Day 3 or Day 11

[bma]

My posted quit day was Jan 19th.  I chose to quit cold turkey but by the third day I had such strong urges to smoke that I would have one cigarette.  Each day I ended up having one or a half of one, or 4 puffs.  But, I was still smoking.  I saw the "I slipped" button but decided each day that I did not want to stop quitting.  I wanted to keep going.  

I kept reading and one thing that really stuck in my mind was saying "I don't do that anymore".  I thought, how could those little words help?  Amazinngly, they make a huge difference.  My mind would say how much I would like a smoke, then I would tell myself "I don't do that anymore" and I would move on.  

I have not had a smoke or puff since tuesday night.  It may only be day 3 with no nicotine, but I am going to keep my quit day 11 days ago, because that was when I decided this was it for me.  I am done.  I am an ex-smoker.

[JonesCarpeDiem]

those simple words tie it all up with a bow.

We keep track from the last cigarette that tiouches our lips. It's a lot less confusing that way and we better know how to help if that's the case.

[sparky26]

Well if you want to lie to yourself . But you really only quit smoking when you " quit smoking "  Your nicotine addiction likes to lie to you , tell you it's ok to smoke "just one"

 or that a few puffs don't count  .  

I feel for your success you should be honest with yourself .

[bma]

I disagree with you two.  I see lots of people on this site using some form of nicotine delivery device to quit smoking.  I don't see comments how they are still smoking because they are using a patch or gum.  

I am so glad that all you can see is that I would have a puff or a cigarette.  Not that I haven't had any for the last three days or that something finally clicked and I got it.  

Thanks so much for your support!  I am a liar.  

[Barbara145]

Right now you seem angry.  Most of us were in early days of quitting.  We get it.  You will come to realize that honesty is part of this process.  We are here for you and we care.  Great job on 3 days.  Quitting smoking is the BEST.  Just give it time.

[JonesCarpeDiem]

I can't figure out what I said that you disagreed with?

If you still smoked after your quit date you chose to.

Nicotine replacement and smoking to get nicotine are two different animals.

[Storm.3.1.14]

Think of how birthdays work. No one says, "I was born on September 1st, but I was conceived on January 1st." Age is not split up like that. No one tracks their life like that. No one says that. Well, your quit is the same. Your Quit Date started the moment you put out that last cigarette, not when you joined the website or started puffing fewer cigarettes, fewer times a day, or stopped NRT or whatever else. Quit Clocks measure the time without smoking, and that's the measure that you see expressed by the members here.

[Storm.3.1.14]

"Cold turkey" quitters are the only folks who happen to have truly synchronized clocks. They quit using cigarettes, quit smoking, and quit nicotine all at the same time. The rest of us could, if we so desired, keep separate clocks to track separate things, but that really is an added burden that is also an unnecessary juggling act to expect others to perform. We openly track cigarette smoking here, not nicotine use. So, when a quitter here says, "I'm on Day 30!", we know exactly what that means. Universally. Across the board.

Stopping nicotine use IS a serious issue, and we do care about it here, but it is an issue that is rarely given its own clock.

[Strudel]

Congrats on your quit - bottom line! The reason that we get concerned when someone seems to not understand the difference in smoking "just one" and none - is because it is a part of this addiction for your brain to play these games with you. Then next time the "just one puff" idea comes along - you just may fall victim to it. We worry about that because we understand this addiction.

So, truly understanding what N.O.P.E. (Not One Puff Ever) means and being determined to live it - made all the difference for me! Again - bottom line is you have quit! Now - hang on to that by always remembering N.O.P.E.

[candylance]

Today I have a "synchronized clock"!! Cold turkey works for me!!. N.O.P.E.  (Not One Cigarette Ever) works for me!! Great quit thus far!! Sometimes, my anger gets a little rowdy. I apologize. I'm so happy with my LAST QUIT!!!

Candy         19    DOF

[bma]

I have set this post to private and I have requested to be deleted off this site.  I have felt attacked by you people on my very first post.  I thank Strudel for a nicer more positive post.  

I set my quit day for the 19th.  I was at a pack to a pack and half a day.  Yes, I slipped.  I live with a smoker and when a bad crave hit, I ended up smoking again.  Was I proud of that?  No.  What I am proud of was I didn't give up.  I kept going.  Yah, so I slipped, I was still quitting and this hour, this moment I was keeping going.  Not going back to a pack a day.  I was NOT going to do that.  

What I was bragging about was that I kept going.  I kept going and was at 3 days without slipping.  I was proud of myself.  

Thank you all for setting me straight on being a smoker.  It will take a few days for them to respond to my request to be deleted so please do not post a message on here as I am no longer using this site for any type of support.