An Articulate Group of Successful Quitters

[67oldbabe]

I am currently approaching the The 48th hour of living without cigarettes.

I have read many of the “quit” posts out there and remarkably they are all very well written.

I wonder if the posts are written by real people or just computer generated based on subject.

i find the whole “quit” process quite bizarre - all the comments - especially the “support” comments very StepfordWiveish! 

Would like to know if anyone shares these thoughts? By the way I have smoked for 45 years and just stopped - no aids.

[Sootie]

67oldbabe‌

Why not put this blog behind you and start a new one? As you can see from your reading of our blogs....we don't continue on with just one but rather write where we are in our quit, what the day has been like, challenges, successes AND defeats. Tell us how YOU are dealing with the challenges of quitting. You have a unique way of dealing with things? OK---so why do you presume no one would be helped by you sharing this? You have said that reading our blogs has helped you through.....why not share some thoughts of your own that may, perhaps, help someone at Day 1. And you WILL become an Elder. I presume you intend to be successful at quitting? An elder is someone who is quit for a year or more..........you are on that journey now.

Think on it....I think you could be a valuable member of the community.

[YoungAtHeart]

You may find that I am a contrarian by nature - so telling me not to respond is like waving a red cape in front of a bull!

I just HAD to say that you are not "sucking up too much air time."  We are here to help you in any way that we can...so please ask questions when you have them and for support when you need it.

Nancy

[minihorses]

Yep, and that sarcastic, contrarian is what I love about you Nancy!  Go against the grain! You know, G.A.G!

[MistyNoMore]

Congrats and I see by the comments you've been assured its all real! Good luck in your continued quit.

[Dobguyexsmoker1]

I'm not a robot either. I'm a jarhead veteran quit 57 days ago. It ain't no picnic.

[Sje]

I quit 5 months ago after 45 years; I lost a much loved dog in June and made the bad decision to “let myself smoke.” Trying to get back to where I was. This appeared on my email today so I decided to read. I feel like many people were offended by the post on whether or not this is robotic. Man oh man, do you not remember how hard it is to quit? Give her a break. When I first quit I posted on another site my huge difficulties, mood swings, etc. and someone had the ??? (ignorance, arrogance, boldness behind a computer screen, STUPIDITY AND LACK OF COMPASSION—and dare I say anger from quitting?) to tell me “we all feel that way, but you don’t hear us complaining...cry in your shower.” Support means support. Not defense. Sometimes these forums are all but supportive. 

[Sje]

This is hell week, week one is tough. You’re doing a very hard thing; and no, it’s no picnic. ‘Hope to be saying 48 hours myself —again—soon. 

[Dobguyexsmoker1]

I just remind myself why I quit daily. You can do it!

[Kathryn16]

We are very real quitters. Mine was the first blog to ever be posted on the national site, 7.5 years ago. Probably because I am an excellent writer. It was my major in college. Also because I had a great 6 month quit going at the time. August 13 was 8 glorious smoke free years for me. I could not have done it without the help of these wonderful strangers. Please stay here. We really do care, we really save people's lives. 

Do everything they say here. It works. 

Remember, you deserve to breathe fresh air!

[67oldbabe]

Thanks for your words of support.

am 11 days quit today. I am strong and quit Cold Turkey - very difficult. Every day by every hour the fight goes on.

[minihorses]

Semper Fi Dobguyexsmoker1‌

[67oldbabe]

I am not a Marine and so will not greet you back the proper way - do not want to piss off any Marines in the EX Community. God that would really be the end of me!

[SAUC373]

Hi and welcome! I can assure you of two things! I’m not a robot and especially not a  Stepford wife! Although quit hilarious I will say! Lol I don’t write much on here but I do know it’s an awesome support group with a lot of awesome ppl! I smoked for 30 yrs! August 8th was a year free for me! No aids! The only help I had was my health made it impossible to keep smoking. I have COPD and I had a flair up that put me in the hospital a year before my quit! But if you really want to stop and stop for good, you can! Just have to want it bad enough! Is it easy? No!!!! It sux! But it gets greater later I promise! I don’t even think of those nasty things anymore and I know in my heart I’ll never pick another one up. I let my stubbornness help me! lol good luck and you got this! This is coming from a real person too lol 

[67oldbabe]

[Sje]

Thank you, trying to get back my resolve. I quit cold turkey after 45 years, and stayed quit for 5 months and a week. I thought I had it, then started watching my dog die and literally decided TO smoke right after having her put to sleep. Easily one of the worst decisions I have ever made. I’m on here to help rebuild my resolve. Thank you again—

[Cameree]

Hi everyone I just had to get on and see how everyone is doing with there quit and it seems as though everything is going well. I want to say no I’m not a robot neither but I use to smoke like one lol. I’m glad I’ve been smoke free for some months now and plan to stay that way. I enjoy life everyday life now. I try to get out more with going to rehab therapy gets me out of the house. My oxygen stays between 96 and 94 while I ride the exercising bike for 20 minutes at a time and I think that’s great. My doctor told me that I’m at a stage D with my COPD but with me not being in the hospital in 2 years I’m now at a level C. I pat myself on the back I’m doing something right. Had to drop a few lines everyone stay blessed and talk later

[Pawr]

I don't know about the others but I am sure that I am A.I.

[Kathryn16]

My son, Jesse died at 18 years old. Five years ago. I didn't smoke. I hate sickorettes. You can quit again. Number one reason for smoking is boredom.Try to do the writing exercise recommended on this site. Make 3 columns. Write down time of day, when you smoked, why you smoked. How you felt about it afterwards. It's a real eye opener!

In the end, I quit because I finally realized that I needed to treat myself better, if I wanted other people to treat me well. Remember, you deserve to breathe fresh air! 

I hope this helps you quit.

[Sje]

Hi Kathryn, Thank you; I’ll look for that exercise. I’m so sorry for the loss of your son, Jesse, and so very young.

I knew exactly what I was doing when I smoked again. I’ve never ever said “It just happened, the loss was too stressful...” (yada yada yada)  It was nothing less than great grief and a bad choice in it. I stopped fighting — and dare I say? it did help — for about 2 weeks. But now it’s been almost 3 months. I look forward to being able to say I hate cigarettes too (love “sickorettes” by the way). Again, I’m so sorry for your terrible loss. 

[Sje]

Where do I find this exercise/chart? 

[Chuck-2-20-2011]

I have to tell you, grief is a really hard thing to deal with. I love dogs. Mine has helped me a lot after my stepson died by suicide last April and you know what? I didn't smoke. That was the day that I knew my addiction was gone forever, because if it wasn't I'd have smoked. Everyone was smoking around me and the thought never entered my mind then or during all the stressful days afterwords. Thing is, when life hits us in the face we look for the first distraction that we always used, and smoking unfortunately is a good one for us because it was always our go to way of handling stress. In order to find freedom, we have to disassociate the cigarette from the stressful times in our lives. You really can quit and I can attest that eventually, there really is a day that it ends. A day where smoking is no longer the go to way to handle stress. Really, the tipping point for me when I quit was the realization that I loved freedom more than slavery. That a modified plant should never rule my life. That my old friend was no friend at all. Write a letter to your old friend who always seems to comfort in the stressful times and be honest with that letter.

 For me, it kind of ended up like this. I have to say goodbye to you my old friend because you deceived me and told me that you could help me. A friend would never enslave me. A friend would never rob me of my health and my freedom. A friend would never try to kill me. I think my letter is in my blog somewhere. I just really want to see everyone I meet feel the freedom that I feel now.

It's really hard to quit. I know because I lived it but in the end so long as we understand that the rewards outweigh the addiction then there is no stopping us! I'm so sorry about your dog but in the end this is about your future and I look forward to hearing of your freedom. All you have to do is take that first hard step again and keep your eye on the prize of freedom. I look forward to hearing of your success!!

ONWARD TO FREEDOM!!!

Chuck

[Giulia]

Great to see you Cameree‌  Patting you on the back too!

[Sje]

Your post is so helpful, Chuck, and so beautifully written. I appreciate your compassion about my dog also. They really are wonderful -and mine hated smoking! When I quit in December, I did a lot of writing but not a letter to cigarettes. I will do that. Chuck, I’m very sorry for the loss of your stepson, and to suicide.There is no other type of loss that compares. 

[Samanthaeve]

I am new here. 

I lurk more than post/ comment. 

This is my 28th day on chantix .

Chuck:

yours is the most poignant and helpful post I have ever read. 

(I too lost my boy to suicide last year)

I have buried my entire family in the last 13 years. 

All untimely passings. Cigarettes were there for me. They always were.  However... last month I felt a shift in the cosmos....

Started chantix because something is telling me there is a reason I am still here on earth while they are in heaven. 

Anyway... just wanted to say Thanks for that post. 

Everything you wrote was spot on. 

[minihorses]

Chantix literally was my saving grace by far.  I wouldn't have been able to quit without it.  Now I'm almost a year smoke free!  My personal recommendation is to keep on the Chantix for at least the first 2 to 3 months.  During that time you can figure out a LOT of things about yourself, your triggers, your plan of attack for the triggers, mental prep that you DON'T need to kill yourself slowly but surely.  Keep up the great strides daily.

[Kimchristensen1]

Chantix and Allan Carr’s book. One helps with the physical addiction, the book helps with the psychological addiction.

[CommunityAdmin]

Dobguyexsmoker1 wrote:

I'm not a robot either. I'm a jarhead veteran quit 57 days ago. It ain't no picnic.

July 3rd or 4th?

Mark
EX Community Manager

[Dobguyexsmoker1]

Think it was the 3rd. Still smoke free here. 

[Gma_Bernie]

I assure you, I am a real person. My name is Bernie. I smoked for 45 years also.. maybe they sound alike because many of the processes and feelings one goes through when quitting are alike.

There are a couple I really great posts, like the 100 things to do instead of smoking cigarettes.

This site is for people who want help. I hope you find it help you looking for.

[minihorses]

Semper Fi!