I had a moment to check my email, only to discover this site is now under a very confused group that seems to "think?" a site for addicts should carry the same expectations as a Tea Party where everyone puts on their brightest and best manners along with their Sunday outfits!
Addiction and breaking an addiction is never nice! In order to beat addiction you have to be honest and real with your feelings. Just the thought of quitting is stressful. Then there's withdrawal! Trying to watch every word and emotion during that time is impossible! It's like putting lipstick on a pig and expecting it to behave at the Royal Palace. It sounds nice --- but it's not realistic.
The truth is, breaking the addition is hard! It's emotional, it's down right ugly and nasty at times!! As with any addiction, withdrawal is not a sweet, pleasant thing to behold. It's a journey of highs and lows. It's fraught with anger, fear, pain, snot-nose tears, depression, mourning ---- Simply UGLY! Sometimes you need to scream, sometimes you need to cry, at times you just need an encouraging word --- but through it all, you need the wonderful teachers and mentors to educate you, pull you along by the hair if necessary or give you a swift kick if they see you giving up!
July 29th will be my 4th nicotine free anniversary. Do you know why?
Because I had the best teachers, mentors and co-quitters to help me break the addiction. There were so many people on this site that helped me get to this 4 year mark. I've tried to make sure to let each of them know how much I appreciate them. At this time, in honor of his negative points for giving honest and real teachings and comments, I'm only going to bring up one of my great teachers and mentors - JonesCarpeDiem #jonescarp I doubt I would be celebrating my 4th year quit if it weren't for this amazing and honest teacher/coach/mentor! He and the other Elders have helped so many of us reach the sweet point of quit where we can look back on the addiction and smile with pride that we have moved past it! That was prior to "Moderating the Moderator."
My question to #mark Mark is simple. Do you want this site to be geared toward helping addicts break the habit or do you prefer a sweet little site for people that are already past the ugly addiction stage? I honestly believe, and from what I'm reading I am far from the only person that feels this way, this site is no longer for addicts looking to break the nicotine addiction. Advertising it as such is unfair to those looking for a serious quit site and you may be causing more harm than help.
LOL --- And the even bigger question of the day --- Will this post make it to the board and how many ZINGS will I get if it does?
With great love and thankfulness to my honest, tell it like it is, mentors out there!
Marilyn_marmac_07-31-13
PS-- It's another, not so sweet time of life. We are traveling to say our final goodbyes to my mother-in-law. Chances of me being back on to celebrate my anniversary are slim. Please celebrate for me this year.
