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Question for all?????????


17 years ago 0 925 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
bump Great post Phillip. Great comments from everyone else too. My quit strategy was to gain knowledge, lose the fear and make a plan. I learned and accepted that I am an addict and took sole responsibilty for my quit. I made many, many plans and used very, very few of them. My coping mechanisms were a minimum dose of Wellbutrin for a few weeks and CHOOSING TO BE POSITIVE. The only actual craves I had were before I quit while cutting down and water with twizzlers combined with deep breathing and the smoker's serenity prayer (acknowledging them) beat them down. Since my quit day, I've only had one mildish crave and occasional smoking thoughts that I wave away easily because I've lost nothing, gained everything, used humor and have adopted N.O.P.E. I still search old threads and read here to reinforce my quit. :) Pat [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/28/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 89 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 3,565 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1246 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 10 [B]Hrs:[/B] 9 [B]Mins:[/B] 40 [B]Seconds:[/B] 18
  • Quit Meter

    $121,363.20

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    Days: 966 Hours: 17

    Minutes: 25 Seconds: 34

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    6321

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17 years ago 0 27 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi, Phillip. Outstanding quit of 151 day's !!! "You have every reason to be proud of yourself !!!" Your Question Back Ground My Wife and I are working hard to beat this drug !!! "Day 12... so very little experience to share" Why give Up After 35 years of smoking yours truly decided three weeks ago whilst enjoying a cigarette & cold beer in the garden to give up smoking as a Birthday present from me to me. My wife Brenda "Daatska" was silent for a while, I gave her options, but she decided to support me and kick this drug also. History I was a heavy smoker 20-30 a day for 35 years. I was also a canny smoker, back up supplies were never far away spare pack's at the ready in the car, at home, in the office, etc etc. Oh yea !!! I had back up cigarette lighters as well including one on my key ring "After all, let's face it cigarettes don't taste good if you don't light them first ". The Truth Day 1 Was one big mind game had to go to bed early .... but I won. Day 2 Was Mr Angry day I was so frustrated my head said no and my body was screaming .....are you an idiot or what !!! Day 3 Was a strange day felt weak no energy and carried a constant sickly feeling in my stomach. Day 4 Happy Bunny Day From day one to now, my quit is nothing more than a boxing match with a drug addict which happens to be me. I have no intention in loosing, I also have no intention of taking any support medication to kick the self inflicted nicotine problem I have today. My Quit I seriously feel that for me I cannot avoid a routine inside & outside of work that is not linked to smoking in some way or another. In addition my passed personal smoking routines / habit's ie. smoking with a cup of coffee. So my reality is that I cannot avoid it ! so now I need to take me on.... head on. This results in me talking to my self quite a bit ? " I know it's the first sign of madness " (Good pop group) but I have been talking to myself allot lately and the more I do it the stronger I get! and now it's become a very personal vendetta. Head on Challenges I go into the smoke room at work, drink coffee, talk to my smoking friends, leave after five minutes smiling to my self "That's another wall down". My wife and I smashed all our ashtray's in the garden at home with t
17 years ago 0 213 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Okay what I do may sound a little crazy to you all. But the truth is, I did not want to quit smoking. I was thinking how I would miss it. I purchased about five books, three cds, and surf the internet for months. I read and read trying to reverse my brained washed mind. I was trying to reprogram it. I would look at horrific pictures of people with cancer of the mouth, larnyx, lungs and look the reality and certainty of death straight in the eyes. I still do the same thing. I have taught myself to hate it, through changing my thinking. I have books to read in my car, at my desk and in my house. I have those horiffic picture on my work computer and my home computer. I remind myself daily I could be tempted at any moment. I also try to think like a non-smoker. Like how great it is to be smoke free other than how I miss it. I really think it is 99% mind over matter. And finally I took up working out. Navigator. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 6/16/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 32 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 653 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $115.2 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 3 [B]Hrs:[/B] 2 [B]Mins:[/B] 22 [B]Seconds:[/B] 24
17 years ago 0 772 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hello Phillip congrats on your anniversary! I used Zyban so that helped, but i didnt start taking it until the day i quit, as it wasnt planned (I came here said what i thought iwas going to do.. then was persuaded to do it, and so did). Next day started Zyban. Deep breathing REALLY Helped. I remember driving my car (a huge trigger to and from work) - and i got there and back simply by deep breathing, it felt great to fill my lungs up again. Then there was the treats. I made sure i bought myself some nice things. I got my hair done it smelt fantastic. I used sugar free gum, sometimes i would devour packets of it. Boiled sweets, packets of first week as well. Oh and i carried around in my bag a tiny Allen Carr book. I printed off some motivational stuff, and put it on my wall. I came here and posted a lot... and when I wasnt asking for help, I tried to help other people. Coming here did definately help my quit. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 6/12/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 36 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 911 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �270 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 3 [B]Hrs:[/B] 5 [B]Mins:[/B] 11 [B]Seconds:[/B] 17
17 years ago 0 3368 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
I did not avoid things I use to do. I would feel the smoking memory and I would get busy doing something else in it's place. I got busy making no smoking memories. For driving at first I would chew a piece of gum instead of smoking. Now I don't think of smoking while driving, nor do I need to chew a piece of gum. After dinner, I would chew a piece of gum, now I don't and I do not think of smoking. I don't know how to explain it any other way ... I just did different things instead of smoke or I would even feel the uncomfortable feeling of not smoking and time after time ... it felt less and less uncomfortable. I learned to relax and do nothing. I learned to relax without a smoke. I used hard candies at first or cauliflower and fat free dip. or carrots ... I used a lot of self talk. I read a lot of stuff that made me hate smoking, because it opened my eyes to all the lies that I had believed for years and years. So when and if a memory did pop up ... my brain would start thinking of how disgusting smoking was instead of me wanting one. I basically 'unbrainwashed' myself and then brainwashed it in a healthy sense. Does that make any sense to you? Anyway ... I know that I will never go back to smoking. Let's face it ... it is just plain gross and serves no purpose. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 5/12/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 67 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,025 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $268 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 5 [B]Hrs:[/B] 16 [B]Mins:[/B] 20 [B]Seconds:[/B] 25
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    $54,514.80

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    45429

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17 years ago 0 3368 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Doesn't sound crazy to me Navigator ... sounds like the same as I did ... reversed the brainwashing. I started believing the truth, instead of the lies. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 5/12/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 67 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,030 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $268 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 5 [B]Hrs:[/B] 16 [B]Mins:[/B] 39 [B]Seconds:[/B] 44
  • Quit Meter

    $54,514.80

    Amount Saved

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    Days: 5957 Hours: 13

    Minutes: 8 Seconds: 59

    Life Gained

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    45429

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    136,287

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17 years ago 0 3368 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
ROFL!!! @ Confusedcom Great post! Cheers! Here is to knocking those walls down! Going at it head on and kicking ash! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 5/12/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 68 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,054 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $272 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 5 [B]Hrs:[/B] 18 [B]Mins:[/B] 15 [B]Seconds:[/B] 40
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    $54,514.80

    Amount Saved

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    Days: 5957 Hours: 13

    Minutes: 8 Seconds: 59

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    45429

    Smoke Free Days

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    136,287

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17 years ago 0 261 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi Riv - great thread, it is so interesting to hear similarites and differences in how we handle our own quit process. My husband wanted to quit, I agreed to quit as I was sick of being a slave, but I wasn't hopeful about the result. I've failed in the past and I was scared of failing again. And I mostly failed after being quit a few months and thinking to myself - "I can handle this, it's easy! I'll just have one." Erk. So because I was nervous about failure I got everything I could find! I got a homeopathic drops from the naturopath which is supposed to reduce cravings, I got microtab NRT & vitamin supplements from the chemist, I've already got the Allen Carr book (which I'll study again at 3 months to reduce/eliminate the NRT), I checked out positive thinking and did lots and lots of reiki. After all that! Whew. I think I slept solid for the first 3 days. On the third night I was madly trawling the net to find help/info on the cravings and found: Taaa Daaa! The SSC. I've said it before and I'll say it again many many times - this site and you guys, my quit smoking support family, are what makes me accountable and solid in my quit. We've laughed together and cried together and celebrated every single milestone, large and small, together. WHAT a family!! Thanks guys, alison :) Kick the Herb to the Kerb Oh and I ate like a pig for 6 weeks, replaced smoking memories with non-smoking memories, hung around non-smoking friends and places, and read and posted here a lot! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 5/16/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 64 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,926 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $800 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 9 [B]Hrs:[/B] 2 [B]Mins:[/B] 22 [B]Seconds:[/B] 21
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    $90,858.00

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    Days: 8667 Hours: 15

    Minutes: 41 Seconds: 52

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    45429

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17 years ago 0 8760 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
RiverdaleMan, Thanks for throwing this question out into the SSC. It is sure to benefit and aid many, especially new members in the midst of hell week. Keep up the good work and congratulations on 151 days! Danielle _________________________ The SSC Support Team
17 years ago 0 137 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
riverdale; When I first quit I chewed up alot of cinnamon sticks, I went places that had no smoking, bowling, restruants with my sister that quit 10 years ago. Chewed alot of gum, Drank green tea instead of coffee, exerised,, did deep breathing and read and read everything I could get my hands on. Now I chew gum and just keep reminding myself of how far I've come and how far i want to go. And every day I don't smoke I offer it up for someone that is having pain, suffering or trouble. It is better to give than recieve. And now I can sing longer and with more strength Noel [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 4/8/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 101 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,033 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $303 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 11 [B]Hrs:[/B] 10 [B]Mins:[/B] 33 [B]Seconds:[/B] 57

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