Introduction

[rainbow55]

I'm 54, married 35 years and am a mom to two grown children.  I started smoking at the age of 16, "because my boyfriend did."  When I was 47, I had a brain aneurysm and a stroke.  After having been in the hospital for 17 days, I seemed to be "smoke free."  I was thrilled.  I am an anxious person though, and cigs were my crutch.  I managed to stay smoke-free for 20 months.  Then, the stress started.  One thing after another happened, and things kept getting dumped onto my shoulders.  The "straw" that broke my back, was the night we had to call the polic e to come and get my daughter's useless boyfriend out of  the house. I was so upset, that I sent my husband to the store to "GET ME CIGS!!!!!!"  He did, and here I am.

I can't point to just one or two triggers, every waking moment is a trigger for me.  I've done the patch, they make me physically ill.  I've tried the gum, it sticks to my dental work.  I've tried the lozenge, it gave me asthma attacks. I tried Chantix, and was sick as a dog.  I tried one other pill, "forgot the name of it." 

I guess for me, it's cold turkey or nothing.

I admire all of you valliant quitters.  Maybe as I read posts, something will "click" for me.  Maybe something will.  I hope so.

[Thomas3.20.2010]

"You will never be the person you can be if pressure, tension, and discipline are taken out of your life." - James G. Bilkey

Hello, Rainbow!  WELCOME!  You have come to the right place if you are seriously contemplating quitting smoking!  I've been here since March and I found valuable information, excellent advice and heartfelt support  from almost everybody I have been in contact with here!  In that time, I made a DECISION to quit smoking.  Then I went to whyquit.com and educated myself about how to quit smoking - it has all the day to day nuts and bolts in one website. I also visited quitsmokingonline.com where I learned about how I could have a Positive Attitude about quitting and make it a whole lot easier on myself!  I read many, many stories of the folks on this site - some who were just beginning, like me and others who had quit months and even years ago but were generous enough to pay it back with great suggestions, advice, and encouragement!  I joined a couple of groups where I could address specific issues that not everyone in the community would have but that many would and could share with me and occasionally I come back to the forums to encourage new members like yourself and let them know what kind of help that they might expect here as part of my payback!

I quit smoking cold turkey only 6 days after joining this site and have not looked back!  I now have almost 10 weeks quit and I have no desire whatsoever to smoke again NO MATTER WHAT!  I attribute this success to a truthful desire on my part to quit, a very public quit in front of family and friends, an honest evaluation of my junkie self, and my many friends here at becomeanEX who gave me unwavering support when I felt weak!  If you decide to quit smoking, I hope you will continue to visit us here and feel free to contact me anytime by going to mypage which you can do by clicking on my name!  You will always be welcome and I'll get back to you ASAP! Best Wishes!

[rainbow55]

I appreciate the time you took to post this.  I'm going to check out Whyquit.com.  I think I've been there before.  No one can do this for me, I know that.  And I have lots of "written" tools to help me, if I don't use them, they won't work, I know that too.  I simple have to take the bull by the horns, and show it who is boss.  Again, thank you for the time you took.  I appreciate it.