Jump to content

JimHannoonen

Members
  • Posts

    172
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by JimHannoonen

  1. I don't even know what to say that hasn't already been said (a few times already). I'm genuinely sorry to read this. I hope you can get this sorted out.
  2. Of course you want to go buy cigarettes. You're an addict. But if you're committed to being a non-smoker, you won't buy cigarettes. It really is as easy as that. I want to eat bacon cheeseburgers and banana splits for every meal for the rest of my life, but I won't because it's not good for me. At the end of the day, it's your choice. You can choose to smoke or you can choose not to smoke. Make the right choice. It's not like this is a light decision that can just ding your credit score or kill your lawn. This is your LIFE we're talking about there. You only get one. Make the right choice.
  3. Man, I'm so bummed to read this. You really seemed to have it together. I hope you can get it back in gear and make it stick this time. Remember as the great Yoda once said "Do or do not. There is no try.” Either you smoke or you don't smoke. Don't try to quit. Just quit. Sounds easy enough because it is. If you 100% commit to never smoke again, you won't ever smoke again. Smoking is not an option, so.... I'd wish you luck, but luck has nothing to do with it. You can do this!
  4. I hope I'm not jinxing myself, but since I quit 3.5 years ago, I haven't been sick once. Not even a light cold. Nothing. I used to get sick at least twice a year and usually the cough would linger for months after I got better (because of course, I smoked while I was sick). Additionally, my allergies are all but non-existent anymore. I used to have to take Claratin D daily and use nose spray. I haven't used either in years. Given how things are with COVID nowadays, this couldn't make me happier. Do you still get sick? If so, do you get as sick as you used to when you smoked?
  5. Well, if you don't know how you're going to get through it, chanced are, you won't. You wouldn't go on a road trip to a far away destination without a map would you? If you did, you'de never get there. Same rule applies with quitting smoking. You need a plan. You can't just wing it or you'll be setting yourself up for failure. Live and breathe on this board. Read, read and then read some more. Post a LOT. Post every day. Post 20 times a day. Whatever you have to do to learn how to quit successfully. You can do this. Believe me, if I can quit, you can too!
  6. It's hard to say what "normal" is, since I started smoking when I was 15 and quit when I was 47. Last time I was nicotine free, I was a teenager, so I don't really know what normal is as an adult. That said, after being quit for almost 3.5 years, I think I feel pretty normal. lol
  7. Glad to see you made it through. A true testament to how important it is to quit NOW! Thanks for posting
  8. Are you kidding me with this? Toss them. To keep them around is basically admitting you can't quit. Come on, now!
  9. Glad to read this! This makes me think of this song. One day I'll wake up new and knowing The sun will shine And the day will be mine You'll look at me and how I'm glowing You'll see my light And you'll know I'm all right Just some time Is all I need to turn it around A link to the song if you're interested.
  10. The best method for quitting is to commit to yourself to not put something in your mouth and light it on fire. Ever again. Then repeat that every day. Every day, don't put something in your mouth and light it on fine. Sounds stupud, but it really is that simple. Once you commit to that -and I mean REALLY commit- everything else is just fluff. The cravings and withdraws don't matter, because you're committed to never smoking again. Yes, it'll suck for a while, but you can't poison your body for 15+ years and expect to just be fine overnight.
  11. Three years yesterday. Crazy how quickly the time flies.
  12. And by "celebrated" I mean I basically said "Huh, it's been three years since I quit smoking. Weird. Doesn't seem like it" and then continued to go about my day. It really does feel like I never smoked at all. It's such a distant memory anymore. Of course, I'm well aware that just one would send me back to smoking a pack a day within a week, but I'm not concerned about that. I don't crave them. Ever. For those of you struggling with a new (or old) quit, stick with it. If I can quit after 30 years, anyone can. I promise it'll be worth it! NOPE!
  13. When I was a smoker, I would get sick a couple times a year, so sick that anything more than just a shallow breath would cause a coughing fit that was honestly terrifying. The kind of sick that would have a lingering cough that would last for months. Saddest thing is that no matter how sick I was, I would still smoke a pack a day. In the (almost) three years I've been quit, I've been sick exactly ZERO times. Additionally, my allergies are all but gone.
  14. Those "amazing" cigarettes were the ones that got you addicted. That's how it works. You shouldn't romanticize them. You need to recognize them for what they were. This post reminds me of an abused spouse reminiscing over how their lover was so amazing when they first met them. There is NOTHING good about smoking. Nothing fond to remember. Just stink, filth and wasted time and money. Now cut it out and go be a non smoker!
  15. @HeatherDianne, firstly, good job not caving to the craves. That's a HUGE step. Secondly, sure, everything is all sunshine and rainbows for me now, but 2 months in -where you are now- I was a disaster. Most everything you were/are feeling I (and most everyone else here) felt. You're not alone and you know that. The important thing is that you didn't smoke when the pressure was on. YOU KNOW where you are and you also know where you want to be. Don't lose that vision of being a happy quitter. Stick with it and you'll be there before you know it. I promise you this.
  16. I remember how on Christmas I would have to sneak out periodically throughout the day/evening to have a quick smoke. I was the only smoker in the family, so I would walk a few houses down so nobody would see me. Even though they all knew I smoked, I was still ashamed. When I was done, I would walk in the front door, hope that no one would see me and then quickly scurry upstairs so I could wash up and use mouthwash. Of course, now that I'm a non-smoker, I know that the hand washing and mouthwash/gum/whatever never got rid of the stink that came along with smoking and when I eventually rejoined the family, I'm sure they could all smell it. I can't tell you how happy I am that that is no longer a part of my holiday ritual. If you're stressing out about dealing with your quit over the holidays, don't! Relish in the fact that you don't have to go through all your old rituals. Appreciate that you are NO LONGER A SLAVE. Enjoy your time with your family and friends and know that you'll soon be starting a new year smoke free. Quitting is the best present you can give yourself and everyone around you. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, everyone!
  17. During a normal work-day, probably 45 minutes to an hour. Sometimes less, depending on the situation.
  18. Tell you what, I was a disaster up until about 9 months. I was angry, edgy, moody and a general pain in the arse. I NEVER thought I was going to feel "right" again, but here I am, almost three years quit and all that is now just a very distant memory. I'm totally normal now (relatively speaking, of course). Sure, there are some people that are fine after a few months, but they're the exception to the rule. You need to believe it will get better, because it will. I promise! And congratulations on 9 months. That really is the hardest part.
  19. No. Either you smoke or you don't smoke. There is no in-between. It's that simple. You're an addict and are making excuses to keep your habit. Replace nicotine with "heroin" and it sounds pretty ridiculous, no?
  20. Sorry to hear you relapsed, but happy to hear you're not going to keep smoking and set a quit date for a week or so. You messed up. We all have, it's not the end of the world. Do it again and we're going to have to have a serious talk though.
  21. If you're "attempting" something, that means there is a chance of failure. You need to change your mindset. Either you smoke or you don't smoke. If you quit, you've made a decision to not smoke anymore. If you were getting married, you wouldn't say "I'll attempt to stay faithful" to your wife, would you? I would hope not. If you're committed to never smoke again, you won't smoke again. It really is that simple.
  22. I'm no mathematician, but roughly 18,000 give or take
  23. Pineapple has no place on a pizza. Nor do chicken and/or bbq sauce. Blasphemer!
  24. The girlfriend and I have switched to a vegan diet and -while it takes a lot of planning to eat properly- we're creating dishes and experiencing things we wouldn't otherwise. I've always had a super sniffer/taster anyway (even when I smoked) and it's even better now, so we're really enjoying our meals, rather than just eating the same old crap (literally). Our change to vegan is mainly for health reason. I'm no meat nazi by any means. It's just what works for us. I feel better now than I have in years!

About us

QuitTrain®, a quit smoking support community, was created by former smokers who have a deep desire to help people quit smoking and to help keep those quits intact.  This place should be a safe haven to escape the daily grind and focus on protecting our quits.  We don't believe that there is a "one size fits all" approach when it comes to quitting smoking.  Each of us has our own unique set of circumstances which contributes to how we go about quitting and more importantly, how we keep our quits.

 

Our Message Board Guidelines

Get in touch

Follow us

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Guidelines

Please Sign In or Sign Up