20 years. That’s how long my quit would be if I’d never cheated after my first quit. It would be a distant memory. I smoked more this year than I have in the past 10 years combined, so it’s a harder quit. I hate starting over. I made it 4 months Nov-Feb. I know it’s better if I don’t focus on old quits, but it’s hard not to. 

I’m tossing what I have left in the morning, then going on a 3 day trip where I’m sure I can resist the temptation. Hopefully that gives me a good start. 

There’s always been reasons why I decide to put off my quit date. “My husband’s going to be gone for a weekend, so I might as well put off quitting because I’ll be super tempted while he’s gone” kind of thing. 

I’m hoping to stick with this date. I already have in my head that next month would be better, so I know I need to push that away. I’m sick of so many things that smoking brings with it, so I don’t want to wait until next month. There’s always a reason to wait, anyway, so putting it off because of that doesn’t work very well, lol. 

I may not be around much for the 3 days, but I’ll definitely be back here on Sunday. 

Hi Paul thanks for your message. I am trying to go cold turkey but battling more than I ever have to get past the first day  I get all anxious and immitional. I dont know why or what has caused it to be so difficult to begin even the 1st day this time around.  I have now thought of using the vape just to get me off the thought and use of smokes and then leave the vape. I dont want to go this route as it just takes longer I presume because I'm still feeding myself with nicotine.  I have managed to leave the morning smokes and don't smoke at work but use the vape about 4 times during the day. Then I get home and I have about 3/4 smokes. I don't buy smokes my husband smokes. I just cannot seem to get myself to be mindfulness to get my head thinking right. I t bugs me every day

Hi Lee, Sorry to hear you were faced with a stressful situation so soon after deciding to quit.  Most of us, myself included, tried many times before we were able to quit.  The important thing is do not beat yourself up, just get yourself in the right frame of mind to quit again.  Write down your list of reasons you want to quit and have a plan of what to do when strong cravings hit (which seems nonstop at first, I know.)  Distraction is one of the best tools.  Taking a walk helped me and I did other forms of enjoyable exercise like aerobic dance.  Get all the help you can from this forum and from your doctor.  Some people are all for cold turkey but that was not for me.  I used the patch for the entire program plus my doctor prescribed Wellbutrin which helped.  The rest was up to me.  It is very important to understand that nicotine is a serious addiction that does not let go easily, but you CAN get past it and have a happy, nonsmoking life.  It takes some time and you just have to stick with quitting until you start to feel better and can feel excited about not smoking.  Take care and do not give up!

Anna

Breathing Fresh Air Since 10-1-2013 

Thanks, Cindi.  I am glad to come back when I can.  I remember the old days when everyone smoked everywhere all the time, in homes, cars, businesses, etc.  Then we became the outcasts and had to take it outside and try to hide it along with being embarrassed and ashamed.  Everywhere I went I couldn't wait to leave so I could smoke and it was not fun.  I finally quit for all of these reasons but mostly my health.   I will always be thankful for the help I received from the good people on this forum.

Have a great day,

Anna

Breathing Fresh Air Since 10-1-2013

Hi feafee78, Congrats to you on deciding to quit again.  Most of us quit and started and quit again many times.  There is never a perfect time and there will always be stressful situations.  You just have to have your own reasons for wanting to quit and stick with it no matter what, no excuses.  If you slip, try again, but do not give up.  I smoked for over 40 years and wish I had never started.  Cannot go back, only forward, so I am very thankful to have finally quit 9 years ago and for all the help I received on this forum.  Come back when you can and read the articles and posts because it can really help.  Take care and best wishes.

Anna

Breathing Fresh Air Since 10-1-2013

Hi Lee, been looking for your posts to see how you are doing.  Have you checked out the self hypnosis sites online?  I used these quite a bit the year before I actually quit smoking.  Although they did not provide me with instant results, I am sure they help to smooth the path when I did finally quit.

I am a cold turkey quit.  I found a replacement for smokes, when I quit.  It was food - chocolate covered raisins.  Although I ate and ate and ate them,  I never became addicted to them.  Once my quit had made it past its third month, I weened off the chocolate covered raisins.  I know most people say eat healthy but, for me, I just ate whatever I wanted to.  Quitting smoking was more important to me than whether I was eating chocolate or celery.  

If you could find that one or two things, or maybe its three or four things, that you could have at the ready to turn to when the crave hits, you might be able to past that first three days.  Just the first 3 days is all you need to begin to build your quit walk. 

Some say that withdrawal from nicotine has no side effects at all.  And, that nicotine is out of your system in three (3) days.    

What kinds of things do you have at the ready to help you work through those first three days.

Every quit is different and everyone prefers one way or another. I used an e-cig had nicotine the first month but now it's no nicotine. A big part of my addiction was hand-mouth. I find it comforting just to have it in my pocket.

Find your own way and stay the course :)

I forget how we post in here. Do I just reply to any message, then say that it’s to all? That’s what I’m doing, so I hope it’s the right way, lol

I haven’t smoked since Thursday morning, so I’m on day 3, I think. I was gone from home until late last night, so today will be my hardest day. I’m already thinking of stopping to buy some after I visit my mom. I threw away what I had left, so I know I really didn’t want to start again and I’m trying to remember that. 

My daughter has volleyball games this week and since I was a closet smoker, I’m trying to use that as another reason I shouldn’t start again. It was hard to make sure I didn’t smell at all like smoke when I went to games and I’d rather not go through that again. Not to mention I want to be able to breathe better and not have my tongue look like I’ve killed the top layer of it. Yuck!

I hope to check back in tonight and be able to say I made it through the day. I just don’t feel confident enough to even pledge that I won’t. Bit of a rocky start, I guess. 
 

Jenny

Made it home without going to buy any more. Tomorrow is sure to also be rough, as I keep thinking I might, then deciding I definitely won’t and back again. I need to put air in one of my tires tomorrow, which will definitely tempt me to go in the gas station. Ugh. I don’t remember being this unsure of a quit before. 
I’m enjoying laying in bed next to my cat, knowing I’m not going to go outside and make him leave my bed. I’m also happy I won’t be going outside to do something I don’t really enjoy doing anymore. It smells bad, tastes bad and feels bad. Why do I still feel like I want to do it? 

Hoping tomorrow is easier than tonight

Jenny