Hi Debbie, 

I remember you so well from my last quit! You've helped me a great deal back then, even if I wasn't able to follow through. It was an awful timing then. Plus I was feeling as though I needed to apologise to the world for being obnoxious. I felt like a burden all the time. 

This time I'm determined to be selfish when it comes to my quit. I have to do this for me. I'm determined not to apologise, not to feel ashamed of being vulnerable, hysterical, whatever comes my way. I have a whole year of learning to do. I'm hoping to stop being a sissy anytime :) 

Thank you for your support! 

Congratulations on Day 5, Kalya! You're doing great!

Please be sure to reward yourself every day for all your efforts. 

You are doing this!

Hugs,

Andrea

Thank you Andrea! I've downloaded that intrepid fish to keep me company during hardest times. 

I've been taking everything very slow so I have time to process things and give myself little pep talks before each day and stretching sessions after each day. Yes I'm doing this. And it feels amazing, it feels like coming home in a strange way! May I never stray again! 

Way to go, Kalya! The pep talks and stretching sessions are both great ideas. 

Hopefully I'm back to join the August group. I blew a 48 day quit in April. Tried again without success. Then my brother came up with an idea to drive from Washington to New York for our high school reunions. Flew up to Washington from Arizona to begin trip August 2nd. Went cold turkey. Brothers a non smoker can't smoke in motels can't smoke on trails in national parks. It was perfect. Didn't even think about it. Got back to Arizona Sunday August 18th. So far I'm doing well. That 48 days taught me what to do with my time. Went back to the YMCA this morning. Don't do a lot of posting but I read this forum at least twice a day. Thank you everyone and hopefully we all can beat the death sticks.

Hi All, 

I am new here. A short introduction of myself

This is Johnson from SIngapore. I had been smoking for 14 years, heavy smoker, with 20 ciggs per day. 

I decided to stop smoking 2 days ago but had smoke 5 sticks across the 2 days.  Been experiencing the withdrawals and its my first time trying to quit.

Should i go cold turkey or drop the number of sticks i smoke?

I went cold turkey, it is hard but was a clean break of all things associated with a cigarette for me.  Many people here use patches, lozenges etc which helps with withdrawal but gets rid of smoking and some take aids like Wellbutrin, chantix etc to help. .  Really what you end up doing should be best for you and most comfortable in order to really quit

The withdrawals were so crazy. Is there really a comfortable way to quit?

I am debating with myself whether is it redundant to cut down on the number of sticks i smoke per day. Sounds like i am giving an excuse to myself. but is it kinda extreme from 20 sticks per day to 0 stick per day.

Last stick i had was 9 hours ago. 

The withdrawal is definitely the nicotine. I think people here would say use an ecig, or patch and wean down that way.  I have found people I know cutting back the number smoked didn’t work very well 

Hi Ginger,

I am at the 6 wk. mark today. How did you blow your quit? I'm pretty close to you in my journey so I'm curious as to what happened. Mentally, I don't think I could handle losing my quit. There's no way I'm going through those first weeks again. I'm still struggling, but smoking is just not an option for me healthwise. I either have to choose to quit, and live a longer life, or keep on smoking and die much younger. There is no compromise here.

I still don't understand how some can quit and go back and then quit again. I don't understand the back and forth approach. It's just a do or don't situation for me. 

Here's hoping you success this time around.

Michele