Robbie

Yes, it's made me really scared reading all this.:(

Damn virus! We have another 7 days of lockdown to endure now, bad news for the whole state of Victoria. It's strict with all businesses closed except essential ones and a whole load of other restrictions. Lots of activities are cancelled of course, in fact 'life' is pretty much cancelled for another week! I loathe it as I'm not a home body at all and am happiest when out listening to live music or playing music with friends etc. I shed a few tears today, not just for myself but more for the feeling that things in our world are really bad and wondering how we all deal with this 'new normal' as it's being described? Finding my 'new normal' of not being a smoker quite challenging too right now as I can't seem to find comfort in anything much at the moment. Cigarettes did comfort me in an addictive, destructive and life threatening way! Must stay away from watching the news on TV or listening to it on the radio...so depressing and frightening.

Wow, great photos. Lockdown is tough alright. I've been going to the beach when it's sunny, we are allowed two hours exercise per day, but not supposed to go more than five klm from home...I go eight but it's a mental health issue!

Thanks Linda, yes it is very tough on all of us but especially those of us on their own I think. I just need to make sure I keep my quit safe, I tend to look for comfort during lockdown, but I'll just stick to eating and walking!

Thanks everyone, unfortunately it seems that the virus gets worse in the Winter and we are just heading into it. A lot of people are getting vaccinated in Australia but it's been a mess with people who are at risk (like me) finding it hard to book in for the shot. My medical clinic didn't receive enough vaccination, so I have to go elsewhere and am on a waiting list. Luckily there is no virus around the town where I live, but I wouldn't be thinking about travelling any further that's for sure. We had a few months of being able to go to the movies, eat out and listen to live music which felt great and I guess that makes this lockdown even tougher. Oh well, it's not as bad as some countries where it is everywhere, so I'm grateful for that.

Covid has started to spread again in Victoria, Australia where I live. We are in lockdown for 7 days with 3 and a half more to go; this means we can only go out for food, exercise, caregiving and a few other reasons with time limits and mask wearing is mandatory. All the shops and facilities are shut except supermarkets and chemists etc. essential services. Lockdown may be extended, which is really hard on us people that live alone...I totally loathe it and didn't really see it coming! It was very sudden with little warning. The only positive thing is that we can form a 'bubble' with one other person who lives alone, so I have done that. The good news is the sun is shining although it's very cold and I can walk along the beach for two hours! Too much time to think though and I've thought about smoking a few times, but managing to keep my quit so far. It's much easier when one is busy and can seek out company and distractions, that's for sure. Feeling sorry for all those who have endured lockdowns, we had it for 112 days last year. Just the worst time for everyone.

Thanks for your raw and honest post Jillar. I was diagnosed with COPD about three years ago and fortunately it's not too severe at present. Stupidly I kept smoking, mainly through lack of support, until a couple of months ago. It's a very scary disease and I worry that I'm heading for big problems as I get older, in my case due to smoking. Apparently it's not only smoking that causes it, so people should not be judging you or commenting on your appearance either. As the others have said, you do so much to help others and it's sad that you might miss out on opportunities because you are worried about what other people think of you. I saw a woman in a wheelchair with an oxygen tank on board at a music festival a few years ago. She was having a great time despite her disability. All the best...

Doing a great job Dianne, you are an inspiration! I just ate a chocolate bar, but my excuse is that I'm in a one week Covid lockdown....day 2. All the best!

Gosh your experience really highlights just what a horrible drug nicotine is Gus. I found that each time I stopped I struggled badly with withdrawal symptoms for about three days while the nicotine was leaving the body, but then I wept a lot for two or three weeks as well. Don't forget the old trick of drinking lots of water to help flush it out of the system. I think this probably helps. It is enough to make you never want to go through this again, and I don't want to either! Hopefully these posts will be something to look back on when we think we are 'safe' and may be tempted to have 'just have one cigarette'. We are in quite extreme lockdown here which is making me weep a bit, it's harder to keep busy and lonely especially in the evenings. Also too much time to think and not enough distractions! We will have to encourage each other to keep on the quit trip through these tough times.

Thanks everyone, it was a good day, but I had a few thoughts about buying some cigarettes as in the state where I live we go into lockdown for 7 days starting at midnight. It was very sudden. I guess that cigarettes have always been a source of 'comfort' for me even though they were killing me and all afternoon I was picking up on other people's anxiety about the lockdown. People are panic buying everywhere and stocking up on loads of toilet paper! I don't think this is just an Australian thing, maybe it gives people a sense of control when things seem out of control, I really don't know. Anyway, I totally hate these lockdowns as I'm alone and find it extremely lonely, so I may spend some time on this forum. This week will be another unwanted test for me in my quit journey! Lucky I got to have a good birthday before lockdown starts again...

Today I turned 66 and it is the first smoke free birthday I have had for more than 40 years! I feel ashamed writing that last part of the sentence, but I am happy to be smoke free today. I hope this is the first of many smoke free birthdays. I'm off to celebrate! Cheers, Robbie

That sounds really tough Gus. Not sure if getting physically sick makes quitting easier or harder, when I had a bad head cold recently I wanted to smoke because I felt so depressed and miserable. Hope you get through alright; it wouldn't be a bad idea to get some other form of nicotine replacement in case it gets too hard, maybe? As I posted earlier, I find the nicotine spray very helpful, but then that is addictive too damn it! Been watching the eclipse of the moon, amazing! Hope you get some support here, for me it's sleep time. All the best...hang in there.

Welcome Chris, I managed to quit using a nicotine spray rather than patches as I can regulate when I need some relief, but it may be tricky when I decide to stop that too as some people get addicted to the spray! I may well be one, but it's better than smoking I guess! Maybe the same with patches? I have just hit 50 days without a cigarette, but I kept stopping and starting as well earlier this year, so I also kept going through those horrible first three days or so when it was really tough. I decided that I couldn't keep putting myself through that, over and over again, so I found this quit forum and have been going ok since then. I hope that you have a similar positive experience....there are many helpful, caring people here. As you can see by my 'ticker' cigarettes are outrageously expensive here in Australia, so my savings are HUGE, but it's more about gaining much needed confidence in oneself I think. Somehow we all found the money to feed our addiction, but finding the confidence to beat this horrible addiction is priceless! You too can do this...all the best on the Quit Train journey.

Wow, a Sonic Oreo Blast Gus! I think you better explain that one ha ha! And yes, you are awesome....we all are here on the Quit Train. Have to say that I still view other smokers with some interest and have not reached the stage where I'm disgusted by seeing people smoking, but I love your description of the lady. I still have a way to go yet mentally I guess, but it sounds like you are doing exceptionally well. Great work!

NOPE, but I can only think about today!

Welcome BmoreRaven, I can relate to your frustration about breathing problems. I have COPD from smoking but it's not too bad fortunately. When I quit last year my breathing improved so much that I hardly had to use a puffer, but this time there hasn't been much improvement and I still need a puffer to get through the day. I quit 45 days ago, so I'm hoping there is still going to be some improvement, but who knows? I can recommend a little device that I bought online called an 'Air Physio', which apparently was invented here in Australia. It seems to help with breathing and may strengthen the lungs, I have found it to be quite good. Maybe have a look online? Hope this helps you. I guess these things take time and perseverance, but I would have thought you'd see more improvement after 3 months, but then I'm not a medical person! I haven't had so much anxiety, but a lot of depression issues. I basically cried for the first three weeks of my quit and still have days when I'm very tearful. Another thing I have tried for anxiety is ' Rescue Remedy', three drops under the tongue. Not sure if it's available in the U.S though. All the best 3+ months off the cigarettes is amazing, I'm planning to get there too!!

Just passed my 'personal best' of forty days, I'm up to forty three days and mostly doing well! My lungs are still not that good, but that's to be expected after 40+ years of polluting them, so I'm hoping things will improve there. I guess my main improvement is that my taste buds have been resurrected! Can't believe how delicious lots of foods taste now...I sure have been missing out all those years! Amazing......

Thanks everyone, you are a very kind bunch! My reality is that I'm mostly alone, but when I log on here I feel connected and it's a good feeling. It's amazing when you think about it, that we are all connected over beating a horrible addiction, but thank goodness you are all here as it would be too tough doing this alone...I know because I have tried unsuccessfully. I haven't been seriously tested yet, as I was when I last quit; I have a woman friend who I was telling that I felt quite low in mood since I quit smoking...so she says "Here, would you like a couple of cigarettes?" (stupid question), so I foolishly took them and smoked for another year! I haven't seen her yet during this quit but this time I'm prepared for it. I don't think she's really happy about me quitting because she hasn't been able to, we humans have a complex way of relating to each other sometimes. Another friend, who is an ex smoker is supportive, but not really that interested in my journey as she quit more than 10 years ago. It can become boring to these people I find. This forum is great because people are genuinely interested in the day to day difficulties as well as the long term successes. Once again THANK YOU everyone!!

Woo Hoo Do the Walk of Life!!! VIDEO-2020-08-07-08-35-591.mp4

Hi everyone, I'm going ok in my new smoke free life! I'm working on a few dates to reach as personal milestones i.e. out lasting my longest quit, reaching my birthday etc. etc. Those short term goals seem to work for me. I don't have really strong cravings or urges for cigarettes now (thank goodness!), but I have noticed just a sense of uneasiness or that feeling that something is not quite right with me! I imagine that this feeling could hang around for quite a while and it comes from the places where a cigarette used to be. I also have this feeling when I see someone smoking in the street. Luckily it doesn't bother me too much, but it's interesting to observe what is going on during these early quit days. Ready to take on day 38!

I just thought I would drop by to say that today was the first day during this quit that I felt really happy about not being a smoker! This is big for me as I have suffered from quite bad depression and loads of tears through most of my quit attempt, but today I felt really good about it...so many things; I can smell again, enjoying the taste of food, I have spare cash (bought myself some nice food while listening to live music), noticed it's a little easier for me to breathe and I'm no longer worried that I stink of cigarettes when someone comes close to me to talk. I have no idea how long this feeling will last, but just for today...it felt really good!

Can't seem to get my ticker to stick! Followed these steps and keeps disappearing... Oh, it's worked after all! Wow...over $700 saved already....mind blowing!!!

Thanks everyone, it was tough but I got there!!!

Thanks for your support folks, the people I personally know who have quit smoking don't seem to have had such a mental battle like I have or maybe they just didn't talk about it. I was talking with someone yesterday and he told me that I was "obsessed with nicotine!". Well, yes I'm sure I am as it's been a daily part of my life for more than forty years now...always making sure that I didn't run out or had enough for the day etc. etc. In more recent years I was smoking 'rubbish' cigarettes because of the outrageous prices here in Australia or switching brands to try to keep the cost down. I sure don't miss any of that! I like the comment from you stzr500 that I'm 'in the middle of the soup' right now, as that is how I feel, not very stable at all. I have to stay on guard as one slip could undo all my hard work. I also find that my friends are really bored with my attempts to stop smoking, so this forum is vital to me now more than ever. Thanks so much everyone!

One month and one (half ) day! Nine more days and I will be up to my longest quit of 40 days! Looking forward to when I don't count any more