Hey Mark, Thank you for your welcome and "Congratulations" on your first 3 days (well, 5 by now)! It's a weird feeling at first, sort of exhilarating like disbelief that you've met the challenge. I remember having a lot of different days. Some were overwhelming; others seemed like a piece of cake. All I can say is to take it all in stride, one day at a time, good with the bad.
Quitting is a long process so set several mile markers, both short-term and long-term, and don't forget to celebrate when you reach them in some small ways. On bad days or moments, no matter what it may be, post here. Write about it or ask a friend or relative to lend an ear. At the TTS forum, we used the saying: "Post Before You Puff" and over time, sayings like that become a mindset. Pretty soon it'll become almost second nature or instant reflex for you to do so instead of smoking.
I remember 4 months was a major mile marker for me because that was THE longest I made it. So keep those dates in mine, write them on your calendars and even have them pop up on your computer screen if you are so talented at doing those sorts of techno things. It helps to make smoking cessation A PRIORITY in your daily life. I used to read this little poem each morning, even before getting up out of bed FIRST THING. It goes like this:
May you open your eyes and your heart
To the beauty that lies around you,
To the strength that lies within you,
and to all that lies before you.....
One Day At A Time.
That kind of explains the framework of my quit.....it makes you feel brand new. Sometimes you are happy about that and other times not. It's just an option you have to make every day. There will always be triggers lurking but with practice and time, they do become less frequent.
I do still, occasionally, think of smoking. I don't because I know now how hard it was to quit (remembering those first few months) and how much work it was for me. And I now realize how powerful the addiction is and how easily it is to become addicted to nicotine. NOPE = Not One Puff Ever. That's another acronym phrase I learned at TTS which helped me keep focused. I understand why I smoked. I weighed out the pros and cons, and quit. That is step one! and setting the Quit Date, of course.
The second step takes a little while longer because it involves dealing with "triggers"which can pop up at any given time and could be emotional triggers (you're angry or upset and want a sickerette to wind down oryour tired and need a boost), situational or social (you're with another smoker & they ask if you would like a cigarette), or physical (withdrawal symptoms which usually don't last more than 7 days or so (if you quit cold turkey and drink lots of water to flush out your system). I remember finding myself reaching or looking for a cigarette months after quitting because it is so subconsciously engrained. Then I would step back and grin from ear to ear probably when the thought, "I quit," dawned on me.
Here's to climbing mountains! You can do it.
cess101
