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Still ? Cravings?

14 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1904

Right on, Sparky. I used to have lots of problems with depression. I used to tell myself that I could feel bad, but I was still going to get up in the morning and go to work, etc. My depressions are now more difficult to spot. I have to look at my behavior to recognize them. Lance, when was the last time you saw your doc?
My Milage:

My Quit Date: 5/1/2009
Smoke-Free Days: 233
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 6,524
Amount Saved: $2,528.05
Life Gained:
Days: 25 Hrs: 10 Mins: 31 Seconds: 13

14 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1904

When you don't like your own company, Lance, how can you expect others to like it? I recommend that you add a 12 Step program to your recovery. A real group in which you can meet with and talk to people face to face and even go out to coffee with them. Getting a sponsor will give you someone you can meet with between meetings, someone to help you define your problems and learn to work the program. Those groups are cheap and they break many an isolation. My guess is that you are isolating right now. That is a problem. After a while you loose your sense of normalcy and acceptability, because you're living by the rules in make up and without context anything can be true or false or just confusing. You need other people because you need rules. You're really a nice, caring person. Love yourself and when people see how lovable you are they will love you, too.

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 5/1/2009
Smoke-Free Days: 233
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 6,524
Amount Saved: $2,528.05
Life Gained:
Days: 25 Hrs: 10 Mins: 30 Seconds: 43

14 years ago 0 +0 / -0 672

Hi Lance, Question time.....

What have you always wanted to do ?

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 1/1/2005
Smoke-Free Days: 1814
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 63,490
Amount Saved: $16,507.40
Life Gained:
Days: 255 Hrs: 15 Mins: 25 Seconds: 44

Quit Meter

$12,550.14

Amount Saved
Quit Meter

Days: 627 Hours: 23

Minutes: 50 Seconds: 26

Life Gained
Quit Meter

3429

Smoke Free Days
Quit Meter

51,435

Cigarettes Not Smoked

14 years ago 0 +0 / -0 3307

Lance, I don't post often because I am smoking. But I have been following you and a few others. You have 66 days, I don't,so who is ahead of the game?? You feel lonely, we all do sometimes, but that is okay. You know what helps me when I am lonely, I write a gratitude list. It can start off with something so simple like I can smell, I have eyes to see with, I can walk, I have a computer :-). Concentrate on what you have and not what you think you don't have. Once you start to fill you mind with gratitude there is no room for the loneness. Also, it really helps to come here the people here are wonderful. Take a walk, read a book, smile and laugh out loud. Don't forget to give yourself a hug, it feels good. Hang in there; you are doing great.

Keep the Quit

Sparky

14 years ago 0 +0 / -0 183

Hungry? No, Angry? No, Tired? I wish, Lonely? You better believe it. I miss my kids so much, its killin me. I just am not good with relationships right now. And everyone has a life. No one wants me, so here I am with the computer.
My Milage:

My Quit Date: 10/14/2009
Smoke-Free Days: 66
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 1,320
Amount Saved: $405.90
Life Gained:
Days: 10 Hrs: 18 Mins: 2 Seconds: 16

14 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1904

Hungry, Angry, Tired, or Lonely? Then H.A.L.T. Time out! Call time out and take care of yourself. Being hungry or angry or tired or lonely can weaken your defenses and make it more difficult to fight off cravings. Also some of those things can mask a craving. Both situations can put us in slippery territory. Addicts are known through 12 Step programs for our need to control. In a nutshell, we are control freaks. Feeling out of control, like when we're hungry, angry, tired, or lonely makes us feel out of control. Lighting up is one way to get a temporary control fix. Temporary! It does not last and eventually turns on you. Lance, if yo u light up you'll be right back to where you started within a few days. The demon will be in charge. The demon knows when you're feeling out of control, vulnerable and offers to help. It's a ruse. Don't fall for it. Plus, do you really want to do all of this over again? Buy a puzzle.
My Milage:

My Quit Date: 5/1/2009
Smoke-Free Days: 232
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 6,496
Amount Saved: $2,517.20
Life Gained:
Days: 25 Hrs: 9 Mins: 19 Seconds: 40

14 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1904

Lance, fear of them will also cause them to hang on longer. So for a jog. Read. It might be time to write your biography. What do you want it to say?

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 5/1/2009
Smoke-Free Days: 232
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 6,496
Amount Saved: $2,517.20
Life Gained:
Days: 25 Hrs: 9 Mins: 17 Seconds: 57

14 years ago 0 +0 / -0 984

You've got 66 days in and that alone is massive. It's also an easy point to fail so be careful and be strong and stay close to this board. I don't know how long you smoked but some of what you say I know I felt at that point in the quit. And my emotional rants here kept me going all these many weeks so I know where you're coming from.

So looking at what you say here...'I lay awake at night and say sure, I can smoke tomorrow...' But though you probably want to when you're thinking it please ask yourself why? Your answer will probably come to what you said later 'I can't find anything to replace it.' And if you've been smoking a lot for a long time, therein lies the problem.

You've self medicated as many of us have for years with cigarettes. You probably treated all anger, anxiety, fear, sorrow, with a cigarette. When it comes to panic and anxiety, you likely made it worse with the way the evil weed speeds up the system. How in the heck can you calm down when you're speeding yourself up? How do you deal with any emotion when you smother them all in that blue cloud?

I can't tell you a magic trick to make it easier, cos it can't be easy. It's so disgustingly hard. But you've done it for 66 days and are here to talk about what you struggle with today. That's a win. That's a celebration.

I guess the most important thing is you likely won't ever find something to substitute for smoking. You need to substitute EVERYTHING for smoking. You've changed a fundamental part of your life. You've lost an appendage. You've cut your routine in half at least. That's a lot of free time.

Look around at the non smokers you see. What are they doing? Walking? Window shopping? Building model airplanes? Underwater basket weaving? You get my drift, they're doing something and aren't going completely bonzo trying to fill their time. The time comes back and you find ways to fill it.

But not overnight. So be strong, stick around, get a cuddly toy cat and talk to it. (I've got dozens, the best part is, they don't talk back!) Whatever you do, picking up a cigarette and putting it to your lips and smoking it...

..will only shorten your life.

Period.

Hang in there. I wish you well, and even more so this time of year.

x T

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 1/1/2007
Smoke-Free Days: 1083
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 24,909
Amount Saved: �6,849.98
Life Gained:
Days: 94 Hrs: 9 Mins: 2 Seconds: 8

14 years ago 0 +0 / -0 183

Well they are still pretty bad and so am I, if I enjoyed food or something it would be easier. But I have no appetite at all
My Milage:

My Quit Date: 10/14/2009
Smoke-Free Days: 66
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 1,320
Amount Saved: $405.90
Life Gained:
Days: 10 Hrs: 17 Mins: 20 Seconds: 6

14 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1904

Oh, think long and hard about smuggling in a kitty. People who can't keep animals in their apartments tend to be a cause of animal homelessness. If you can't have the cat or take care of it, please leave it for someone who can. Now I've often found that landlords who do not allow pets do allow fish, frogs... I've argued that fish keeping is a hobby; fish are not pets, because you can't pet them. You can go on craigslist, etc. to find a cheap tank (some people give them away). Ask the fish store owner to recommend a couple of types of fish that aren't enemies. You will be surprised at how attached you can become to fish. Plus, it takes time and skill to setup the right ecosystem for them. Fish keeping is not boring.

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 5/1/2009
Smoke-Free Days: 230
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 6,440
Amount Saved: $2,495.50
Life Gained:
Days: 25 Hrs: 4 Mins: 36 Seconds: 50

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Still ? Cravings?