Hello to all

[renee22]

I'm new here and scared to death about quiting. My quit date is Aug. 31. Any suggestions.

[christined]

It's funny isn't it that we get scared to death of doing something that will give us life??
Take a step at a time and a day at a time, follow the program - find out what your triggers are and practice your separations..........don't beat yourself up, love yourself, treat yourself to little things that make you feel good as a reward.
Stay in contact with the groups here - I've found all the people really helpful.
My quit date is August 19th which is also my birthday - and to be honest I am slightly panicking.....however I think, don't live in the future - I reckon I'll be good on the day!
Good luck to you and keep in touch.

[hwc]

Why are you scared about quitting? Three out of every four Americans are non-smokers. It's much more enjoyable in so many ways than having to live your life as a slave to a drug addiction. You should be joyous about the freedom you will enjoy.

[renee22]

I'm not scared to put them down, I'm scared of the withdrawals. I've quit a couple of times before and they were rough for the first week. I know I can do it, I just have think positive.

[mimi6]

well I am not scared but I totally feel you...my thing with this is I am home alone for a long time unless my boyfriend comes to see me after work, so I am here fighting with the devil all by myself, like right now as I am typing I want to run out and buy a pack...the plan said I was not ready and maybe their right but I hate to buy cigarettes I feel awful when I give in but I also feel great and relieved I am trying to think positive too. I also find that I am not as strong when I am PMSen...very emotional for no reason but now its double panic attacks and I am just a balling mess.

[chris39]

My quit date was August 10. I'm using the patch and Zyban. It has it's moments, but in the end we are doing the right thing. I started crocheting and it keeps my hands busy and can be relaxing. Good Luck. THIS IS ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS IN LIFE YOU WILL HAVE TO DO. At least for me it is.....but you CAN do it.

[mimi6]

I have a serious problem, I want to quit so bad and really trying hard, but my delima is that I have not worked outside of the house for 2yrs and will be soon in the next few months hopefully, but I smoke much more at home then I do when I am out and about...its almost like cabin fever. I am so use to being home doing homework and working in the house until the cravings are just unbearable, I feel like crying and I have the worse panic attacks. However I feel great when I am not smoking...gosh cigarettes should be an illegal drug like marijuana.

[gail3]

wow, i feel for you, mimi. i'm not quite there yet either. but i'm told to not stress the quit date thing. it'll come. had a friend who quit and she said "it just wore out" (it's welcome, i think). i've had moments i actually forgot to smoke. and this is really hard for me to do. but one thing: it's not just the hardest thing you'll have to do, maybe, it's also THE BEST THING YOU COULD EVER DO and this is what i keep telling myself. we should all get big prizes for quitting. OH, YEAH, WE DO! lots of little prizes. freedom, taste buds, money, fresh air, freedom . . .
and, HWC, have you ever actually smoked that you have to ask why? according to one book, we're giving up a long-time "friend" that we've relied on for years to be there through thick and thin. unfortunately the friend's turned sour. but i'm not afraid of quitting either, i'm afraid of the cravings. i'm not afraid of heights. i'm afraid of falling. i'm not afraid of water. i'm afraid of drowning. some of us smokers are much more reliant than others, so it's much harder.