Im absolutely scared outta my mind as i approach my quit date of 01/01/2018

[Sjackson9]

I desperately need some encouragement as I approach my quit day. 01/01/2018. Am I THE only one who has or had anxiety before my quit date?

[Sjackson9]

YES, YES AND YES AND AMEN TO EVERYTHING THAT YOU SAID.

[susan_m]

Congratulations!!!  I'd be worried if you weren't a little scared. Read up, educate, dig deep and don't give up. 

Don't let your addiction beat you; just quit.  Stay close to this site and reach out when you need help. You can do this!

[shashort]

Congratulations to a great and important decision you have made.  I believe the anxiousness and fear is normal before you quit. It is fear of unknown and thoughts going through your mind that oh my gosh I am losing my best friend as you have spent so much time with the Nicodude.  Glad to see you hear we all have been through those anxieties and survived.  Do a lot od reading everyone suggested. Start formulating your plan on what you will do Jan 1 when you become an EX smoker.  Plan activities to keep you busy, exercise and walking are great detours from smoking.  I always carried ice water in a bottlle with straw it became my new friend. Lots of water helps flush toxins out of your body. Just some ideas to get you thinking. YOu will come up with your own ideas as well as pick up more ideas along the way in your reading. You Can do this!!

[dwwms]

I noticed that you responded to kdrew‌ blog post about being scared to quit, that he also really likes to smoke. I take it you read over the responses there - a lot of the same applies. Think really hard about why you like to smoke. Are you really sure? I thought I really liked it - turns out, I only enjoy maybe 1 of every 10 to 15 cigarettes I smoked. Others were just habit, others actually I didn't like how I felt after I smoked it.

Anyway, a lot of good advice above and on the blog post I mentioned above as well. I will say that I dare say hardly anyone here didn't have anxiety, fear, etc as their quit day approached! I know I certainly did - but there was also excitement. If you do some of the suggested reading, then I think you'll also feel some excitement that you CAN DO THIS!!

Doug

[elvan]

Sjackson9  You have gotten some amazing advice already, I cannot add anything to all that has been said...I will reinforce the importance of education...your quit will need to be your first priority and protecting it has to be your first job...we all felt anxious about quitting, there is not one person here with a successful quit who has not been where you are right now.  Stay close to the site, read, comment, blog, ask questions, listen to the advice offered...it is offered with the goal of helping you to grow into the person you are supposed to be.  There is nothing to like about smoking, it smells, it is seriously dangerous to your health, it ostracizes you from nonsmokers and it controls you for as long as you allow it.  Quitting is a journey, not an event.  

We are here to help, welcome to EX.

Ellen

[MichelleDiane]

Hi Sjackson9,

I am returning to this forum after a long year and many relapses.  My quit date is also 1/1/2018.  I think I have learned a lot and share the others comments when they say take it one day at a time.  I was successful for 3 weeks at the beginning of 2017, but caved in and was on and off all year.  I want to quit.  I am coughing up a storm and smell to high heaven.  I read Allen Carr's book.  It was a wonderful motivator and plan to use it as a reinforcer along with the patch.  The patch worked well...I didn't.  Good luck to you and hopefully we can see each other often on this cite.

Michelle

(Hello to all that may remember me.  I remember a lot of names posted here.  I am happy to be coming back and congratulations for making it another year.  I hope to say the same in 2019, but I won't get ahead of myself.)

[susan_m]

Welcome back!

[MichelleDiane]

Thanks.  It's good to be here.  I'm getting ready.

[Sjackson9]

Thank you for kind words. I've quit before as well. Some 3-6 Months,  sometimes a yr or 2 at a time. I WANT to TRULY be a NONSMOKER FOREVER! It sounds like we've both been there, done that, and THAT'S WHY WE ARE SO FLIPPING SCARED!. FACT, it's going to be tough for the first week, then it's going to be temptation and how well WE can control it rather than it control US.  GOOD LUCK MY FRIEND.  

I Would REALLY like to exchange phone #'s.

Are you ok with that.  I NEED to talk through my cravings.  IDK about you.

Shannon

[shashort]

MichelleDiane  welcome back!!