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What was stopping me from quitting smoking? Good question and when I now look at all the reasons I gave when I smoked, it does not make any sense or have an ounce of truth. When I look at my ways of thinking prior to quitting, it was all BS. Phase 1: Qutting smoking never was a thought in my mind. I enjoyed smoking Smoking calmed me down I smoke because I want to...I could not smoke at any time if I didn't want to I deserved to be able to have a cigarette and it was my reward It helped me think better, quicker , more creatively, come up with answers Many times when I smoked, it also allowed me to medidate I was healthy Phase 2: After going on vacation in Japan, realized that smoking WAS impacting my lungs. So many temples, so many mountains, so many stairs. I could no longer deny that I was having a "little" bit of a problem breathing now. At first, I told myself it was age and the fact I wasn't in shape; so I came home and began the treadmill and stationary bike routine. MMMMM...little by little I was able to do better on the machines, but I would still get to a point where I would be breathless. After months, I admitted to myself that maybe smoking might be affecting my breathing (not my lungs, but my breathing). Was into denial big time Ignorance is "bliss" Wasn't sure it would be worth it to give up the smoking which I enjoyed so much so I could enjoy my vacations and breathe. BIG decision for me Phase 3: Made the decision to quit smoking - I wanted to improve my breathing and give my lungs a chance to recover so I could enjoy my vacations. It was at this point that there was something I wanted more than smoke .Then the panic state began. I can't enjoy anything without a cigarette - I was talking about giving up the most important vice in my life. Yes, I realized it was a vice, but it was a harmless vice. It gave me sooo much pleasure; the negatives were so minor. Vacations will be fun, but rest of my life will be ruined A big part of me didn't want to quit Fear Ignorance I can't do this - I am so weak I think it really all stems from being an addict - yet not "knowing" I was an addict or living in denial. It is the only reason I can even begin to fathom why I would have believed all this BS for 45+ years.

Happy Belated Birthday and a big THANK YOU to everyone!

WTG Suz!

Wow...great thread. Thank you for bumping this one.

Nope!

I am laughing to myself now; because I can't wait to smile this one to death. The things I need to visualize in my mind....right now I am thinking of johnny5 pic of the toddler and feeling like that...i got this!

I will have a big smile with my wine tonight. And I just thought...i would not enjoy it at all if I had it with a cig. I will claim my space back!!! I like that. Thx Saz. I will!!! With a big smile on my face.

Welcome Matty. You have been given a lot of great advice. I don't understand why a group is so powerful, but this one sure is. Knowing that I wasn't alone and there were others who had been through this is invaluable to me. I feel supported and challenged at the same time. You can do this Matty. Congrats on 4 days. Congrats on your quit. Next time you think of having one, just say...NOPE!.

Good morning all, Hope everyone is doing well this wonderful smokefree morning! There is this one "cigarette crave" in my mind that is plaguing me. For most of my thoughts of smoking, most of the time, I can dismiss them before they become a crave. However there is this one that I have yet been successful in dismissing before it becomes a crave. There is this one... After dinner, with a cup of coffee or glass of wine, the perfect wind down from a good day or a bad day; so relaxing, just so niceeee. I made it... So everyday I go through the discussion with myself; gotta stop romanticizing this - nothing romantic about you cig; relaxing? hah, that is BS, etc and etc. But I have yet found a way to keep this thing from becoming a crave. For now, I either go swimming (which is relaxing, but not the same) or treadmill, which is not relaxing but I am able to take my crave out on the treadmill...lol. Perhaps after the nicotine receptors have been rendered incapable of hi-jacking my natural dopamine paths, this one will not seem pleasurable... P.S. But you are right Saz...I AM stronger than this crave

To do your cleaning Givein? NOPE! ? I am glad I learned to say Nope Have a good day Givein!

Nope

Yes Saz, your compassion and kindness for my "dilemma" throughout the past couple of weeks were a bright light in the darkness I was experiencing. You can speak a hard truth for one who is on the cusp of hearing, yet speak that hard truth with kindness and compassion.

So true and powerful Rose. Really helps me. Thanks for sharing.

Nope

Wow, that is fantastic you are beginning to relax into it Sunny. I like the sounds of that. Hope you had a wonderful day.

Hi Vinno, welcome ! You will find great support, great advice and great people on this forum One step at a time and before you know it, you will have walked a mile.

I think you are onto something in my case Doreen. For me, a crave starts out as a thought. That thought can either grow into a crave, disspate into nothingness, or teach me something. As long as i am diligent and present, I am in control of what the thought evolves into.

Nope! Not today? Talk to to the hand nico cause the heads not listening. Have a great day everyone. Each of you deserve something special; sending you all love, light and strength. I have a nickname for you all, who are members of a strong group/team...the nicobusters. who you gonna call??

What the heck was I so afraid of? Why did I think I was not strong enough to beat smoking without nicotine help? Nothing physically hurt, the craves came and went, now I get a couple craves a day, but I fall back on what I learned and this forum - WE are stronger than any crave; you believe in me and I believe in you who have gone before me - what unbelievable power. I was so afraid. I thought I was weak. Now here I am thinking of having a cig several times a day and enjoying saying NOPE...NOT TODAY. I don't Like nicotine, I like being Smoke free, I like being free, I like not thinking about when and where I will have my next cig as I am putting out the last one. I do still think of cigarettes about 2 hours a day, but it is time i am reprogramming my brain. A little voice tells me to Smoke just one. Begins telling me how good it will be and no one needs to know. Weirdest most craziest thing in the world. I try to tell myself lies about smoking???? just one: Can't dummy. i am an ADDICT. ok then, just a puff: cant dummy i am a addict. And i dont like to Smoke anymore. I like myself. So go away...you are not welcome here anymore. Nope. it will be good, just like the good old days Heh. I am onto the lies , nicotine. Busted. It was never good. Smoking hurt my lungs, my heart, my mind, my life. There is not one good thing nicotine gave or did for me. Bye bye nicotine. Leave. I don't want you, I don't like you. Go now. No one needs to know that you just had one Now that I am awoke to my addiction I would know. And that is all that really matters. I cant hide it from myself anymore or live in denial. I am stronger than a crave, you are not a command, you are a liar and you want to control me You want to kill me Some friend you are No way of romanticizing you cig I don't Know if I will ever be free of thought of cig, but I do know that I AM strong enough to keep that thought from becoming real. I am kind of enjoying this "battle" and learning from each round. Yeah, it may be tough when I am in the throes of it, but IF it gets too tough for me, I have you, so I am not Afraid any longer. I hope you are all having a wonderful, Smoke free weekend full of many deep breaths.

This dumb oldie heard and appreciated your words if wisdom give. Thank you. And I am sorry that your health is suffering.

Good morning. NOPE!

Welcome KBC...to a wonderful place, with some wonderful people. Stay close. You can do this KBC. You have a group of hey quitters here to help you, as they help me.

Hey jo...where you the author of wheel of Time? I really enjoyed your writing and felt it. It will help prepare me for what is in my future. You are doing well and just keep reaffirming what u know...this will pass and you will come out stronger. You are a remarkable person and your support and and sharing helps newbies like me a lot. Thank you.

Here is something wonderful that happened to me a little bit earlier. I had been pondering how long before I experienced dopamine without having nicotine being the conniving theivi g chemical drug. From what I read, it will be 3 to 6 weeks. I took the day off of work again, to take care of me (feels good to do that) And I went swimming. I reached a new milestone and while I knew it was an accomplishment, I didn't get the dopamine attagirl. Which is ok for now, because they will come back. As I was floating/meditating in the water, I remembered a time when I was a child that I had reached a swimming milestone and how happy I was at achieving it. I could see myself jumping up and down with joy...It was a major and well deserved dopamine rush...a natural one. And while the dopamine was not generated in my mind today, I was able to remember and share the reward and joy with my younger self - who knew real and free dopamine rewards and feelings, which did not keep you in chains to receive.

I Our minds are a very strange thing. I have a good life. At work, I have always been recognized and appreciated for my intelligence, courage to try new things and honesty. Yet here I was facing this quit: Afraid, Didn't Think I was strong enough to overcome a crave,Thought it would be so much worse than it was. When saz kept writing that I was stronger than a crave and could do it ct, at first I thought she surely didn't Know me..lol. I saw myself as weak and afraid. Once the lies were confronted it was nothing...lol. This time I wanted to quit ... For me. I was sick of smoking and bored with smoking. I was so ready to atop. But yes, once we commit, we just do it. And I am really enjoying the process of quitting and what we go through.