I have a million questions

[sunny3]

OK - I'm new here and haven't made a real serious quit attempt before, so I hope you don't mind if I pick your brains. Since I have decided to quit 8/1, I'm thinking about all the changes, both positive and negative and I think I have a biggie....I know that for a while I will be completely on edge without smoking. My marriage is very shaky right now and I am honestly afraid that if I can't handle the physical and emotional stress of quitting that everything will just fall apart - my marriage, my quit attempt....everything! Am I making a mistake by trying to do this now....but if not now, then when? I'm not trying to find an excuse, just trying to be realistic. Has anyone had an experience with this? Does anyone know of a deserted island that I could run off to for a few weeks until I get over the hump?

[miguel]

HI DAWN, i dont know of any deserted island,believe me i wish i did, welcome to ex,congrats on ur decission to quit. U come to the rite place lots of great people here desiring the same thing as u & I freedom & good health,,my quit method is cold turkey........simply because i dont want to form a dependsy on anything else.... not the meds are not good or helpful,just not for me,good luck enjoy ur new journey. gimme a shout anytime,

[manofsteele]

smoking wont save marriages... smoking wont cause your stress to go away..... smoking does not help in area of your life ... just causes you more problems

the addict inside you wants you to delay and procrastinate until it can put more doubts in your mind...

Learn from the EX program how to handle your smoking triggers.... I have been quit for over 4 years and came to this site with others that have strong quit attitudes and long smoke free quits themselves. We show others how we quit and stay quit and believe others can be more successful from some posts or videos we put on the EX site.

We pledged daily, not to smoke in front of a group of like minded people, we read words of wisdom, we learned by tough luv that all excuses are lame to ever take another puff, we found quit buddies that understood what we were going through, some of us played word games to pass time or to laugh or to try to make someone else laugh and some just decided it was easiest to just give thanks and praise to help solve the troubling times in our life.

Hope this can also help you and your smoke free journey ....

[nan7]

Hi Sunny, Welcome to EX.

MY opinion: I don't know if this is the right thing to say, but I think it would be very difficult to quit during a shaky time in your marriage. The first 5-6 days (the physical withdrawal) are quite challenging for most people. And after that, you still have to be pretty strong. I just think we need to be kind to our selves, and one way is to quit smoking, but another way to not emotionally overload ourselves. You could spend time LEARNING about Quitting while you are working on your marriage. Start doing the EX plan at becomeanex.org, go to Whyquit.com and read, read, read. That is a big part of quitting and you could certainly do all that. Good luck on healing your marriage and on getting started on your Quit. Keep coming to this site and you will learn a lot. I did.

I have been quit for (60 days). I have saved $438.79 by not smoking 1,809 cigarettes. I have saved 6D 6h 45m of my life. My Quit Date: 5/22/2008 7:30 AM

[polly2]

Hi Sunny! There will always be stress in our lives no matter what...I'd suggest that you start doing the EX program to get you started. this will help you to learn more about your smoking habit, as well as how to make changes in your life to become a non-smoker. Smoking does not help stress, if anything it is a stimulant. Smoking cigarettes is very much a mental addiction as well as a physical one. It's very important for you to learn as much as you can about smoking, so that you can see how it is effecting you and those around you...I suggest that you read both here and also at whyquit.com, while you work the EX program. There is a ton of support here to help you when you do stop smoking, we are all here to help you. That's what this program is all about! Wishing you the best and hope to see you here as a non-smoker!! Feel free to drop me a post if I can be of any further help!

[laura60]

Hi Sunny - Quitting smoking is taking control of your life. No matter what else is going on around you, you can control this one thing for sure. You will feel proud of that, and your success in this will help build your confidence to tackle anything - even shakey relationships.
I have been smoke free for 3 days, and I quit cold turkey. Every hour that passes makes me feel like a stronger, better person; I am actually calmer over-all than I was just a few days ago. Stick to your plan. Do it for the best relationship you'll ever have in this world....Yourself!

Laura

[cindy25]

Sunny, I also don't think there is ever a "good" time to quit BUT I believe that some times are "worse" than others! That is why most smoking cessation experts recommend not attempting to quit when there is an imminent life change within a few weeks. Your feelings of a shaky relationship may not help you to feel great about some aspects of your life right now (no matter what you do). Unless, you are anticipating a real split in your marriage within a week or two? I guess, I would explore the reality of the situation-outside of quitting smoking. Clearly, quitting smoking is important to you right now or you wouldn't be posting. If there is nothing you can do about your shaky relationship RIGHT NOW, then, where will continuing to smoke "get you"? What could quitting do for you? What could you lose? P.S. If you think..."well, I could lose my mind"................that is only temporary LOL!