Peteg, just for clarity, I think you are speaking from a motivational stance: if you look at smoking as slowly killing yourself, then how could the choice to quit be any easier?
I do encourage you all to also be gentle with yourselves. Addiction to nicotine is powerful. Comfort habits are hard to break. Giving up something that helps you feel like you fit in, or better, or more 'something', is very challenging! Changes sometimes come slowly and with great effort. I applaud each of you for all of your efforts!
Breather is spot-on in every way, especially one: we only "have" to go through this once. Some of us idiots choose to go through it many times, like we're gluttons for punishment. I think it was NoNic who asked why I was torturing myself by continuing to go back to smoking, for such ridiculous reasons. For me, it has to do with latent adolescence... I never really grew out of being 13 for all kinds of reasons... but those reasons don't change the fact that I am/was on a surely suicidal course.
Maybe the question of smoking as a means of suicide might clarify any ambiguity we are still experiencing?
hello Ashley I don't cosider myself a veteran by a long shot. I think of someone with maybe 15 or 20 years as a veteran or old timer. I smoked for 43 of the last 45 years so I'm still a baby as my picture will attest. breather 745 Addict 0
I know what you're saying, Breather, I have been talking to my son about this, we were suppose to quit together on Oct 1st, I did, he didn't make it past the first 3 days.
I was telling him he has to just hate smoking more than it likes it..that is how I have kept my quit (so far) I was just "sick of it".
This morning when I got up it was 23 degrees outside..and I was so glad I didn't have to go out to smoke in the cold (we don't smoke in the house at all), I mean, how stupid was that??? It actually took longer to bundle up than it did to smoke the cig...especially if I was at work and had to clock out for this whole procedure--bundle up--smoke--unbundle....
Just so glad I had the desire to stop more than the desire to smoke..
Charm
Freedom Meter
Smoke-Free Days: 56 Cigarettes Not Smoked: 1,128 Amount Saved: $207.20 Life Gained: Days: 7 Hrs: 20 Mins: 32 Seconds: 11
How do we know when the best time to stop smoking is ? How do we know when we're ready to try to stop ? If you're anything like me you've tried to quit many times. Other than this quit I've never been able to stop for more than 6 weeks. The quit before this lasted exactly one half hour. Everyone is different and I always thought that I needed one more as time went on , more than at the start. I think when we desire to stop more than we desire to smoke that being able to stop becomes then possible. There has to be something that isn't good about it to be able to hang on to and be able to put it in the past. If I look back on smoking as an enjoyable experience more than likely I won't be able to stay away from it. Fortunately my last day of smoking wasn't enjoyable so I don't have fond memories of it. I was determined this time that whatever happened I wasn't going to smoke. Armed with my AC book , The SSC online , ice cold water and rewards I set out into uncharted waters. We have to experience that we've experienced as a smoker without one and can be nerve wracking to say the least. Will we be able to go to that party and still keep the quit ? Do we have a plan to leave if it becomes too difficult for us. These are questions that we answer slowly over time and build confidence and self esteem from. The time is right when we become willing to do whatever it takes to succeed. The best time is when we're totally sick of it. I hope you're as sick of it as I am. breather
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