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Longtime exsmokers question


18 years ago 0 1521 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Mel, We are all glad you've joined us. Please rely on this site to help you through. Members, any insight here for Mel? Thank you all. Take Care, Melanie _____________________ The SSC Support Team
18 years ago 0 5 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Thanks so much to everyone who responded to this question. It has definately helped me understand more about the quitting process. I, unfortunately, was away from the site for a few days (my computer was down), and I ended up slipping, but I'm back online and back on track again. I really feel like this site offers a lot of support, and reinforces my decision to quit every time I log on. Sometimes I think it's the only thing that keeps me on track. I'm a little worried right now because I have to go out of town for two months starting this week, and I just found out that the extremely isolated community where I'll be living HAS NO INTERNET!! Not even the school (where I'll be working). I'm going to miss you guys while I'm gone, but I will be back at the end of June. Take care everyone, and wish me luck. Melanie [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 4/4/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 12 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 128 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $42 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 21 [B]Mins:[/B] 51 [B]Seconds:[/B] 58
  • Quit Meter

    $15,900.00

    Amount Saved

  • Quit Meter

    Days: 346 Hours: 23

    Minutes: 50 Seconds: 37

    Life Gained

  • Quit Meter

    3180

    Smoke Free Days

  • Quit Meter

    31,800

    Cigarettes Not Smoked

18 years ago 0 5 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi guys, I'm just a few days in, and relying heavily on reading these posts to get through another day. Don't get me wrong, I love reading posts from people who have quit smoking a year (or more) ago, but I am just wondering if the quitting ever gets easier? Do you guys keep coming here to read and post because you still think of yourselves as "quitting" and are still afraid of starting again? Or (and I hope this is the answer) do you keep coming here to provide support for those of us who need it? I was kind of thinking that after I had not smoked for months (or years) that I would kind of forget that I used to smoke, because I would have moved on. Anyone have any comments? Thanks again guys for all the support. Melanie [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 4/4/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 4 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 44 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $14 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 7 [B]Mins:[/B] 32 [B]Seconds:[/B] 5
  • Quit Meter

    $15,900.00

    Amount Saved

  • Quit Meter

    Days: 346 Hours: 23

    Minutes: 50 Seconds: 37

    Life Gained

  • Quit Meter

    3180

    Smoke Free Days

  • Quit Meter

    31,800

    Cigarettes Not Smoked

18 years ago 0 12 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Thanks, Missy. I really needed some encouragement to get through a bad time. I'm hanging onto your [quote]: "It's normal for you to still think of smoking at 3 months...at 14 months, it's rare I think of it. Eventually, we get there." I never thought it would be easy - this is my umpteenth attempt to quit, but I've never made it past about 10 days before. I stopped using Zyban a few days ago, and was very nervous about doing so. Although, it's been easier than I thought it would ... I think I'm recognising that while it would just be so much easier to pretend to myself that I'll cope better with my lfe (with a cig in hand) - of course it will not really be better. And those negative comments seem to justify junkie thinking. All those reasons I stopped - I need to remind myself of them. Thanks for the wake up call. Better get going - got a meeting. bye for now and thanks again. really needed it. kathy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/8/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 93 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,329 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $186 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 10 [B]Hrs:[/B] 11 [B]Mins:[/B] 35 [B]Seconds:[/B] 6
  • Quit Meter

    $423,864.00

    Amount Saved

  • Quit Meter

    Days: 6616 Hours: 17

    Minutes: 19 Seconds: 40

    Life Gained

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    45414

    Smoke Free Days

  • Quit Meter

    908,280

    Cigarettes Not Smoked

18 years ago 0 12 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Thanks for starting this discussion. It's been bothering me too - both my boss (a former smoker) and my husband (still a smoker) are saying stuff like - well, if you've given up, you've given up. Stop dwelling on it. Move on! So I haven't been to the site for a few days -- and yesterday I started thinking, 'well, what could be wrong with having just one puff: that will prove I've given up'. Then came the thought: "So what if I smoke? I've put on weight, (my husband and I are not at a good place relationship-wise right now (actually I think he hates the 'new' me) I'm up against horrible deadlines at work (worked all day Sunday) ...how good it would be to have a glass of wine and a smoke and just CHILL.' I'm going to the mountains for the Easter weekend (if I get all my work done first...), and I know that it's going to be hard because there'll be smokers around me. On the other hand, one of my prompts for stopping smoking was so I could climb mountains and hike without feeling like I was about to have a heart attack! Most disturbing is that even after 90-odd days, these thoughts are in my head. My boss keeps saying - well, if you're counting the days, you're not going to stick to it. It means you're NOT over it. He says once he decided to quit, that was it - he just did and hasn't thought about it since. Maybe he's lying, or deluding himself. His wife is one of those 'social smokers' - has one if there's a smoker around to bum off, but goes weeks without having, or wanting, one, apparently. Too many questions, not enough answers. Sigh. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/8/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 92 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,305 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $184 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 10 [B]Hrs:[/B] 9 [B]Mins:[/B] 0 [B]Seconds:[/B] 9
  • Quit Meter

    $423,864.00

    Amount Saved

  • Quit Meter

    Days: 6616 Hours: 17

    Minutes: 19 Seconds: 40

    Life Gained

  • Quit Meter

    45414

    Smoke Free Days

  • Quit Meter

    908,280

    Cigarettes Not Smoked

18 years ago 0 208 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Thanks Missyfit.. I needed to hear "I want to share what I now understand...that I could only dream about on day 4...that life returns to (a better) normal. You're gonna love it!". I don't want to smoke anymore but am struggling to figure out how to fill the void. I can't wait until I feel "normal" again. I think I'm going through midlife crisis as well as quitting ;-). [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/5/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 71 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,130 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $497 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 6 [B]Hrs:[/B] 21 [B]Mins:[/B] 58 [B]Seconds:[/B] 44
18 years ago 0 5195 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Melanie... I think that there are two reasons that us older quitters keep coming back. One. Is not because of an urge to smoke but rather a feeling of needing to share what we have learned with others that are struggling to break free of the most horrible addiction there is. It gets easier as you move along your quit journey. Some days are good and some days are bad. But that is how life was even when we smoked. Two. In the beginning of my quit, I was glued to this site (some say I still am). I have developed relationships with a lot of these quitters and we have been through a lot together. It is nice to come in here and see how all my friends are doing and to celebrate milestones that we achieve. I guess there really is a third reason as well..... the SSC can also be addicting :) . Keep up the great quit. You will not regret it. Take it one day at a time and don't worry about how you are going to feel next week. Be sure to take a lot of deep breaths and drink a lot of water. It helps you get through the cravings. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 7/1/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 281 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 5,628 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $983.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 24 [B]Hrs:[/B] 19 [B]Mins:[/B] 14 [B]Seconds:[/B] 4
18 years ago 0 2830 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Mel, This is a good question. While I do have rough times still where I want to smoke and post that I'm struggling, for the most part, I generally don't crave all that much. But I come here everyday or almost everyday because it renews my desire to stay quit. I notice that, for me, when I'm away from the site for a few days, my dedication to the quit fades a bit... 2 out of the 3 screw ups I've made since starting the quit process in June were after I'd been away from the site for a few days. So, I come here to offer support to others AND to renew my dedication to the quit... helping others is often helping ourselves and when us older quitters give support to newer quitters, we may actually be talking to ourselves. So for me, that's another reason that I come. But it's generally NOT because of cravings. Congrats on 4 days! You're doing awesome! Crave the Quit! Pam [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 10/28/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 162 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 4,061 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $669.06 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 11 [B]Hrs:[/B] 18 [B]Mins:[/B] 59 [B]Seconds:[/B] 31
18 years ago 0 989 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Ditto for most of what's been said. I "used" this site and the support here for most of every day for the first month or two. Then less and less as time went on. Now I sometimes have top push myself to make time to come here. Smoking is no longer an obsession for me. Amazingly whole days go by without thinking of a cigarette. There are three reasons I come back to the site now. 1) To reinforce my quit. I feel that I will always be an addict, and that occasionally reminding myself of this is the best insurance policy to staying quit. I never ever want to go through withdrawal again!!! And I never ever want to see smoking as an option, no matter what life throws my way. 2) I have some friends here - people who quit within 6 months of me (before or after) - people whom I now feel privileged to call friends. I come back to check in with them. I am not a veteran, but I think it must be similar to the comaraderie that vets feel for fellow vets. These are friends with whom I was in combat. We survived the war together. We might or might not have been friends in "real" life, but there is a bond which we share that can never be erased. I stop by to reassure myself that they are still okay. 3) I come back to share what I have learned with newcomers I feel like folks here saved my life. If there is anything... ANYTHING I might say or offer to help someone else succeed, then my time here is worthwhile. Ever seen the movie, "Pay it Forward"?? (If not, it is a great one) Regardless, I now try to check in once a day or several times a week and at least post once or twice. Or bump up an old post I thought might be helpful. It is sometimes a "should"....but my gosh, what is a few minutes if I might help save someone's life???? Hope this answers your question. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 4/15/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 359 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 8,999 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1256.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 50 [B]Hrs:[/B] 2 [B]Mins:[/B] 3 [B]Seconds:[/B] 1
  • Quit Meter

    $794,745.00

    Amount Saved

  • Quit Meter

    Days: 5682 Hours: 19

    Minutes: 53 Seconds: 14

    Life Gained

  • Quit Meter

    45414

    Smoke Free Days

  • Quit Meter

    1,135,350

    Cigarettes Not Smoked

18 years ago 0 3 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
I think to answer that is ,your quit is easier if you use all the help you can get.All the support you can get.Why go it alone.By helping each other your quit can last.(it does get easier). [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 9/13/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 210 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 5,258 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1050 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 18 [B]Hrs:[/B] 12 [B]Mins:[/B] 53 [B]Seconds:[/B] 10
  • Quit Meter

    $19,230.48

    Amount Saved

  • Quit Meter

    Days: 507 Hours: 5

    Minutes: 10 Seconds: 46

    Life Gained

  • Quit Meter

    3684

    Smoke Free Days

  • Quit Meter

    66,312

    Cigarettes Not Smoked


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