Sheesh. Now what?

[DOCmarkC]

OK, so I quit. I stopped. I don't anymore. Wow.. What a relief.

The cigarettes are gone. The ashtrays are gone. I am slowly washing the stink out of my clothing and the car. I wake up in the morning and remember that I don't smoke. I remember again after breakfast. Again when I get in the car to go to work. I don't smoke when I get to the parking lot at work or when I walk to the front door.
After working a couple hours I remember that I don't go on a smoke break, and after a stack of paperwork I don't reward myself with a quick smoke. I don't start lunch or end it with a trip outside. My afternoon break has nothing to do with smoking, and I don't light up as I leave the building to go home. I remember several times that I am not smoking as I drive home and I do not light up as I get home or even after dinner.
At bedtime, I relax by remembering that I do not have a smoke before bed or even while relaxing in the hot tub with a nice adult beverage.
The next morning I start over not doing it again.
OK, I swear I am not going to put myself through the three day hell of detoxing again, but damn. When do I stop having to remind myself all day long that I don't smoke?

[Jason]

Hi there!

Goodness you've pretty much described my days before i quit smoking, too. All of those triggers were pretty much the same for me and I had to keep my mind busy.

I don't expect my suggestions will be the cure-all for you however- staying and registering with our EX-program will! Try re-associating all of those little moments with something else. Could you use a few extra hobbies in your life? Insert those where a smoke would go. Is there something you always wanted to do- but never found time to do it? Do it NOW. Instead of rewarding yourself with a cigarette- how about a snack? pick something you definitely love cuz mine is pretzels or almonds. And above all, stay vigilant. You're doing this for YOUR own reason- family, health,etc. My big WHY reason was I didnt want my significant other to look at me "waste" or "play" with my life by facing lung cancer (#1 preventable form of cancer) when her mom died from breast cancer (a currently incurable type of cancer). We watched her mother suffer through radiation and chemo and for me to step outside to "waste" or smoke hit me harder than i thought it would. So- find your reason and it will end up being bigger than yourself.

[barbara6]

it is the hardest thing to do is quitting. but i have made it 3 weeks.

[lana2]

i agree. I have not smoked for 8 weeks. I am using the COMMIT logenzes....two days ago i found cigarettes in my husbands truck....ok maybe i was looking. I smoked two and did not feel bad.....
and now here i go again. This is so HARD!!. So to you and to me......A CIGARETTE LASTS THREE MINTUES....IT IS NOT WORTH IT! Good luck.

[barbara6]

i know i have to fight the urge to stop and buy a pack . but i want to breathe. i watched my husband die from copd Feb. 26th and he suffered so much.

[leesa3]

I'm probably not much help, but for me I haven't been able to quit (umpteenth try coming soon) because I just get tired of "quitting". Everything is a reminder. To me it's ridiculous to have to "quit" every day, even if I didn't smoke that day! It really makes me angry. Will I ever be able to graduate from quitting smoking to quit smoking???? You are the first person I've heard say pretty much exaclty how I feel. I think this time I'm going to *try* and treat those thoughts like they are "slip" thoughts...excuses for "just one cig". I dunno, but it is one of the hardest parts for me.

[barbara6]

to me the first 3 days is what is so hard. all you can think of is wanting a cigarette . i loved smoking . but if i had kept smoking , it would have killed me like it did my mom who was 48, my dad , my brother who was 51 and my husband 58 it is a awful death . i do not want my love ones to see me suffer like i have seen my love one suffer .

[lana2]

Thanks for the reply....someone told me to now QUIT...no one wants to be a quitter at anything...instead of say I CHOOSE to be a NON SMOKER.
I think the word is a powerful tool. Just keep saying I choose to not smoke....It gives you power to CHOOSE. yea.
How awesome are you to CHOOSE to not smoke. To choose to be healthy....To choose to take control....in stead of the damn cigarettes in control. You go Girl.

[lana2]

Thanks for the reply. i am having a hard time figuring out who i am sharing my thoughts with on here. this is my second day on this web page....SO this is for you...a NON SMOKER. yea. At least i can take my frustrations out trying to figure out who i am visitng with. Hee Hee. SOmething to at least gigle about. CHOOSE to not smoke. that is powerful. you are more powerful than a cigarette.
The word is a powerful thing...YOU ARE DONE Detoxing...take control....you don't stink from cigarettes anymore...no more stains on your teeth....no finding time to go out to smoke. Life is great ..you are a non smoker. today. we only are guarantted today anyways...so yea.

[DOCmarkC]

Wow. I wasn't really expecting replies. But thank you everyone.
I have to say, I still feel sometimes like right now would be a great time to smoke. But it isn't an urge that is overpowering in any way. I don't want to discourage anyone into thinking that I am living moment by moment wishing I could smoke again and regretting the moment that I quit.
I hit my three week anniversary this weekend. (Is it the day I last had one? or the day I didn't have one that counts as day one?) and the most I honestly get is a fleeting moment of "Ah.. and now a smoke... No.. wait..."
I don't break into a sweat or go down a quart of ice cream or anything. I just was ranting a bit. I do want to know when that will go away. When will I have a good 24 to 48 hours where cigarettes just don't cross my mind? When a period of rest or a break between activities happens, When I finish a project... When will I just move on instead of reminding myself that that is when I used to smoke?