Hi Jan.
Big huggs to you! Let's talk about this. Pull up a chair and lets do some thinking here. Just answer some questions.
What is it that drives you back to smoking? Is there a situation, an argument, stress, just don't want to fight anymore, too tired or anything else that happens when you give in?
Remember H.A.L.T. Hungry angry lonely tired. These are actually your worse enemies when you are quitting.
I went through the insanity of fighting with the junkie that lived within my head. Arguing that I just wasn't strong enough, tomorrow will be better, there is too much going on right now, it isn't worth it, etc.. etc.. etc....
This quit was different. I'll share some of the differences with you and perhaps that will help you. I took it one hour at a time. I counted every single hour that I was quit and then when the cravings seemed too unbearable, I would say... "I've gone 5 hours, I'm not stopping now! I've gone 36 hours, I'm not stopping now!" I literally took it one hour at a time. When I couldn't go on, I would find something to do and say I'll wait one more hour. After that hour passed I went on to the next.
I sucked on peppermint, chewed fruity gum, drank a ton of ice water, took deep breaths constantly, prentended to smoke without smoking, ate lollypops, chewed on straws, screamed, cried, and the list goes on and on. When one thing didn't work, I went on to the next. You get through each hour and then move on. Stay in the moment. Thinking of tomorrow or 100 days from now is too much at this stage of the quit.
I also remember day 14 like it was yesterday. I thought I was going totally insane, wanted to quit my job and go have just one. I came here instead and posted "Am I Insane?" I leaned on those here and they got me through.
For some of us, it takes everything we have to make it through the quit. I say I "GREW" into my quit because I did - one hour at a time. Then I started making progress and thought, I really can do this. My hours turned into days, days into weeks, weeks into months, months into years.... get the picture? It all began with that first hour.
Don't give up Jan. I'm here to tell you, it is so worth every bit of agony you are going through now. I remember the hell. That is why I refuse to go back. Hang on tight! Get rid of the smokes and take your life back.
You are an addict. Refuse to allow the enslavement of smoking to dictate one more moment of your life. You are so worth it!
[B]My Milage:[/B]
[B]My Quit Date: [/B]7/1/2005
[B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 768
[B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 15,360
[B]Amount Saved:[/B] $2,688.00
[B]Life Gained:[/B]
[B]Days:[/B] 69 [B]Hrs:[/B] 8 [B]Mins:[/B] 44 [B]Seconds:[/B] 27
