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Might Be Too Little, Too Late...

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 880

Magpie:

Breather is right. Cessation isn't about proving or disproving something to someone else. Cessation is in some ways a very selfish thing. Remember we did not start smoking for anyone else and we cannot stop smoking for anyone else. We choose this road for ourselves. And I promise you that it can be done.

When I first came here, I was afraid that I would find a lot of folks who would look down on me, comfortable in their own success and dismissive of my feeble attempts to reach my goal. I should not have concerned myself in that way. I found people here who understood the challenge I was facing. They could not have been more welcoming or supportive.

We understand your trepidation. We formed a bond with our shared addiction over time. Breaking that bond is not a pleasant experience. But the sense of satisfaction that you will gain as you move forward greatly over shadows the grief that quitting brings on.

Use this forum frequently, find people with whom you resonate. I assure you they are here and they are happy to help in all ways possible. One thing that I used frequently was journaling. I always liked to write stories in any case so writing about the experience was a natural outlet for me. Perhaps it is something that will help you as well. I also ran a lot in my early quit. I found that the release of endorphins got my mind off of smoking. In fact, if you dig into the research around the addiction, you will find that smoking does give us a shot of the "feel good" neurotransmitters.

You are seeking positive change and I congratulate you for the doing. Seek cessation in your own time and in your own way...

stay well

nonic

Quit Meter

$66,412.50

Amount Saved
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Days: 1300 Hours: 11

Minutes: 28 Seconds: 28

Life Gained
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Smoke Free Days
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189,750

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12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 823

Hey Magpie; Good for you for keeping on trying! Please remember that everyone who takes time to post a message on SSC does so on their own time and because they hope to have something of value to offer/share. Sometimes you find someone you feel a real connection to, and that is such a treat! Hopefully you'll find a 'quit bud' who is going through the early part of their quit at the same time - it helps so much to have someone who understands right where you're coming from. You see DeniseK is doing great, and she is just a few weeks ahead of you on her quit date - that's awesome to have her support here. But we're all in this together and that's one of the nicest aspects of SSC. Ya know, people come from all different backgrounds and philosophies - some think a good kick in the ash will be helpful - so they post accordingly. A type of reverse psychology such as this worked for me; To light a fire under my butt instead of (me) lighting yet another smoke was just what I needed for support. Others connect more with a gentler, perhaps more philosophical,approach (such as nonic provided here with his superior authorship) especially if they're already kicking their own can down the street all by themselves! (You are pretty hard on yourself, Magpie, for someone doing very well so far!) You're being honest with yourself (and everyone here) and that is commendable! I agree with Breather that this Quit belongs to you and you're not letting anyone else down if you don't make this particular quit date stick! If you need to reset your quit meter, so be it! Some take longer to reach their goal of nicotine freedom- but if you never stop trying, you'll make it! Best wishes for tomorrow : ) Eyja

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 74

Hi Magpie! I see your scheduled quit date is tomorrow. I wanted to say, keep the date, and come here often. I don't post much, but I read a lot, and I just think the support here is awesome. So much knowledge and real heart. Let us know how you are doing. Sometimes the fear of something is worse than the something. Don't let the fear keep you from doing what you know is best for your health, body, and mind.

I had much the same issues, couldn't breathe, constant bronchitis, coughing so much I pulled a rib muscle...So I identify with you and your story. I am 57 years old, I've smoked since I was 12 (when Sue and I stole a pack a week from my Dad, oooops, I shouldn't have admitted that...). And I'm here to tell you, it's not easy, but it can be done, and all these people here prove it. I am no longer coughing, I can go up the stairs to the bedroom without wheezing, and I am feeling better. Grumpy, but healthier. All this in 16 days. If it's this much better in 2 weeks, think what 2 months will feel like. Hope to hear from you soon,

DeniseK

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 816

Magpie The only person you need to worry about letting down is you. The people in my close circle that stopped smoking have since gone back to it but that's ok. I never cared about what anyone thought about my smoking so why should I care what anyone thinks now. Luna says it well when she says recognise the addiction for what it is. The idea as I see it is not to romanticise about it. The last night I smoked they were particularly old and stale so when I look back it isn't with fondness and I think as it should be. What I'm trying to say is that if I thought I was missing out on something good I would have been back smoking by now but I'm not missing out on anything except maybe an early grave. A smoker is constantly going through nicotine withdrawal while a quitter only has to go through it once. You had it in the bag at 3 days but maybe just didn't realise it. Nicotine is like any other drug that's immediately gratifying , the instant fix followed by the big long let down. Every day won is built on what we did the day before. I knew in the early days of the quit that if I could make it till 10 PM I'd have it won because I'd have to drive for an hour to get a pack and I wasn't going to do that. Anyway don't worry about what others think ! breather

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1985

Yes the patch was hard on my inards as well. As I recall I would wear it several hours per day rather than 24/7 and was it the 25mg (the strong one) made my hair stand on end? I dropped to the medium level quickly and found that to be toleable althought not using it 24/7. So by trial and error find the level the fits you.

The idea is to have a temporary change to your environment; any change that breaks the daily routine will speed the recovery. I reposted some posts under the "general discussions". Please find there gonna help. You know what I noticed? All things past and as you age they past quicker. Think of this in that way, it will be done and then you look back on it and say "yea it has been done". You can just take a deep breath day to day, let go and stick.

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 7

Thanks Stick.

That's been a big problem - changing things around so I have, to some degree, a new environment. I knew this was going to be tough because of working on my own. I only smoke in two places at home - on the patio or inside my studio/shed with the door open. The things I have there aren't the type of things that absorb smoke and end up stinky. (With the exception of me.) But I have to put things in there that will end up absorbing smoke - my nephew and his family are coming to stay with us over the Christmas holiday and our house is so tiny that my studio is going to be over loaded. So I really can't smoke in there now.

Bt I did. I really didn't focus on doing the work that needed to be done. The time that I quit for three days wasn't long, but I did a ton of work towards the quit. Every time I had a cigarette, I wrote down the time, and what I felt triggered the need. There were all kinds of things like that that I did. For the last week, I've been running in a frenzy trying to get the jewelry that's all over this house sorted and stored. If I'm going to paint, it has to be inside the house - my studio is unheated and it isn't a good place to paint. My husband doesn't mind if I take over part of the dining room for painting. It's just that right now I probably have over 600 lbs of jewelry in there! I haven't felt well since I went to help my friend that had the heart attack and have been moving so slow since then. The amount of work I have to get done is overwhelming and not something I can put off. Meaning the jewelry and the quit homework.

I spent some time this morning looking around here and in some other forums to see if anyone had written about having a similar problem, and to see if I could come up with a replacement for that morning smoke which is the worst for me. I saw a thread where a woman was writing about how upset she was with people who she spent tons of time on, that slipped or went back to smoking. I really don't want to be that person. I don't want to waste anyone's time. So I'm trying hard to focus in on a solution to these problems and figuring out whether I can deal with the patch or not. (I forgot to put it on before I went to sleep last night, and then when I put it on about an hour after I had a smoke, I felt really horrible. I may not be able to use the patch which will have to be okay. No gum either - it really burns my mouth.)

Please know that I so value and appreciate the time each one of you has spent on me. This is like getting a new dress - I'm attached to the old one, worried about ho wthe new one will work, needing to get it altered but I know - I would really love a new dress.

Thanks.

;-)

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1985

Magpie,

You can do this. I read that you work at home. So you smoke in a favorite chair? Replace the chair and/or move your work area to another part of your place. Basically change your environment upside down. Think of yourself as a new me.

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 7

Thanks so much, all of you. I'm having a difficult time, but I'm lurking and reading, reading, reading....

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 880

Magpie:

No never to late...I too stumbled around with that thought process and found it to be abit of a distraction. Here is what I think anyway when it comes to dealing with the concept of time and addiction...Maybe you will see some of yourself in it...

stay well

nonic

On Being of More than Tender Years

It has recently come to my attention that I am getting older. Yes, alas it is true. My body is feeling the wear and tear of many trips around the sun. For some reason tomorrow is becoming today at an ever increasing rate of speed and yesterday seems much farther away than it used to be.

In short, time is ticking on and in many ways my internal timepiece is becoming more attuned to the passage of days. But I think this may all be a good thing. There are many out there who are, shall we say, less of tender years and more of hard-bitten experience. And I think, when it comes to finally releasing one's self from the grip of our shared addiction age is an advantage.

When we are young, focus can be a difficult thing to achieve. And why should it not be so. The future is wide, the possibilities are endless, and we believe that it shall always be that way. So we try this and we try that and each this and that becomes a building block that brings us to now. It is difficult through out this process to center ourselves. But once we come to that place where we know with absolute certainty that time (our time) is really finite, focus becomes less difficult. At least that is the way that I am experiencing the aging process.

For years you have wished to end this addiction. I know, the thought has come and gone. Perhaps you have tried in the past and found yourself to be less than satisfied with the out come. Perhaps you have thrown up your hands in despair and put cessation on hold. Maybe you believe that it is impossible. I understand that, it is not an easy addiction with which to come to terms. However, do not think that past failures are any indication of things to come. No, each of these attempts has taught us something, even if the lesson seems hard to remember.

The length of time that we have smoked should not be a barrier against success. In truth the realization of our mortality can be a time that allows us to focus more clearly on the things that are important. It does for me anyway. We need to guard our health; we need to gather our courage around the idea that we can still make things better for ourselves. And what better way to test that hypothesis than to put the cigarettes down for good?

Yes, I know that growing older can be a bit awkward, that it often brings on anxiety tinged with regret. But I also know that it allows us to focus on the years that remain. And it is that focus that keeps us from just blowing away...

Quit Meter

$66,412.50

Amount Saved
Quit Meter

Days: 1300 Hours: 11

Minutes: 28 Seconds: 28

Life Gained
Quit Meter

6325

Smoke Free Days
Quit Meter

189,750

Cigarettes Not Smoked

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 823

Hi Magpie : ) How are you doing? Do you feel prepared for day 1? Got all your quit aids and a good attitude to start your day sans Ol Nic? We're here and rooting for you! Don't forget that quitting smoking may be the hardest challenge you will ever take on, but, as you can see from all the great quitters here, that it brings amazing (and surprising!) rewards that you can't even anticipate! All you have to do is get through each craving - one at a time - and you will make it! Also, I noticed TREXX's blog - who quit 4 yrs now with hypnosis - and Satori - a lovely young 'newbie' quitter here who is doing well with the laser method. I used cold turkey + experimented with some acupressure points/self hypnosis and Stickin' to It's method of visualization to get through the beginning of my quit. Do your best - you'll be painting away your craves and blues in no time! That's a great reward idea BTW - I also love painting, playing guitar & writing songs to get through my tough stuff : ) It works! Have a great day and let us know how you're doing : ) Eyja

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Might Be Too Little, Too Late...