilling out of his mouth, and to my horror I realized that his body was made up of decaying flesh. Every surface of his body was covered with sores, and from the sores leaked pus and phlegm. I looked down and saw that I was still clutching his rotting, deadened hand. "Argh!" I yelled. "You are a LIAR!!!!!! That stuff is not true! What you say is never true!!! You cant fix that button! If I push it Ill be back in the night! The button will not make the monsters go away! It never did! All it did was keep me in eternal night!!!!! NOW GO AWAY AND GET OUT OF HERE!!!!!! YOU BASTARD!!!!!" And I kicked him right in the balls. "AAAAAUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!" shrieked the Nicodemon. With a cloud of poisonous fumes and toxic gases he began to melt into a puddle of phlegm, until nothing was left of him except a small pile of ash. "Ha". I said. I swept up the ash and put it outside. I had won this battle, and I deserved to be proud. I had outwitted the most clever villain of all. And I had done it all by myself (with a little help from my friends). But I knew he would be back. Epilogue Sometime Around High Noon Well the sun has finally come up and its Day. Its everything my friends promised it would be. The sun is out, the birds are singing, and its simply glorious. Eventually, I even walked out of that small dark room, and left the button behind. The best part about it is, the sun never goes down here. It just stays high noon all day long, and the sun is shining almost all the time. My friends are here with me, and we never have to go back into that horrible night. The Demon came back a few more times, in a few more disguises. He almost fooled me that night that I went through the dark, and he might fool me again. But Ive got my friends behind me and they tell me about the different tricks he likes to use. He is a crafty, conniving, horrible, evil spirit, and I know that he will always do everything in his power to try and get me back. But I will be ready, and waiting. And God willing, Ill keep outwitting that son-of-a-bitch. Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/343-the-dark-room/

Hello darling Nicotine Free creatures, I forgot about a 10-year anniversary. Earlier this summer, remembered in a conversation with Joel Spitzer and an email from our marvelous Doreen and then forgotten completely. Now a compelling reminder... Must never get blasé about my quit as memory of smoking recedes into the past. I ignore my struggle and success at my peril. There are far too many stories of carelessness leading to a resumption of the addiction after a substantial amount of time. No matter how strong my repugnance of tobacco is and my triggers and body memory in remission I remain an addict albeit nicotine free. Not One Puff. Never Ever. That is my anniversary lesson.

Sazerac Quit Date: October 23, 2013, A Good Day to be Free. Posted October 3, 2014 Our Nancy asked me to post this from my blog to 'Quit Smoking Discussion'. Thank you Nancy. Lifetime of Addiction I didn't want to hear this but, I am now facing this truth. Nicotine Addiction doesn't go away. You can put it to sleep. You can even put it into deep deep and deeper sleep for years ! but, it will awaken the moment you take one puff. One Puff. This is for your whole life. Mind boggling, huh !? This was the choice you likely didn't even know you were making all those years ago when you started smoking, I didn't understand the ramifications for sure. But, it is the truth. You will always need to be cognizant of your addiction even when smoking is a vague memory, because the moment you take a puff, the moment you take One Bloomin' PUFF, That's it ! It's all over and your enslavement will begin, again. What tenacity ! but, you need to understand, Nicotine is not as tenacious as You and Your Will. You can quit. I know you can. I quit and I am not a special snowflake, I am a Nicotine Addict, just like you. I have great resentment about my Nicotine Addiction. Damn....I didn't know it would be so invasive. I didn't know it was going to be a lifetime relationship. I am so angry about this and it is My Own Damn Fault ! But, my anger, it is a good anger. It is a righteous anger. It is an anger that will fuel my commitment to NOPE. Not One Puff EVER. Copping to the 'forever' part is a cold hard reality of the addiction. At some point, I had to quit fooling myself and accept it. It isn't just for today. It must be forever. If it isn't...I will continue to enslave myself. Some feel their addiction is so strong they cannot quit, This is wrong. You have the power. You always have the power to quit and you always have the power to stay quit. Make the commitment to NOPE ! As our friend, Sarge, says, 'Easy Peasy'. Easy ! not complicated ! This is not Rocket Science. If you make that commitment to NOPE...you will not fail. You Will Not Fail. The simplicity of it ! The Beauty of it ! Not One Puff Ever. Do it. You won't regret it. Love, S Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/2927-lifetime-of-addiction/

AceWhite Quit Date: 2/7/2021 Posted March 6, 2021 Hi fellow NOPE'ers I've been thinking about how my quit is like being on an airplane. The first part of the quit is like a takeoff. A whoosh of a new feeling- some excitement even as I embarked on a journey and reached new heights. Slowly, as i've gained altitude, space between myself and that last smoke, I feel now at almost one moth in i'm hitting the cruising altitude, but with altitude comes pressure. I've hit some turbulence on my way to this height, but I kept climbing. For awhile, the clouds obscured my vision, and I felt like I could step off at at moment, back into my smoke filled haze, for just a quick moment and be ok, but that surely would've been an unwise move on my part, because instantly i'd fall back down and lose all my altitude. For now, i'm keeping my sealtbelt attached, ready for the bumps that may come with the cruise, but i'm prepared for the trip. In my lap is my reading material from Quit, in my heart is my desire, and in my soul is my strength. Headed off into the horizon where there are no more clouds Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/15282-reaching-cruising-altitude/

Sazerac Quit Date: October 23, 2013, A Good Day to be Free. Posted July 1, 2016 It was after quitting smoking, I realized how addiction had turned me into a spoiled brat. I indulged myself completely, I smoked anytime and anywhere possible. My most shameful example was after a home birth, my brand new daughter, alive and healthy, was being walked around by her father and I said to my midwifes, 'man, after 9 months and the last 12 hours, I NEED A SMOKE'. One of my midwifes asked, 'Really ?' 'Yes yes yes yes yes YES, I want a smoke !" She handed me a non filtered cigarette from the pack she had hidden in her jacket and that was the end of that abstinence for 29 years ! I call it 'abstinence' because I never ever wanted to quit and only quit smokes and drinks 'temporarily' for pregnancy. That was really Big of me, huh ? I didn't give a hoot about second hand smoke and that was worse than just acting the spoiled brat. Second hand smoke does actual HARM to people, animals and plants. Smoking is suicidal, homicidal, herbicidal, biocidal all the cidal-s you can think of and continues to make the tobacco companies rich beyond measure Gah! I am elated to not be lining those evil pockets anymore glad also, to not be 'cidal' anything. and one more thing... My Spoiled Brat also made quitting harder. 'This is too hard' the brat would moan 'I don't want to !' the brat would whine 'Why Are You Denying Yourself ? ' The Brat cajoled and wheedled until I simply had no other choice, I killed the Spoiled Brat. Killed Dead. Spoiled Brat-icide. Hah ! If you are thinking about quitting, Know You Can. You don't have to be the spoiled brat that addiction turns us into or, a slave to nicotine anymore. You Can Quit. Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/7223-spoiled-brats-nicotine-addicts/

NADA Posted January 10, 2019 I'm not sure if there are others out there who believe that smoking and lying go hand-in-hand, but I found myself lying to people throughout my life about whether I smoked, how much I smoked, and if it was effecting my health. This is a post I wrote a few years ago. Most of us smokers began our years or decades of addiction back when we were teens. We learned to lie about smoking right from the very beginning. Usually it started with our parents asking why we smelled like a rancid ashtray. “Oh, I was at Johnny Picklefork’s house and his mom smokes like a chimney” I nervously responded. “That Bertha Picklefork really needs to cut back” my mom would chuckle. A few months later my mother met me at the door with a pack of reds in her hand as I returned from school. “Young man, what was this doing in your sock drawer?” I let out a small sigh of relief knowing that it was only the cigarettes that she found. “Um, Tammy Tamblanadana’s brother was grounded for smoking so Tammy asked if I could hold on to them for a few days”. Sometime later my dad drove by me holding a cigarette in my hand while hanging out with the neighborhood kids. When asked about this at dinner, I effortlessly told him, “I was just holding it for Jin Dong while she tied her shoe”. Once it was second nature to lie to my parents about smoking, it became just as easy to lie to myself about it. I can quit any time I want. I just do it to calm myself down. It relaxes me. It’s just a habit. The list could go on forever. It kept me in the cycle of addiction for decades until one day I called it out for what it was: Pure Bulls&@t! Not only are the health benefits endless when you quit, but it’s incredibly liberating to stop lying to yourself and others. P.S. The names in this story have been changed to protect the innocent. Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/11725-the-lie/

Sazerac Quit Date: October 23, 2013, A Good Day to be Free. Posted July 24, 2016 Some quitters may have trouble with the never/ever part of NOPE (Not One Puff Ever). To tell you the truth, in the nascence of my quit, I bluffed my way through never/ever land. I remember Cristobal and Stuart qualifying never/ever with the caveat, 'just for today' and that was the truth too, it is just about here and now. As days and weeks passed, I absorbed the truth about addiction. Once I clearly understood addiction is forever and the brain's neuro pathways immediately re-connect to addiction after one puff, I embraced never/ever/forever. If addiction was in my brain for the long haul, well dammit...I was too and I was going to Win ! I want to include our friend, Joel Spitzer's video (and a link to resources) about this subject. He uses the phrase, 'Never Take Another Puff' as we use Not One Puff Ever Never Take Another Puff (resources) and the video Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/7334-nope~nevereverforever/

stzr500 Quit Date: 02/24/2017 Posted March 10, 2018 Hello, I just want to start off stating that Feb 24th was my first year smoke free. I just want to give a bit of insight on how things went and are still going. This may be a bit in length but to totally understand it has to be, sorry. I came home that night on the 24th after I said goodbye to my daughter whom was off to rehab for her own addiction. I said if she can do it so can I even after 30 years of smoking. Putting these down is nothing compared to what she was about to go through with her opioid addiction. She is now 21 just starting life. Get into that later. Anyway the first three days were out of this world. Can't really explain them but very nausea and little to no sleep. To be honest I really can't remember all of it because i think it was so horrible my brain just won't let me go back there but visions have me so scared I will never pick up a nicotine product again. Then came the end of the week and onto week two...pretty smooth feeling better and now getting 5-6 hours of sleep a night. Week three was it...anxiety anxiety anxiety like my world just caved in on me. It was to the point of what they call derealisation where nothing seemed real to me. I only ever had it happen to me once before when I got high with marijuana with my cousin. Thank God it ended after my high ended. Anyway guess what this time it didn't....here we go full blown panic..omg ...what am I going to do I can't handle this feeling, I'm going crazy this cannot be happening to me. Why won't it stop ...did I do permanent brain damage from smoking cigarettes all these years...so on and so on my brain was in full overdrive. You name the most horrible sensations I could feel and trust me I felt them. I need to call the doctor I need to do something...then I thought what's the worse thats going to happen..I may pass out and shit then I won't need to worry cause I will be out like a light. Guess what I wasn't blessed with that pleasure ...as soon as it would get close to that point it would back off. This went on for weeks. I went to counseling and it was what I figured and what the doc said anxiety at it's worse, whats going on. Here's where it gets good. To start off my quit was never planned, just shot from the hip and did it. Along with the anxiety came the complete opposite depression so bad it dropped me to my knees in tears at times. NO JOKE. Never have I felt so empty inside and lost. To start it all off I lost my mother 4 1/2 years ago and never really dealt with it. When she passed from liver cancer I grieved and had lots of smokes. Two weeks after she passed I settled the estate with smokes. 3 months later we bought a new home. Another month later I was promoted to be an Engineer for my job. Smokes like a chimney for that cause if I didn't pass I was out of a job. I passed by the way thank God. Anyway shortly after that I remember bringing the train to a stop at a red signal and having a panic attack. WTH is wrong with me I though....smoking that's it I quit. The very next day was the day and the day our daughter got her help. Through counseling and talking with others here is how it is for me. I did everything with a cigarette from the time I was 17 to 47. I mean everything ...sorry about this but after sex was the best one even better than the one with coffee in the morning. Drinking, socializing,sadness,stress...I did everything with a cigarette it was my best friend and my biggest crutch. See I am not a casual smoker or a smoker who smokes just because it makes them feel good, I am a smoker who smoked because everything in my life revolved arround smoking and I had to have it. Smokes cured me of everything...I would say FK it and light one up. Now I put them away and my world just came crashing down upon me like I never in my life experienced. Also my wife had an affair during all this because I was never home always working and just not paying attention to her. Talk about the final blow. This happened May of last year for a month and a half it went on. I found out confronted the both of them and about kicked her ass to the curb and bought a pack of smokes. I packed them and opened them and took one out. Looked at myself and said really, really ..fk this. Put it back in the pack and gave them to my wife and told her she may need these more than me at this point in time. So lets review...mother passed away....never really mourned her loss because it was to painful put many other things first. Promotion at my job. Wife affair and daughter hooked on heroin all in the past 2 years of my mother passing. Summary.....when I put the smoked down I was literally hit by everything I ignored and pushed to the side and hid with a cigarette. Here it is a year later and I will say things are better on the home front. Wife and I worked things out. She is my best friend and I pushed her away like a fool. Daughter, well she is back in detox as of yesterday and will try it all over again. This is just the tip of things in my life. What I really am trying to say is everyones quit is unique and personal. Be true to yourself you are a lot braver that what you think you are. You will walk through the gates of hell on your quit there is no doubt about it but just remember you will come out on top. I am not going crazy nor did I do permanent brain damage from smoking..lmao. What I did do was close responses to normal dopamine that take time to heal and recover. All addicts do this thats why its an addiction. I still have bouts of depression and anxiety. I am learning a whole new lifestyle. Think about it you are literaley changing your lifestyle without nicotine and its scary but it can be fun sometime. I like waking up and smelling my wifes perfume that wore off on the pillow rather than stinky smoke that wore off my hair. For those who read this thank you for taking the time to read it..I let out a bunch of personal things in my life but if you can't speak the real, then there is no sense in saying anything. I cannot give a time frame on when you should feel better from quitting but I feel fantastic at times and other times physically great but still an emotional train wreck. Hills and valleys but one day it will level out, because you will achieve goals and set a new future that you can look back upon without a cigarette. I won't say good luck because it's not about luck...IT ABOUT YOU AND YOUR WILL. My family is why !! Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/9913-my-storyhope-it-helps/

Boo Quit Date: March 9, 2016 Posted March 28, 2016 For much of the last couple of weeks, I hit a mental wall of sorts. It wasn't that I was craving a cigarette so much as I was finding it difficult to identify myself as a nonsmoker. Nagging, insecure thoughts were persistent. I began to doubt if I was really done with smoking for good. My policy to this point had been to "fight like hell." What am I fighting? The fight is with addiction of course, but do I really need to fight? My addiction is my own creation and is not an independent entity. Addiction cannot hide around corners, jumping me when I least expect it and force me to smoke against my will. Addiction can only plant a seed, it is my choice to cultivate it or not. My addiction only has the power I give it. I've ceased fighting my addiction and since then, its voice has been a whimper subjugated to the back of my mind. When I was fighting tooth-and-nail, its voice roared. I recognize its existence, but now any irrational addiction thoughts that spring to mind are quickly silenced by reason and logic. I am not becoming complacent, I simply realized the futility of building a thing up only to spend the rest of the day attempting to knock it down. There is no reason for me to fight as I have finally realized there is nothing to fear. Maintaining a successful quit is a simple matter of never making a conscious decision to place a cigarette in my mouth and light it on fire. It does not get more simple than that. I spent time in the darkness, but eventually saw the light. Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/6851-perception-shift/

Sazerac Quit Date: October 23, 2013, A Good Day to be Free. Posted October 22, 2019 In celebration of my Six Years of Freedom, I wrote this little piece, Sazerac's Simple Guide To Freedom Desire: You must want to quit more than you want to smoke Decision: Make the decision to live life without Nicotine. Commitment: Commit wholeheartedly to live without Nicotine and intend on standing by your resolve. Choice: Choose to never smoke again, EVER. This choice will empower you in many, many ways. “Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson Education * Thanks to Joel Spitzer, this site and lurking around the sphere, I am still learning everything I can about Nicotine Addiction. Information is Big Power and I feel sufficiently armed to maintain my quit. Changing Focus. It took some doing but, s l o w l y, when junkie thoughts would drag me down, I began to train myself to look at something beautiful or think of beauty in some way. This retrained my brain and also gave me a bump of endorphins. I use this technique during any moments of distress or discomfort. These are not nicotine related anymore, just moments of life. The concept of H.A.L.T. * (are you Hungry (thirsty), Angry (emotional), Lonesome (bored), Tired) Nine times out of ten, smokey thoughts weren't about nicotine at all, it was my body (poor thing) hollering at me to do something life sustaining for it. Now, the signals are very clear and not related to nicotine in any way. I also want to share the benefits of Breath. Deep, calming breaths of Oxygen. An elixir to sharpen and focus your mind away from the patterns of addiction. Rewards * Not only does rewarding yourself help re-wire your brain receptors, treating yourself well and being as kind to yourself makes life nice. A little spoiling goes a long way, especially during rugged transitions of any kind. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` Quitting smoking has taught me much about myself and the human condition. The truth and honesty involved in making and keeping a commitment to myself has been profound. I know myself so much better. I have exchanged an empty bravado for an inner trust and knowledge. I am grateful to everybody here, your stories, your triumphs and your lapses, too. ALL have helped me understand the hideousness of nicotine addiction and the Power of Choice, the Preciousness of Freedom. I am so proud to be part of this community. Y'all are beautiful nicotine free creatures, my friends. S *Joel Spitzer's Quit Smoking Library * Riffing On H.A.L.T. * The Significance of Rewards p.s. To anyone beginning their journey, I would recommend this thread, 10 Ways To Effectively Use This Forum To Stop Using Nicotine Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/13165-simple-guide-to-freedom/

Irene Quit Date: 19 June 2020 Posted March 14, 2020 Before I even entertained the thought of quitting, I always looked at drug users or addicts with pity, thinking how lucky I am not to have fallen into that trap. Ironic huh? Now I have empathy. I'm not a person who bares her soul, wears her heart on on her sleeve, nor starting a thread about something she doesn't know much about....lol I know I'm not the type of person to join a group therapy session on addiction introducing myself and telling my story. Never! Out of the question! Why? Because my fear of quiting was to acknowledge my addiction, and in acknowledging my addiction, made me no different to any addict. 10 days into my 1st quit, I read Allen Carr, surfed the net, and found Quittrain...I knew this quit wouldn't last, and that I just needed to find an excuse to have that smoke. 40 odd days into my quit, I found one, feeble as it was, it was the excuse I was looking for. Still lurking on Qtrain, I started to take things more seriously... 4 days and 2 pkts later, I found myself stepping into that group therapy room...Qtrain..a very brave move from this introvert, but a wise one. It will take me a while to accept the thought that I'm always one puff away from renewing my addiction, to start baring my soul a little, opening up, feeling proud of the quit I am now building, to start enjoying the things I most enjoy without the necessity of have a smoke as well. One thread stood out for me..Introsucktion..MLMR which I highly recommend to all newbies like me..read twice and still find something useful. I know for a fact that I will have a wobbly and will be sorely tempted, and sincerely hope that I have the courage to ask for help. I have made the first step of opening up...now to embrace this frucking quit and start living Thanks for listening......you are all very appreciated, I hope you know that Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/13659-acknowledging-the-addiction/

Soberjulie Posted April 10, 2014 Stop Waiting Author: Unknown. Last sentence: Mine So stop waiting until you finish school, until you go back to school, until you lose ten pounds, until you gain ten pounds, until you have kids, until your kids leave the house, until you start work, until you retire, until you get married, until you get divorced, until Friday night, until Sunday morning, until you get a new car or home, until your car or home is paid off, until spring, until summer, until fall, until winter, until you are off welfare, until the first or fifteenth, until your song comes on, until you've had a drink, until you've sobered up, until you die, until you are born again to decide that there is no better time than right now to quit smoking. Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/483-stop-waiting/#elControls_9518_menu

Hey, so energy and mood got much better. Feels like I flew through some turbulences of finishing 1 week but now the sky is much brighter currently finishing 9 days and feeling very good. So nothing to say much really, just keep going Guys, when do you think I can consider this addiction as beaten? 2week, 1year, never? Thanks.

Alright, I have failed maybe thousand times with nicotine, it is torturing me for already 12 years, since I started in my 18. It is now time to use the forum and power of network to quit once for all. So today 8pm I put nicotine away and going to post my thoughts, struggles and progress on the way. Welcome I hope this might one day help to someone, but first I need to help myself. Nicotine cost me not only health, tons of money and relationships, but also caused very bad situations along the way. So the ony way is to go clean, day by day.

joe Quit Date: 11/20/2013 Posted December 21, 2014 Yesterday was 13 months since my last cigarette.... While wrapping presents tonight, my wife asked if I feel any "different" this year than i did last year. After thinking about it for a few minutes, I had to say , that I truly dont remember how bad it REALLY felt last year... Don't get me wrong,..I know I was having cravings every time I turned around and I think to some degree, still going the the "withdraw" process...maybe not physically, but mentally. I am sure my mind was always searching for an excuse to run outside and light up.....BUT to actually remember that it was SOOO unbearable, or painful...I really cant remember... I do remember that early in my quit it was a struggle..like we all have...but..its now more like a vague memory.... So..any of you newbies ou there who are recently quit..or one of you lurkers who are on the fence... The best advise I can give is to jump in with both feet and commit to the quit!! There will be times that it seems almost impossible, but as time goes on, you will wonder to yourself why you ever even thought that it was impossible to quit!.. Just put your mind to it, commit to N.O.P.E. and you will soon find out what I am talking about...What you perceive as "hard" or "painful" is only temporary...the permanent effects from quitting smoking are sooooo much more memorable!! Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/3890-how-quickly-we-forget/

Cbdave Quit Date: 10th oct 2015 Posted February 4, 2019 G’day I’m cbdave and more often that not I get to raise the NOPE pledge of a morning. Being close to the international date line and living on the east coast of Australia means that I get to see the new day a lot earlier than most. If I’m off fishing it can be really early as I hate my phone smelling of fish bait. It wasn’t always that way. I never posted a NOPE on the QSMB board in those first months. I thought it was a tad daggy. Couldn’t see the sense in it, if I smoked it was my fault it wasn’t needed to keep me honest. Had a bit of a rethink about the three month mark as I had two quit killers coming up. First a wedding with old friends who smoked and drinks... normally a recipes for smoking if every there was. On my return a biopsy for cancer. Sobering. So I started to post to keep myself in touch with the board and more importantly as an acknowledgement that Yes I was really an Addict. It really hit home that I needed to fess I that I was only a puff away from going back to that standard 20 cigs a day! So that’s me, now a diferent board ....but still taking the time to acknowledge the addict in me.... if only once a day. So pledge or don’t pledge but never forget what it stands for Not One Puff Ever Chris Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/11876-to-nope-or-not-to-nope/

cpk Quit Date: 02/04/2015 Posted March 3, 2015 I've been doing some research online - various sites - and one thing I've noticed is that all those into new quits are extremely impatient, including me. All the newbies are asking, "When will this fatigue get better?" "I feel like crap...when will it go away? "My sleep is all off..." and I won't even go into the weight thing. The general sense I have is newly quits are a pretty impatient lot. I think part of it is what I'll call the "freak out" --- There are so many changes going on, good and bad. It's almost like being a teenager. It's just a general freak out, at not having a handle on what's going on with the body, the mind, the emotions, one's responses and reactions to the outside world. As well, teens have more social pressures, increasing responsibilities, heavier workloads... When my son was a teen he'd open the refrigerator door and just stand there... I'd say, what are you doing?, if you want something, get it and close the door...why are you standing there...? He'd act like he was just waking up, would say, I don't know what I want...and he'd close the door, but would be back 20 minutes later and do the same thing all over again. That about sums up this experience for me. I'm like a teenager. I don't know what I want. I think patience would help me see this isn't a bad thing. I'm freaked out because it's all new. I'm uncomfortable a lot. Like a teenager. But hey, being teenager-like at my age is okay for now. Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/4664-patiencei/

Soberjulie Posted April 23, 2014 Sometimes it takes every last bit of you to keep your balance and not do something self destructive. I'm not talking about willpower, I'm talking about something else. I'm not sure how to describe it. It's like the part of you that wants to live, the part of you that is committed to not smoking, is connected by only the most slender of threads to the part of you driving the car, making the decisions. Sometimes you just hang in there, a minute at a time. You ask for help, but you know if you choose to you can turn away from that pretty easily, or even accidentally on purpose. Sometimes not sliding backwards counts as moving forwards. Sometimes not actively trying to die is living large. Sometimes holding your ground is a fragile miracle. Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/926-hey-my-fellow-newbies-hold-your-ground/

Peter_is_in Quit Date: 11/22/2003 Posted January 26, 2019 For me personally and what I have seen, I reflect on the word "Struggle" . . . To watch a loved one die from cancer while all you can see is the whites of their eyes. The pain and frustration only shows in the wrinkles of their face, because they cannot talk . .. that's a struggle. That cannot be undone To hear about a roadside bomb hitting a convoy of peace keepers in Afghanistan . . . and your child may be in that convoy . . . communications are automatically cut for several days . .. that's a struggle. You have no control To give up on planning yearly fishing trips with your best buddy, because cancer just stole him away from you. . . that's a struggle. That cannot be forgotten To hear the last words of your sister in moans and groans because the pain before dying of cancer is so much. . . that's a struggle. That cannot be erased To see a family member taken off life support. . . that's a struggle. That cannot be erased To learn about others who have no food to eat tomorrow, and likely will die . . . that's a struggle. That cannot be ignored To have a strong crave to smoke a cigarette . . . that's not a struggle . . . That's an inconvenience. That can be undone That can be controlled That can be forgotten That can be erased That can be ignored You can do it! Peter: Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/11825-i-reflect-on-the-word-struggle/

Nancy Quit Date: 07/07/2013 Posted September 18, 2014 I have to have a cigarette, RIGHT NOW By tahoehal on November 26 2008 Picture yourself a second or two after you stub out that quit-breaking cigarette. The one that you just had to have because the craving was so strong you couldn't hold out any longer, when that voice inside you was saying.. "Go on, life sucks, you may as well smoke a cig.. y'know for your nerves.." or the other one.. "you've got this beat now.. you are in control.. you can have one just now and again.. go on have one for old time's sake.." So you bum a cigarette, and smoke it and in 2 and 1/2 minutes, you stub it out. Now what. Your mouth feels like crap. Your lungs are tightening up. You managed to stifle the coughs .. but barely. You began to squint again because the smoke hurt your eyes. and your fingers and clothes smell again. You either want to throw up, grab some mouthwash, take a shower, or have another.. maybe buy a pack. But then you realize what you've just done. After all those times when you said you were going to quit, and then when you finally did, and your family and friends were so happy for you - but not exactly over the moon, because after all they've been hopeful before only to see you relapse - all that enthusiasm is now smashed to pieces on the floor. And all the pressure that drove you to grab that cigarette in the first place - it's all still there. Nothing has changed, except now you've added one more problem: you just blew it. And then you realize what you've really done. You had invested days, maybe weeks and months, in this quit. You had made a great decision, one of the few things you really and truly felt proud of in your life, and you just blew it. You just blew the quit that you swore to yourself was the last one. You were so positive, so motivated, and encouraged, you were really on top of it, ahead of the game for once, you had taken control of your life and it felt like a whole new beginning.. and you just blew it. You look at that stub in the ashtray. The grey ash and the brown edge to the burnt paper, and the tar stain on the end of filter. You remember the thousands of cigarettes you have stubbed out and think about the tar that came into your lungs as smoke. And you think if smoking that one cigarette was worth it. Nothing's better. You feel a little dizzy now as the nicotine hits your body, even a little nauseous - certainly don't feel the pleasure that you remember the adverts and billboards were promoting during your early years as a smoker. In fact it's hard to remember any time when you felt that pleasure.. just another tobacco company lie.. They helped you to become an addict the first time, but when you smoked that cigarette after you quit.. well that was a whole new decision. You made that one all by yourself - there's no pointing fingers now, you know that cigarettes kill, so when you lit that one cigarette, the choice to smoke was all yours - no-one else to blame. And you just blew it. It wasn't worth it.. time after time the slippers' and relapsers' lament how they feel like crap, how ashamed they are, how they have lost confidence and hope, how they hate themselves, how much it hurts, how depressed and they cry and hide and cry some more. And now you are one of them.. the quit losers. Lost in the wilderness, not quite a smoker.. yet and not sure you are a quitter, searching for some dignity, some self-respect out of this. All because of that one cigarette. Because you blew it. WITH JUST ONE One Puff One Cigarette One Pack One Carton One Oxygen tank One Lung One Chemotherapy One Funeral One less. Hal 08-20-2004 A puff is too much, a thousand cartons are not enough. Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/2719-think-you-need-just-one/ *Edited to remove broken link to outside source

Jenny Quit Date: 05/24/2012 Posted November 9, 2014 Cravings are the most feared in a quit and we all know they can be uncomfortable. It's this fear that keeps many of us from even attempting to quit smoking. The fear of being uncomfortable. We feel this way even though we know that smoking related disease is probably not terribly comfortable either.....addiction is so not rational.... The addiction wants to manipulate you into believing that there is no way you could ever survive quitting. No way you could ever get through a minute, hour or day feeling like you want to smoke and not give in. Seriously.....Pffft. We're tougher than that. It's all just hype designed to keep you smoking. A crave is not a command to smoke. Just because you feel it, does not mean you need to act on it. Acknowledge it and move on. As time goes on, those craves will fade away and in it's place will be a person who stood up and took control of their life. There is no greater feeling than that. No greater feeling. Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/3385-fearing-the-crave/

MarylandQuitter Quit Date: 10/07/2013 Posted October 4, 2014 is that you may not ever quit again. This is a very realistic outcome if you choose to smoke again. We've all heard that smoking doesn't make anything better when in fact it makes it worse. It's doesn't calm you down, solve your problems and instead costs a small fortune and kills you. If you've started again, quit and right the ship. If you're thinking about smoking again, quickly get that thought under control and make a decision based on facts, not emotion. Emotion is what has always caused me to relapse. I was pissed off, stressed or in some funk. Here are a couple of videos to give you some things to think about work through this. Just hang on, before you know it these rough times will pass. Stay positive and stick around here. With the nuts we have here (I'm the lead nut, thank you very much) you can't help but stay at least a little bit positive. The Power Of Nicotine Addiction Video explains the full power of the grip that nicotine can take on an individual and the consequences that can be faced if a person does not quit smoking. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpYRrZG5l8A Who Wants To Go Back To Smoking? This video discusses how former smokers at times think they want to go back to smoking, but if they really remind themselves of the package deal that goes along with being a smoker, it will be easy for them to stick to their quit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DG9qGjf2hd8&list=PL76365B6CE2DA076B Are You Stronger Than Your Cigarettes? This video discusses the importance of understanding that you won't be able to quit smoking and stay free by becoming stronger than cigarettes but rather by becoming smarter than nicotine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxLxDuTOCT0 "It's Inevitable, Some Smokers Are Going To Relapse" If you are a member of any quit smoking support group, whether it be online or a live program, it is likely that some members of your group are going to fail. You should not interpret this fact to mean that it is likely or inevitable that you are going to fail. Video spells out the major difference between people who relapse and those who don't. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ego_dpPmfOk Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/2942-the-thing-about-relapse-or-considering-it/

Soberjulie Posted November 7, 2015 I dunno if Sarge still posts here but some of his no nonsense, shoot from the hip, tell it like it is words helped me immensely in my first days...weeks...months. The best: Embrace The Suck. You'll have moments, many moments, where quitting just plain sucks. If you're anything like me, you'll think of throwing the towel in....because...."the way I feel sucks!" Embrace the suck. Accept it. Head down and power through it! Wherever you are Sarge.....thank you. I've earned them stripes! I'm coming up on 2 years.......and I never ever have to 'embrace the suck' in regards to nicotine anymore. But Embrace The Suck has been instrumental in many areas of my life Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/6233-wise-wordsembrace-the-suck/

babs609 Quit Date: 07/13/2012 Posted February 6, 2015 That's the word I used during the acute phase of my quit. If I called it a "craving" I felt like it had power over me......as if the only thing that will ease that craving is the very thing that caused it and nothing will ever feel normal again..I will never feel relaxed or content again. To me..the word "craving" went parrallel with "feed the craving" But when I changed the wording to "restless", it took a whole new meaning for me. Restlessness occurred because my body is going back to the state it was in before I became a smoker. Just because I'm restless..is it really my body telling me I need a smoke? Or is it my junkie brain that's telling me that. There are all kinds of emotions and feelings that cause us to be restless...hunger, thirst, fatigue, anger, lonliness...and these emotions are exacerbated when we quit smoking. I knew that the restless feeling was a good thing...it reminded me I was winning the battle every single day. I knew every day I was able to co-exist along with this restlessness...that it would make me stronger and that much closer to a relaxed place where I felt content and satisfied. This newfound attitude is what got me through it.....one day at a time. Committing to NOPE. No matter what.. It also spilled over into helping me stay strong and take charge of my health in regards to my diet and regular exercise. Just because I'm restless doesn't mean I'm hungry. If I'm restless..then maybe I'm just thirsty...maybe I need to go for a run or a walk. Maybe I need to call a friend and vent, maybe I'm horny, maybe I'm bored or tired.... It helped me to be more in tune with my body and recognize exactly what I'm feeling so I am able to address the proper issue..and not try to "guess" what the problem is. Feeling restless?? Find out why....chances are..it's not a "craving" for nicotine. (especially true after Hell week) Non smokers get restless too....as a matter of fact, today I feel very restless and still haven't figured out why...one thing I am SURE of..is that I'm not craving a cigarette. Now....on to figure out what exactly is it that has me feeling uneasy and aggravated....not sure yet but I will figure it out. I have more oxygen in my brain these days so, things come to light much quicker for me now Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/4389-restless/

NOPEster Quit Date: February 4, 2017 Posted July 30, 2018 Here I am visiting my sister in Norway for the first time as a non smoker. FYI my quit date was 2/5/17. I’ve never had such an easy time being a guest. My overseas flight over was enjoyable and stress free. I no longer constantly sneak off from the family for a cig. I can hike with the best of them. And I do not reek of smoke nor cough persistently. I love my new independent life free from the nico-demon. Best thing I ever did for myself. And I must remain ever so vigilant to keep and hold onto my precious quit. I’ve seen others in tourist areas here smoking and, just for a moment I’d like to have one too. But I say NOPE and think of the super folks on this forum and put that demon urge out of my mind. If someone is reading this who is considering quitting, I truly hope you can go forward with your goal. It seemed such an impossible feat at first for me to quit but now I can look back on my hard work and see it wasn’t so bad because of ALL the great wonderful things I can do now. It’s so amazing how my new life as a non smoker is. Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/10792-so-amazing/

Nancy Quit Date: 07/07/2013 Posted March 23, 2018 · By tahoehal on May 13 2008 I seldom start a post, unless it is to honor someone's anniversary. But I feel compelled to share something that I seem to be sharing a lot of lately... and that is my thoughts on 'No Man's Land'. No Man's Land is a dangerous and scary place... and it is a lonely time during a quit. I call No Man's Land that period of time between about 1 month and 3 or 4 months into your quit, or about the time from the end of your first month.. This is a time when many people slip and go into a full relapse and have to start over... if they can start over, that is. I have some observations that may help some of you who are literally hanging on by your fingernails... or who may find yourself there tomorrow. The first month is an exhausting but exhilirating experience... you are locked in nearly daily struggles and you get the satisfaction of successfully beating your addiction that day. You go to bed a WINNER each night (as Troutnut would say), and you are justifiably proud of yourself. Your friends and family are also supportive as they see you struggling each day to maintain your quit. And you are being constantly supported here, whether or not you post... just being here is good for your quit. And so, the battles are won and it actually becomes easier and the battles occur less often as you finish 30 days or so. Around 60 days, you're starting to have some really good days, with very few craves and some nice insights about yourself... but then again, you still have some bad days. Those bad days can really be depressing... you begin to wonder if you're ever gonna be able to relax. Your junkie is whispering to you, telling you that 'just one' won't hurt. You've conquered your daily triggers, but now you start trippiing over the occasional ones... a death in the family, unexpectedly bad news, money problems, health problems, going on a long car ride, a trip to the bar, or whatever. You have a strong crave and you begin to doubt your ability to keep your quit. In addition, the 3D support that you used to get is pretty much gone... non-smokers figure you should be 'over it' by now, smokers don't like to hang around you much because they feel guilty and addicted (remember that feeling?), and people who have quit may not remember just how much love and support you need well into the first few months. They all think you should be 'over it', you think you should be 'over it'... and the temptation is to have 'just one' to see if you ARE over it. But of course you're not over it, are you? That 'just one' whisper becomes much much louder and becomes 'just one more'... and each time you give in to that whisper, the craves come harder and sooner. The one way to guarantee that your craves will never go away is to light up, to slide that old cigarette needle into your arm and shoot up. Those craves will be back and keep coming back. But if you protect your quit, your craves will eventually weaken and become even fewer and farther between. As you get to around 100 days or so (some will be a bit longer)... you will begin to really get a healthy perspective on your addiction. You will see the huge role that smoking played in your life, you will see clearly what that addiction really cost you. And you will understand that it was a very high price to pay... the loss of your confidence, your emotions, your self-control... your SELF. All enslaved to your addiction. And you will begin to see that you can look forward to a non-smoking future without romanticizing your addiction. You see it clearly for the life-stealing evil it was... and is. You see a much different future for yourself than your past has been. And it no longer scares the crap out of you to think that you are done smoking... in fact, you embrace that thought with joy every day. But you have to get out of No Man's Land first. How can you help yourself? And how can those of us who have been through it help you? First of all, you need to understand that you aren't alone. If you haven't already done so, make a pinky-finger promise with 2 or 3 good quitbuds and exchange phone numbers with them. Promise to call them if you're ever in trouble, and make them promise the same. These are your 'life and death' quitbuddies... you are literally trusting each other with your lives. Then call them... often. Just to see how they are doing, and to tell them you're doing well too. Be totally honest with them, this is life and death. Second, understand that you're going to have some unexpectedly bad days... but they are going to be further apart. Shrug them off, laugh your way through them, call your quitbuddies... whatever it takes to get through them without smoking. Some battles will be easy, some will be hard. Come here and post, send qmail, exercise, learn to cook, take up a new hobby. Whatever it takes, keep going to bed a WINNER each night. Third, ask some of the older qsters to keep an eye on you... to contact you to see how you're doing. I have been asked to do that for several of you recently and I am happy to do that, as I am sure that others are too. We know that you just need to hold on a little bit longer and change your focus just a little to make that breakthrough. And then you will OWN your quit, and it will be a very comfortable thing. Last, take a deep and honest look at your past life... your life as a smoker and compare it to what your life is like now... and what it will be like in the future. You have to develop that vision of your future, of the person that you are going to BECOME now that you have freed yourself. You have to believe in yourself. You have to love yourself enough to deny yourself your addiction. No Man's Land doesn't have to be so lonely and scary and dangerous. You need some company and some courage and some faith in yourself. And when you emerge from it, you will not be the same person that entered it. Never never never question your decision to quit! This is the most loving thing that you will ever do for yourself. A few days of discomfort in exchange for a lifetime of freedom. You will never find another deal like it. Protect your quit. Don't smoke, no matter what. Hal 08-20-2004 A puff is too much, a thousand cartons are not enough. Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/10000-no-mans-land/

About Me This is my third quit site, and I was saddened by the loss of my first two. I was extremely active for about 12 years on the first one, and then it radically changed in ways that made me uncomfortable. So I left. The second one simply disappeared into cyberspace after I was on it for a couple of years. I'm happy to be here, but I'm a bit reluctant to invest as much as I did with those previous sites. Briefly, I've been quit since late 2001, and I was able to quit by pairing smoking cessation with other significant changes in nutrition and exercise. It was not easy at all (an understatement to be sure), but I persisted; interestingly and surprisingly (especially given how miserable I was for so long), I haven't had a single craving or even passing thought of smoking a cigarette since sometime in 2003. Not one. And I've had a fairly eventful couple of decades since then. Regarding some of those "events," seven years after I quit (at age 40 and in excellent physical condition), I suffered a major (so-called "widowmaker") heart attack and cardiac arrest outside of a hospital setting, and it was pretty miraculous that I: a) survived; and b) survived without any cognitive impairments. Indeed, the cardiologist who saved my life characterized my survival and recovery as a "once-in-a-career outcome." I'll note, too, that my 42 year old brother died a terrible death from lung cancer and his wife committed suicide on the very same day that I had my heart attack and cardiac arrest. (They died as I was in a coma in the hospital.) So I guess you could say that was a pretty crappy day for my family. My recovery from the heart attack was challenging and frustrating, but I very explicitly used the lessons of my quit as I tried to take one day at a time in regaining my strength and stamina and maximizing the efficiency of my remaining healthy heart muscle. I now run regularly and even participate in road races. I'm really proud that I've run 5 half-marathons, 2 ten milers, ten 15Ks and dozens of 10Ks and 5Ks since my widowmaker. (And although I'm pretty slow, I've never stopped or walked in any of those races.). *****Unfortunately, in mid-2022 I began to experience significant hip pain; after attempting some non-invasive therapies, in late 2022 I had major hip surgery in an attempt to save my hip. The easier option would have been a total hip replacement (and I still may ultimately need that), but given my age (54) and the fact that a prosethetic hip would dramatically reduce my ability to run, we decided to pursue a more complicated surgery involving bone grafts. It's a long and challenging recovery (about six months), but once again I'm trying to use the lessons of my quit to help me through***** *****That December surgery was not successful. Thus, in June 2023 I had a total hip replacement, which has effectively ended my running career. I'm disappointed, to be sure, and still in the very early stages of recovery and in a lot of pain. But it had to be done. It's been a really challenging year (the hip pain initially developed in October, so I've been in pain and unable to walk for eight months now), but my smoke-free life remains something of which I am enormously proud.****** ******Terrible development....Over the last several months, been having increasing pain in the artificial hip (which was replaced 11 months ago), and the surgeon is concerned that I've developed an infection in the hip, a rare but devastating outcome. Getting some testing done this week and next that should confirm things either way, but if it is, indeed, infected, I'm looking at multiple major surgeries and a 9-12 month recovery. As worrying is the fact that a certain percentage of people in my situation actually never clear the infection, leading to amputation or death. It sucks balls.****** By profession, I'm a college teacher, and I love my work. The training for it was interminably long and extremely stressful (and not at all unrelated to the health catastrophe at age 40), but it's an absolute privilege to work with students as they strengthen academic skills and refine professional goals. While I certainly wish I could grown less painfully, there is no question in my mind that I'm a better, more humane educator as a result of the challenges I experienced with quitting in 2001-2 and with my health crisis in 2008. Interesting fact about me: I've never had a smartphone (and have never sent/received a text), and I expect that I never will. I made the decision to remain phone free after they began to become pretty ubiquitous on the campus at which I work (I dunno...maybe 2008?), and I saw the majority of people--students and faculty alike--hunched over their phones and not experiencing life itself. It just looked so sad to me, and I recognized that I'd probably do the same if I had such a device; thus, I decided to resist and reject them altogether. I do have an old school flip phone in my car for emergencies, but that's it.

Boo Quit Date: March 9, 2016 Posted July 20, 2017 Quitting smoking...it's what every smoker desires. We've already established that the act of quitting is dead simple. You simply refrain from putting cigarettes in your mouth and lighting them on fire. And repeat. The benefits of quitting are many: freedom, improved health, more money in your pocket, etc. The benefits do not end there. In fact, the benefits only begin there. The process, while simple, is a bold action; a step in the right direction. You commit to leave the rut of comfort behind to begin a journey of self improvement. The process can strip you bare emotionally. It sounds harsh, but has a real upside. The process will force you to deal with things that have been swept under the rug. You will have to remove your head from the sand and face the truth. The process will force you to confront the bullstuff that you have tried to pass off as gospel truth. The truth will set you free, but it will make you uncomfortable for a while. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Addiction is a link in a chain, a chain of self-destructive behavior and self-defeating thoughts. You break that link and the chain that holds you back weakens. Hold on, that's when life starts to get interesting. Potential becomes reality. Confidence begets confidence. Strength begets strength. The process, one that begins with a singular purpose and commitment, sets off a series of ripples that will eventually impact every facet of your life. If you sit back and meekly accept that you are a hopeless addict, what else will you simply accept in life? If you decide you deserve better and boldly commit to the process, what other bold actions to improve your lot in life will you take on? Trust the process. Embrace the challenge. Enjoy the ride. Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/8878-the-ripple-effect/

Repost by Craig I get sad whenever I read about someone that relapses after rocking an awesome quit for weeks or months. I quit smoking 290 days ago and I'm extremely confident I'll never smoke again. Things were a little different on day 142 though. That's the day I almost smoked a cigarette..... Quote Day 142. I have been romanticizing the cigarette for about a week now. I've been daydreaming about the simple joy of holding a cigarette between my fingers, the wonderful tobacco smell of a freshly opened pack, and the feeling of euphoria when taking that first drag. Mmmm....just thinking about it makes my pulse quicken in glorious anticipation. W. T. F. This is day 142! I'm "this close" to 5 months. 6 months (HALF A YEAR!) is within spitting distance. How the hell could I let myself get so damn complacent that I'm having thoughts like this? For the most part, my quit has been on auto-pilot for the last couple of months. I stopped actively "quitting" a long time ago. I didn't feel the need, or desire, to spend hours a day reading/posting about nicotine addiction like I did the first several weeks of my quit. I've lost my motivation and I'm tired of fighting. THAT right there scares the crap out of me. I do NOT want to be a smoker again. I will NOT be a smoker again. I REFUSE to be a smoker again. It is time to fix this thing and get my head back in this quit. During the early days of a new quit everything is so exciting. You are doing a Good Thing and it's AWESOME! YOU are AWESOME! Loved ones shower you with praise! Strangers on the internet tell you how wonderful you are! You can suddenly smell and taste All The Things! People at work give you high fives and fist bumps! There are parades in your honor! The mayor gives you the key to the city! TMZ hounds you for an interview! Life is FREAKING AMAZING!!! And then, a few weeks or months later…..things change. Family and friends begin treating you the way they did before you quit. No more high fives. No more fist bumps. No one asks about your quit anymore. Even the paparazzi stop following you around. This “thing” (your quit) isn't fun anymore. Yeah, it’s gotten a lot easier to not smoke but you still sometimes get cravings from hell and you are SO TIRED of fighting. So tired. You feel lonely. You start to hear whispers in your head. It's a voice you thought you silenced a while ago. “Why don’t you just smoke one? It will taste and feel so good. You know you can quit anytime you want.” (My Inner Junkie has a seductive bedroom voice like Barry White and looks like a more sinister version of Wile E. Coyote. Stop judging me!) Relapse was a very real option for me on day 142 (I'm on day 290 now). I am VERY thankful that I turned things around before it was too late. Some folks don’t. They smoke a cigarette and then a beautiful quit is lost…up in smoke. I am only posting this to remind everyone, myself included, that we can never let our guards down. I KNOW why I got close to relapse. The reasons are as plain as day to me now: 1. I stopped educating myself about my addiction. 2. I greatly decreased the time I spent on this site because I didn't think I needed a support group any longer. 3. I let a small seed of negative thought (daydreaming of smoking a cigarette) grow until it became a Really Bad Thing. 4. I fooled myself into thinking I wasn't an addict any more. What did I do to get my quit back on track? 1. I re-read all the newbie info here and at whyquit.com 2. I read Allen Carr’s book. (I read a little bit each day over the course of a couple of months. It was a good daily dose of inspiration.) 3. I recommitted to spending time on this site reading and helping out where I could. 4. I admitted to myself that I was always going to be an addict. I can NEVER become complacent again. 5. I stopped random smoking thoughts IMMEDIATELY whenever I realized what I was thinking about. Have you come close to relapsing? What did you do to avoid it? Have you relapsed after a weeks or months long quit? If so, why did it happen and what are you doing now to make sure it doesn't happen again? Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/11744-dont-ever-let-your-guard-down-repost-by-craig/

Mee Quit Date: 08/01/2018 Posted August 31, 2019 I used to think I did not have the willpower to quit smoking. Every attempt, my thoughts would drift back to needing that cigarette and the excuses of why I could not quit. Last night, as I lay in bed, I could not get this word out of my mind. I realized that, over the past year, this word has really changed meaning for me. I always had the willpower to quit smoking, I just did not know how to do it. Stumbling across this forum was a life changer for me. We all have the power to change our lives for the better, but many times we do not feel we have the strength or "will" to do so. That has a lot to do with our self esteem. How can we not feel lowly about ourselves, when we are addicted to a behavior that is destroying ourselves. Know that you can change your life and , in my case, the meaning of this word. Now that I have quit smoking, I have the willpower to do anything I want. I have the willpower to stay in control of my life. What a wonderful feeling. Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/12930-willpower/

Mee Quit Date: 08/01/2018 Posted August 31, 2019 I used to think I did not have the willpower to quit smoking. Every attempt, my thoughts would drift back to needing that cigarette and the excuses of why I could not quit. Last night, as I lay in bed, I could not get this word out of my mind. I realized that, over the past year, this word has really changed meaning for me. I always had the willpower to quit smoking, I just did not know how to do it. Stumbling across this forum was a life changer for me. We all have the power to change our lives for the better, but many times we do not feel we have the strength or "will" to do so. That has a lot to do with our self esteem. How can we not feel lowly about ourselves, when we are addicted to a behavior that is destroying ourselves. Know that you can change your life and , in my case, the meaning of this word. Now that I have quit smoking, I have the willpower to do anything I want. I have the willpower to stay in control of my life. What a wonderful feeling. Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/12930-willpower/

Sunnyside Quit Date: 02/01/22 Posted December 2, 2016 We all chose to smoke and stick to it. When you first started it never became easy to you. You had to work to make it feel natural. You had to work to become a full time smoker. All the discomfort of coughing, head spinning, feeling sick didn't stop you from carrying on. Going around and around with the constant cravings never stop you. Now years of conditioning later you have now decided the you want to quit. Now it's about pay the price for the choices that you made because you smoked or pay an even bigger price later on for not going through this now. It sounds harsh and brutal but this is completely true! Which price do you want to pay? You had to retrained your brain and body to smoke. Now put that same effort into retraining yourself to stop. You can do it. Just put the same effort in. Just as it got easier in time to smoke and it became natural,a part of you and you could never see the end. IF you stop you will get to the point that you will look at smokers and it won't look natural or right to you. Further along it does get easier. Life becomes normal again. Remember it's your choice. It always has been. Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/7786-the-choices-we-make/

notsmokinjo Quit Date: 28/11/2017 Posted October 9, 2018 Are you afraid to QUIT? ... I was. Are you scared that you will fail or fail again? ... Yep, me too. Is your fear that it will be too hard? .... kinda Is your fear you just can't do it? ... that too Is your fear quitting will make you sick? ... yep Is your fear quitting will hasten you death? ... Absolutely petrified this would be the case and as irrational as it was it was the biggest fear I faced. You know what I learnt when I quit? ..... I learnt fear is just a tool nicotine used to control me... it was irrational and built out of proportion. I have been quit for over 10 months now and if anything I am angry with myself that I wasted so many years smoking because I was scarred for all the reasons above. Have I failed?.... not yet, and I wont, I have no intentions of failing, I feel comfortable saying this feels different than any previous quit. I'm an addict, I'll always be an addict, I'll always be one puff away from a pack a day... but I know that, I embrace that and I really don't want that one puff ever. Was it too hard??? .... Hell no, it was actually easier than I thought it would be... not saying it wasn't hard my lovelies because it was... but it was nowhere near as hard as I had let fear build it up to in my mind. I've certainly done much harder things in my life but then again I've done much easier things too... facing my fears head on and not using them as an excuse to not try has made it easier than I thought it could ever be. Could I do it??? ...... YES... I could and you can too... its simple, don't put anything in your mouth and set it on fire... after that first 24 hours, I know I could do a day without smoking, I'd done it... so I only have to last 24 hours... then when that's up I only have to last another one.... 10 months later people and here I am doing this every day... same way I'm going to be doing it for the rest of my days. So did quitting make me sick???..... NOPE.... not one bit, didn't even get bronchitis this winter and its been a long time since that was the case. So if you have been lurking you might know I have some health issues that came to light after I quit but had I not quit it would have been too late to do anything to make me better... so no, quitting did not make me sick, it is helping to cure me. Am I dead??? ......NOPE... obviously... and some of you may be scratching your heads at this one.... but for nearly a decade I was terrified to quit, I had worked the fear almost to the point of phobia, occasionally I still have nightmares that because I am not smoking I will die... Is this chick frickin' crazy? I hear you ask yourselves.... well yes, we all know that I am, but my brain and the hold I let nicotine have over it turned a failed quit attempt (that saw me end up in hospital in a coma post a PE from a DVT) into nearly a decade of 'certainty' that if I tried to quit again I would die. I mean break out in a sweat at the thought of it fear. Long story short, I used a quit method and had a bad reaction to it that caused a DVT that turned into a Pulmonary Embolism ... so 3 days in a coma, nearly 2 weeks in hospital and what was the first thing I did when I walked out the door... I lit up.... and then I convinced myself, or let my addiction convince me, that I should never try to quit again because next time I wouldn't be leaving the hospital.... BUT am I dead???? NOPE.... Will I die??... well of course I will, we all will, but what I can guarantee you 100% is that quitting will not be why I died. So what did I have to Fear???.... NOTHING, my fears were all like wisps of smoke... I blew against them and they dispersed into the ether leaving me smoke free, nicotine free.... leaving me free. And guess what, you too can face your fear. Don't let a fear that has festered and grown because of an addiction's want of control over you be the thing that stops you from quitting. Use today, International Face Your Fears Day... to do just that, face your fear and take back your life. Just over 10 months ago I did and it was the best gift I have ever given myself. Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/11208-scared-to-quit-face-your-fears-i-did-and-lived-to-tell/

Soberjulie Posted April 16, 2014 In other words, begin where you are. But begin. Please stop waiting. Sometimes delay can have very serious consequences. As an addict I wanted the parade, the grand announcement, the regal launch, the ceremonial countdown, the press conference, the complete preparation with the guarantee of success before I thought I could start......before I could visualize what starting even looked like. Working through these things, waiting to make them happen, burns through precious time. And it is a trick.....a trick that addiction plays to keep us enslaved. Begin where you are, but begin. If all you can do is crawl, start crawling. One moment at a time, if you don't pick up that cigarette you'll be up and dancing eventually. (Though at first, most of us tend to complain about the music a bit till we find our own rhythm, but that's okay too. It's just a mask for our fear of being judged for how we dance. Stay on the dance floor and that will fall away.) Link to original post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/698-are-you-thinking-of-quitting/