Stu, There is NO such thing as "just one!" That is the nicodemon's most dangerous lie!!! You have 2 choices... ONLY 2! They are Not One Puff Ever OR a life of slavery to the cigarettes. You can NOT have both! If you quit, you don't smoke. If you smoke, you are not quit. There is no half way point. It is one or the other. Clear? Tell me... what is your plan? Do you have a plan in place for what you will do when you want to smoke? If not, make one NOW!!!!!!!!!! By that, I mean come here first if you can, call someone who supports your quit who can help you through the cravings, chew your nicorette gum, suck on hard candy, "smoke" a straw (my licorice cigarette is the best thing that ever happened to me). Make a plan... say that you will come here BEFORE you light up and post and wait for 10 responses before making the concious decision to light that next cigarette. You have a choice. Which will it be? Smoking and living with the consequences or being free from this addiction for the rest of your life? I know what choice I made. What will it be for you? Crave the Quit! Pam [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 10/28/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 182 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 4,559 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $751.66 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 13 [B]Hrs:[/B] 5 [B]Mins:[/B] 42 [B]Seconds:[/B] 10

Hi, Stu. Nicotine is the most addictive drug there is. Nothing you've done in the past will match it. Not alcohol, not illegal drugs, not prescription drugs, [u]nothing[/u]. Then you add in its legality and ease of acquisition and you've got a real monster on your back. Two things happen when you become addicted. First, the pleasure/reward centers in the primitive, subconcious part of your brain are stimulated. Second, the activity of the rational, concious part is suppressed. Put these two together and you get a major control problem. Crave hits, desperate primitive part asserts itself on the weakened rational part, crave wins. At those times you must maintain control. It can be a major struggle, I know all too well. I also know it can be done. I am proof of that. If I can do it, anyone can. Try not focusing on fighting the crave or on not smoking. Focus on something slightly removed from that, something that must happen first. Smoking is a sequence of events that begin with acquisition of a tobacco product and end with the first inhale. I suggest you stop at the first step: the acqusition. If you do not acquire a cig, you cannot smoke it. If you get one, then it is okay to smoke it. But you cannot allow yourself to get one. I've used this twisty logic on me before and it actually worked. You are not denying the addiction what it wants, you are just no able to provide for it. If that doesn't work, the next step is to just do nothing. Don't think, don't act, don't go anywhere. Basically, you shut down for the duration of the crave, even if it lasts a few hours. I focused on the fact that the crave was temporary and it would pass and all I had to do was wait it out even if it meant spending the entire night fetal on the couch. I hope this makes sense. If not, let me know and I'll try again. [b][size=4]WHAP!!!!!![/size][/b] right upside the head. :) Shevie [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 5/23/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 340 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 6,809 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1292 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 63 [B]Hrs:[/B] 11 [B]Mins:[/B] 20 [B]Seconds:[/B] 31

How are you doing StuBow? [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 4/26/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 4 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 118 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $46 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 11 [B]Mins:[/B] 1 [B]Seconds:[/B] 42

Stu, You have received alot of advice, take what you need and keep it close. Keep those coping mechanisms near and avoid situations that will tempt you. You can do this and know that we are here for support and not to judge you! Keep Strong, Josie ____________________ The SSC Support Team.