Greetings and Day 10: Greetings, I have been... - No Smoking Day

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Greetings and Day 10

nsd_user663_2304 profile image
13 Replies

Greetings,

I have been lurking on the forums for a few days now. I decided I would join the community!

Let me introduce myself. My name is Jon I am from a suburb of Kansas City, Kansas, USA. I am 35 Years old and I started smoking a week before I turned 14 years old. I started (stupidly) to peer pressure. I remember my friends had started smoking and got me to try one. I was embarrased at first because I did not know how to "inhale". In retrospect I feel like such an idiot because I remember smoking cigarette after cigarette to "learn" how to inhale without coughing, and once I was able to I was so proud of myself. I would like nothing more then to go back and smack myself in the head and ask myself why I was so stupid =P.

For my first 3 months I smoked I would say that I smoked about 2 packs of cigarettes a week because I didn't want my parents to find out. Well :rolleyes: it did not take long before my Parents figured out I was smoking and at that point I did not care (I was a rebellious teen) if they knew I smoked so I jumped up to about a pack a day habit. I have smoked for over 21 years with a mininum of a pack a day habit until about the last 15 years which usually consisted of carton a week.

I have actually had "several" quit attempts in my life. Each time varied in length. I have had 3 quits in the 30-64 day range between 1990 and 1999.

The last attempt I made to quit was back was Dec 31st/Jan 1st, 1999 at Midnight (New Years Resolution) My best friend and I had decided to quit together for a New Years Resolution. We both had smoked our "last cigarette" while watching the countdown to new years and had extinguished our "ceremonial" cigarette at exactly midnight in the ashtray together. To help our resolve we both pledged $500 to the other if either one of us cheated within the first 30 days of smoking to help us quit. My friend and I both lived and worked together so it was easy to "watchdog" and "encourage" each other.

It was very tough but we both had managed to make it 5 months and 16 days until one day at work (May 16th, 1999) we were having a horrible day at work. I thought I would just go down and have "one" cigarette to calm myself down. I went out to the smoking section at work and had asked a coworker if I could bum a smoke, but I had asked him to "please not tell my best friend because I did not want him to break down and smoke because I had". To this my coworker replied "That's funny, he was just down here an hour ago saying the same thing about you." We both had restarted smoking without each others knowledge on the exact same day. Once we both realized we had both "cheated" we both took up smoking full time again.

So here I am, over 8 years later trying to quit in 2007. I believe my mindset on this quit is different then those others because I am no longer the young man I once was. Before when I wanted to quit it was never for "health" reasons it was always because I just did not want to smell like smoke or have bad breath was my primary concern for quitting. However as I have aged I have gotten overweight (I need to lose about 30lbs), my energy levels have gone way down, and I am constantly depressed about my current "state" in life. So here I am, quitting smoking so that it will no longer "control" or "hinder" my life.

I look at it like this, I need my lungs to work out to lose the weight.... I need to lose the weight to gain the energy back..... I need my energy back to have a successful life in which I can accomplish my dreams and desires. All of this involves breaking my life long addiction to smoking.

I quit Sept 29th at 01:00. It is now October 8th at 03:40 so I am 2 hours and 40 minutes into my 10th day of not smoking. I have been really strong up until today. I about snapped 4 or 5 times and was about to jump in my car and buy cigarettes. I kept telling myself "wait until tomorrow and see how you feel" to talk myself out of it. However I am definately in a state of weakness still and I am turning to you guys for some encouragement.

Please help, I want to make it this time. I am sorry I wrote such a long post, however it is helping me through this moment of weakness to type it out.

SmokeFreeinKC,

Jon

Quit Date: Sept 29th 2007

Method: Cold Turkey

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nsd_user663_2304
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13 Replies
nsd_user663_2291 profile image
nsd_user663_2291

Hello and Welcome. I have been getting some great support hear and I am sure you will too.

We are both on 10 days so can also help each other.

nsd_user663_2231 profile image
nsd_user663_2231

WELCOME JON

You are doing really great, day 10 what an achievement!! You can do this, and with the help of this forum you will.

nsd_user663_2304 profile image
nsd_user663_2304

Thanks all!

After I posted on here last night, I went and did a search on Youtube and found some videos of Alan Carr speaking. That guy makes a lot of sense and I am going to try and locate a copy of his book "Alan Carr's Easy way to stop smoking"

I think it will help because it addresses issues about why ex-smokers believe they are "missing out" or "giving up" benefits of smoking and this is why it makes it hard to quit. As crazy as it sounds this is exactly what happens to me when I have my urges. This book explains why each of the so called "benefits" is actually false, therefore giving you no reason to want to smoke again. I think this book will do some good. I will let you know what I think of it once I find where to buy it locally later today.

Jon

nsd_user663_1744 profile image
nsd_user663_1744

Welcome Jon. I'm the confused one on here- what is the time difference where you are and please don't say you are putting your clocks back soon!!!!!!

Congratulations on your decision to quit!!!!

nsd_user663_2304 profile image
nsd_user663_2304

Well I am in Kansas in the USA. I live in the Central Time Zone here (CST).

I am not sure where your town is, but if its the same time zone as London it is a 6 hour difference. For example if its 3:00PM here, it is 9:00 PM where you live.

nsd_user663_1744 profile image
nsd_user663_1744

Cheers JON. 6 hrs is a nice simple answer (don't worry about the cst thingy or whatever it is!) Everyone in the uk is on the same time. (simple - like me!)

Have you managed to get a.carrs book yet? I have his 'Easy way for women to sto smoking' (although I am taking champix too)

nsd_user663_2304 profile image
nsd_user663_2304

I actually just got back from the book store from buying it. I have not read anything in it yet except for the foreword. The NFL Monday Night Football game is on right now so I am too distracted to read :)

I am thinking I will pick it up at bedtime and read a bit. Thanks for the warm welcome to the site.

nsd_user663_2142 profile image
nsd_user663_2142

A big huge 374 to you! Day 10 - WOWWWW!! You are doing such a great job and you have made the best decision ever. Keep it up, you can do it this time for sure!

nsd_user663_1744 profile image
nsd_user663_1744

Morning jon. Its 8.15 am here so I guess you are about 2.15am? Have I got this time thingy right hehe ??!!!!! I reckon you are on day 11 now (i'm on day 6) How's it going? :)

nsd_user663_2304 profile image
nsd_user663_2304

Much better all day today then yesterday. I think my day 9 was the "nightmare" day that people seem to have between days 8-10.

I have a better outlook on things tonight then I did last night at this time. I am just getting ready to goto bed, so I am going to read a few pages of Alan Carrs EasyWay to quit smoking book and see what I think.

I guess the wierdest thing I feel is a "burning/tingling" sensation in my lungs over the last few days. My guess is that it is my lungs starting to "clear out the trash" and they are starting to heal (imagine how a cut on your arm kind of "itches" when it starts to heal, kind of like that).

From the perspective of knowing they are starting to heal that is a great thing, however the downside is since I feel that constantly it reminds me of cigarettes "constantly" throughout the day.

I will make it this time. I refuse to give in and smoke again, not only to improve my quality of life.. but I don't want this to have been all in vain. :cool:

nsd_user663_2162 profile image
nsd_user663_2162

Hi Jon, welcome to the site and good luck on your quit! although, no luck's involved, to stay quit just depends on you and nothing else - I find this thought rather encouraging :)

I hope the book is helping you, it helped me a lot as in it strengthened my determination, that to be honest was already strong, and made me ever so happy about quitting. The guy does make a lot of sense and that's what is good about his ideas, they are so simple it's astonishing :p

Enjoy every smoke-free day, focus on the benefits as much as you can, teach your mind to appreciate the changes in your routines, and remember you can count on us here ;)

nsd_user663_2119 profile image
nsd_user663_2119

Thanks all!

After I posted on here last night, I went and did a search on Youtube and found some videos of Alan Carr speaking. That guy makes a lot of sense and I am going to try and locate a copy of his book "Alan Carr's Easy way to stop smoking"

I think it will help because it addresses issues about why ex-smokers believe they are "missing out" or "giving up" benefits of smoking and this is why it makes it hard to quit. As crazy as it sounds this is exactly what happens to me when I have my urges. This book explains why each of the so called "benefits" is actually false, therefore giving you no reason to want to smoke again. I think this book will do some good. I will let you know what I think of it once I find where to buy it locally later today.

Jon

Hi jon and welcome!!! i have got allan carrs book and i did stop smoking for a couple of weeks after reading the book!! it does make alot of sense, well worth the read and using for support;) i got mine off AMAZON and there is a CD in it! i bought my 2 sisters-in-law one for christmas last year because i was soooo impressed with it!!

if need be and u can't get hold of it, i will gladly send u mine:) if it will help?

be strong and well done so far!!

best wishes.poskit.x

nsd_user663_2304 profile image
nsd_user663_2304

I just read the entire book. I also believe it was a great read and I really like his "no nonsense" approach. You can tell it was written by an ex-smoker for smokers wanting to quit. Not just some person who has never smoked a day in their life showing you pictures of black lungs trying to "scare" you into quitting.

I think the best thing I will take away from the book is his take on the "Willpower Quitter". He talks about how a lot of people try to quit out of sheer "Willpower" and that it makes it harder then it needs to be. The book is really designed for people who are "still" smoking and are about to quit, however I read it anyway and took a lot of it to heart anyway.

I realized on all of my quits I have tried to be a "Willpower Quitter" instead of accepting the fact I was becoming a non-smoker. A "Willpower Quitter" believes they are "toughing it out" or "giving up" cigarettes. This implies that there is a benefit to smoking that non-smokers do not have. He breaks down just about every excuse/reason a smoker has for continuing to smoke and explains why they are false. He then states during your quit you should never feel like you are "giving up" cigarettes to instead take enjoyment in the process knowing you are freeing yourself from the little nicotine monster.

I guess my only hope is over the last 11 (a little over and hour to Day 12) that I havent messed myself up in the head, because I have spent the last 11 days feeling I had been "giving up" something good. I now realize I need to address my nicotine craves and urges with a smile and address each one with a logical "why?" and shut it down and reinforce the idea with the fact I am now a "non-smoker"

Whats funny is just as early as last week I HATED the term "non-smoker". I preferred to be thought of as an "ex-smoker". I associated the term non-smoker with all of the politically correct, nose in the air, never smoked a day in their life people who hated smokers who instead of understanding that we are nicotine drug addicts who needed help, they shunned us for smoking outside their workplace. I now understand a non-smoker doesnt have to be that evil person, a non-smoker can be an ex-smoker who realized that there was no benefit to smoking and wanted to be rid of the evil nicotine monster.

Ex-Smoker.... Non-Smoker... Idiot who smoked for 21 years ;) I am done with it.

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