I want to do this so badly

[sinny]

My name is Roy and I am 42 years old. I started smoking at the age of 9. I can remember it as if it was yesterday. I caught my cousin smoking and was in shock and declared to tell - she being a couple of years older and bigger put me up against the wall and stuck a cigarette in my mouth and said if you tell on me I will tell on you. Some people might think that she was horrible and down right mean - but I don't. Today I know she was young too and scared and this was the first thought she had - And as she did this - because I was so young and looked up to her - puffed on that ciggarette and felt so cool because I was now smoking with my favorite cousin. That's how it all started.  

When I started smoking ciggarettes were .75 cents a pack - some places when you were able to find them were .50 cents. Today I pay almost $9.00 for a pack of ciggarettes and smoke anywhere from a pack to a pack and 1/2 a day. If I had all that money that went up in smoke today I could be pretty wealthy - at the least I could be pretty healthy and free from the unsociable feelings I get from being a smoker in today's society.

Because I have done this for so long I am so afraid that this is going to be the most difficult thing I have ever done. Actually I know it will be. I want to stop so badly.

I have many friends that smoke and some family members that smoke too. I am scared on how I will be able to get along with that. I also have a partner who does not smoke at all which is great. I beleive I can have a great support system but again I am very afraid to fail because of how badly I want to do this. My mom is only in her 70's yet looks like she is in her 90's lugging along the inhaler between cigarettes. I do not want to be my mom. I enjoy life and want to be around a long time.

I am hoping to make some friends here. Those that are trying to quit and those that have. I know I can use all the help I can get and this seems like a great place to start.

I set a 6 month quit date because I feel I need at least that much time to practice these techniques with the hopes that they will only help make my success rate that much stronger. I figure I have been smoking for 33 years - and 6 months of training and practicing is a short amount of time to battle a 33 year addiction.

Tomorrow morning I am going to start with my first Trigger which is when i first wake up - I usually grab a cigarette before my foot even hits the floor. I will see If I can go without the cig until after I shower and leave for work. I will also start journaling my daily smoking so i can recognize what other triggers I have throughout the day so I can work on those too.

I'll be in touch. I look forward to hearing from any of you that could offer me any advice or even comment on how you think my first approach to this is.

Thanks!

xoxo

Roy

[JonesCarpeDiem]

Roy,

Its only as bad as you make it your mind.

Don't sweat it. We will guide you through it.

Trust us. Read at www.whyquit.com and www.quitsmokingonline.com

you have to get a positive attitude and ride your success each day when your quit.

[JonesCarpeDiem]

and 6 months is pushing it way over the top to wait to quit.

All you have to do is quit and have some breakthrough days where you gaiun confidence and you are on your way.

do that reading and let us help you get started sooner.

dale

[va72lady]

Congratulations on your decision to quit.   I myself was dragged around by the nicodemon for 55yrs.  You can do this  we can help.   My cigarettes were 21 cents a pack when I started.  They put 4 pennies under the cellophane , the machine would only take quarters.  So 55yrs later I decided I had finally had enough.  My quit was easy I used commit and m&m's of course I put on a few pounds.  Better a few pounds than cancer.   You will find a lot of support on this site.  And I made this site my home page and stayed on it 24-7.    Read,read,read...and practice the techniques that you learn here.   I used commit and m&m's  it was an easy quit..   Then 2 weeks into my quit I lost my dog, he jumped out of the car at a shopping center.  I went immeadiately to the nearest store  and bought a pack.   I sucked on them all the way home on a 1hr drive back home.    Then tore them up when I got home.  Big mistake because it weakened my resolve.   Then I started playing with the nicodemon... Because after all I was no longer addicted...WRONG...

Long story short here I am one year later successfully quit..  But all I did was make it harder on myself.  So remember once you make the decision to quit   "NO NOT ONE PUFF".... ever again.  You can do this if I can do this after 55yrs..  Hang tough.....   Shirley

[budman12]

Do the reading mentioned by Dale (jonescarp). It's very helpful. Also Allen Carr's book "The easy way to stop smoking" is great. You need to develop a positive attitude toward your quit. You have to really want to quit for you! Don't treat quitting as if it's something that's going to be the most monumentally difficult thing you've ever done in life. The fact of the matter is, it's not! You can make it very difficult by thinking it is, or you can choose in your mind to get through the initial few weeks of "cravings" to get to all the positives of the other side. It's all good. Just because you think about smoking doesn't mean you have to smoke! Craves come and go and they get less and less in intensity and frequency as long as you look at them for what they are. You can beat this addiction. The long timers and the not so long timers like myself are all living proof that it can be done. Just reach out to us if you need us. I also think 6 months is waiting a bit too long to start quitting, but hey .... you do it however you feel comfortable, I guess. Best wishes and blessings on your quit journey.

[MarcieWhosoever]

Roy, glad you found this site and very happy for you that you decided to quit.

I recalculated last night and realized I have been smoking for 24 years. thats when I started smoking every single day, regularly. Before that I smoked now and then from the age of 10 (5th grade). That was when I purposely tried a cigarette.

Before that (and this is a shocker) My babysitter used to give us cigarettes so we wouldnt tell that she had boys over. I do not know how old I was but if I had to guess I would say about 4-5 years! I remember at least twice her doing that. We never told our parents.

Plus my mom smoked my entire life. smoking was very normal for me. When I first found this site, I was terrified to quit. I felt the same way you do. I cant even remember what its like to be a nonsmoker. But... I am now into my 12th day nicotine free and it has been surprisingly easy. I have had a few bad moments, but nothing I cant handle. When everyone tells you its all how you look at it, they are right. When they first said that to me I thought "yea, right if it was that easy everyone would be ex-smokers" but it really is like that. Once you educate yourself and read the things that people are telling you to read, you will feel the same. I especially liked Allen Carr's Easyway to quit smoking. Like budman12 said.

I am so grateful everyday that I found this site. I have learned so much and the people here are amazing. you just wait and see. Stick around, read alot, you CAN do it.

Marcie - Free and Healing for Eleven Days, 5 Hours and 33 Minutes, while extending my life expectancy 1 Day and 4 Hours, by avoiding the use of 337 nicotine delivery devices that would have cost me $33.71.

[pipster540]

Hi Roy,

Congrats on your decision to quit.  Good for you!  Six months is a long time, but don't worry about it right now.  Do your prep work as planned, chances are in just a few short weeks you'll come to the place that you're just tired of all the prep work and ready to get on with it.  We are here for you every step of the way.

Be Blessed,

[Thomas3.20.2010]

It has all been said above, Roy! Now, it's your CHOICE to listen and do your reading or to be too busy with other things in life and put it off until......, It's exactly the same way with smoking - you either DO IT as of today or you put it off for another, never comes tomorrow! If you make the wise choice to read and prepare, sincerely and with passion, then you'll find your entire perspective toward smoking and quitting change! I saw it with Marcie, just like I saw it with myself, and dozens of other quitters! You CAN do this! How long you smoked isn't as much a factor as your openness for change - because yes, this is a life altering process - for the BEST! Tnat's no exaggeration! Best Wishes and keep in touch!

[breathe-free]

Hi Roy...before I came to this site I had a friend tell me that before he quit he monitored his cigs...and cut down and then quit.....so I tried that approach.   Found myself smoking more and not liking myself more....Then I have learned on this site that each time I smoked I set up a craving for the next cigarette....so made since why that approach was hard for me.   You can go to my page and read my story of how I quit and what was the motivating factor....There are probably as many ways to quit as there are people on this site , but one thing we all have in common a resolve not to smoke no matter what and an awareness of how good one can feel as a NON SMOKER.   Yes your removing something (cigs), but in the process you are adding so much more to your life!!   Breathe....Self Respect.....Authenticity......So many new friends.....the list goes on and on.....Look forward to seeing how your quitting unfolds........Breathe Free

[Strudel]

Welcome to the site! Congrats on deciding to quit! I agree with the above comments about 6 months - I really don't think you'll need that amount of time....you just think you do right now - because of the fear. We all know aobut that fear....I smoked for 40 years - so, I know!! To prepare I did a lot of reading - blogs here, the free course at:   http://quitsmokingonline.com/ mentioned above and Allen Carr's book - "The Easy Way To Stop Smoking" - free download -   http://joga.365.lt/Allen-Carr_Easy-Way-To-Stop-Smoking_Download-free-PDF-EBook

The reading will help you to prepare and to decide that this will NOT be the hardest thing you've ever done....not even close. To be honest - for me - not even really hard at all!! That fear I mentioned - that is the only hard part!! Get past that - and you will be on your way! I quit 10 months ago and I feel fabulous!! Stick around - you can do this!!

[anacondahead]

Welcome and congrats on your excellent decision to quit! You are lucky to have a partner who tolerates your smoking. The fact is that you really smell very bad to him/her.

Being scared is quite normal, we were all scared. Because we didn't konw what to expect. Once we quit, we learned the best kept secret in the world.  I'll tell you want it is: The FEAR of quitting is much, much worse than actually quitting.  You picked a quit date 6 months from now because you're scared. I smoked 30+ years and quit and never relapsed. It can be done if you are truly done with smoking and want a better life for yourself. When I started smoking cigarettes were 40 cents a pack.

Remember, a half-assed attempt will fail. It doesn't have to be the hardest thing you've ever done. That is up to you. You are in charge of your quit, not a victim of it. Choose life.

[SarahP]

I'm just going to repeat everything that has already been said above, so let me just say welcome and congrats!  You've found a great group of people here and we can help you if you let us. Read the websites recommended above -- they will make all the difference.

[mrskatiek]

I agree with the above posts, too! Welcome to the site. You know you want to be rid of this addiction and that is the first step. Read as much as you can - the more you know and understand, the better equipped you are to beat this thing. We are here to help!

[_m_9]

Welcome.  Why wait 6 months to start an amazing part of your life?