New here

[phage511]

Hi, this is my first day on the site. I have set my quit smoking date to October 15th. I chose a day that has significance in my life to help push myself to quit smoking. I am 32 and have been smoking since I was 16. I have been a smoker for far too long and have really become ashamed of the impact smoking has made in my life. I am not as physical as I used to be and can no longer do the things I loved doing because I'm always out of breath "smoker's lungs". This is definitely going to be a long journey, but I am ready to put up a fight. Good luck to everyone who is also on the road to a smoke-free life.

[ShawnP]

Welcome! Please take time to educate yourself on your addiction. The site has plenty to offer plus here is some additional links as well.

   https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/ShawnP-blog/2013/08/11/foundation-for-a-successful-quit

   http://www.whyquit.com/joel/#video

[LouiseR]

Read everything you can and keep coming back to this site and read peoples blogs and get tips from them.  I just turned 50 and had been smoking for 32 years.  I had tried to quit numerous times in the past just with will power but that never worked.  Once I joined this site before my quit date and started reading and opening my mind to the fact that I was not giving up anything but was actually giving myself the best gift I ever could by being a non smoker.  I am on day 8 and every morning when I get up I say I will not smoke today and every night when I go to bed I tell myself great job.  The cravings are getting less and I just let myself feel them and take deep breaths or sip water and they pass pretty quick.  I can actually walk up stairs without being out of breath.  It is an awesome feeling. 

[JosephPaul]

Enjoy your journey. Like everyone has said educate yourself. I am 32 as well, started when I was 16 like yourself, and as of this week haven't smoked in almost 200 days. I am back to going to the gym everyday and loving life. Read the book at the link below or buy the paper version, it was a great help to many on this site, and it really helped me out. I don't come on the site often but message me if you want to talk, I will get a notification in my email.

http://media.wix.com/ugd/74fa87_2010cc5496521431188f905b7234a829.pdf

[JosephPaul]

Enjoy your journey. Like everyone has said educate yourself. I am 32 as well, started when I was 16 like yourself, and as of this week haven't smoked in almost 200 days. I am back to going to the gym everyday and loving life. Read the book at the link below or buy the paper version, it was a great help to many on this site, and it really helped me out. I don't come on the site often but message me if you want to talk, I will get a notification in my email.

http://media.wix.com/ugd/74fa87_2010cc5496521431188f905b7234a829.pdf

[SarahP]

welcome aboard!  Read the book that Joseph gave you the link to above. Stick close to this site, read everything you can, read people's blogs and get to know how this whole things works. You can do this, and you will be so glad you did! 

[Chuck-2-20-2011]

Glad you found us! There's a lot of success stories on this site, my own included. Knowledge truly is power when you step into an unknown realm like we do when we quit smoking. Read what you can, prepare your mind and on the day that you take that first step on the road to freedom, come here as often as you can. It really does help!

Wishing you the best!

 ONWARD TO FREEDOM!!!

[YoungAtHeart]

Welcome to our community!

The most important thing you can do to start is to educate yourself on what nicotine does to your mind and body. To that end, I highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking" linked for you above.

As well, read the sections on this site, do the tracking and separation exercises, and read the blogs, responses and pages of folks you think might be helpful. You might also want to visit quitsmokingonline.com, and whyquit.com.

After you have completed the readings, it will be time to make your quit plan, including what quit aid , if any, you will use, and the crave busters you think will work for you. Then you can approach your quit day with a plan in place.

The idea is to distract yourself through the cravings.  Don't let that thought rattle around in your head alone!  A crave will last about three minutes whether you smoke or not.  Go for a brisk walk, march in place, do a few jumping jacks, clean a drawer, do a crossword puzzle, play a computer game...Here are links to lists of 114 things to do instead of smoke if you need fresh ideas:

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/Youngatheart.7.4.12-blog/2013/03/03/additions-to-the-list-o...

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/Youngatheart.7.4.12-blog/2013/02/25/100-things-to-do-instea...

The conversation in your head CANNOT be:  "I want a cigarette.  No!  But - I WANT a cigarette.  NO!"  Instead, it needs to be "I want a cigarette.  Well, since I have decided not to do that anymore, what shall I do instead for the three minutes this crave will last?"  Then DO it!

Stay close to us and ask for advice and support as you need it. We will all be behind you, cheering you on!  This is not easy, but it IS doable!

Nancy

[phage511]

I appreciate so much the encouragement you guys have given. Thank you. I had done some reading in the last six months or so while deliberating on the best way that I could quit. But none of the material I've read previously was like the stuff covered here it is a new way to think about it. So again I appreciate that too. I'll gladly take all the support and suggestions I can get.