Joel Spitzer

The problem has been fixed. WhyQuit is back online. Sorry for any inconvenience or confusion that this may have caused anyone.

Yes, the YouTube channel is fine. The problem seems to be on the hosting service for WhyQuit. It can be hard to find specific videos on the YouTube channel if you don't know the video's title. That is why I created the video index at WhyQuit. Actually, MarylandQuitter keeps a version of the index here at Quittrain here: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/9820-video-index/ Unfortunately, the links on that page all go to the WhyQuit site that is down. That is why I wanted to get an alternate source up and announced here for anyone who wants access to the materials. Again, I hope this resolve soon but with these kind of problems it sometimes takes a while to get them resolved.

Hello everyone. Just wanted to do a quick message here alerting everyone that WhyQuit.com seems to be offline. Not sure what the problem is yet but it has been down since last night. Not sure what the problem is yet. I know that a few members and moderators here often direct people to articles and videos from WhyQuit.com. I have a partial backup way of getting to most articles and video pages. For the normal Joels-videos index page, use this link: http://joelspitzer.com/joels-videos/ For most of the articles use this link: http://joelspitzer.com/ntapletters/#articles The formatting will be off and some of the links inside those pages won’t work because they point back to whyquit.com but the videos and the articles on those pages are there. If nothing else, you could copy and paste the full article you need to address a topic. One more trick that will get you a little more information. On the links that don’t work on the pages usually under “additional resources”, it is because they still link to whyquit.com. An example, the page from the other day on supercharging nicotine’s addictive potential ( http://joelspitzer.com/joels-videos/supercharging-nicotines-addictive-potential/ ) the first link under additional resources won’t work: https://whyquit.com/joels-videos/additive-free-cigarettes/ That is because the URL for the page begins with "https://whyquit.com” If you replace the "https://whyquit.com” with “joelspitzer.com”, so the address then becomes http://joelspitzer.com/joels-videos/additive-free-cigarettes/ you will get access to the backup page. You don’t need to type the “http://" before “joelspitzer.com”. If you accidentally type “https://” instead of just “http://“ (adding an “s”) the page won’t load. Sorry I know its a bit confusing but it works. Hopefully this will help until the site is up again. If you have any question or problem finding a page or video feel free to message me and I will send you the correct links. Sorry for any inconvenience. Joel

Hello everyone. Back in January of 2018 I put up my last post here at Quittrain. Here is a link to that post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/9632-i-am-moving-on-from-the-board/?tab=comments#comment-235850 In that post I wrote: "I am going to leave my account open in the event people have questions or concerns that they feel I may be able to help with, they can write me through Quittrain's messaging system. This should cause no disruption on the board.” A few people have reached out to me since then through the messaging system and I was glad to be able to help them when I could. When anyone sent a message through the Quittrain messaging system I would get an email notification—allowing me to sign in to be able to respond. I would then generally sign in anonymously so as not to stir up any problems with the board and send out my replies. Recently though there has been two technical issues making it impossible for me to operate this way. The first is that it seems now that I cannot login anonymously on the board now. I see this issue has been discussed in the string Anonymous members no longer anonymous?. The second problem is discussed in the thread PM - Emails. I no longer get notified when people send me messages. I know that Maryland Quitter is trying to get these problems fixed but for now they are existing issues. Until these problems are resolved I won’t be logging in and thus won’t be seeing and obviously then not responding to messages. I just wanted to give members a heads up on this issue for I don’t want anyone writing me and thinking that I was ignoring their requests. I hope everyone is well. Joel

Hello Katie: Being that we are now in flu season--and one of the worst flu seasons on record, this is an extremely important topic. Once past the first few days nothing should be written off as "a smokers" flu. This resource page addresses this issue: http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/after-quitting-smoking-is-there-such-a-thing-as-the-quitters-flu/

Thanks Boo: I get messages every day from people who are celebrating months, or years and sometimes even decades of their quits thanking me for the resources I have put out online over the years. I am amazed at how many of them come from people who say that they have watched every video and/or read every article I had ever put out. Actually I have people tell me that they have watched my videos multiple times. I actually find it hard to fathom why people would do that considering the length of time this would take but for some people it seems to have been important to them. Again, I feel the more I can give them the more they can pick and choose of how much or how little they want to utilize. Thanks for your feedback here Boo. Actually, right before you and backtoreality posted I sent a message to the board's management to see if they feel that my participation is a problem for the board. As I said in the video above, I am kind of in an experimental phase here as to how much or how little to do outreach on the Internet. By the way, I also want to make it clear to all reading here that most people don't need to read or listen to all of the materials that I have in order to quit. In actuality, quitting is really a pretty simple process. All that a person really needs to know to pull off a successful quit is that to quit and stay off is as simple as making and sticking to a personal commitment to never take another puff. Joel Related resources: http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/quitting-smoking-is-a-simple-process/ http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/a-100-guaranteed-way-to-successfully-quit-smoking/ (I believe that this one contains my shortest and most succinct video on the topic of what people need to do to quit smoking)

Hello backtoreality: I actually was not thinking that my resources were scaring you. I actually put a lot of effort into making the process of quitting less scary and intimidating for people. I suspect there will be a little push back to this but I have several pages addressing this specific issue. My fear related resources are all assembled on this one page: http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/fears-regarding-smoking-and-quitting/ I suspect there will be a few people here who may not want to check out that page for it will indeed refer to lots of related resource pages, but I feel it can be helpful for those who want such information at their disposal to help to reinforce their resolve to never take another puff. Joel

Hello again Nancy. I actually shot a video a three days ago that kind of touches on the issue you have raised here--of how some people literally ignore efforts that I do to help them to quit. It wasn't regarding Quittrain but more so some other recent outreach I have been doing on YouTube. I didn't post that video here because it didn't seem relevant to me for this board at the time, but in lieu of this conversation it does seem more applicable now. Here is that video from January 20: One of the reasons that I started doing my extended outreach was because of the resource index I completed in December. It made it relatively quick and easy for me to direct people to specific resource materials that in the past I would have had to go to two or three different sources to compile detailed responses. That would have tied me to my computer for more hours than there were in a day. Even now with the new index I spend many hours a day trying to help people around the Internet. If you go to my YouTube channel and look over comment sections you will see the kind of daily interactions I am providing to help people to quit. Also, if you search YouTube videos for people who are quitting smoking you will see that I also am trying to help people on their own channels. As the video above explains, I am not sure how long I will be able to keep up this outreach, and where I feel my best utilization of time will be, but again for now, this is how I feel I can be of the most help for people wanting to quit smoking and stay off.

Hello Nancy: Somehow I think it would be a bit of a strange reaction to run from a site where six people came in and were offering support and encouragement because one other person came in and offered information specific to the person's past smoking and quitting history. For time and expediency my standard procedure for posting is to try to see what different issues people bring up and highlight resource materials addressing those issues. It is for the purpose of giving the individual poster insights to be able to learn from their own past experience and also to highlight materials that may be Important to their current quit. The person may choose to skip the material but that is their choice. If I were not to post it at all that would be my choice and I feel that would be robbing them of the opportunity to benefit from materials that I have. I think I kind of discussed this in my first post here at Quittrain where I introduced myself. Here is a link to that post: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/9520-greetings-from-joel-spitzer/ Anyway, it is how I plan to operate while I am here at Quittrain.

Here are a number resource pages addressing issues you raised here: "I quit for nine of them and felt the best I've ever felt but relapsed and it started another chapter of smoking for over a decade." http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/lost-long-term-quits/ http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/ive-relapsed-and-i-hate-it/ http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/the-lucky-ones-get-hooked/ http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/can-taking-a-break-from-smoking-help-you-get-rid-of-nicotine-tolerance/ "I considered myself a confirmed smoker who would/could never even consider quitting again." http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/i-cant-quit-because-i-am-addicted/ http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/i-cant-quit-because/ http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/breaking-free-from-nicotines-grip-is-more-doable-than-most-people-think/ "My mother lost her life at age 41" http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/premature-deaths-caused-by-smoking/ http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/treat-quitting-smoking-as-if-you-are-fighting-for-your-life/ "Then my younger sister (another forever smoker) quit a year ago." http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/showing-others-that-there-is-life-without-smoking/ "I decided to be free from cigarettes two weeks ago (1/11/18) but then spent the first week and a half mooching smokes off people, buying whole packs, smoking one to four of them, then soaking them in the sink and tossing them away." http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/i-am-doing-okay-im-not-buying-cigarettes/ "I tried not to beat myself up over it and just kept educating myself and strengthening my resolve." http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/dont-beat-yourself-up-for-smoking/ http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/dont-be-so-hard-on-yourself-youre-only-human/ "This is Day 4 and it's been emotional and strange quitting. " http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/understanding-the-emotional-loss-experienced-when-quitting-smoking/ "insomnia for a couple of days" http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/going-back-to-normal-after-quitting/ "What a rollercoaster!" http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/the-real-cigarette-induced-roller-coaster-ride/ "I've also cut way back on sugar and caffeine" http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/blood-sugar-issues-when-quitting-smoking/ http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/why-i-recommend-cranberry-juice-when-first-quitting-smoking/ http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/disorientation-that-may-occur-when-first-quitting-smoking/ http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/possible-changes-in-caffeine-tolerance/ " I will never take another puff of a cigarette." http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/never-take-another-puff/

The counter is all I ever paid attention to when I saw them on people's posts on various sites. I was actually quite surprised two years ago when it was pointed out to me that they now included stats on things like expected urges at various points in time. There is just no way to accurately predict this kind of variable for any specific individual who has quit smoking.

Above video discusses some general limitations that are common with quitmeters. Related resources: http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/every-quit-is-different/ http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/amount-smoked/ http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/should-i-reset-my-quit-meter/

I cover this issue in the video on top of this page http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/weight-related-videos/ You can skip right to the 36 minutes and 52 seconds of that video where it starts to cover different activities that may or may not qualify as aerobic exercise. Although it would hurt to start two minutes before the time frame to get the general guidelines of how to measure if the way a person is doing an activity would be considered at an aerobic level.

Well I was totally unaware of what Final Fantasy 10 meant but just did a quick search on it to see that it is a role playing video game. The reason I felt the need to look is that you said that you were a top ten speed runner. Through my years of dealing with smokers I didn't encounter many who were top athletes in any sport that required real intense stamina and endurance. Now that you have quit smoking you may find that you might even be able to expand your horizons and be able to do real life activities that when you smoked seemed painful if not impossible. Here are three pages addressing this benefit to quitting: http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/so-i-cant-run-marathons/ http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/incorporating-exercise-after-quitting/ http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/quitting-may-lead-to-other-self-improvements/

Hello Katie: The resources on the page http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/heart-and-circulatory-diseases/ discusses how nicotine's stimulant effect increases the heart's workload. A single cigarette increases the heart rate by an average of 20 beats per minute. That same page explores the vasoconstrictive effects of nicotine that cause your fingers and toes to get colder when smoking cigarettes and the risks posed to your peripheral circulation from this vasoconstrictive effect.

Here is a resource page that addresses what some people refer to as "The terrible threes" http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/the-terrible-3s/ Also be sure to check out the page http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/predestined-bad-days-after-quitting-2/

Hello Octain: Check out the resource page http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/does-smoking-cause-my-headaches/ I know its titled about headaches but the issue of improving symptoms for many different conditions after a person quits smoking is covered. As far as for better blood flow being a good thing--that is an understatement. Nicotine's vasoconstrictive action has consequences that effect many organs of the body and can be downright dangerous and even deadly. The page http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/heart-and-circulatory-diseases/ explains many of these issues.

Hello Octain: Jack joined up and last participated before I ever joined the group so I don't have any knowledge of where he is or his quitting status. From what I see though of his most recent posting history, he stops by every month on his quitting anniversary near the of the month--meaning if he follows his typical pattern he will post in a couple of weeks. The reason I am bringing this up here is that unless he has notifications set up for responses to his posts, he may not see this message for close to two weeks. I fear when a person puts up a post like this and doesn't get a response other people may assume that the person has relapsed. This often is not the case.

Here is a resource page I have addressing caffeine issues. http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/possible-changes-in-caffeine-tolerance/ One thing I need to point out is that I remember having a number of clinic participants who at some point in time after quitting, or even at times during the clinic also abruptly stopped consuming caffeine. They often seemed to have some foggy and dragging kind of reactions that actually seemed to last a little longer than the withdrawal phase they experienced when quitting nicotine. You need to listen to your body on this one. Also, if the fogginess doesn't start to improve past the 72 hour mark from getting off of nicotine, you need to be considering other issues that may be involved. Eating patterns may be an issue needing to be addressed. Also, if you are on any medications there may be issues. Here are some resources addressing these issues: http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/going-back-to-normal-after-quitting/ http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/will-this-get-better/ http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/medication-adjustments-that-may-be-necessary-after-quitting-smoking/ http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/when-you-may-really-need-to-talk-to-your-doctor-about-quitting-smoking/ http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/does-nicotine-withdrawal-really-last-for-months-or-years/ http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/is-this-a-symptom-of-quitting-smoking-part-2/

The 90 day thoughts are likely more due to environmental and routine changes tied to seasons than from any real change in physical demand for nicotine. Here are a few resource pages addressing this: http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/predestined-bad-days-after-quitting-2/ http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/thoughts-for-cigarettes-that-may-seem-worse-than-when-first-quitting-smoking/ http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/craves-and-thoughts-that-occur-over-time/ All of these pages have lots of links at the bottom addressing issues that may cause intensified thoughts for cigarettes. I must point out though--not all former smokers experience these reactions or if they do, they may be very minor. Don't want recent quitters or even people who are just now thinking of quitting to be intimidated by a concept of a tough time months or years into a quit that may not actually happen to them.

Hello again Jon: On the still feeling foggy headed, check out the video on the resources page http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/going-back-to-normal-after-quitting/. There is a section in that video about how you may need to adjust eating patterns after quitting if you are experiencing this as an ongoing reaction. Also, there are other resources on that page addressing concerns like other medications, caffeine and other blood sugar issues that you may need to keep an eye on. Also, some anxiety may be related to going back to more regular routines. Check out the page http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/how-quitting-smoking-is-like-learning-to-ride-a-bicycle/ Over all though, most people find themselves becoming calmer over time--calmer than when they were smoking. The page http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/quitting-smoking-can-make-you-calmer-happier-and-healthier/ addresses this issue.

Hello Jon: Up to this point I didn't know your name was Jon. Thought you were just going by Berkshiredrifter. It seems that your first post was done a few days before I joined up. I was scanning the board a bit back then but not thoroughly and missed your first post there. Yes nicotine had really complicated your life in many ways, from the loss of your parents from smoking as well as the psychological and physical toll that maintaining your own addiction was taking on you. It's crucial that you remember what happened in those previous 90 day quits so as not to ever have to repeat it again. I am not sure if I referred this to you yet but check out the page http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/the-advantage-of-having-a-difficult-time-when-quitting-smoking/. Also the page http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/the-power-of-nicotine-addiction/ is important to help understand what happened before and to do all that you can to insure that it never happens again. The pages http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/come-share-your-strength-come-recognize-your-vulnerabilities/ and http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/ill-come-for-reinforcement-when-i-need-it/ explain the value of continuing to reinforce your personal resolve and to take advantage of the resources that you have here at the site. Just know now that this quit will really be the last one you will ever have to go through as long as you now have made and will continue to stick to a personal commitment to never take another puff. Joel

http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/dreams-of-smoking/ Smoking dreams are common if not universal among ex-smokers. It is especially common when a person is off a short time period, and if it occurs within days or weeks of a quit, it is likely to be extremely disturbing and very realistic. Realistic enough in fact that the ex-smoker will wake up smelling and tasting a cigarette, convinced that he or she has actually smoked. I have had numerous clients search the house for the butt, it was that realistic of a sensation. Let me explain first why the physical sensation is so pronounced. When first quitting, one of the early physical repairs that start up is cilia production. Cilia are tiny hair-like projections that line your trachea and bronchus, constantly sweeping particulate matter out of your lungs. When you smoked, you first slowed down, then paralyzed and would eventually destroy cilia. This is why smokers often have more colds and flues, they wipe out the first line of defense against the incoming microbes causing these illnesses. When a person stops smoking, usually within 72 hours or so, cilia starts to regenerate. The ex-smoker may start cleaning out the lung in a matter of days. One of the early symptoms first encountered is coughing and spitting out, this is mucous and trapped matter that was never being cleaned out efficiently while smoking but now has an escape route and mechanism to start sweeping it. Ugly but good, you are starting to clean out a lot of garbage in your lung. Much of the garbage is tobacco tar–tobacco tars that have a very distinct taste and smell. Let’s say you are dreaming now, maybe a totally innocuous dream having nothing to do with smoking. While sleeping, cilia are sweeping, tobacco tars get brought up, reach sensory nerves for taste and smell and low and behold, you create a dream sequence involving a cigarette. But not only are you now dreaming, physical sensations of taste and smell persist upon awakening. This then becomes a real smoking sensation. This gives a plausible explanation of why the dream occurred and why it was so vivid. But that is not the end of the significance of the dream. The dream can be interpreted in one of two ways upon awakening, and quit often, the ex-smoker takes it as a sign that they actually want to smoke. After all, they had been off smoking and just dreamt about it, that means they want to smoke, right? I used to get calls in the middle of the night for clinic participants panicked by the dream. They would start off saying, “They can’t believe it, off all this time and they still want to smoke.” They knew they wanted to smoke because they dreamt about it. I would then ask them to describe the dream. They would tell about the vividness and realism, and they would almost always say it started to take on a nightmarish proportion. They would wake up in a sweat, often crying, thinking that they just smoked and blew the whole thing, that they were now back to square one. That all that time off smoking was wasted. As soon as they would finish describing their feelings, I pointed out one very obvious fact. They just dreamt they smoked and assumed that meant that they wanted to smoke. They woke up and upon further clarification, they describe the dream was a nightmare. This is not the dream of someone who wants to smoke; it is the dream of someone who is afraid of smoking. This is a legitimate fear considering the ex-smoker is fighting a powerful and deadly addiction. Hence, it is a legitimate dream too. It kinds of gives you a sense of how bad you would feel if you actually do go back to smoking. Not physically speaking but psychologically. If the dream is a nightmare it makes you realize how bad this feeling is without having to actually have smoked and fallen into the grasp of nicotine addiction again. It can give you some perspective about how important not smoking is to your mental health. The dangerous dream is when you smoke a whole pack in it, hack and cough, get socially ostracized, develop some horrible illness, end up on your death bed about to let out your final live breath-and all of a sudden wake up with a smile on your face and say, “that was great, wish I could do that when I am awake.” As long as that is not the dream you were having, I wouldn’t let myself get to discouraged by it. If that is the dream, then we may need to talk more. In regards to smoking, no matter what you do in your dreams, you will be OK as long as you remember in your waking state to Never Take Another Puff! Joel

Hello Latoya: Check out the resource page http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/boy-do-i-miss-smoking/ A number of the links at the bottom of that page can help you to minimize the likelihood of going through a day or days of such feelings. Also the videos on top of the pages http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/i-want-one/ and http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/fixating-on-a-cigarette/ can help to stop these kind of thoughts in their tracks. Realize I should have attached the following comment as a quoted reply as opposed to a new reply to insure that you are notified about the response. Still trying to get the hang of the board.

You are welcome Julian: Here is a resource pages addressing the fantasy and appeal of cigarettes, as well as another addressing the comment of saying you loved smoking: http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/the-fallacy-of-good-cigarettes/ http://whyquit.com/joels-videos/i-smoke-because-i-like-smoking/