The First Day

[Songstress]

Yay, that's excellent... From all the charts I've seen on social media, sounds like you're ahead of the curve if you can already tell you're breathing better

[LedZepMan]

Thanks. My sinu's came unglued in the shower this morning.

[Leyrann]

Nice!

 

Once you're getting to weeks I might start giving you points for it.

 

Can't do it earlier because I'm out of June points.

[LedZepMan]

It's weird. It's not my first time trying to quit, but now that I post this everyday, it's almost like a , not a reward, but something to keep me going.

[LedZepMan]

I bought some sunflower seeds cuz Dam! I want to smoke.

[thehumantrashcan]

Good move, make sure you've got gum or sunflower seeds at all time, those help a lot.

[LedZepMan]

Yeah they do. I figure if I can get through this weekend I should be good.

[LedZepMan]

There's a pack of cigarettes in front of me. It is staring into my soul.

[Songstress]

Kick it in the face.

[LedZepMan]

I smoked one. Not happy. Damn you weak willpower!

[Songstress]

Shoulda kicked it.   Stupid cigarettes, staring at you like that.  Who do they think they are?

[LedZepMan]

Hmmm, hundreds of years of economical domination and unholy retribution?

[Niniel]

Just try again. We are here to give you support! 

[LedZepMan]

Well one in four days is better than 10 lol. Especially cold turkey.

 

I appreciate the support. It's tough when everyone you know smokes lol.

[Ironeyes]

We've got you! Accountability is huge in trying to kick addictions, according to the "12 step program" I used as a missionary

[Leyrann]

It certainly is lol. I don't need to follow a 12-step program to figure that out. Really, the internet is enough proof of it: People don't try to be good people if there's no responsibility involved.

[thehumantrashcan]

You got this Led.  Don't touch those boxes of nails.  No need to nail any more into your coffin.

[Lessa Nikia]

You've got this Led!

 

Have you tried cinnamon flavoured anything? I know a couple of people who found it helped to chew cinnamon gum 

[Gentled Ben]

So how goes the quit? If you fell off, when will you get back on the wagon? What will you do differently? The key, as simple as it may seem, is to not smoke. When confronted with the opportunity to have a cigarette, the acronym NOPE might be helpful. It stands for Not One Puff Ever. If you did fall off, it was when you smoked that one cigarette after breaking the physical addiction at 3 days nicotine-free. When you get back on track, do not smoke again, not at all, not one puff, ever. That is a simplistic version of how I went from 1 1/2 packs of Marlboro Reds per day for roughly 28 years to no cigarettes at all ever for the last 11 years and 5 months.

 

I used the patch to wean off, and I took advantage of Quitline and Quitnet as well as talking with others in my personal life who had quit (and in one instance, calling one of them in the middle of the day to talk me down out of my "OMG I need just one, just ONE cigarette right now no matter what!" tree about 2 1/2 weeks into the quit), and no matter what, I didn't take a puff. I used a tool called the 4 D's, and I found (and still find, on the extremely rare occasions that I entertain the thought of smoking) that they were most useful and effective. They are (in no particular order): Drink water (self-explanatory), Delay (a mind game to be played with oneself: I will have a smoke after I finish emptying the dishwasher, then once that's accomplished, if you still really want to smoke, have one after you go for a walk, etc) which works well in conjunction with Distract: (all those things you are going to do before having a smoke in the delay technique), and finally, the one that for me proved most beneficial in the immediate moment: Deep Breaths (again, self-explanatory, but it really helped me in the midst of some insane cravings).

 

If you have not fallen off, GOOD JOB! Keep it up! How do you feel now?  What has worked most often for you when you have wanted a cigarette? Did you just whiteknuckle your way through it by sheer force of will, or did you play a mental trick on yourself, or did you do some push ups or something instead, or what?

[Ironeyes]

It certainly is lol. I don't need to follow a 12-step program to figure that out. Really, the internet is enough proof of it: People don't try to be good people if there's no responsibility involved.

Yeah I suppose it's kinda obvious. I just quoted that program cause it's the only experience I've every had with trying to kick addictions, since I literally just turned 21 and haven't had any experience with tobacco or alcohol. 

[Leyrann]

 

It certainly is lol. I don't need to follow a 12-step program to figure that out. Really, the internet is enough proof of it: People don't try to be good people if there's no responsibility involved.

Yeah I suppose it's kinda obvious. I just quoted that program cause it's the only experience I've every had with trying to kick addictions, since I literally just turned 21 and haven't had any experience with tobacco or alcohol. 

 

 

Not even alcohol? I'm 21 as well, but I got quite a bit of experience with alcohol. Not alcohol addiction though.

[Gentled Ben]

 

It certainly is lol. I don't need to follow a 12-step program to figure that out. Really, the internet is enough proof of it: People don't try to be good people if there's no responsibility involved.

Yeah I suppose it's kinda obvious. I just quoted that program cause it's the only experience I've every had with trying to kick addictions, since I literally just turned 21 and haven't had any experience with tobacco or alcohol.

I have 14 years clean and sober as a result of doing the 12 steps.

[LedZepMan]

I fell off the wagon hard. Gearing up for attempt #2. I'll try and mix working out with it too.

[Gentled Ben]

There you go! Get back on the horse, and get horsey strong, yourself! 

[thehumantrashcan]

Alright Led, get back on it!  Yeeha!!!  Post in tomorrow, we'll be here for you!