A bit of moral support I hope......

[nsd_user663_1719]

I've just popped on here after a while to see how everyone's doing, I've seen a few struggling - so thought I'd stick a post in Day One to hopefully inspire/motivate anyone just starting out and provide as many words of wisdom as I can!

It has now been 2 years and 7 months (ish!) since I last smoked a cigarette.

Right now I'm sitting here having a gin and tonic (or several!) whilst listening to my new MP3 player which I never would have afforded if I still smoked (MadCatMan has work tomorrow and I don't so I'm trying to be quiet!!!!!)

If you're anything like me - the first bit of your quit will be HELL. Do whatever it takes to get through the next few days, personally I had to get an inhalator as the patches weren't enough. Warn friends and family too!

The one thing that REALLY kept me going through the early stages was this thought - "If I smoke now, it means I have to quit again, and go though feeling like THIS all over again, and I DO NOT WANT TO FEEL LIKE THIS EVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!"

And - I was right. I didn't really post on here much through the really bad times as I didn't want to dishearten anybody else - but I now want to reassure everybody that the bad times don't last forever!

The weight gain doesn't last forever either thankfully!

What you are going to need is a hefty dose of sheer bloody-mindedness, determination and stubbornness for a while - but please don't despair, it really won't be forever. Even after that - the despair part doesn't last forever either!

The best of luck to anyone starting out on their quit - I shall leave you with these boingy kittens which I have a tendency to post on this forum every now and again.......... Please take them as a celebration of your quit! (And if you get one of them pesky cravings - think of the poor kittens!)

i12.photobucket.com/albums/...

[nsd_user663_1655]

Always good to hear from a longer term quitter.. Looks good on ya! Boingy kittens can hang with me any day too.

[nsd_user663_45204]

All those bouncing kittens gives me blurred vision.

[nsd_user663_47060]

Thanks!

MadCatWoman huh?

They, the kitties, are a bit hard on the eyes! Cute though! Congrats on your quit. I have been printing out inspiring notes posted by those of you that have done this personal "hell" that some of us are indeed enduring. I use them to read as I need them during tough spots. Yours is the pick of the day!

A friend of mine told me she quit 6 yrs ago. I knew her then, but never knew she smoked, shocked me. We chatted a bit, I told her some of how it's been going and she encouraged me to keep going. She let me know I was normal, bitchy, but normal. She thinks I'm going to make it! Although several times last week it was awful close to ending.

I'm working on my 3rd month. Bad days, yes, but not as often. Good days, a LOT of them if I stay busy.

Of all the times I've tried to quit, I've really stuck into this one. My mind set is much like you said, I really DON'T want to go back thru those first few days and weeks. Actually scares me to think about it, mine were that God awful, but now have been worth every minute of it.

Thanks again for the wonderful post and a light blinking for us to guide us on our way to being free from this horrible addiction. One which I've always wished I'd never started.

[nsd_user663_18145]

a huge congrats Madcatwomen on getting to this stage in your quit

and a very good post too (love the cat pic)

when i think back to the excuses i used to carry on smoking they seem ridiculous now thinking about them stubbornness and sheer blindness to the effects of the smoking not just to me but to those i hold dear to my heart :eek: kept me from seeing my addiction for what it was

finding this forum and getting the support i needed helped me soo much pointing me to read some of the links and posts knowing that it was the withdrawel and side effects that were turning me into the bitch from hell (that was a scary time) and knowing that i wasnt alone that helped enormously

yeah there are still times when that nasty demon speaks up but ive learnt to just ignore him and his tantrams

and having the money to be able to buy treats for my wonderful grandsons who were my inspiration in starting this quit is brill

you can stop if you keep saying every day

I WILL NOT SMOKE TODAY

and remembering your reasons for your quit in the first place

keep posting on here and you will find that in time you will go days then weeks without even thinking about smoking

onwards and upwards is the way to go

[nsd_user663_48461]

Thank you!

Hi MadCatWoman

Thanks, a great post, especially as I'm having a couple of hellish days. And not 10 minutes since, I said to my husband that I can't crack, even NRT (haven't had any nic at all for over 9 weeks), because that will mean I risk going back to the beginning!! oh no, can't risk that!

We're going to go off out for the day and do anything to calm me down and lift my spirits whilst I get through this patch. I'm shocked I feel so bad at 11 weeks. :eek: Bloody nicotine terrorist, I wish he'd get the message and p@@@ off and leave me alone!! :mad:

Think I'm calming down a bit now.

Shazza x