First day as an Ex

[kristi24]

It is so helpful to read your blogs. You are all amazing to have stopped smoking and to continue to help others. I am a 27 year smoker. I cannot believe I have been doing this so long and am so addicted. I am tired of the cost, health issues and just the fact that I would rather socially smoke in privacy then be with others. I know this is going to be very difficult for me and I pray that I will stay strong and be a success like all of you.

[Barbara145]

Welcome, Kristi.  Congratulations on your decision to quit smoking. Stay close to this site.  It is an amazing help. " The opposite of addiction is not sobriety it is connection."  We are here for you. 

[godschild619]

Welcome Kristi! You can do this!! I smoked for 38 years and tried many times to quit, now I have been 1 month today Smokefree . ( I used the nic gum to help me get through the tough times. ) it won't be easy, but you can be Smokefree 🙂 We are here for you 🙂

[Giulia]

We ARE amazing, aren't we?  You can be too.  You begin by not making quitting Mt. Everest in your head.  It's a conquerable lower hill.  It's a bit of a climb, sure, but if you just take it one step at a time - the summit of smoke-freedom can be yours too.  All the tools you'll need are right here.  Stick around and READ!   You can get to anyone's page by clicking on their photo/icon.  Snooping is encouraged.  If you need help getting around the place, come to my page and give a shout.  Cheers!

[djmurray]

Hi, Kristi --   Welcome to Ex!  The very best thing you can do is educate yourself about this addiction.  The first thing I suggest you do is to read Allen Carr's book The Easy Way to Quit Smoking.  Here's the link to the free, online PDF of the book --

http://media.wix.com/ugd/74fa87_2010cc5496521431188f905b7234a829.pdf.  You can also watch a condensed version of Carr’s book on YouTube of Allen Carr discussing how to quit smoking:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDJo1vfEqlo .   I smoked heavily for over 50 years and reading that book completely changed how I looked at smoking and what it is and is NOT.  The basic premise is that no smoker actually enjoys smoking and all we're doing is satisfying the crave we created when we smoked the last one.  Therefore, quitting smoking is giving up NOTHING.  Every other time I quit I felt deprived, like I was foregoing something of value.  But it's not true -- there is no value to smoking.  Boy, has that understanding made a difference! I am at Day 199 of my quit and I know that I will never smoke another cigarette.  

Also, read everything you can find here and at sites like whyquit.com (which has a ton of really good information).  Come here regularly and read the blogs, see what people are experiencing at every stage of their quit.  We have people here who are planning to quit just like you are to people who've been quit for over 10 years and come back to reach out to the new people.  Comment on the blogs -- you will find that when you do it benefits you as well.  Write your own blog about how you're feeling about your quit.

The bottom line is that a successful quit is based on education, attitude, acceptance and determination.  Education:  Once you've learned the truth about this addiction it's much harder (for me impossible) to go back to smoking.  Rather, it helps us unlearn the connections we had with smoking.  Attitude:  Your attitude or mindset is key to whether your quit feels like torture or feels like something very doable.  If you feel deprived, if you feel sorry for yourself and just use willpower to get through not smoking, it will be torture (and you'll read more about that in the Carr book).  But if you have that attitude that smoking is nothing and you are willing to go through the discomfort that is generally associated with quitting, then you can be a happy quitter.  I am definitely a happy quitter!  Acceptance: If you can accept that you will have craves early in your quit and sometimes later in your quit than you would imagine, and don't fight them but observe them and say "Yeah, I don't do that anymore" and find something else to do you won't have as many craves.  It's true. Determination:  This is tied up with the willingness I mentioned.  You have an addict's brain, just like the rest of us.  Your addict's brain will whisper to you, scream at you and plead with you to come back.  There will be times when you find yourself thinking "oh, what could it hurt to have just one."  That's your addiict brain trying to entice you.  Determination is your ability to say NOPE -- Not One Puff Ever.  

So welcome to EX -- we're a wonderfully supportive group who've been there done that or are being there doing that right now.   There's no better resource than a good support group to get through the initial discomfort of quitting.

You can do this!

[JonesCarpeDiem]

my page may be of help understanding the process, the concepts and the timeline of what to expect. If you click on my cat, he will take you there.

[YoungAtHeart]

The beauty of this place is that we have ALL been exactly where you are.  We have struggled, cried, screamed, asked for help (and gotten it) here. 

Do read the Allen Carr book.  I found it very helpful in understanding what nicotine does to the body and mind.  I also read the blogs and pages here and learned SO much.  If you don't see a question answered, just write a blog and ask. 

You CAN do this.  We can help!

Nancy

[johio]

Welcome Kristi......Your blog touched a nerve with me since I felt the same way before I stopped smoking.

You have been thinking about quiting for a long time and in essence your quit has been gaining strength inside you without you realizing.Finally you have had enough.... With the support here, your quit will come to the surface and be a force to be reckoned with

This is your time

[Thomas3.20.2010]

So many folks succeed here and they all have their own perspectives! That helps by giving you many different ways of looking at and tackling this Monster! Hang out with us and we'll help make you an EXer too!

[elvan]

Welcome, Kristi, we are all here for you because we have all been there and none of us have forgotten the steps we took to get here.

I hope you do all of the reading and I hope that you prepare a quit kit and identify your triggers and what you will do when one hits...INSTEAD of smoking.  Remember, this is a journey and not an event.

Blessings,

Ellen

[joyeuxencore]

Hello Kristi,

This is as difficult or easy as you make it believe it or not you get to choose! I will say that doing the suggested reading and sticking close to the site making friends and asking for help is what got me through those first 2 weeks and then there was no looking back! 

This is a 24/7 su[pport community and you are officially part of 'the family' now!! xo

One of my favorite blogs by our beloved Sarah:

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/SarahP-blog/2013/09/17/which-type-of-quitter-will-you-be