cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Share your quitting journey

Good bye

Shantaturner1
Member
2 4 51

My dearest Newport,

I remember when I was five I first saw you. I had just woke up and I smell you first and cough. Your “perfume “ made me sick to my stomach. My father look over to his girlfriend and told her to put her cigarette out it was making me sick. Shocking-because two days later I would experience SA from a family friend. It would be another three year when I had my first drag…But it would take ten more years until I was finally yours Newport. That first puff and I was hook. I would some time take a short break from you in between pregnancy but I was always your girl, your ride or die. I would come back to you and my doctor would ask me to just quit-go cold turkey, there is new medication out the to help with the withdrawal. They did not understand our relationship- some would call it toxic I would give you all the money I had but you gave me relief. It had to take me twenty years to say this. We are offically over- Newport. I never want to see you again, you are toxic and disgusting- I knew when I was five you would make me sick. I never want to see you again, you are bad for my health.I never want to see you or smell you again. Also, the 22k in dental bills I have because you knock out all of my teeth.I am going to try my best to bankrupt you. I will not  be able to get my money back but I will make sure my kids will never try you. Also I embrace my inner loner because if I have to make friends with people who smoke then I don’t need to be their friend. If this was not clear it is o-v-e-r between me and you. I never want to see you again and my sincere wish is the Phillip morris company goes bankrupt.Yeah I am petty-I have embraced my inner prettinesses. F&@k off Newport and stay the f@&k out of my life.

4 Comments
YoungAtHeart
Member

Welcome!

GREAT good-bye.  I, too, hold a grudge against Big Tobacco.  SO evil!  Glad we are not giving them another cent!

Understanding the addiction and having a PLAN going forward will reduce the anxiety of quitting.  Get busy learning and preparing, and I think you may actually start to look forward to this journey!  You will do this one day at a time, so don't be looking further ahead than that. 

An important thing you can do right now is to educate yourself on what nicotine does to your body and mind. I was amazed when I learned that the stress reduction you feel when you ingest nicotine is caused by the brain receptors calming that have gradually built in volume jonesing for their next fix!  I highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking”  that brings light two other things you might not know.  You can purchase a digital version online or borrow it at your local library.  Here is a video to inform you further about nicotine addiction: Nicotine and Your Brain.

I quit many years ago , and I base my overall recommendations on my experience and that of others here over the years. If you decide to use a quit aid, I recommend those that don't let the addict control the dose such as Rx drugs and the patch. Lozenges and gum are fine, but don't sub them for every cigarette you used to smoke.  That will simply be substituting one addiction for another.  Have a plan to reduce use over time. Each cigarette you smoked contained about 1 mg of nicotine. If you use more than one form of NRT, be sure you aren't getting more than when you smoked.

To better deal with the habit part of the addiction, change up your routines so the smoking associations are reduced.  Drink your coffee with your OTHER hand in a place different from when you smoked. Maybe switch to tea for a bit.  If you always had that first smoke with your coffee, try putting your walking shoes on right out of bed, going for a quick walk, then taking your shower and THEN your coffee! .  Take a different route to work. Take a quick walk at break time where the smokers AREN'T.

After you have eliminated as many associations as you can, you need to distract yourself through any craves.  You can take a bite out of a lemon (yup - rind and all), do a few jumping jacks, go for a brisk walk or march in place, play a computer game.  Keep a cold bottle of water with you. Don't let that smoking thought rattle around in your brain unchallenged. You might visit Games: The active ones are at the top of the list going down the left side of the page.

Here is a link to a list of things to do instead of smoke if you need some fresh ideas:

101 Things to Do Instead of Smoke - EX Community

The conversation in your head in response to the "I want a cigarette" thought needs to be, "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.  You will need to put some effort into this in the early days, but it gets easier and easier to do.

You might want to join other site members by taking the daily pledge when you quit. It helps to hold yourself accountable and also accountable to others here. Find it at Home (top left), then first box titled Take the Daily Pledge.

Stay close to us here and ask questions when you have them and for support when you need it. We will be with you every step of the way!

Nancy

CommunityAdmin
Community Manager
Community Manager

Thank you for sharing your good-bye letter! Welcome @Shantaturner1! My name is Quiana, and I am a part of the EX Team. Congratulations on your decision to quit! I wanted to reach out and personally welcome you to the EX Community! We are so excited you have joined us. This is a very supportive community so feel free to keep us all posted on your quit journey reach out and let us know if you need anything. 

Here are some articles that might be helpful as you prepare for your quit date: 

https://www.becomeanex.org/ex-resources/about-quitting/get-ready-to-quit/right-before-you-quit/

https://www.becomeanex.org/ex-resources/about-quitting/get-ready-to-quit/3-ways-to-get-your-support-...

Quiana, EX Team

 

Barbscloud
Member

@Shantaturner1 Welcome to the ex and congrats on your quit.  A good-bye letter is a great way to begin a quit journey. Glad you found the site.  It's a great place to get advice, information and support from fellow quitters. 

Remember "I don't do that anymore".

Stay busy and stay close.

Barb

biscuit9
Member

@Shantaturner1   I just gave your goodbye letter a standing ovation!  Yes, yes and yes.  Stay strong and USE your tools.  Instead of a smoke, drink that hot tea or chew on a straw, take a hot relaxing bath.  Choose anything but nicotine!  Normal people do that, right?  Nic addicts have to RElearn how to live life without that nic crutch.  You are strong and you can do this.