Minnie Mouse

How hard or easy it is for you to quit does not predict the long term outcome of your Stay Quit. All quits are NOT the same either whether it be our own quits or others’ quits. In my experience I found that the harder it was for me the more personal work I had to put into it & the firmer I built my foundation. It was a good thing for me although I didn’t feel that way at the time. Education, mindset, commitment & perspective made a huge difference when I quit smoking this time. It helped me understand & overcome the initial “Lizard Brain” most of us have as active addicts which told me many things including that I could not quit cold/smart turkey. I didn’t appreciate & value my first quit (of a year & a half) because it was so easy for me to quit (sorry, but true). This time it was hard. Much, much harder. Chosen meds were removed from my Tool Box one after another. I felt great anxiety just at the thought of quitting without “help”. Chantix (my miracle drug for my easy quit) was stopped on Day 6 (a day before the actual quit day) because of an extreme side affect. The patch was stopped after 11 days due to a severe allergic reaction and then Wellbutrin had to be discontinued on Day 32 also due to an extreme side effect. (I realized much later that I had truly taken smoking as an option off the table from Day One because smoking never entered my mind with my initial setbacks. It really worked!) My point? If you are using a aid & it “fails you” it does not mean you have to return to smoking. Instead piece the different methods together & use your other chosen tools from your “Tool Box” and keep moving ahead smoke free. Your doctor can also be a great resource so I highly encourage you to get your doctor on board with your quit. Mine was with me every step of the way. We never know how much harder it may be for us the “next” time so I encourage you to just hang on & keep building on your smoke free days. Piece your aids together if you have to & don’t return to smoking. It doesn’t matter how “ugly” you do your quit because if you don’t smoke the days count the same. In fact, the harder won it is the more you may appreciate your Stay Quit. No matter how I felt or what happened to me or what I thought I cemented my quit foundation one hard day at a time in the beginning. I appreciated any smoke free time. It was my most precious gift to myself & I treated it as such and hung onto it for dear life. It’s hard when you’re an active nicotine addict. No doubt about it but if you don’t smoke and give yourself time you can regain control of your brain … or at least to the point that the Nic O. Demon is no longer whispering constantly in your ear. (By the way, the reason those whispers are so powerful is because the Nic O. Demon is YOU (your self-talk) and knows all your weaknesses & likes to exploit them fully to try to bring you back to Nico Land.) If you are going through hell with your quit recognize that it’s because of your smoking and what you are going through is the price we pay to rid ourselves of our active addiction. It’s temporary. Focus on the goal … to be smoke free and to achieve peace & gratefulness about it. The when for each of us varies. Don’t smoke & give yourself the gift of time to reach Freedom for yourself. If you have to keep piecing your quit tools together … do it … it all counts. (I wrote this 4-30-19 but it is still relative today. I hope it has something to say to those having difficulty quitting or staying quit. Best Wishes.)

I hope it means for you that you are "outside yourself" looking at others doing what you used to do with no want, need, or jealousy that they "get to smoke" and you don't. Hopefully it is a sign of transition from the old smoker you to the non-smoker you are now. Fast forward to the future and see them if they continue smoking and you staying smoke free. This week when I was entering a grocery store I observed a "very" elderly woman standing with a walker just outside the front entrance under a overhang to protect herself from the weather. She was bent over to keep both hands on the walker while taking a deep inhaling breath on a cigarette that was in one hand. She was clearly dependent on others & waiting to be picked up. I felt so sorry for her still being in the grip of active nicotine addiction at her age and in her health. One of my big quit reasons was not being put in a care situation and expecting others to help me continue my addiction so I didn't go into withdrawal. Too late for her but not for you to change your future. Best Wishes.

Great announcement for those who don't know (and reminder for those who already do!). I had my annual low dose CT scan done on Friday (it is done every year for me). Just received the results back today which is more comprehensive than "just" the lungs in its detail. Mine is totally paid for as a high risk former smoker. (Different eligibility for "Gold Standard" testing here it appears.) Yes it absolutely saves lives as I'm sure we probably all personally know someone who benefited from this test. Happy Holidays to all!

Sorry your post was overlooked. It happens. But here's the thing ... kudos for talking/responding to yourself & pumping yourself up. First and foremost, we must be our own biggest supporter and seek out what works for us, bit by bit, site by site, looking for those words of wisdom that speak to us, whatever it takes. I was a member of Quitnet and then NOPE until the owner pulled the plug in August this year. I also AM a member of EX (no longer very active on it) just like here. I drop in from time to time and comment if I think it might help someone. At over 13 years quit I no longer need support but if I ever did I would get myself right back to the basics that supported me in the early days. These "nests" are always here for us. I encourage you to read the info already recommended. Read, read, read. Educate yourself. Find the snippets (sentences, words, thoughts) that speak to you from the resources here and elsewhere. Read "Nicotine Addiction 101" on the whyquit.com site and other articles there. It's so important to understand how we can help ourselves get out from under active nicotine addiction and keep it dormant forever. Perspective means everything. Use all the tools available. Pledge daily. Be accountable. We all started where you are at and worked ourselves through it to get to the other side of addiction. You absolutely can do it too. Keep posting. Best Wishes.

@lookmawatchmecrash You can quit once and for all ... believe it! None of us with long quits are super human beings endowed with special powers to quit smoking. We did the hard work in the beginning to get to where it no longer is even an issue for us. It's a choice. It always will be. Join us.

That's it! Keep your focus ahead! You got this!

The question to ask yourself is not do you want a cigarette but rather do you want to be a full fledged smoker again. It's never "just" one. They always travel in packs. You already made the choice to quit. No reason to rethink it. Do anything but smoke. The want will pass if you let it. You can stay quit.

"I've become convinced that while I absolutely quit for a better life, I also quit for a better death." This was my bottom line motivation for quitting. I absolutely did not want to be in active addiction at the end of my life, especially if I found myself in a care situation due to a stroke or heart attack. Couldn't imagine any facility or family member supplying & babysitting me while I smoked. Absolutely didn't want to go through withdrawal (physically, emotionally, psychologically) while bed or wheel chair bound. Etc. etc. As a former QuitNet member I remember reading your personal profile page when I joined there at six months quit. It definitely had a impact on me to stay the course. Thanks for sharing. Sorry for your personal life circumstances. Hope we have both done enough (quit smoking & took steps to regain better health) to change our end. Best Wishes.

One month and fourteen days is truly awesome since the early days are the hardest. Yes, never look back cause you are no longer going that way. Keep it up one day, one week, at a time ... .

Great choice! It appears you have three weeks under your belt already. That's great! Is this your first quit, your tenth quit, or your 100th quit?!? A little smoking history might help AND are you using NRT, meds, or going "smart" turkey? I see you are already participating in the games here which is so much better than bonking your head against the wall! Humor helps. Best wishes.

Keep off the Merry-Go-Round. Instead of always running to "try" to catch onto smobriety ... jump on instead, fully committed, and hang on tight NO MATTER WHAT. You CAN do it too. Commit/make a promise to yourself and then keep your focus ahead. No going back. Believe in yourself. I hope you reach your "Aha" moment.

Until you take smoking as an option for yourself off the table you will continue riding the relapse Merry-Go-Round. In my personal experience, it got harder and harder to jump back into another quit. I kept "trying" again and again until I decided I never wanted to go through those early days/weeks/months ever again. Once and for all I had to finally choose not to smoke ... NO MATTER HOW I FELT, NO MATTER WHAT I TOLD MYSELF, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. I told myself that no matter how hard it got, no matter how long it took, that I would not smoke because I knew that only then would I eventually "get to the other side" of this active addiction and be a happy non-smoker. You are making & telling yourself a lot of BS excuses. It's an inside (mindset) job only you can change up for yourself. You don't have to smoke. You don't need to smoke. You CAN quit. It will always be a choice.

A re-post from one of the most prolific and inspirational writers at the former Quit Net site. (Quit 4-12-03; Passed 5-20-14). A favorite so true quote I like, "Those at the top of a mountain didn't just fall there." They got there one step, one hurdle at a time. Fill yourself with wisdom (knowledge, understanding, commitment) and then begin again. It's doable. You can do it too. Believe it! ****************************************************************** "The Bumps Are What You Climb On!" From Titotiger on 11/21/2011 10:08:31 AM A little boy was leading his sister up a mountain path and the way was not too easy. "Why, this isn't a path at all," the little girl complained. "It's all rocky and bumpy." Her brother replied, "Of course it is. The bumps are what you climb on." Nobody climbs to the top of the mountain without some challenges along the way; a few "bumps" if you will. Everybody has to do a gut check sooner or later and ask themselves, "Do I really want to climb this mountain? Are the bumps along the path boulders that are going to block my way, or will I use them as stepping stones to get to the top?" You know, lots of people here have climbed the same mountain you're climbing. And many, if not most, like you have found that the path had a lot more bumps than they anticipated. Is that how you feel? And when faced with some really big bumps have you ever entertained the thought of quitting. Have you thought, "Why not take the easy way out and give up?" The answer is because you wouldn't be here unless you wanted to climb the mountain. This is a mountain you know you have to climb, regardless of the bumps. Others have climbed it and you're going to climb it too. You're determined! Remember, the bumps are what you climb on; they're actually stepping stones to higher ground. Whatever it takes and no matter what keep climbing and I'll..... See You At The Top Dave 3,145 Days Quit *******************************************************

Is 4 months of smobriety a pattern for you? Just wondering because if it is it will keep being a major milestone hiccup for you until you overcome that time period of struggle. I'm sure you have heard & know all the things I could say & what you are probably already saying to yourself. The best helping hand for each of us is always the one attached to our own arm first. Hopefully you will choose to begin again sooner rather than later (destroy the rest of the pack!). Read/re-read Nicotine Addiction 101 at whyquit.com. It certainly helped me look at smoking in an entirely different way and was a game changer for me. Smoking doesn't help us through life stresses it just seems that way until we truly understand our addiction to nicotine. You can quit and stay quit. Don't give up. Begin again.

Awesome @Kdad! Keep it up!

Congrats on 12 Years Smoke Free (& counting UP)! Outstanding accomplishment! Keep enjoying your Freedom!

Congrats on 6 months! Keep it up!

Ah yes. The old associations with smoking can really kick our ass. Self-talk about the good 'ole days (in such a colorful positive way too) can do us in. We all get it and have been there. It's a part of the Stay Quit process or stomping out of old associations with smoking. Good recognizing why you are having such a strong pull to the old behavior (smoking at campsite where you previously started smoking again) and knowing that what you are telling yourself (how great smoking was & could be again) is BS. Your rational mind KNOWS that having one would ABSOLUTELY lead to another one and then another one and then welcome to being a smoker again. Was being a smoker all positive? Think instead of the negatives and there are plenty of them. Why did you want to quit smoking? Has those reasons changed? Focus on the negatives and kick the positive stuff you are telling yourself about smoking out of your mind (again & again & again; whatever it takes). Do you have cigarettes with you now? Get rid of them if you do and don't get any more (don't buy 'em, or ask for one from anyone). You've been quit for 3 months. Is 3 months the "usual" milestone when you've started back to smoking? Might be another reason for the strong trigger(s) right now. Being in the situation right now can feel like just one big unending trigger but they really don't last a long time. They are just coming at you one after another in a "loop" pattern in your brain which is where they will stay with your self-talk (which you and only you can change). Change your behavior & thinking (again and again). Learn new associations (we all have to!). Don't escape being present for your kids to "sneak" one. Would you really want to start over again (you know you will never be happy being a smoker again)? This is what we mean by the 'ole "merry-go-round". What we tell ourselves matters. Keep replacing the old smoking thoughts of it having any positives out of your mind (each & every time over & over again) and fill the void/replace those thoughts with new positive ones. Mantras or cliches came in handy for me. Do you have one or two that you can tell yourself that are meaningful to you? You will not always have such strong triggers (give yourself the gift of time). Think how awesome you will feel as a non-smoker when the camping trip is over! Hopefully this long repetitive comment has served as a distraction for you too 🙃! You know you can keep quit! I know you can keep quit! Choose it!

13 Years ... of Healing, Recovery, Self-Discovery Thirteen years ago when I quit smoking I felt like most everyone else does in the beginning. How was I going to not smoke anymore? It punctuated everything I did every day. How could I even think, make decisions, deal with emotions, people, places, things, events, and just plain do life without it. Just the thought of not smoking seemed like "Mission Impossible". Forget about thinking of quitting forever. No way! I recognized though that sometimes we have to tell ourselves, when the anxiety & fear won't go away, to just go ahead and do it anyway. Do it for one last time I told myself. I learned how to fly (read, read, read; educate & prepare yourself), took a leap of faith, and then jumped off the scary cliff & eventually grew my wings strong to remain successful in the smoke free life I chose. It's very doable if you do the work. One hour and then one day at a time at first. I changed what smoking means to me. It is no longer my "go to" response to anything that happens in my life. If I have a smoking "memory" now (seldom) it's quickly followed with a smile & gratitude as I remember I no longer smoke. (Why go back when I have achieved what I wanted?) A place of peace & serenity awaits you in smobriety. It doesn't happen overnight. Keep going until you arrive here yourself. Trust that it will get easier in time. You are worth a smoke free life. The longer you entertain what's not for you, the longer you postpone what is for you. Today is always the best day to quit. And, if you are already quit, stay quit. People who wonder if their glass is half empty or half full miss the point. Our glass is always refillable. Perception and what you focus on is a choice so remember to count your blessings before any trials & tribulations. Keep gratitude front & center in your daily life. Still works for me. Happy Trails

Don't know your smoking history (ie if you have "tried" to quit before) or anything about you so I can't really offer specific advice for you BUT ... I will say that quitting may not be easy for us but it absolutely IS doable and is worth whatever angst we have to go through to reach our forever smobriety. Ask questions as needed. Post to the community & wait for three responses if you feel you are on the verge of smoking. You can quit & stay quit. Believe it! Best Wishes!

Cigs always travel in packs. 'Nuf said.

Your personal choice. Go down the candy lane in a store & look for "fruity" substitutions if that's your preference. I encourage you though to pick out a few different ones to try. Size and texture really shouldn't matter (in my lowly opinion 🙃) because remember you are building new habits, new go to's (at least for now as subs). It takes a while for anything new to become our new normal (feel right). BTW you are not alone in thinking mint/menthol may not be the way to go (for you). I know a few that feel those flavors are addictive to them too. Good listening to yourself! You sound like a winner to me. Keep it up!

Your thinking is right on in many aspects that you have found/find yourself in. I also went through the "phone calls" where one of them was definitely reading from a written script to me in a dull bored voice (yawning included). One even told me if I get cravings while reading posts on-line in their dedicated community that I shouldn't go on-line then. 😮 Those experiences served me well later when I became a certified volunteer to teach an 8 week smoking cessation course to individuals. Personal experience and giving a sh!t does make a difference for successful outcomes. Until you are nicotine free your body will continue to crave even more of what you are feeding it that's why it's so addictive. You might try alternating the lozenges with some other substitute (ie cinnamon hard candy) to gradually taper off the lozenges. Otherwise "just" choose an end date for the lozenges and end the active addiction using the other tools you chose to use when you quit smoking from your "Quit Kit" (distractions, activities, self-talk, substitutions, etc.). Once nicotine free, your body and mind will eventually find its new normal. Time and patience heals & recovers you. Smoking thoughts/cravings will lessen but may/will still pop up from time to time (fewer and further & further apart). The difference is we made our choice and once the physical addiction is dormant it becomes easy to acknowledge the thoughts/triggers (even laugh them off) and just move on from them. You're doing great! Keep it up!

Two months nicotine free is awesome BUT you are NOT past the 'ole Merry-Go-Round that most of us experience when we quit. Your body is fighting with itself (mentally, physically) to find its new normal way to function. The draw to return to "what was" is a part of the process but here's the thing -- if you smoke you will lose what you have gained and I believe you will never be okay with staying a smoker and will want to quit again. Do you really want to redo those months again? Distract yourself, get up and move, do whatever you need to do except smoke. It will pass. Cravings pop up from time to time but with more time & patience and action on your part they WILL get fewer and fewer eventually. Choose. Being a former smoker or an active smoker. Break the chain.