Rob47, Thank you for sharing your experience with us! All members bring a unique approach to their quit and it is important to share. The strategies you've used to keep your quit may help see others through theirs. Keep up the great progress and thank you for taking the initiative and time to help us get to know you better and to reach out to those who are struggling. Danielle _______________________ The SSC Support Team

Interesting post. I know my stats only show a few days, but in reality I have been trying to quit for four years. I will tell you that I am in recovery for alcohol. With God's grace I have not had a drink in almost 30 years. I do not desire a drink. I do not think of drinking any longer. To say that we in recovery wish we could have a drink or a fix is pompus. There may be some, but I have not met many. I will say my craving for a cig has lessen a lot since I put them down. I have faith if I do what is in front of me I can do it this time. Yes, smoking doesn't cause blackout, reckless driving, loud arguments, or making a total a-- of oneself. But smoking robs you of life, serenity, special moments, self respect. Smoking kills!!! It takes away loved ones way before their time. It dimisses you diginty at the end of you life. Enough. I wish you well on your quit. Your contract is intersting. I said I would go for a year sober and then see what happens. Then I said five, then ten, then fifteen, then twenty, then twenty-five and now thirty. Still have not found a reason to drink. Now I am finding reasons not to smoke. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 8/2/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 11 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 119 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $33 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 14 [B]Mins:[/B] 4 [B]Seconds:[/B] 38

HI RD Man ~ Nobody will fear not fitting in, because every one of us quitters is different. EVERYONE is always welcome here, even our pal "Runs W/ Scissors" - where are ya Rob? CobenFan [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/25/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 167 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,844 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $584.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 15 [B]Hrs:[/B] 11 [B]Mins:[/B] 32 [B]Seconds:[/B] 42

Rob47 - don't mind your scissors - thought it suited you. I like that ~ however, there are a few of us out here who "get it". Rock on with your fabulous quit. You have nobody to thank but YOURSELF. Stay Tough as Ya Are CobenFan [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/25/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 141 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,405 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $493.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 13 [B]Hrs:[/B] 2 [B]Mins:[/B] 13 [B]Seconds:[/B] 31

ROB, Congradulations and Thanks for your testimony. One vice at a time. One day at a time. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 4/2/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 134 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 5,385 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $804 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 19 [B]Hrs:[/B] 19 [B]Mins:[/B] 25 [B]Seconds:[/B] 30

Hi CF, still running! I thought this thread was buried deep and then Phillip goes and digs it up :) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/18/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 202 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 8,097 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1818 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 33 [B]Hrs:[/B] 6 [B]Mins:[/B] 6 [B]Seconds:[/B] 8

Thanks for all the interesting replies to my post. Free- I didn't even know about your Dr Phil post....please....believe me. Also, I NEVER felt "belittled" by anyone. I think what it is -is when I talk to people about having a crave at this time in my quit, I don't want someone to tell me what to do. Like all of us (I presume), I just want to know I'm not alone in it. That's the purpose of this post. The other day, my brother said "gees, aren't you over this yet?!!!". What good did that do?, I had to wonder at his approach. I certainly won't make that mistake again (talking about it to him) I just looked at him and shook my head and said "yeah, thanks, bro!" And sometimes a person gets that sort of reply on this site....not nearly as crass as my brother's....but sort of the same way. And I'm sure it's not intentional. We're all having a tough time. It's frustrating for us all trying to do this. I look forward to the day I don't even think about smoking, and I'm hoping at the 1 year or so stage that that renegotiation will be the one. Just envious, I guess, of those who are able to accomplish this so soon. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/18/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 177 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 7,095 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1593 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 29 [B]Hrs:[/B] 3 [B]Mins:[/B] 31 [B]Seconds:[/B] 28

Shevie- the "negotiations" aren't very formal, and as I'm sure you know, are really just mind games. But if I look at this like working for some company, then I can endure it....as long as I get back what I need for the demands it places on me!! This one, obviously for 6 months, then a year. Do they get easier? Well, I know what to expect now. So there's that. Craves make me sad more than anything else now. Just tired of them; but they make sense to me given my history. I HAVE to really try to do this at least a year. I believe in the "4-season theory". And btw- I believe a lot of my craving this summer is related to air quality/humidity as well. It makes sense, since some of the lovely chemicals added to cigarettes act as bronchodilators, making our lungs feel "clearer". Very logical trigger there. lol, I don't know how "enlightening" this post is as much as so much more blah blah blah, but it felt good to post it, just the same; and thanks. Stickin- I'm not offended by you or anyone else here. Really. I want you and everyone to know that I'm self-aware enough to know that a lot of my reaction is from envy and jealousy that some seem to have a cake-walk in this. You have no idea how I wish it were so for me! Believe me, I'm not one to wallow in my pain. I do have a certain personality type and a certain level of addiction that make this more intense, I guess. I don't know. Maybe I need shock therapy! And Phillip; the commune doesn't surprize me one bit. You are too cool for words, after all. Right on brother! What an era. Our collective governments should be grateful the youth of today is pretty much ignoring them. The only similarity is they(the youth of today) are smoking cigarettes like crazy. Sad for all of us. Most of all, I am not saying my way of quitting is sage advice for anyone....believe me. It is just my experience. Thanks for "listening" [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/18/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 176 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 7,065 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1584 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 29 [B]Hrs:[/B] 0 [B]Mins:[/B] 31 [B]Seconds:[/B] 12

Coben- don't get me wrong; I got a kick out of my nickname ("runs with scissors"). There are some tough old farts on this site and I'm proud to be one of them! (You have nobody to thank but YOURSELF. )Also liked that play on words. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/18/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 176 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 7,062 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1584 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 29 [B]Hrs:[/B] 0 [B]Mins:[/B] 6 [B]Seconds:[/B] 2

Don't know what else to call this so there it is! For those who abhor pragmatism and reality (or cynacism and negativity in your view), please leave now. At almost 6 months without even the teeniest of slips, I am very proud of my struggle....and what a time it has been. I am finally getting some respite but the triggers of daily life have me craving almost daily- my throat and lungs seem to "ache" for the smoke. But these do at least come and go with the passing of each day and that is a huge relief compared to the first 2 months of an almost constant crave. If it bothers you to read this...move on. Rather than completely changing everything in my life, I have tried to eliminate just this one thing...smoking. I still drink several cups of strong coffee; I still drink alcohol on occasion; I still associate with my dear friends who still smoke. My life, other than nicotine, is essentially unchanged. My philosophy, if there is one, is that I need to face this head on. I need to embrace this fear. The way I saw it in the beginning was if only 5% or so are able to do it, I might as well do it with a vengeance. With such poor statistics, what difference would it make? And sadly, the stats are about right. The Knights of February 2006 on this site have diminished to a handful from around 70. It's reality, people. I have embraced the crave so to speak. I don't know if this is wise or foolish, but the fact that I'm still here says something. Perhaps it was my up-bringing. My parents didn't believe in coddling the child. If something was going to be difficult, you went into it knowing it was going to be difficult. And you weren't rewarded simply because you made it through what you were supposed to make it through; so even the concept of rewards here, while I understand the theory, seems a bit silly to me. It's just me and my quit. No one owes me a thing. I made my bed and now I'm sleeping in it. I'm really not as volatile as some might think here. I set my mind to something and I usually do it (just stay out of the reach of my scissors!). Believe it or not, I actually laugh quite a bit. Just don't get me going on politics. My chief method here has been the contract with my self. Set a contract for a certain time frame and then renegotiate. 1 month,