Here is the entire post.....Thanks for sharing Shevie!
Hi, all. Long time, no read. I�ve been looking over recent posts and thought I�d babble some babble for a bit. It�s babble from my reflecting on my time of freedom; the things I�ve learned from myself and others. Hopefully, someone will get something from it. If not, as I�ve said before, I do like the sound of my own typing, lol.
As you can tell from my stats, I�m closing on two years quit. Cool, no? Yep, pretty cool. But no big deal anymore. Ok, ok, calm down. It really is not a big deal. The first year is a big deal. The first 6 months are a bigger deal. The first month is an even bigger deal. The first week is still yet an even bigger deal.
The biggest deal? That first cigarette you did not light up. That first unlit cigarette contains (yes, present tense) the courage of your convictions, your promise to yourself, your hope for your future, the door to your freedom. As long as that cigarette remains cold, your quit is secure.
To you new quitters, and those not quite there yet, I have a few things to say. You�ll read here, and other places, that quitting will be the hardest thing you will ever do. People will tell you about terrible craves, slips, relapses, the tiny chance you have to succeed, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Don�t listen to them. Ignore what they say, forget what you�ve already learned. That�s their stuff, not yours. Do not allow anyone to define your quit. That�s your business. Your quit may be one of the horrible ones that finds you fighting every minute of everyday for months. Or it may be one of those easy ones where you just walk away from smoking with barely a twinge. The only way to know is to do it.
One of your best weapons is knowledge. Forewarned is forearmed. Knowledge is power. Learn how to combat craves should you have any. Also learn the side effects of quitting so you will understand what�s happening should any of the myriad emotional changes set in. Don�t assume you will need the information, but have it just in case. Better to have and not need than to need and not have.
Some would have you believe it�s all over in 72 hours because the nicotine is out of your system. Hogwash!! Tobacco use does a lot of damage to the brain�s pleasure/reward centers that takes a long time to recover. There is where the addiction resides. You won�t be craving all the time, don�t worry about that. I got hit by a moderate crave a couple of weeks ago. It lasted about 2 or 3 minutes, then it was gone. No idea what triggered it. Sorta pi**ed me off, but I got over it. Last real crave before that was early last summer. That was a real kicker. Before that was around my 6 month mark, and before that was a series around 85 days, or so. The absolute worst of the bunch, from day one to right now, were the ones around 85 days. Three evenings in a row spent curled up on the couch in the fetal position just waiting for them to stop. That time I was in serious violation of the H.A.L.T. rules. Recently there�s been some major changes in my life, some uncertainty and major change. As a result, I�ve been experiencing, not craves, but a desire for the comforting blanket of the addiction. It�s annoying, but it will pass as things settle down.
You who are planning or just thinking about quitting, I say to you �Do it!� Use whatever method you feel is best for you and quit. It may be easy or it may be hard, but I tell you right now it is so very worth it. If I had known two years ago what I know now, I would have walked on fire to get to my quit.
You who are still actively working on your quit, I bow to you. You are in the worst of it right now. If you are having it easy, that is wonderful. But do not become complacent. Do not drop your guard. If you are having it rough, then draw courage and strength from wherever you can find it, stick it out, do not cave. Nothing you are feeling will harm you and you will get through it. If necessary, try another quit method. Whatever it takes. Just stay quit. Please!
You who have made the transition from active quitter to non- (or ex-) user, I say �Congratulations on a job well done.� I don�t care how long it took you to get here, what paths you took, or how many slips/relapses you had. None of that is important. You are here, that is all that matters. Pat yourself on the back, give yourself a reward. You've certainly earned them.
OK, I guess that�s enough inane babbling for the time being. Keep up the great quits, everyone. Bless your hearts.
Shevie
My Milage:
My Quit Date: 5/23/2005
Smoke-Free Days: 694
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 13,897
Amount Saved: $2637.2
Life Gained:
Days: 129 Hrs: 2 Mins: 3 Seconds: 40
[B]My Milage:[/B]
[B]My Quit Date: [/B]3/28/2007
[B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 79
[B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,422
[B]Amount Saved:[/B] $395.00
[B]Life Gained:[/B]
[B]Days:[/B] 7 [B]Hrs:[/B] 2 [B]Mins:[/B] 22 [B]Seconds:[/B] 51
