PorkandPancakes

I'm glad you checked in Joe. You've been sweet to me and I was worried about ya.

Karen. I don't often mention this because I don't want to 'push' a product but you appear desperate and are stood on the precipice. You can drag this back but I feel you need a push to do so. I quit using an app called 'Jason Vale, quit smoking in 2 hours'. It sounds cheesy but it is free and based on Allan CARR methods though I found it punchier and more succinct. You need 2 hours and it just resets your junkie thinking. It is the only reason I quit smoking. Yes, I've worked to keep my quit but I never would have taken the step without it. Please download the app. Try it. or any other method that has helped you. Don't go back, I urge you to stop being a slave to the nicotine. Shut down that junkie brain. I promise it gets easier when you do.

Boo - your post. It's exactly how my quit has been. I fought with myself every day for 20 years telling myself I couldn't quit. I would scream in my head that I couldn't quit. I didn't even try very hard because even the thought of quitting terrified me. The few feeble attempts I made ended very quickly. I bought patches that stayed in the cupboard, vapers that sat at the bottom of my bag, hypnosis DVDs the works. When I did quit, it was an app that did it for me but the basis of it was Allan CARR's method of retraining the brain to see smoking for what it is. It was like a light bulb. I stopped fighting. An the voice quiet end down as soon as you do that. It's still there but there's no internal screaming anymore. I wish that I had your skill with words - you express what I felt so well. 5 1/2 months quit here. It just gets better.

That's exactly what I was like. Ignoring the adverts, closing my ears but secretly hating myself every time I put a cigarette in mouth. I just spent a week away with the family and it was wonderful not feeling like I needed to go outside all the time for a cig. Not spending my evening outside of the fun or in the outskirts because I couldn't stray far from the door. Lovely. Now if I could just shift the extra lbs..... (And the extra extra ones I had before I quit!)

Bakon - the lady is pork. Are you disappointed?

Yep, today marks 5 months since last I smoked. I'm moving up that rope and loving it!! Happy Saturday everyone. X

http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/ten-myths-about-smoking-will-not-die (Hoping the link works)

Oh Kendra. That's Sad. You were one of the long termers to me when I jumped on the QT last October. please put out the cigarettes and get back on. It's not the tobacco you want. Do you feel better now you're smoking? Are you happier? Has the sadness gone? Has the guilt come back? Are you nervous when you feel a pain somewhere? Smoking isn't your friend. Come back and climb on. You will be missed.

Nope..

Hey Glenn and welcome aboard. Prepare for a great ride. Sit back, enjoy the quit. Embrace the quit. You don't smoke! That's so cool! Lots of advice readily offered here. Read it and pick the boys you like. Something is here for everyone. Good luck

Hi Boo. Welcome to the QT. Loads of excellent advice here. I hope you have a wonderful quit, it certainly sounds like you've got the right mindset. I'm nearing 5 months quit and I never thought it could happen. Everyone has a different tale to tell but in the end, we all hope to reach the same goal. To live our lives without smoking. Without thinking of smoking. Without wanting to smoke. To be free. And stick at it and that's exactly where you will be. Some swear by Allan CARR, some vape, some use patches or gum, some hypnosis, some cold turkey. I personally used an App by Jason Vale (AKA the juice master) which is based on the Allen Carr method. My best advice is embrace the quit. It doesn't hurt. You hate smoking. Hold onto that. Remember that. Shut down any 'romancing the cig' thoughts. And don't be too hard on yourself. I was so excited that I quit but I still found myself super emotional on day two with tears in my eyes on the middle of the night. I couldn't sleep and felt so emotional. Just like having a young child, remember the mantra 'this too shall pass' Good luck Boo!

Throwing in a late NOPE

Nope

I don't normally but thought I'd throw in a NOPE today.

19th October 2015 was mine

Hi Kathy. Welcome to the QT. How's your quit going so far? Are you feeling good? Plenty of advice available. Stick close to the board and you will have stacks of support.

Hi Morgan. Congrats on your quit and welcome to the train. I haven't read Allen Carr but I used an app that works in a similar way, breaking down the myths of smoking and making it easier to quit. Like the others have all said, read, read, read and educate yourself. I found a few things on here that really strengthened my quit. One of them was HALT. Hungry, Angry, Lonely (bored), Tired. I read somewhere that they are the four main causes of a perceived 'crave'. So, feeling hungry? In the old days, I'd smoke instead. Now, I satisfy the hunger. Feeling angry? I used to smoke, now I do something else instead. I just found it really fascinating to realise I wasn't 'craving' nicotine, I was making associations I didn't need. Anyway, I didn't mean to waffle, I was only welcoming you to the train. Got carried away! <grin>

Well it's officially 4 months today! When I think back to my first weeks here I was so envious of those with 'months' behind them. The lido deck seemed unreachable! Now I can see a speck of it in the far far distance. Just keep swimming.... Thanks QT for you advice and support on those first weeks. You were there to help me through crazy dreams and roller coaster emotions!

I never knew you Beth but I saw your posts and you were obviously loved around the QT. I have no idea what happened but it seemed sudden. I hope you're with your sister in peace. Xx 2388

I'm here for a bit. Watching the board. X

Hey all Just dropping in to say 'hi'. I'm still happily quit, 4 months on 19th Feb. When I read through the 'intro' posts and see so much anxiety and stress and angst and remember my first few days, I shake my head in despair. I'm happy to report my quit remains steady. My attitude hasn't changed too much. I still refuse to allow the thoughts of 'I loved smoking' to linger. I can't deny they jump through the mind but it's what you do with it once it comes. I just shut it out. I didn't enjoy smoking. I hated it. It made me hate myself. I was sad. And I now find I have a new tool in my belt which was quite unexpected. I find myself fascinated that this is my first 'real' attempt to quit (ie. I lasted more than a few hours) and I relish the thought that I quit 'first time'. I now have this competition going on in my mind to be one of the few that 'just quit' and never smoked again. Now you will all know the actual reality of that is that I struggled and suffered in my own way but who lets the boring truth get in the way of a great story ;-)? No seriously though, I will gladly be honest with people looking to quit and tell them the tough bits too and I promise not to bleat about it being easy. I believe we make it easy or hard for ourselves though. Anyway, it's so lovely to see so many of the old faces and great to see some new ones too. Thank QT guys, you definitely helped me quit and add time to my lifeline. Xx

Aw, hey Bumble, you didn't lose me....at least I'm not lost to smoking. I'm now heading for 4 months quit. It's been fantastic. Nice to see you're all still here supporting those lost screaming souls that rock up looking for help.

Doreen and Namcy. Such a hard hitting post. Dorren, the sheer and utter madness of it is that even though he refused to quit smoking, eventually he couldn't physically smoke and he quit anyway! After all the pain and the hardship and suffering. Denial and refusal. The excuses and all that we all have done. He quit anyway. I wonder does he miss smoking or wish he quit earlier? Does he feel the same way you do now? I'm so very very sorry for your situation. For both of you. But for a strange day in October 2015, I could be Tony 30 years down the line. Any one of us could. I think I thought I might be. When I allow myself to dwell on the insanity of smoking, the industry, the lies, the excuses we allow purses to make....... It's so..........pointless. My heart goes out to you. I'm glad you quit and have got healthier. Nancy, I'm glad you were able to quit and join your husband in a shared future. Thank you both for sharing your stories. X

Happy birthday Doreen.

Thought it may be worth celebrating. 2 months today, there have been a couple of very close calls but I remain on the quit train and proud to be so. Merry Christmas peeps. X