Sazerac

You are prolonging withdrawal by reducing your smoking instead of biting the bullet and making a clean quit. Here is a vid by our friend, Joel Spitzer, addressing Quitting By Gradual Withdrawal. That method is something you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy. You should treat yourself better. It takes only three days for nicotine to leave your body and start you on your journey to freedom. Your resolve, 'My mind is made up, just have to get to the other side! will provide strength that you never knew you had. You can quit. We quit and we can help. Commit to NOPE (not one puff ever), educate yourself about your addiction, and don't forget to have a good time. Quitting won't kill you but, smoking will. S

Congratulations on your first decade of nicotine freedom , Markus, Through the years, your insightful posts have been incredibly useful to me and I am eternally grateful for the time you took blazing a trail. Thank you, S

This is an old post of mine that still resonates with me and I thought to stash in in my blog so it is easy for me to locate. Nicotine stimulates the reward path in our brain and by replenishing ourselves with nicotine, we were rewarded with Dopamine. Many times a day we went from the panic of, 'I've gotta have a smoke' to 'Ahhh', the brief relief of satisfying addiction. We were jerking our own chain every twenty minutes or so....for years. When quitting nicotine, that dance of our reward system shuts down. It's a shock and we miss the consistent rewarding rush of dopamine. Our brain doesn't understand where all the feel good stuff went so, it is essential to amplify rewards, to jump start our natural pathways for the release of Dopamine. The physical act of rewarding ourselves is crucial for the brain to access Dopamine. It took me a moment to wrap my head around this, The Physical Act of Rewarding Ourselves, Is Crucial For The Brain To Access Dopamine. Our friend, bakon, is a big advocate of rewards, quite rightly, too. Celebrate your first moments, days...your first weeks and months. The first year, the next... This can take the form of exotic holidays, paid with the ducats you were giving to Big Tobacco, to simple gifts to yourself, a new book, a magazine, a film... ooh ! plenty of excellent chocolate passed these lips (dark chocolate, apple, almond, banana, strawberry, salmon, beet, watermelon and pumpkin seeds also stimulate Dopamine). Choose activities that make you feel pampered like the perfect bath, an afternoon nap in freshly laundered sheets, a candle lit dinner. Getting through difficulties and experiencing your triumphs are all opportunities to reward yourself. Keep in mind, you are not spoiling yourself, you are re-training your brain to deliver dopamine as an honest reward. Like quenching your thirst with a long tall cool glass of water. Celebrate as the hours go by, while the body adjusts to the new normal. A normal of being rewarded with dopamine but, naturally, of course, the way it was before we allowed nicotine to control our reward system. I remember the first day that I forgot to think about smoking or not smoking, wow ! this is what being nicotine free feels like ! I was so happy and celebrated by purchasing a small tree, a Sweet Viburnum full of blossoms, a living reminder of my freedom. My continuing reward is the luscious freedom I appreciate every single day. I am in better health and free-er in spirit... Tell me what your rewards have been, my nicotine free friends, what are your rewards now ? S p.s. Along with Dopamine, we can hack into our other happy chemicals to improve the quality of our lives. All are accessible through Meditation; taking time for slow, measured breathing. letting thoughts slip away. Exercise and laughter induce the release of Endorphins, Oxytocin flows with orgasm, giving/receiving gifts. Serotonin gets you high when sitting in the sun, hanging with friends and by reflecting on your accomplishments.

Dear QTrain-ers, I was thinking today about my motivations to quit smoking and to stay quit and thought I would share them, hoping y'all share your motivations in response. I consider my resolution to quit was a primary factor but, wealth and health came into play as well. I quit on a whim, a dare to myself. Unexpectedly, my immediate motivation was an inner strength I found in absolutely committing to the journey. This really helped me through the bumps, knowing I was clear in my resolve. In a more mercenary vein, wealth motivated me and if I am honest, it was very important. Each day, I ceremonially placed a ten dollar bill between the pages of a NOPE book which filled up quickly and was moved to a mason jar. Better to see my progress. In ten days, I had a hundred bucks. In ten months, I had Three Thousand ! I felt like Midas with all that dosh. As far as health, I was in ignorant denial and never paid much mind to health risks. Sure, a minor cold inevitably morphed into bronchitis and I certainly coughed a helluva lot but, for forty something years, I idiotically accepted that was just the way things were. I was weeks into my quit before I faced the truth and began to understand the ramifications of smoking and my nicotine addiction. Facing the damage done, I am tentatively grateful that maybe I quit in time. I feel great. Breathing is rapturous, innit ! Now, health is a motivator keeping me nicotine free and I haven't been knocked down with bronchitis in four friggin' years. Amazing. The personal empowerment by keeping this commitment to myself has influenced all parts of my life. I am stronger, braver, more truthful and hopefully have a sincere compassion for others fighting addiction, living with addiction. All you smoke free creatures here are great inspirations and kick a s s motivators, keeping me on the Good Foot. Tell us, if you will, about your Motivations. Love, S

Hello darling smoke free creatures, You know, even after over 4 years quit, I can still catch myself thinking...' oh, time for a smoke'. It doesn't trouble me anymore because now I am able to identify what I really need. It is not, never was and never will be 'a smoke'. It is most often a glass of water, a break, a deep clean breath. The concept of H.A.L.T. (Hungry, Angry, Lonesome, Tired) is still tremendously helpful and keeps me current and present with myself. I hope it may be helpful to you, too. S

N O P E forever never ever

N O P E

Wishing Everyone Fabulous Freedom. It is so Free also , Fun, Fascinating, Felicitous and For Real. NOPE-ly yours, S p.s. I am delighted you are here,RvQ

Bump for our fabulous Newbies, I am so happy y'all quit smoking. Stay strong and breathe deep glorious breaths of Freedom and Reward yourselves ! S

quitting smoking is a Journey and another short about addiction Here called, Nuggets.

bump

Congratulations on three months of Freedom. You are no longer 'pushing a new broom'' and may get blindsided by the reality of Addiction. No worries, NOPE and all will be well. You may find solace in this thread about ' I bumped it in 'discussions' also. Power to You, S

Joel, I am delighted to see you have joined QTrain. You were instrumental in helping me quit smoking and deal honestly with my nicotine addiction. For this, I cannot thank you enough, Joel. Along with you, the truth, affection and camaraderie I found on QTrain has been essential in protecting my quit these last four years of freedom. Thank you, S

I thought I would pop in on my Fourth year celebration and what a grand surprise ! Thank you so much, Paul, for thinking of me and hello to all you wonderful smoke free creatures. I could/would not have quit had it not been for all your care and it is inspiring to see your care carrying on here. Quitting smoking was a great decision and one I will never regret. If you are thinking of quitting, please give it an honest try. The benefits unfold forever, providing you strength and courage in all you do. I think of y'all often and send you all my best. Love, Sazarac Feels Like Rain written by John Hiatt and performed here by Aaron Neville https://youtu.be/7PqYrHSTgE4

Congratulations my four year buddy !

Yes yes yes. Love s

hey now, I just popped in to see YOU. Please, learn all you can about your (and our) addiction. Addiction has no mercy. It Just IS. I am SO happy to have laid it aside. It was a serious decision to say, NO. YOU can say NO. It can be done. Love to you and to everyone here. Life is fabulous w/out addiction. Freedom Freedom Freedom. Love, S

Congratulations Tracey ! Three Years of Freedom

Congratulations Joe ! Three Years of Freedom

congratulations, Doreen ! our will 'o' the wisp woman !

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The first time I ever heard, 'smoking is not an option' came from this woman, Doreen. A woman who continues to be a live and valuable contributor to this community, Every Day. Here she is lately, "Never doubt.. If your here..its because you deep down want to quit... My story.. My hubs and I smoked our way through 52 years together..but it came with a big price... End stage emphysema.. It's took hubs roughly 15 years to reachy this..he now spends 16 hrs of every day on a oxygen machine..with full time care... You would think ,I would have quit then..no...I didn't quit till 3 years ago... My junkie brain was telling me..I'm OK..nothing wrong with my lungs.. This was true...but something else was happening to me very slowly..I was clotting the blood flow to my feet...my ankles were had black bruises appearing... I spent the last week smoking with tears running ..I knew my time had run out... After a trip to the docs..with a warning...if you quit NOW...you might be lucky.. And not have your feet amputated..I need help... I found this family of quitters..they helped me every step of the way..they willed me on to succeed..which I did..and saved the feet too... It's never too late..if you want to quit..we can get you there..you and us...a team... Don't risk leaving it too late..the train is at your station ..right now...so you have been aboard once and jumped off...just get back on... Do the best thing ,you can ever do for yourself....quit..the poison sticks...x"

my guess is you didn't tough it out past three days. but, you can. learn about your addiction, like we have and beat it. make no mistake, this is a serious addiction...but, not one that YOU cannot conquer. all you have to do is make a commitment to Not One Puff Ever. Easy Peasy. as they say. please let us know how we can help.

N O P E :D