Sparky, Some members find it helpful to journal when experiencing stressful periods of time. Also be sure to take some time for yourself. Rewards and relaxation become even more important when tension and anxiety levels run high. Stay strong! Danielle ________________________ The SSC Support Team

I wasn't going to post at all today. I want to suck it up and get though by myself - selfish? Yes. I do like where I am at. Quitting sucks!!! I am nervouse, pacing, climbing the walls, you name it I am doing it. Gonna, I know what you are going though :8o: I know all the answers :mad: Don't smoke, NOPE, hang on you will get though this, just don't smoke. That sounds real good when you don't want to smoke. I don't want to pick up, but I sure would like to have one, now isn't that funny. This is crap. I made a promise to someone on this site, if it were not for that I may just give up!!! Long story short, I want this darn day over. NOW!!! Thanks for letting me vent. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 10/16/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 16 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 166 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $48 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 2 [B]Hrs:[/B] 5 [B]Mins:[/B] 18 [B]Seconds:[/B] 53

Well, I woke up this morning smoke free. I knew this time would come, and thought I was prepared. I spent the other day reading trying to get my coping skill ready. Not saying that caused it or not. Our son is returning home today. He can be a real stress point. He knows all of my buttons. He is returning from Germany after spending 4 years in the Army and one tour in Ircq. He is going to need space and I really want to do that for him, but I have a big mouth :blush: Anyway, this is where I am now. Need to get some coffee and try and put a postive spin on my day. It is just hard right now and that is about it in a nut shell. Gonna, glad you are okay. Thank all of you for your responses. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 10/16/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 17 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 173 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $51 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 2 [B]Hrs:[/B] 7 [B]Mins:[/B] 33 [B]Seconds:[/B] 20

Sparky From a thread call "junkie thinking" Thanks to Rob47 [quote] All my life I was conditioned to either stand and fight or turn and run when faced with challenge. If you�re a newbie, then chances are there is another habit trigger waiting around the corner that will soon generate a short yet powerful anxiety attack that we call a crave. The habit trigger could be an emotion, time, event or place where, or during which, you used to suck warm nicotine laden air into crying lungs in order to replenish your blood�s rapidly falling nicotine level. The good news is that most habit triggers are reconditioned and discarded by our subconscious mind with just a single encounter. The good news is that the triggered crave will only last a few minutes. The good news is that the anxiety power of our crave generator is fizzling fast, and with each encountered crave there is one less trigger to recondition. The good news is that the reward of total and complete comfort is just down the road. The bad news is that if you�re a newbie then there is probably another crave just around the corner. But is it bad? So what approach do you use? Do you duck or run when you sense one coming or do you turn and fight? Is your game plan working to your satisfaction? Our objective here is simple - NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF, but our natural instincts on how best to achieve our objective may not be the easiest path to travel. Can we hide from our craves or will they find us anyway? Can we runaway from them or will they catch us? It�s the same with going toe to toe in battle, isn�t it? Can we beat-up our craves and make them surrender or cry "uncle"? Can we scare them away? I think not. Encountering all of our triggers and craves is a very necessary part of recovering and normalizing every aspect of our daily lives. It�s true healing! Tobacco�s deadly cargo is clearly a killer but what about our craves? Can a crave that lasts a couple of minutes kill you? Will it cut you, make you bleed, or send you to the emergency room? Can it physically harm you? If not, then why do you fear it so? How much of the anxiety associated with your quit is self induced? Why are you agonizing over the anticipated arrival of your next crave? When it finally arrives will you immediately begin fe

Vent as much as you need sire, I know what a nightmare it is. The inability to concentrate was the worst for me. But here I am now, 1 year later and totally stopped. The best thing I found was to step back. Take a couple of deep breaths and say to myself, 'I know I want a smoke, my body's telling me I need to smoke, but stuff it! I'm irritated but I'm not in pain.' By constantly telling myself that I was making the cravings feel worse than what they were I overcame it. Time will cure you. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 10/10/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 388 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 7,774 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �1746 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 49 [B]Hrs:[/B] 1 [B]Mins:[/B] 34 [B]Seconds:[/B] 53

Hi sparky Well done for staying smoke free - you were in the clutches of a real strong craving and you beat it. You say it's hard at the minute - what would make it easier??? I also sense a litte anxiety around your son's visit - you say he needs space which is fair enough but remember to take the space you need for yourself too. Proud of ya - keep going Sharon Belfast [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 10/14/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 19 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 194 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �51.11 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 15 [B]Mins:[/B] 7 [B]Seconds:[/B] 1

Sparky... how are you doing? :quest: There are a lot of us worried about you. Take our hands and let's walk through this together. You are not alone and don't have to go it alone. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 7/1/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 489 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 9,787 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1711.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 43 [B]Hrs:[/B] 2 [B]Mins:[/B] 58 [B]Seconds:[/B] 26

Come on Sparky. You are doing so well. Punch a pillow, kick, scream, cry.... whatever it takes, just don't smoke. Please know that what you are experiencing now is only temporary. It will not last forever. You are going to wake up one morning (maybe even tomorrow) and you are going to look at that person in the mirror and say HEY! I quit smoking and you are going to feel so good about it. I have been where you are now and really thought I would lose my mind completely. After going through all of that misery, I can sit here to night and tell you that being quit and free of the enslavement of smoking is worth every single second of agony you are experiencing right now. It is worth every bit of it. You are in the process of learning how to live a smoke free life. It is a journey to the new you. Keep going. The journey gets better and better every step of the way and the rewards of being quit are endless. Keep putting one foot in front of the other until you reach that light. :) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 7/1/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 488 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 9,778 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1708 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 43 [B]Hrs:[/B] 2 [B]Mins:[/B] 5 [B]Seconds:[/B] 25

Sparky, Eventually it does get better. :) Just keep breathing! Cheryl [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 7/4/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 486 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 11,671 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1385.1 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 63 [B]Hrs:[/B] 14 [B]Mins:[/B] 18 [B]Seconds:[/B] 51

My favorite suggestion when I got that way was to go garage sale shopping. It is almost Saturday. Buy buy buy crockery. Get a big supply. Then go throw it or smash it. ooh how satisfying. Then remind yourself to rejoice in your freedom rather than mourn your slavery. Then go get a massage or some great reward for making it through sucky time. :p [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 4/15/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 566 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 14,151 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1981 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 78 [B]Hrs:[/B] 18 [B]Mins:[/B] 6 [B]Seconds:[/B] 23