Note to all those on Day 1

[nsd_user663_64608]

I don't know why today is the day I decided to post for my first time on this site. Maybe my nearly 6th anniversary in mind bought me back here tonight. I just wanted to say that this site absolutely helped me to quit. I was not registered but watched and read avidly all that happened during my quit. I tried everything available 6 years ago to quit an addiction I had become totally embarrassed about. There was nowhere left for me to socially enjoy this lovely friend of mine and when I stopped wanting to go out because I couldn't enjoy being with my old friend I decided to say goodbye. It wasn't easy when I tried to quit numerous times before, I was moody, irritable, vicious, tearful and everything in between. Then one day Early in a quit, I visited a friend and she said some very wise words to me 'I was a 40 a day smoker, I'm so happy to have quit!' I had read 'the easy way to quit smoking' by Alan Carr already but the way she was so happy made it all click for me. Why was I so miserable that I wasn't smoking - isn't this what I wanted - yes so I'm happy - and eveyday I woke up thinking thank god I haven't smoked - I'm happy! Sounds weird I know but just turn it on its head and ask yourself this question 'do I want to smoke?' Is the answer no? If you don't want to smoke then be happy about it. The cigarette companies just want us to think it's too hard to quit but I think we are brainwashed - it's not hard it's just being happy in our decision. Good luck to all those on day one - it's not hard it's just wanting to be happy with the decision to quit. I didn't think I could do it and here I am 6 years on totally happy and hardly scathed (but keeping track of other quitters on here others helped so much). Thanks so much for the site and keep up the great work x

[Hercu Valued Contributor]

Melkesto... Thank you for the lovely inspiring post....Early in my quit I wished for a fast forward button just to get to 3 or 4 months...Only on 7 months now and enjoying every day as a non smoker... rediscovering life what it should be smoke free... Yup the smoking wounds will take many years to heal and the scars is for life....only myself to blame and hopefully will get old without the need for carrying the oxygen bottle with me...

Yes this forum is amazing and carried me through....!!!

[RoisinO1 Administrator 3 Years Smoke Free]

Huge congratulations Melkesto on your 6 year anniversary, Wow! Thank you so much for sharing such an inspirational and motivational post especially for the newbies on here. I am 4 months smoke free and finally comfortable in my quit and enjoying life. 2015 will be a year I will never forget as I made the best decision of my life to quit!

[Incy_Wincy]

So true! Be happy, fellow quitters

Well done Melkesto and thanks for dropping in - it's great to think that the 'lurkers' get as much support from the forum as the posters do.

Best wishes x

[nsd_user663_64588]

Thank you! I am on Day 11 now...and all I can see is a loss rather than something positive......Believe me day 11 is a hundred times better than day 1, but I need to have a total mind change....and perhaps that's why I have fallen down before. I associate smoking with periods of happiness in my life...or that it calms me down when things aren't going as they should.....think I am going to have to work hard on this!

[RoisinO1 Administrator 3 Years Smoke Free in reply to nsd_user663_64588]

Hey dulavinsky, well done on reaching day 11, delighted things have improved somewhat for you, things will continue to improve for you but as you say you need to work on your mindset, part of this will happen naturally as your quit progresses but you need to work on changing your routines and habits that you would have done when you smoked. Wishing you strength Xx

[Hercu Valued Contributor in reply to nsd_user663_64588]

Dulavinsky,,,,,Day 11 is excellent and after day 3 all the nicotine is out of your system.... What this means it is not physical anymore but mental. It became a mind game because nicotine is a very potent drug and hijacked our happy neurotransmitters...That is why happiness is associated with smoking a cigarette.... Hang in there and stay strong !!!!