Hi Jen,
I think you have already joined up as your query came through the Smoking Addiction board : )
Welcome!
Kathyjo,
thank you. I always seem to think things are harder than they are - except quitting smoking! I am on day 5 of the patch.
Congrats! You are almost through heck week and you sound normal : )
If you find yourself tempted and need some reassurance or just someone to yell at, we are here for you. There is also a wonderful website that helps, whyquitdotcom
Quitting is extremely difficult but with the willpower, it is do-able.
I smoked 38+ years and I have been quit for 1 yr., 4 mths........Next to my children, it is the best thing I ever did : )
Good luck!
Thank you for your support! Congrats on 1 yer and 4 months! You must feel marvelous.
I smoked for 55 years with one period of no smoking for 10 years then the day came when I thought I could have just one cig and the rest is history.
I am very optimistic. My son gave me the ultimatum that I would not be able to see my grandchildren if I didn't quit because he didn't want them to see their grandma die of lung cancer. That worked for a week and then like a rebellious teen I started again on and off and then I finally hit bottom and was contemplating suicide. Went to my primary MD and he said to use the patch. Today is day 6 and I am very happy with my decision. I fianlly got to the point where I wanted to quit more than anything. I did find bread sticks, same diameter as cigs, to hold & chew on if I get the holding urge. Cough drops also help me with the craving. I still get the crave but it is not anywhere near what it was 7 days ago. I see a therapist who has been very supportive of my quitting and is also a former smoker so he really understands.
Thank you again for your suupport and as I said I love your cats and family pictures. Jen
Hello and congrats on day 6!!
It sounds like you've amassed the tools to help you stay quit. I'm glad to hear the cravings are easing up. Yay!
Best of luck and keep posting : )
Ditto on what Jade said. Job well done!
We all have are reasons for quitting and even though we tell ourselves it's for our children/granchildren in the beginning, it really is for us. We all benefit, but in the end, we are truly the ones who have given ourselves another shot at life.
What we all need to do is to understand why our reaction to stress is automatically smoking? I have a better understanding now, but I still don't fully comprehend what made me and most of us smokers link "cigs" as the answer to "anxiety/stress." Was it commercials, movies?? I certainly didn't learn it my home.
The material I read at whyquitdotcom certainly shed light on the matter but it still doesn't fully explain why.
If someone has the answer, please share : )
Kathy Jo
p.s. thanks for commenting on my pix. I have 3 children but one is extremely camera shy : )
p.s.s.
I feel marvelous!