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Post by Ann on Nov 7, 2005 9:28:48 GMT -5
JUST FOR TODAY
Hope this helps you just for today.
You want a cigarette: Do I? What do I want? Specifically? What about the cigarette do I crave? Okay, fine. Maybe I want the "ahhh" feeling. But, wait, I'm through withdrawal. The first cigarette won't even give me the "ahhh" feeling anymore, because the "ahhh" feeling came from nicotine's ability to stave off the early withdrawal I felt after not smoking for 30 minutes or an hour. Now that I'm no longer in withdrawal, I'll only get dizzy and sickly from the first one, and that first one will be followed by the next one and the next one as I search for the "ahhh" feeling, and long before I ever get the "ahh" feeling, I'll realize I'm hooked again. Heck, I'll realize it after the first one.
You can handle just one: Can I? Why is it that in the past when I said that to myself, it didn't work out like I planned? If I could get by on just one, why didn't I smoke just one every now and again when I smoked, instead of smoking all of those other ones I didn't want? No. There is no such thing as just one for me, or the other greater than 90% of the smokers out there who smoke whenever their addiction demands that they smoke.
You NEED just this one: Do I really believe that I NEED to inhale hundreds of toxic chemicals into my lungs to get through this given situation? Do I really believe that I need to recommit to my addiction so that I can dull the feelings associated with this situation.
This crave is going to last forever, this crave is unbearable, quitting is just TOO d**n HARD: Okay, what does this crave really feel like? How long is it lasting? Is it really lasting all day long? Or, is my fear of the crave, and my fear of failure, or my fear of success, making me THINK about it all day long? For how many seconds have I actually WANTED to put a cigarette in my mouth, light it and inhale, as opposed to just being anxious about my lifestyle change, and all of the things associated with it. Am I feeling anxiety? Or am I really wanting a cigarette? Will smoking a cigarette make me feel better or worse than I do? Furthermore, I KNOW from talking to all the former smokers around me that this isn't what being an ex-smoker feels like! I'm in the latter stages of withdrawal, and the early stages of reconditioning my life to NOT revolve around my addiction. Soon, I will be feeling a lot better, and I'll have a hard time remembering how hard this has been. It's only hard for a while.
found on Quitnet
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Post by Ann on Nov 7, 2005 9:26:40 GMT -5
The Five Stages of Dying From jcfamulare on 9/12/2005 8:48:34 PM People who attempt to give up smoking go through these five stages. They must successfully overcome each specific phase to deal with the next. Some people have particular difficulty conquering a specific phase, causing them to relapse back to smoking. Let's analyze these specific phases as encountered by the abstaining smoker.
Most smokers are in a state of DENIAL- they will not quit smoking. Other prevalent manifestations of denial are: "I don't want to quit smoking," or "I am perfectly healthy while smoking, so why should I stop," or "I am different, I can control my smoking at one or two a day." These people, through their denial, set up obstacles to even attempt quitting and hence have very little chance of success.
Those who successfully overcome denial progress to ANGER. We hear so many stories of how difficult it is to live with a recovering smoker. Your friends avoid you, your employer sends you home, sometimes permanently, and you are generally no fun to be with. Most smokers do successfully beat this stage.
BARGAINING is probably the most dangerous stage in the effort to stop smoking. "Oh boy, I could sneak this one and nobody will ever know it." "Things are really tough today, I will just have one to help me over this problem, no more after that." "Maybe I'll just smoke today, and quit again tomorrow." It may be months before these people even attempt to quit again.
DEPRESSION usually follows once you successfully overcome bargaining without taking that first drag. For the first time you start to believe you may actually quit smoking. But instead of being overjoyed, you start to feel like you are giving up your best friend. You remember the good times with cigarettes and disregard the detrimental effects of this dangerous and dirty habit and addiction. At this point more than ever "one day at a time" becomes a life saver. Because tomorrow may bring acceptance.
Once you reach the stage of ACCEPTANCE, you get a true perspective of what smoking was doing to you and what not smoking can do for you. Within two weeks the addiction is broken and, hopefully, the stages are successfully overcome and, finally, life goes on. Life becomes much simpler, happier and more manageable as an ex-smoker. Your self esteem is greatly boosted. Your physical state is much better than it would ever have been if you continued to smoke. It is a marvelous state of freedom.
Anyone can break the addiction and beat the stages. It is up to you to decide when, where and how you want to pass through the five stages?
1) As a lung cancer patient with hardly 6 months to live; or 2) As a determined person ready to face the tumult of withdrawal followed by a life that will be health, wealth and wise.
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Post by Ann on Nov 7, 2005 9:17:42 GMT -5
Don I can't believe how big 'the boy' and 'the girl' are already, two beautiful little people.
I quit Jan 20, 2000
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Post by Ann on Nov 4, 2005 8:41:05 GMT -5
You can't read this and stay in a bad mood!
1. How Do You Catch a Unique Rabbit? Unique Up On It. 2. How Do You Catch a Tame Rabbit? Tame Way, Unique Up On It. 3. How Do Crazy People Go Through The Forest? They Take The Psycho Path 4. How Do You Get Holy Water? You Boil The Hell Out Of It. 5. What Do Fish Say When They Hit a Concrete Wall? Dam! 6. What Do Eskimos Get From Sitting On The Ice too Long? Polaroids 7. What Do You Call a Boomerang That Doesn't work? A Stick. 8. What Do You Call Cheese That Isn't Yours? Nacho Cheese. 9. What Do You Call Santa's Helpers? Subordinate Clauses. 10. What Do You Call Four Bullfighters In Quicksand? Quatro Sinko. 11. What Do You Get From a Pampered Cow? Spoiled Milk. 12. What Do You Get When You Cross a Snowman With a Vampire? Frostbite. 13. What Lies At The Bottom Of The Ocean And Twitches? A Nervous Wreck. 14. What's The Difference Between Roast Beef And Pea Soup? Anyone Can Roast Beef. 15. Where Do You Find a Dog With No Legs? Right Where You Left Him. 16. Why Do Gorillas Have Big Nostrils? Because They Have Big Fingers. 17. Why Don't Blind People Like To Sky Dive? Because It Scares The Dog. 18. What Kind Of Coffee Was Served On The Titanic? Sanka. 19. What Is The Difference Between a Harley And a Hoover? The Location Of The Dirt Bag. 20. Why Did Pilgrims' Pants Always Fall Down? Because They Wore Their Belt Buckle On Their Hat. 21. What's The Difference Between a Bad Golfer And a Bad Skydiver? A Bad Golfer Goes, Whack, Dang! A Bad Skydiver Goes, Dang! Whack. 22. How Are a Texas Tornado And a Tennessee Divorce The Same? Somebody's Gonna Lose A Trailer Now, admit it. At least one of these made you chuckle
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Post by Ann on Nov 4, 2005 8:37:59 GMT -5
A few cigarettes a day 'deadly' Smoking just one to four cigarettes a day almost triples a person's risk of dying of heart disease, according to Norwegian researchers. Their work suggests the health impact is stronger for women and that even "light" smokers face similar diseases to heavier smokers, including cancer. The team tracked the health and death rates of almost 43,000 men and women from the mid 1970s up to 2002. Their findings appear in the journal Tobacco Control. Lung cancer Compared with those who had never smoked, the men and women who smoked between one and four cigarettes a day were almost three times as likely to die of coronary artery disease. Among women, smoking one to four cigarettes daily increased the chance of dying from lung cancer almost five times. Men who smoked this amount were almost three times as likely to be killed by lung cancer. However, due to the relatively small number of men that this applied to in the study sample, this finding could have been due to chance. There is no safe level of smoking Amanda Sandford from ASH So-called "light" smokers were also found to have a significantly higher risk of dying from any cause - 1.5 times higher generally - than those who had never smoked, when researchers looked at deaths among those studied over the duration of the research. Death rates from all causes rose as the number of cigarettes smoked every day increased. Sporadic smoking The researchers believe their conclusions are accurate, even though they had to estimate the projected impact of smoking one to four cigarettes for five years in those light smokers who had smoked for less time. This indicated that the risk of death from coronary artery disease for both sexes would have been 7% higher, and the risk of lung cancer would have been 47% higher in women. A significant proportion of the light smokers had also increased their daily consumption over the period of the study. However, this had not exceeded nine cigarettes a day. The only way to protect smokers from heart disease, cancer and other killer diseases is to quit completely A spokesman from the British Medical Association Author Dr Kjell Bjartveit also pointed out that it was not possible to tell from the findings what impact sporadic smoking - such as a few cigarettes on a Saturday night out - might have on health. Dr Ken Denson of the Thame Thrombosis and Haemostasis Research Foundation questioned the validity of the figures. He said other large studies had not found that smoking fewer than 10 cigarettes daily increased the risk of heart disease. 'No safe level' Amanda Sandford from Action on Smoking and Health said the conclusions were clear. "This study should dispel the myth once and for all that smoking just a few cigarettes a day won't do you any harm. "Quite simply, there is no safe level of smoking." A spokesman from the British Medical Association said: "All smokers are putting their health on the line when they smoke - even if they only define themselves as social smokers. "The only way to protect smokers from heart disease, cancer and other killer diseases is to quit completely." The Department of Health estimates 106,000 people die every year in the UK as a direct result of smoking. It said quitting was the only way to avoid the serious health risks. Jean King of Cancer Research UK said: "Although more research is needed, this study suggests that the health implications for 'light smokers' are much more serious than previously thought. "This is particularly worrying as a third of smokers in the UK - an estimated 3.7 million people - smoke less than 10 cigarettes a day." Story from BBC NEWS: news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/4265600.stmPublished: 2005/09/22 00:00:40 GMT © BBC MMV
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Post by Ann on Nov 3, 2005 10:05:37 GMT -5
101 Ways to Strengthen Our Quits
From: "Addiction-Free Naturally: Liberating Yourself from Sugar, Caffeine, Food Addictions, Tobacco, Alcohol, Prescription Drugs" by Brigitte Mars
1. Encourage spirituality in your life. 2. Treat all living things as spiritual beings. 3. Live life as a prayer. 4. Pray for strength, guidance & wisdom. 5. Meditate.
6. Breathe deeply & slowly. Oxygen nourishes the brain. 7. Chant. Allow your entire being to radiate healing sounds. Om works well. Or use your favorite mantra. 8. Read. Read all those books you've always wanted to, but never had the time for. 9. Make your living space beautiful & joyous. Surround yourself with the healing energy of plants, colors & aromas. 10. Keep your living space clean.
11. Look & dress in a manner that you deem pleasing. This will boost your confidence in all of life' s situations. 12. Unclutter your mind. Get an engagement book and write down numbers, errands & appointments. 13. Play music that's calming & soothing & contemplative. 14. Don't listen to music that you associate with your addiction. 15. Learn to play a musical instrument.
16. Dance. 17. Face your fears. 18. Address the issue. Don't suppress the issue. 19. Make a list of all your good characteristics. Post it on your bathroom mirror. Update it as often as possible. 20. Write down all your problems and brainstorm possible ways to solve them.
21. Practice visualization. Visit these tranquil places in your mind. (If you're having trouble doing it on your own, invest in some of the many audiotapes that guide listeners through visualizations.) 22. Talk to a sympathetc listener. 23. If you need outside help, get it. Find a therapist with whom you're comfortable talking. Or join a support group -- they're free, widely available, and have worked for millions of people. Support groups offer the opportunity to share what matters to you with those who understand. Bring your loved ones if they're willing. 24. Heal your inner child. We sometimes need to accept that our parents did the best they could, and they themselves may have lived with great difficulty. Be willing to forgive. 25. Nurture your inner child. Read fairy tales. Blow bubbles. Laugh. Play in streams. Be silly.
26. Spend time basking in the beauty of nature. 27. Eat right. 28. Exercise. Exercise improves respiration & circulation, sends nutrients to the cells, and stimulates endorphin production. 29. Substitute good habits for bad habits. For example, if you used to smoke after dinner, go for a walk instead. 30. Slow down. Whether you're eating, talking, walking, or driving, do it slower.
31. Take up yoga or tai chi. Both relax & strengthen the mind & body. 32. Get a massage. 33. Massage your own hands, face & feet daily. 34. Reach out to someone. Hug your child, love your mate, put your arm around a friend, stroke your pet. 35. Plant a garden. Gardening is a great way to affirm faith in the future and to observe the wonders of growth & life.
36. H.A.L.T. Avoid being too Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired. These are the conditions that can make you most vulnerable to relapse into addiction. 37. Remember that when you feel the least like going to meetings can be the time when you need most to attend them. The support of a group has more power to keep you from relapsing than you have by yourself. 38. Make a list of the places to avoid, the people to avoid, and what needs changing in your life. On the reverse side write down what you need to do to achieve these things. 39. Get rid of clutter in your house. 40. Drink more water to help flush toxins out of your system.
41. In all areas of your life, delegate. You don't have to do everything yourself. 42. Wear cool, pale greens & blues to help you stay calm during stressful periods. Avoid yellow, which can contribute to anxiety, and plaids & prints which can be too busy and cause confusion. 43. Wear comfortable clothing that allows your skin to breathe and allows freedom of movement. 44. Take a relaxing bath. Light a candle, then add a few drops of essential oils such as chamomile, lavender, rosemary, or sandalwood to the bathwater. Soak & enjoy. When you're done bathing, let the water run down the drain as you visualize all your stress going with it. 45. Maintain a sense of wonderment. Every day try to go out and look at a sunrise, sunset, the moon, or the stars.
46. Read books that connect you to God or to your highest truth. Read books that are uplifting. 47. Ask yourself what the best ways are to heal yourself. 48. Learn to say "No." 49. Use aromatherapy in times of stress. Essential oils that relieve stress include anise, basil, bay leaf, bergamot, cardamom, chamomile, clary sage, fennel, frankincense, geranium, helichrysum, juniper, lavender, lemon, marjoram, neroli, nutmeg, orange, peppermint, rose, sage, sandalwood, spearmint, and ylang-ylang. 50. Visit an aquarium.
51. Prepare your clothes, paperwork & perhaps your lunch the night before, rather than starting your morning in a frenzy. 52. Take naps. 53. Get up 15 minutes earlier than you think you should. 54. Take care of unpleasant or difficult tasks early in the day, so the rest of your time can be spent more easily. 55. Treat yourself as you would a friend whom you love and care for. Find small ways to treat yourself.
56. Get a set of Chinese hand balls, available at many natural food stores. Learn how to use them. 57. Each day find some positive way to reward yourself -- an aromatherapy bath, leisure reading, taking a walk, etc. 58. If you're blessed with a beloved, make love to your partner very slowly. Allow yourself to experience greater pleasure in intimacy. 59. Learn a new craft. Creating things of beauty is great for self-esteem. 60. Smile. Relaxing your face helps the rest of your body as well as putting at ease those around you. Practice an inner radiating smile and give thanks; allow your heart to fill with love.
61. When you're heading to the bank, grocery store, or anywhere else there's likely to be a waiting line, bring a book or magazine. Smile at the other people in line. 62. Do something nice for someone less fortunate than yourself. 63. Take things one at a time. 64. Don't assume that the success or failure of your children is the result of your influence. 65. Spend quality time with people you care about.
66. Avoid people who cannot honor your addiction-free lifestyle. 67. Have more fun. 68. Spend some time alone every day. 69. Write down your dreams. 70. Remember that saying "Yes" to an addiction once makes it easier to say "Yes" twice. Remind yourself of the advantages of giving up the addiction. Reflect on these often. If a lapse occurs, evaluate why it happened and what you could do differently. Don't allow a lapse to be a relapse. Get back on your bike. You can be wiser now.
71. Consult the oracles such as I Ching or tarot, with a sincere heart and an open mind. 72. Put all the remedies that help you to stay addiction-free & relaxed in an easily accessible place so you'll remember to take them. 73. Remember the saying, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Make it a mantra for your daily life. 74. Visit hot springs. 75. Be in tune with the moon.
76. Have courage. 77. Open your heart. Give yourself to love. 78. Write poems. 79. Maintain a sense of humor. 80. Remember that your true self is beyond your body and your career.
81. Enjoy beautiful food that tastes good and is wholesome. 82. Watch movies that are uplifting. 83. Place healing crystals on your chakras. 84. Play Tibetan bowls. 85. Every day make a list of 10 positive, healthy things you can do in a day's time. Give yourself stars for the ones you do.
86. Celebrate! 87. Be compassionate toward those still struggling with addiction. 88. Put out a birdfeeder. Buy a pair of binoculars and a bird identification book. Watch. 89. Volunteer. 90. Send a handwritten letter to a friend every week.
91. Make homemade treats for your pets. 92. Go for long walks. 93. Make it a habit to see something new -- some detail you've never noticed before -- every day on your commute to work or on your walk around the block. 94. Hold babies ... human, feline, canine, or otherwise. 95. Bring a homemade treat -- bread, cookies, a wreath -- to each of your neighbors. If you don't already know them, learn their names.
96. Think globally. Act locally. 97. Go on picnics with family & friends. 98. Keep your head up. Look people in the eye. 99. Be honest. Be kind. 100. Leave this earth a better place than you found it.
101. Count your blessings . . . every day!
Take what you like and leave the rest.
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Post by Ann on Nov 3, 2005 10:03:13 GMT -5
I love Hell Week. No sarcasm, no gleeful arrifmations. This is truly great! Let me tell you what I mean:
Get a few hours in and you're suddenly an Airhead. Ok, so if you operate heavy machinery or perform surgery, it's not such a great thing. Otherwise, it's a blast! We usually pay good money to feel this way, then feel crappy the next morning.
Sure, sometimes there's some pain. My lungs feel like they're torn or something. But our bodies are wonderful things. Pain releases endorphins. Woo Hoo...another free high!
Maybe I'm on an emotional roller coaster. The hills are a blast-there's this stupid grin I just can't get rid of. The dips are a bother, but the good part is I'm carrying this cool "I'm quittin' get-out-of-jail-free card. Snap at somebody? "Sorry, I'm quitting" and all is square. Hell, they probably deserve it anyway. Feel melancholy, missing the dirty little buggers? It's not you-it's the Nicodemon playing tricks on you. Even if the downs are worse than that, at least they're interesting. Beats the boring hum of emotions dulled by Nic.
The clock is doing really funky things. Stare out the window, read a bood, take a nap, get a snack - let's see, that all took about three minutes. Been drinking a lot of water, so I gotta go - that took three hours. If I stare at it long enough, I'm going to catch it hopping back and forth. Really! where's that camcorder!
Don't need to schedule time for exercise - I'm multi-tasking it with bed time. As long as I don't let it frustrate me, all is good. And talk about dreams! To heck with $8 at the multiplex - I've got better shows here. And some of them, well they don't show that kind of movie around here. I've slept less and feel more awake than I have in years.
Working on day three, and already I've got a resting heart rate like the drum on one of those viking ships in the movies. Can't wait to get some real exercise going.
Nobody I'm aware of is filming, but I'm hilarious to watch. Just went to get a cup of ice for my soda. Got it, went to the sink to fill it with water, headed back to the office. Halfway back, realize I didn't want the water. Turn around, dump in the sink, get more ice, get more water, head back to the office...dang, still not right. Back to the kitchen, back to the sink, dump it, get more ice, back to the sink...NO...dont want water. Halfway back to my office, try to take a sup of ice. Dang, turn around, you forgot the w...No, it's OK, you didn't want the water...or did you? Back to the office. Now, where is that soda? Oh yeah, left it in the refrigerator. Bad quits, this annoys the heck out of me. Good quits, I'm my own entertainment.
I can't concentrate on crap, except that I'm not smoking. But if I really think about it, I never could concentrate on anything, except when I was going to get my next smoke worked in. So it's nothing to complain about really, especially since this way it has a positive outcome.
At my core, I'm a horribly conflicted human being. I like nothing more than success, but I'm one of the laziest folks you'd ever care to meet. This is the only spot in creation where success is determined by DOING NOTHING! Yippee! I'm a shoe-in! When are they making the Quit an Olympic Sport?
The thing that scares me-sooner or later, things will go back to normal, there wont be this uniquemess around. During Hell Week, there's always something there to remind me not to smoke.
I love Hell Week, really!
found on Quitnet
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Post by Ann on Nov 2, 2005 14:12:45 GMT -5
Stop it! Stop it right now! BY MARY MEEHAN Knight Ridder News Service
When it comes to quitting smoking, it's trite but true: If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. And again and again and again.
Nicotine's grip on a smoker is difficult -- to say the least -- to break. It's all about the science. Nicotine is a chemical that bathes your brain, giving you a feeling of euphoria so, at the same time your organs are working overtime to deal with the toxin, your head is screaming for more.
''People don't realize that tobacco use is a chronic disease, and it's a very severe addiction,'' said Ellen Hahn, a tobacco-control researcher and professor of nursing at the University of Kentucky. It's an addiction on par with cocaine and heroin, said Phillip Mulholland, director of a tobacco prevention and cessation program.
Most smokers know the stuff is unhealthy, but there is something about that first cigarette of the day that has no match. ''Most smokers, frankly, enjoy smoking,'' Mulholland said. Smokers and nonsmokers alike tend to underestimate the grip tobacco can have. No one wants to think a plant can get the better of them. ''I didn't think I was addicted,'' said Mulholland, a former smoker. ``I look back on it now, and I think I certainly was addicted, I absolutely was.'' Hahn said people know it's unhealthy, but ``that's not the point. What they need to do is be convinced of the benefits of quitting.'' And quitting is possible. ''It's like any chronic diseases: You need a long-term plan to treat it,'' Hahn said.
Mulholland and Hahn both suggest taking advantage of help. Hahn said that for every 100 smokers who try to quit without assistance or a firm plan, only three to five succeed. Most people try five to 10 times before they finally quit.
Not surprisingly, smokers don't respond well to nagging. But, Hahn said, they do better with support. A simple ''I know you can do it'' can go a long way toward helping someone take the first step toward quitting.
Things you can do to quit:
• Get ready to quit by setting a quit date.
• Before your quit date, get rid of all cigarettes and ashtrays in your home, car and place of work. Ask others not to smoke in your home.
• Ask your doctor or pharmacist about medicine that can help, including nasal sprays, inhalers, gum, patches or pills.
• Ask your family, friends and co-workers for support. Get together locally or online with others who are trying to quit, or call a hotline.
• Don't give up if you begin smoking again. Set a new quit date. Try to avoid alcohol and being around smoking. Eat healthful food, get exercise and keep a positive attitude. Most people try several times to quit before they succeed.
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Post by Ann on Nov 2, 2005 14:10:33 GMT -5
Decide And Do!
Life can be unfair, confusing, discouraging, and filled with all sorts of unexpected factors. Yet even in the most difficult situations, achievements of every kind are most assuredly within your reach.
Decide what you intend to do, and get clear on the specifics of what that involves. Then get going, and don't stop until you're there.
Even when you're discouraged, you can still put one foot in front of another. Even when distractions beg for your attention, you can choose to remain focused on the task at hand.
Even when setbacks come, there is a way to keep going. Even when you make a mistake, or a whole series of them, you can learn from what you've done and go forward from there.
Anything can provide you with a good excuse to give up. Yet nothing can stop you when you choose to keep going.
What do you truly want in your life right now? Decide what you intend to do, and know that you can make it happen.
~Ralph Marston~
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Post by Ann on Nov 2, 2005 13:56:41 GMT -5
Pat you have nothing to be sorry for, we all know how hard you work to get those certificates out and we really do appreciate it. Everyone looks forward to receiving them, thank you for all the hard work you do.
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Post by Ann on Nov 1, 2005 9:18:20 GMT -5
I keep seeing a lot of messages about people ready to quit, BUT!!!!! this is not a game but something we need do to stay alive and healthy, I see so many people that want to QUIT and they simply can not do the most common thing that one does, ASK YOUR DOCTOR, MAKE SURE YOU CAN TAKE EITHER THE PATCH OR PILLS, some of us take Medication for some illness (Not smoke related) so always make sure you're safe, If you want to quit smoking then you need to be 100% sure that you really want to QUIT or it will not work, Medication will not make up your mind to quit, that must come from within yourself or it isn't going to work for you, after 58 long years I finally got sick of smoking, so I quit and I put my Mind to it really hard and you can do the same and one other thing to look at, the money you save is incredible, put the amount you normally spend on smokes in a Gallon Jar, or maybe you need a clean Pail with a Lid on it and just cut a slot in the lid, then seal it shut with Glue, now open the thing after 1 year, have a chair to sit on because you will find that your legs are getting weak when you see how much money you saved. Sure ask us here can you do this or that, did you have this or that if and when you took these things, got to remember, we all have different reactions to certain medication and if you have any problems, I would strongly suggest to see a Medical Doctor and finally, NO SMOKING, BECAUSE IT WILL NOT GO AND LEAVE YOU, the urges can stay with you for weeks, months and even years, so remember that if and when you quit smoking or if you try to quit, it is not easy and depending on a person it can take you a Long time! Some of us eX-smokers have so many complaints as to WHY? Some of us we are trying and it will not take for some reason, we don`t seem to take it as seriously as we should, we haven`t got a clue that we simply can not believe in, well, I smoked for 58 years and I decided I HAD to quit before I was one on the fatal one`s, I don`t want any Cancer, I don`t want to walk around with a blasted Oxygen Tank, I don`t want to have the bloody plastic tubing going into my Nose just so I can breathe, I don`t want another Stroke and I don`t want to have an Heart attack, people, there are 599 separate chemicals in Cigarettes, and more things that can happen to you and none are nice and you will be wasting valuable TAX Dollars that could be used for something important and I don't mean Smoke related. Please if you want to live then help yourself, try to QUIT the Nico Demon because you will be far better off if you can manage, I know it will be hard, it was hard for me too, I mean after 58 years, I am lucky as some of you might be and I don`t have any Smoke related Illnesses so far, I am off now for 3+ Years and I can breathe freely and smell freely and I don't smell like an Ashtray, PLEASE do yourself a favor and QUIT the those blasted Cancer Sticks you will be happy later in life for not smoking and thank your lucky Stars that you QUIT. Reduce your chances of getting mouth/nose/throat/lung/esophagus/kidney cancer, emphysema, asthma, stroke, sinus infections, allergies, ulcers, ear aches, circulatory diseases, heart failure, glaucoma, viruses, bacterial and fungal infections, periodontal diseases, polyps, and over 50 other serious diseases, that actually strike most smokers in their 30`s, 40`s and 50`s not in their 80`s, like they thought it would. (Surprised?), A lot of these Illnesses I had no idea about those either but they are smoke related. We must overcome this Demon of addiction, Smoking is the worst addiction to overcome, it is worse than Heroin or Cocaine, hell you name it and we as smokers are way above any of these Drug abusers because it is so much harder to quit. We are ADDICTS for life, some people that quit seem to go back after 5 to 20 years of quitting and then for some reason they smoked again, the Nicotine Demon will keep on trying at the most inopportune times, we must learn on how to say `NO, NO, NO I will not and I must not. Small excuses like `Oh well I was so mad/disgusted over this or that because I had problems here and there and I was mad and I wanted relief, and did smoking help you in any way aside from your own selfish motive of smoking just for the sake of having a smoke? Please, don`t show any excuse for any thought to get back to your Puffing, it is a weakness but it will not prove a bloody thing to yourself or anyone else, if anything, it will only show that you are weak, if you smoke a Cigarette then you are weak, you want to use and will use any excuse to satisfy your cravind to have a smoke, even if it is just ONE CIGARETTE, don't use it, It can be very nasty to get back into the Groove and I know just how much of a pull the Nico demon has, if you give him one Chance, then you`re virtually back to Square #1 fighting him all over, remember the Urges, the Cravings, he will not give up and he will not QUIT because he thinks the world is HIS for the taking. DON`T, for heavens sake DON`T use that excuse and show that you`re strong, that is all the Nico Demon needs to get you back into the Tar Pits, remember, he will strike at the most opportune time that you offer him and usually... People will follow him until they remember, `Oh dear Lord` what just happened I smoked? People, please, the Nico Demon will never give up, do yourself and me a favour, QUIT while the Quitting is good, you and people around you will thank you for your trying, you will not suffer because of Cancer, It is painful, the Chemotherapy is as well, then you have all the other things, Stroke, Heart attack and who can tell what else, please help yourself, QUIT and make all of us happy and PLEASE remember, you are an EX-Smoker and NOT a NON SMOKER, a Non Smoker is someone who`s never smoked in his life. Remember, in order to quit you must want to quit 100%, your cravings will not go when you grab any Medication, it will be hard and you will have violent cravings to have just one cigarette, as we would say N.O.P.E. (Not One Puff Ever) If you need any clarification go and visit my Home Page at billfreads.tripod.com
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Post by Ann on Nov 1, 2005 9:16:00 GMT -5
If you feel like this quit is tough
This is something that I read over and over when I think this quit is getting hard. I have failed so many times in the past - I have never been this determined, or afraid of what might happen if I don't stop. Just promise not to smoke today - then deal with tomorrow tomorrow. That is how I have to deal with it right now.
I read so much about how tough quitting is, about how you gave in to a crave because it was just too tough. Well....maybe....quitting can be unpleasant, no doubt. But tough? Tough is going to the doc at age 50 with a 'pinched nerve' in your neck...diagnosed as metasticized small cell carcinoma....in all major organs including brain...99% of small cell carcinomas are caused by smoking. Tough is looking into the eyes of the wife who planned to spend the rest of her life by your side, seeing the pain and bewilderment as she struggles to be brave for you while fighting the fear of living out the rest of her life alone. Tough is feeling the desperation in her usually tender touch, as she grasps your hand, or your arm, or any part of you just to hold on for a little longer. Tough is looking into the eyes of the teenagers who have loved and idolized you all their lives as they struggle to comprehend what they've been told and the uncertainty they face.....dad won't be there at graduation....dad won't be there when they marry....day won't be there....for anything. Tough is knowing you did this to yourself and there's not one thing you can do at this point to change the outcome. No amount of sacrifice, no promises to change your life....nothing will alleviate the horror of realizing what you've done to the ones who love you the most. Oh, you'd tried to quit a few times, but it was too 'tough'.....after all, you're only 50 and all those bad things happen to old people......and you're gonna quit before you reach that point. My friend was diagnosed two weeks ago this coming Tuesday....Now he knows what tough really is. Would you like to tell him how tough your quit is? Kinda puts things in perspective, doesn't it?
found on Quitnet
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Post by Ann on Oct 31, 2005 19:44:34 GMT -5
Congratulations on a wonderful milestone. Many kudos for Keeping The Quit!
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Post by Ann on Oct 31, 2005 19:43:18 GMT -5
CONGRATULATIONS[/size]
I hope you celebrated in royal style with your lovely family.
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Post by Ann on Oct 31, 2005 19:45:46 GMT -5
Still smoke free.
Quit Jan. 20, 2000
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