Sazerac

This makes me really happy Iml. Your quit is really tight, focused and tight. Stay there, it will only get better and better, you'll see.

Thanks, Iml, The 'search' isn't what it should be imo, if we used more specific tags we would probably help the process. I'm bad about tags. I have more success finding a member that resonated with me and looking up all their topics but, I know I have the advantage of my lurking and active years to sample. I'll also turn back the pages in 'discussions' and pull up nuggets that way. As far as helpful goes, Iml, your blog is extremely helpful, I can't stress this enough. Your personal experience and honesty will resonate with many nicotine addicts for years to come. We follow the same path, all of us, decide to quit, educate yourself, power through the withdrawal, celebrate your success, tell your story, support others when you can and have some fun.

Congratulations on your Nine Months of Freedom, Grund. How marvelous !

I am posting this because she has really been on my mind, she is a smart and vital woman, our Tiffany, and I really like her. I am hoping she will see this and come out to tell us of her free life. I could have easily missed a solid success when I went on hiatus and remain hopeful. The last post on this thread is optimistic. The other reason I bump this is because maybe someone out there will listen to this story, hear the advice and concern, and use it to craft their own successful quit. I know we all have dealt with copping to the addiction in various degrees but, Tiff had a really tough time admitting she was a Nicotine Addict. These pages intimate a glimpse into the routes our denial will take to maintain the addiction and you will see how we all came out to cheer a quitter on with fuzzy, tough and all love between. It is a long thread (11 pages) and contains a treasure trove of truth telling, as always take what you need and leave the rest. Tiffany's Quit

I'm in the Tardis in case it is needed, Peace Train and your new free spirit animal joined me.

Freedom from addiction is far reaching and incredibly delicious. You are a hero, Iml, with superpowers and will have a blast re-discovering them all.

Thanks for not mentioning any names Iml, lol. I wasn't telling you anything you weren't telling yourself, it was just that the voice of the addict was using its outdoor voice, lying in your ear. We all heard that voice in our quits, a loud, ugly, lying voice trying to maintain the addiction. I am so glad you started listening to your own voice, your own strong and purposeful voice.

Congratulations Kermit on your first Four Months of Freedom. This is excellent, your work is appreciated. Thank you for quitting smoking.

Congratulations, Peace Train. This is a great day for you, for all of us. You have a great quit ! and give such great help. Thank you for quitting smoking. s

bumpity

I think addressing one's addiction is the essential key to a successful quit. Denial is no longer useful and knowledge becomes your ally. I had to embrace the truth that I was an nicotine addict and once I did, the house of cards came tumbling down, just like you, Iml.

Of course, you are looking forward to it ! Quitting an addiction gives the power back to you where it belongs ! It is going to be a stone gas watching your journey, Iml, it'll be a joyful one, your head is in exactly the right place.

Lust, This is a great post. I feel/felt exactly as you. Not smoking should become a 100% non-issue. I'm not sure but, by acquiring our nicotine addiction, I feel we may have crossed the rubicon on that one. In fact, this is the truth. Sure, craves fade into oblivion and temptations are empty and hollow, smoking does become a non-issue but, can we or should we ever be 100% clear ? Lately, approaching 6 years, I had my very tiny memory lapse, I forgot that I smoked. I had a nano second when smoking left my brain completely. I was euphoric. It also scared me a little because I need to remember I am an addict, this is essential to my survival as a free person. Even though I harbor a bit of resentment towards my addict self and the small variable percentage of addict consciousness I can appreciate that this is now in position to assure I never smoke again. I use the signposts. Thank you for writing this L. It is full of truth and conviction. Nice quit, by the way. s

early yesterday, a closer glimpse of freedom, did I used to smoke ?

Hello darling smoke free creatures, Let me share some good news. While I've been busy around here, reading deep down in the archives, writing some and trying to stay current with you bevy of beauties, smoking- nicotine-addiction and other keywords are not far from my fingertips and float about in my head, what can I do, where might I be helpful etc. but, hey y'all ! Yesterday I had a profound moment, I didn't remember. For a nano second, I lost the memory that I ever smoked. This was highly significant. I had to shake my head and remind myself, 'yes you friggin' knucklehead, you used to smoke'. I never thought that this would leave my consciousness. Older quits have mentioned this, but I didn't believe them. Now I know. Mind you, it was only a momentary memory lapse but, it was my first and v. cool. In light of this glimpse to even greater freedom, I wanted to share this with y'all and throw some hope around. Living without nicotine makes life better in many unexpected ways. I know that my quit of 5+ years seems like an unfathomable amount of time to younger quitters but, don't lose sight of the prize, the years fly by, and you reap endless rewards. Protect your quits, be kind to yourselves, S Sally Mae Art Writings

Congratulations to our hot, hot capsicum, Ren. Happy two months of Freedom, sweetie. All of us are so proud of you.

Ego; I will not let myself down. This is completely out of the question. Education; I know too much and still learning about the perils nicotine addiction. Memory; I refuse to go through detox again.

from way back in the stacks

bump, you may want to read through the three pages of this post, it is really helpful

The addiction sometimes clobbers you with it's last heavy hitting barrage when you are feeling more established in your quit. This isn't unusual. Think of it as one of it's last dying clutches, the last of nicotine's hold on you. They come completely out of the blue and are without mercy. It is damn discouraging after all your hard work and after things have settled down a bit, when each day brings new confidence in your quit. I promise you, this is not indicative of how it's going to be for the rest of your life. These events do dissipate and fall out of your consciousness and they do in shot order. In reality, you can see what a futile attempt that was to woo you back to addiction. You are re-claiming all your receptors, one by one. One crave at a time. Some are bigger than others but, once they are under your control, they stay that way. Soon, you will be laughing their weaker and weaker approach, 'pffttt, get a grip, you batsard, you are an idiot, I don't smoke' Congratulations on your survival, Sslip. I love your quit.

The stark reality of the effects of cigarette smoking. This is no joke.

I know we cannot make the decision for you, we can only encourage you to stop lying to yourself, stop listening to the lies of addiction. Quitting Smoking is the only choice and you can do it. Look at all of us. We quit, we survived, we are thriving. Think about doing this great kindness for yourself.

Thank you for sharing your story, Miss Dixie. I think the strength of this site, along with all the pertinent information about addiction, is our collected anecdotal evidence. To read a story about a successful quit is really cheering and learning about how your quit was accomplished is enlightening and really helpful. People quit everyday and live to tell the story, it isn't that hard in the scheme of things. I don't want to make light of any of the struggles we may experience but, the rewards far outweigh any fracas. Congratulations again, Miss Dixie on your great accomplishment, One Year is awesome.

This is really good, Iml. Admitting that we are nicotine addicts is the crucial step and you are so right, everything makes sense when you realize how addiction works. Sometimes smoking hides other issues that we can deal with quite easily when the addiction is put to rest, often, issues are intricately connected to the addiction and untangle themselves as our quits progress. The whole process of quitting smoking, I and many here, have found quite enlightening. It has been interesting adventuring inside my head with a new, more truthful paradigm. Once I admitted to being an addict, I could no longer fool myself about other things. Addiction robs us of self esteem, self respect and destroys our trust in ourselves, all of which are quickly restored by living smoke free. This is a kind miracle, we were such wretches. "I need to remember this may be a lifetime battle for me.", Iml. It is a lifetime commitment to never take another puff but, it will not be a lifetime battle. Things get easier, it won't be on your mind all the time like it may be now. Your patterns will change, the seasons will come and go. You will remain vigilant, of course, and protective but, this won't be requiring the same level of ferocity. Smokey thoughts turn from full on aggressive horrors to aggravating gnats and then transform into vague fragments of dust you hardly ever see. Stay your course, You have already won the war, you quit smoking these minor skirmishes will soon fade into oblivion forever.