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Share your quitting journey

About Day #3...

SkyGirl
Member
0 9 44
  Day 3 is the hardest day in your first week.
   
  This is the day that the last of the drug nicotine is leaving your body.  Nicotine's half-life is about two hours and it takes about 72 hours before all of it is out of your system.
   
  Your brain realizes that this is happening.  Your brain starts to scream louder than on Day1 and Day 2.  Your brain will yell at you: "Give me nicotine!  You know I love it!   You know we NEED it to be okay!!"
   
  This is GOOD.  While your brain is screaming at you, it is very hard to see that this is a good thing.  The louder your brain screams "We are almost out of nicotine!!  We MUST have nicotine!!", the more evidence you have that that you are about to be nicotine-free.
   
  After Day 3, the physical withdrawal from the chemical nicotine is over.  But the brain takes a much longer time for the receptors to heal and return to a pre-nicotine condition.
   
  Your brain has nicotine-addiction memory.  It will continue to hound you: "Where is that nicotine we love so much?  You'll feel so much better if we get some nicotine!  C'mon, c'mon...it won't hurt to have one".
   
  How your journey goes from now on is up to you.
   
  You will get a million suggestions and tons of advice on how to keep your Quit.  Take what resonates with you.  And leave the rest.
   
  There is no perfect way to quit.  There is no magic formula.  Do what works for YOU.
   
  In the end, there is only one inviolate rule:  Do not put any nicotine into your body.
   
  As long as you follow that rule, you are victorious over nicotine.
   
  It's simple, right?  But it's not "easy".  Sorry, Allen Carr, but it is NOT easy.  But you can do it.  And it is easi  ER if you understand what is happening in your brain when you stop feeding it nicotine.
   
  Today, you are an ex-smoker.  You can be an ex-smoker tomorrow.  And everyday thereafter.
   
  And that makes you victorious.  Congratulations!!!
   
  (Please note that this blog refers to Quitters who have chosen not to use any NRTs.)
   
  xxxooo,   Sky
   
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About the Author
I'm a 64 year-old flight attendant for a major US airline. Prior to that, I owned an ice cream store and six hot dog carts and put my five kids thru college on hot dog earnings! Prior to THAT, I was Director of International Administration for Domino's Pizza, Inc. I was married to my H.S. sweetheart (dad of my 5 kids) for 17 years. I've been with Jeff for 23 years, but we just finally got married in 2016! Jeff & I live in Cape Meares, OR right on the beach. I'm from Ann Arbor, MI, where many of my kids/relatives still live. My flying base is Washington, DC, where I have a condo that I stay in when I'm between flying trips. My dream is to retire and stay home with Jeff and my two cats, Kenneth & Barbara...not happening soon, though. So I go home whenever I can get a week or more off. I LOVE to meet up with other EXers in the cities where I lay over. I usually blog about what cities I'm laying over in, so let me know if I'm staying near you! I'll buy dinner!! Xxxooo, Sky