Hosted by Denim50
This community is open to all who are recovering from nicotine addiction.
47808 messages in 1029 discussions
Latest Sep-20 by Jerthie123
Latest 5/21/18 by Terry (abquitsmking)
Latest Sep-21 by Cazza2468
Latest Sep-14 by Jerthie123
Latest Sep-14 by Anne2020
15115 messages in 799 discussions
Latest 11/16/19 by Denim50
Latest Sep-17 by Jerthie123
Latest Sep-13 by kstm (KarenEStMary)
Latest Sep-9 by JavaNY
Latest Sep-7 by kstm (KarenEStMary)
2405 messages in 204 discussions
Latest 9/7/15 by ModDee
Latest Sep-21 by Mercy (mercy164)
4068 messages in 293 discussions
Latest Sep-20 by Ssoshwifty22
Latest Sep-13 by kstm (KarenEStMary)
42240 messages in 3569 discussions
Latest Sep-21 by Jatchat
Latest Sep-9 by Cocoa60
Latest Sep-21 by Mercy (mercy164)
Latest Sep-11 by Lyndy (Lyndy7)
Latest Sep-10 by Mercy (mercy164)
Latest Sep-1 by Jerthie123
Latest Sep-1 by alreadysick
Latest Aug-27 by Mercy (mercy164)
104688 messages in 228 discussions
Latest 11/30/22 by LiJiaXi
Latest Aug-25 by Anne2020
Latest 2:57 AM by Cocoa60
Latest Sep-18 by Jerthie123
Latest Sep-2 by Vic091718
Latest Aug-23 by BMann (bmann018)
82 messages in 6 discussions
Latest Sep-13 by Fabby9
61905 messages in 14 discussions
Latest 2:59 AM by Cocoa60
Latest Sep-20 by JavaNY
78 messages in 18 discussions
255 messages in 33 discussions
1070 messages in 66 discussions
150 messages in 74 discussions
9526 messages in 129 discussions
132 messages in 121 discussions
11/1/22
Welcome New Ex-Smokers
Congratulations on taking that all important first step with cessation - stubbing out the last cigarette and getting started.
Chances are you don't feel 'ready' to quit, and are experiencing a mixture of difficult emotions about it.
Try to relax. You've found the best place for help.
Getting Started with Cessation
Park yourself in front of your computer and read everything you can on this forum board. We encourage you to take the initiative to introduce yourself and post often. Sharing your journey with your new quit buddies and offering support to each other really helps.
This thread will serve as the meeting place for those of you who are quitting now, and when the month ends, we will move your 'home base' thread over to the Quit Buddies Unite folder, where you can continue to support each other.
You can also return to the Introductions folder where you'll find the new Monthly Ex-Smoker thread for those coming along behind you. Share the tips and encouragement that helped you during month one. Not only will this help others, it will strengthen your resolve as well.
Start your reading here: Homework for New Ex-Smokers
Additionally, the folder headings in gray on the left of the page under DISCUSSIONS house different topics. Click on the gray heading to view the conversations held within. When you finish with a folder, click on the drop down menu under DISCUSSIONS and select ALL to see all of the folders again.
Introductions/Newcomers Nook
A good place to start with numerous threads from new ex-smokers.
General Chit-Chat
This is where you will find the daily NOPE thread. NOPE stands for Not One Puff Ever, and members pledge NOPE on a daily basis. Give it a try - you will probably find it helpful and empowering.
Quit Support
This is a good place to post for help when you need it ASAP.
Dots(Weeks) and Stars (Months) Milestones and One Year and Beyond Milestones
Read the accounts of people who are winning with cessation in these folders.
Quit Buddies Unite
This folder is the home base for the groups who quit together. This thread will move to that folder at the end of the first month.
Quit Smoking Library
Here you'll find member stories and links to important articles that will inform you about what to expect from smoking cessation.
The next 4 posts will give you additional info on how to navigate/post here. Please read them and let us know if you have any questions.
An Educated Quit is a Successful Quit
When you know the challenges that may be coming, you can develop a plan to manage them and move forward smoke-free.
Healing from this addiction is a process of gradual release that happens one day at a time. Be patient with yourself and allow recovery to unfold for you as it will.
Enjoy the journey and settle in here. The light is on 24/7 in this virtual haven for quitters and someone is always available to help you when you need it.
11/2/22
Got through day 2. Feeling a bit unsure about tomorrow, but I’m hopeful. I have a cross stitch project I want to make for one of my daughter’s teachers and I don’t want to work on it when I smell like smoke. I plan to get back to work on it tomorrow and hopefully that will help me some. My daughter is a senior, so this is my last chance to get it made.
I was definitely a bit snappy tonight. No one in my family talks about me quitting. I asked my husband in the past to simply check in with me each night, so I’ll know that if I smoke, I won’t be able to hide it from him. I don’t understand why he is so resistant to doing that. Am I asking too much? I ended up asking my friend to check in with me, but she didn’t know I’d been smoking again and completely freaked out. She was crying and a bit hysterical. I won’t be telling her I slipped up and started again.
Hoping I wake up confident for my third day. Stretches and cross stitch will be my crutches. A long with candies. Lots of candies, perhaps.
Jenny
11/2/22
Hi Jenny. Cross stitching did it for me. It's hard to think of smoking when your concentrating on your work. Have a stack of finished work. Now have to frame them all. Another project. I quit on July 4th. Independence day. I'm retired now and wished I never started this nasty addiction. Your still young and have a family. Just take one day at a time. Good luck with your quit.
11/2/22
Jenny... You are doing great. You are managing your emotions about your husband's lack of interest and your friend freaking out well. Good for you. You did not smoke. Good on you! Cross stitching sounds good. It will keep your hands busy. For me, exercise is working. I am still using 6 lozenges a day but it is a big improvement from using 12 a day. Let us continue to share and support one another!
11/2/22
Hi Jenny,
You are doing great and hopefully had a wonderful day working on that cross stitch project. When I quit I thought my daughter would be so happy for me but it was like she really didn't care or thought I wouldn't stay quit. I also think she was disappointed in me for even smoking in the first place, even though it was over 25 years before she even came into the world. I'm saying this because maybe your husband is just afraid if he gets his hopes up, he might be disappointed. It's really hard for a non-smoker to understand what it is like to go through this and the level of effort it takes. At first it was just exhausting for me to get through the day battling the cravings and resisting the triggers. Go to the people that support you even if they may be virtual in this forum. I can't even imagine I would have been successful without my quit buddies here. Sure I had friends here but most of them are smokers and I think they were even secretly jealous of me succeeding (including my husband who still smokes). You can do this my friend...just take it one day at a time and come here and vent and post all the feelings, struggles and accomplishments you have. That is exactly what the forum is for. Even if you just post "Yay I made it through another day smoke free!" and get the kudos you deserve for that.
11/2/22
This is so encouraging Cindi. I am not at a quit with the lozenges yet, but I feel good reducing to 6 a day from 12 a day. Some days I have 7. Some days I have 5. But I am averaging 6 a day. I don't know if I will ever be home free, but my anxiety has really gone down now, so at this point I am really happy!
11/2/22
Hi Jerthie,
You're doing great. Going down from 12 is a huge accomplishment. I never tried lozenges but it has to be better than smoking with less of the harmful chemicals. Keep trying to reduce when you can. You may have posted this already, but have you talked to your doctor about the anxiety? Maybe they can recommend something to help you with that.
Keep up the great work.
11/2/22
Stay strong Jenny. It's worth the effort. The nicotine is out of your system in 3-4 days.
Paul
11/2/22
Cindi, thank you so much for your insight. I think that’s probably why my husband doesn’t give a lot of support. He really is amazing in so many ways and very much so doesn’t want me to smoke. I was confused by why I can’t get him to even check in every night about my quit, but it makes more sense now. I know it’s disappointing for me when I lose a quit, so I’m sure it is for him, too.
I made it through day 3!
11/3/22
Thank you Cindi. Like I said, I feel pretty good. I do see a psychiatrist who prescribes medication for my bipolar disorder. The anxiety is not so much illness based, but due to my relationship life. I am seeing a relationship counsellor soon. I have a consultation tomorrow morning. I do need help. Closing the door temporarily on a relationship that was causing the amxiety has helped. Going for walks has also been therapeautic! Day by day. This forum helps me a lot too. Thank you again for your kind words!