About Smoking Cessation Forum
Hosted by Terry (abquitsmking)
Formerly known as the About.com Smoking Cessation support forum, this community is open to all who are recovering from nicotine addiction.
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November 2020 Ex-Smokers Quit Buddies Unite
From: Terry (abquitsmking)
Nov-6
When you first quit cigarettes, it may feel as if every waking moment is consumed with one thought and one thought alone: the urge to smoke.
If you pay close attention though, you'll notice that most cravings last only around three to five minutes. They tend to come off the blocks strongly and decrease gradually until they're finally gone.
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10 Ways to Overcome Cigarette Cravings in 5 Minutes
When you first quit smoking, nicotine cravings can make your life miserable. Use these 10 easy tips to overcome smoking urges in as few as 5 minutes.
Read more from Verywell MindFrom: Terry (abquitsmking)
Nov-6
Nicotine withdrawal can include a whole host of symptoms. Take a look at the following article to get an idea of whether what you're feeling is related to smoking cessation or not.
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Why Smokers Can Feel Flu-Like Symptoms When They Stop Smoking
Learn about the symptoms and side effects of nicotine withdrawal, often called quitter's flu or smoker's flu.
Read more from Verywell MindFrom: Terry (abquitsmking)
Nov-6
Taking Back Control - Kevin's Story
I was probably 14 or 15 years old when I became a full time smoker. I blame myself, but peer pressure played a big part. The ones I wanted to spend time with or looked up to (sister, cousins, friends), all smoked. It was cool to smoke, and if I didn't smoke, I wouldn't be one of them.
I smoked for roughly 32-33 years and had a love/hate relationship with cigarettes. I probably thought about quitting with almost every cigarette that I lit, even the ones I loved -- with coffee, with a beer, after eating, etc. As much as I was “enjoying” that cigarette though, there was part of me wishing that I was free from the things.
During my career in the military, every time I deployed, I wanted to come home better. Sometimes I did, sometimes I didn't.
Maybe I would exercise more, lose weight, gain muscle, quit smoking... Something. But here I was, ten months into a deployment in northern Afghanistan, and I had done nothing to improve myself. Worse yet, I had gained 10 lbs.
But then, the colonel quit smoking and he was making it look easy. Way too easy. Cigarettes had controlled me for over 30 years and this was just enough motivation to get me to give smoking cessation another try. I decided to quit when I finished the last four packs of my carton, and a few days later on May 24, 2009, I put out my last cigarette and went to bed.
I will not lie. I don't think I ever really thought I would actually succeed. I had failed every attempt to quit before and this quit would probably be no different. It was not a matter of “if” I was going to fail; it was a matter of “when”. But, I kept pushing through the urges. The colonel was still doing it, and I was not going to be the first to give in.
I tried nicotine patches for a little more than four days, but I didn’t feel they were helping, and ripped the fifth one off. In my mind, it was me that was pushing through the urges, not the patches. Heck, my mind was my own worst enemy. My mind kept telling me that I would miss smoking forever. But that was the “nicodemon” talking.
Somehow, through determination, I kept going long enough that I started to believe I could do it. I kept thinking to myself, that a day would come that I would not think of smoking every waking minute. I did not look to next week; I worked on today and hoped it would get a little better tomorrow.
I found this forum on the 7th day of my quit. I’ll never know if I would have succeeded without it, but I know it definitely helped. By posting my quit intentions in public, I told everyone reading it that I was going to give this quit an honest attempt. By jumping in and giving advice, I was helping myself as much as I was helping others.
I quit with determination, and a (somewhat) positive attitude. My number one reason to quit was to take back the control from cigarettes and nicotine.
I did it.
It has been over 15 months now, and I DO NOT MISS CIGARETTES. I am thanking myself every day for quitting. I love being free!
Tips from Kevin:
- Think positive: Know that the uncomfortable feelings you have in the early days of your quit are temporary. You will not always have that “empty” feeling. YOU WILL NOT MISS SMOKING FOREVER. Keep yourself in a positive frame of mind.
- It gets better: The further I got into my quit, the more I believed in it, and the easier it became. It has been a gradual healing from nicotine addiction.
- Keep your quit reasons with you in the early days: I also listed out family/friends who quit before me and things to do if I get an urge.
- Get support: As I said above, a forum full of quit buddies helped me. It kept me honest, and it even kept my quit fun at times.
From: gkim
Nov-6
Hello. I tested positive for Covid s as bd found this Wednesday and haven’t had a cigarette Thursday or today, Friday. Very scared and nervous and want to smoke. I’m not smoking because my urge to smoke is not greater than wanting to get well. I’m really not thinking about anything right now. I know I’m going to need help and this s not going to be easy.
From: TinyBadger
Nov-6
You're making the right decision! You're, right, this isn't easy. But it can be done. What can we do to help? Have you read the articles here yet? Are you using nrt? You've got this, don't be scared....be optimistic that this will be your last quit. We've got your back! Stay strong and keep going, I know you can do this!
From: gkim
Nov-6
Oh wow how exciting I have a response. Using these sites is new to me and I don’t even know how I managed to post this. Thank you for the quick response. I have read all of what’s here. I needed to know what to expect, especially the withdrawals. I am not using any aids but not against using it. I’m playing it by ear. No sure when I should physically start to not have withdrawals.
From: TinyBadger
Nov-6
I think withdrawals are different for everyone. I'm on day 149 and I still want to smoke at times. The holidays, politics, all kinds of stuff get me ready to smoke. I do have the people here, though. And that means I have you! I used nrt for a while so it took me a while to get "full" withdrawals, if you know what I mean. If you don't need nrt, don't use it, it's not for everyone. There are people here who carry around the gum or a lozenge just in case. Heck, I'm still carrying them around and I've been off them for a while. You may feel crabby, hangry, irritable and stir crazy. Maybe fidgety, have insomnia (I didn't) and just plain not yourself. It's ok though, because it won't be constant and it will ease with time. It's not a fun gig but we have each other, right?
From: Jonny84
Nov-6
Hang in there - I quit too when I found out I had Covid - October 5. I quit for about 9 days and started feeling better. The I figured I was just have 1 or 2 - that was a mistake - all it did was add anxiety to the lingering Covid symptoms. I went back and forth for a few more days - would actually go to the store and buy a pack take 4 out and throw them away. I realized what a trap they put me in. There is no 1 cigarette that will cure the urge you have. 1 leads to 2 that leads to 3 - then you get more anxiuos and upset with yourself after you smoke. I am at 4 days and 3 hours without 1. I am using the patch - the step 2 - and it is pretty hard - HOWEVER - I am breathing much better - the anxiety is up and down - but i really feel like its more under control because I honestly have not had ANY in 4 days - and haven't cheated at all. You just need to hang in there and really convince yourself that smoking even 1 will only lead to regret. Smoking is a viscous cycle - there is no 1 cigarette that will satisfy your craving - it will lead to more!!! Please listen to me when I tell you - The COVID stuff is bad enough - fear anxiety ect.. But now that I am really coming out of it - I have no doubts that my decision to STOP was the right one. Trust me - You will get healthier ALOT faster and be sooooo much happier in the long run!!!
From: gkim
Nov-6
Are you recovered from Covid? I know a lot about the whole “only one...” phenomenon. I am six plus years sober. In some ways smoking is harder because we don’t see the damages it does to us visually. We don’t fall down stairs, for example, if we smoke too many.
From: Mimikur
Nov-7
Hi @gkim!
I hope you get better soon, and recover from covid quickly! 
I quit about the same time as you. I am completing 2 full days an hour from now. Like you, i had a very strong reason to quit -- which I haven't shared before on this forum. My husband and I are planning (and possibly expecting) to have a baby. Holding on to this reason, I find that it has made my quit possible in just a week of gathering info (mainly from here) and changing the way I think about quitting.
I am glad that you found this place. It has helped many, and will help you too! Post a lot and tell us what you are feeling, if you feel like it.