Most of us have had several attempts at quitting. I'm convinced that the reason this quit has lasted is because of support and education. What do you think?
Most of us have had several attempts at quitting. I'm convinced that the reason this quit has lasted is because of support and education. What do you think?
Three times for me. My first attempt, cold turkey, lasted only a few days. The second time I quit, I read a book and had a good, strong plan. I stayed quit for almost a year. But I was denying myself a smoke nearly every minute. When personal tragedy hit, it was almost a relief to reach for my cigarettes and say, "look what you made me do." Years later, I knew I needed more than just a plan to quit. I found the EX community. I read again about my addiction. I dusted off my quit kit. And I stayed connected to EX. I don't know if I could have quit smoking for good without this site. But I did quit, no matter what, with the help and support I found here.
I have tried 3 times. once for 5 days. Then bought zonnic gum fruit flavor. There was a becomeanex.com paper in the box. I came here signed up, set the 2 weeks quit date and with the education, support, willingness, determination and suggestions from Elders I quit for 519 days and I smoked 50 cigarettes in less than 24 hours. I came back the next morning and was honest, reset my quit clock and begun again! Today I celebrate 50 DOF thanks to EX! Couldn't a done it without ya! ~Terrie~
I did it one time but I had good instincts in the way I prepared. My first two weeks I played guitar 10 hours a day.
When I got off the patch the second week was when I joined a site. It was a great site. I wasn't working so I had a lot of time on there. Very learned elders who could answer all my questions, and, I had a lot.
I quit a lot of times...............the longest for a year and a half..............I was not a happy camper during that time. I then developed colitis which I truly felt was brought on by not having the "relaxing " time having a cigarette. I told the Dr. who wanted to give me steroids to heal the colitis and I said "Heck no - I will start smoking again. He pleaded with me but NO WAY would I listen. So 6 months later I called the Dr. for the Prescription and told him that the cigarettes didn't work. Now that was 13 yrs. ago..............
Today 222 days of not smoking and no big problems with the colitis this time.
Lillian
It depends on how we want to describe a quit. It is my opinion that most people who are smoking over 5 years....really, really want to quit. So they "try to quit".........A Lot!!!! I know that I would often (100 times?? 200 times??) wake up in the morning and say-----I'm not going to smoke....any more. I'd make it an hour? a half day? sometimes maybe 3 days....then.....fail. I don't (in my mind) count them as quits. I quit once before this for 13 years......yes I am actually that dumb that I started smoking again. thi si my forever quit. And I believe that the support from this site AND the education I gave myself this time to know that I was not "losing" anything......I was not a martyr "giving up" something. I have found freedom and gained so much. This time is it. good question G
I quit once before this for 13 years......yes I am actually that dumb that I started smoking again.
Not dumb, just unaware of the potency of this addiction. "Attention must be paid" (Death of a Salesman quote)
I know that I would often (100 times?? 200 times??) wake up in the morning and say-----I'm not going to smoke....any more. I'd make it an hour? a half day? sometimes maybe 3 days....then.....fail. I know that I would often (100 times?? 200 times??) wake up in the morning and say-----I'm not going to smoke....any more. I'd make it an hour? a half day? sometimes maybe 3 days....then.....fail.
Is there a one of us who hasn't 'been there, done that' thinking. Wake up in the morning saying, "I'm not gonna smoke any more." And we lasted, what? a couple of hours? Quitting takes preparation and dedication and focus. And most importantly- education and support. When you "get it" you can't ever go back to your old smoking self.
I remember flushing a pack when I was 17. The next morning I was buying another pack. Over the next 50 years I tried everything. Multiple seminars for hypnotism, I read some really good quit smoking books over the years. I bought every new thing they were selling to help me quit. Then when NRT's came out I tried them. I had a physician that I was seeing weekly for a while. Nothing worked for me until I found this site and used NRT"s along with the wonderful support I received here. It is now over 3 years since I quit. I know I will never smoke again. Someone on this site said, this site is like getting brain washed. I do believe that is true. I couldn't be more grateful.
I quit at least 6 times in the past and I know now that those quits were only halfhearted or at least one of them would've stuck and alcohol was the instigator a couple of times and I'm sure that at least 20 yrs passed when because of mild copd I decided it was time to quit so I found this site and all of you and I read everything that I could find here and educated myself on quitting for the last time so I definitely credit this ex community full of wonderful caring people for my 928 precious DOF,great post. Giulia
I would probably honestly have to say I don't know.
More times than I remember.
but I will say this. When I started here in 2008 reading alot of material and educated myself on this horrible habit....I still had messed up and smoked a few times, even with all the. Loving support Igot in here.
I had not APPLIED it to my actions yet, therefore I continued to fail.
once it became crystal clear and I started truly WORKING on what I learned daily. I became successful
.
Nice post G
Three times for me. My first attempt, cold turkey, lasted only a few days. The second time I quit, I read a book and had a good, strong plan. I stayed quit for almost a year. But I was denying myself a smoke nearly every minute. When personal tragedy hit, it was almost a relief to reach for my cigarettes and say, "look what you made me do." Years later, I knew I needed more than just a plan to quit. I found the EX community. I read again about my addiction. I dusted off my quit kit. And I stayed connected to EX. I don't know if I could have quit smoking for good without this site. But I did quit, no matter what, with the help and support I found here.