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It is me Zoe, and I ha e had a relapse... Was about to go down to step one patches but ended up buying step ones instead of step 3's. Then I did not have any patches and had a slip, but it is never really a slip for me, goes into a full relapse. Then into a bit of a depression. Smoke todà and yesterday but back on the step one patches. Just trying to use it as a learning experience, and know I just have to stick with the patches for as log as I need to. And always remember SMOKING MAKES ME MISERSBLE!!

Congratulations on each milestone for Era (2 months), Beanie57 (7 months ago), Sabritas@sabrosas (10months), Liz S ( 1year), Greg D ( 2yrs), and others. Also, big hugs to those who are suffering difficult times during quitting cessations. Without 1,000 words, I would like to support you in my heart and soul.

Day 11- 22: A domestic War
On Day11-22, I dealt with so many things. It was a Domestic War: my part-time study with a quiz each week and the mid-term exam; a speech therapy; counseling; a coaching session; some work stress. The most difficult challenge was fighting against a little Dracula - BEDBUGS. Keeping looking at their infestations and using chemicals in any spots was daunting.

Fortunately, the domestic war did not affect me to have strong urges. Sleeping 6-11 hours a day and drinking lots of water keys were keys. I was taking deep breaths when I felt like smoking so that the oxygen functions tobacco.

Day 23-25: A progress toward victory
I am free for several days. No quiz until Oct 26. No mid-term exam. Yesterday, I found the bed bugs infestation in one of the bed frames. I killed all the stage bed bugs – eggs, nymphs, and adults: 30-40 of them.
No more adults. I will remove the whole frame this weekend. Until then, I ought to keep spraying a chemical to eliminate eggs and nymphs. The box spring and mattress would be safe as I have the bed bug mattress cover. Thus, Fighting against the vampire is becoming a triumph to me - another Van Helsing. lol

Cravings were slowing down. Yesterday I used the smoking gum one hour after I had dinner. Washing dishes and doing other stuff was a huge help delaying an hour chewing the nicotine gum. As a result, between 6 pm and 2 am last night, I used only 3 gums.

Linda - my coach, thanks for contacting me yesterday about how I am doing. I will talk to you more this Thursday!

For everyone: Just for today, Step by step, one by one Higher and higher. Step by step, rung by rung. Climbing Jacob's ladder...

Hi Beanie,

How is your day with your son? I think it must be a wonderful day. Keep us update.

The sneaky thought 💭 arise at 3:00pm after I prepared my dinner. I won’t visit the little store anymore. I used to be there because of buying a pack of cigarettes. Now I don’t give in. I don’t need to go there anymore. I know the thought will gone. It takes time to let it go. I need to be patient. Keep NOPE is the only way out. Like GM said it is simple but not easy.

Cheer everyone up and keep NOPE

Stand firm to say no to nicodemon

Hi everyone. After 50 years, I've quit smoking. It hasn't been easy. My most effective tool has been vaping. I don't think I could do it without it even though I really don't use it alot. I also smoke weed, which helps too (when I have it). Another effective tool for me is poverty. When you live on very little, and im flat broke 2 weeks of the month, t's hard to buy cigarettes at retail prices.
Which brings me to my next hurdle which will be stopping myself from buying a pack on Wednesday.

Hi

Would like to quit to feel healthy and live longer for my family.

Hi Liz, hi Lucille. Liz where are you that you’re waiting for a flight home? And a cleaning job. Wasn’t it you that had a small cleaning business on the weekend? And was it with your sister? My memory is so faulty. Lucille, I’m so sorry to hear about your son. My god you’ve been through a lot! So you suffer from insomnia too. 3-4 hrs isn’t enough. How do you function? The medication I’m trying now is not your typical sleeping pill. The last one I had to stop because of my sleepwalking. And many others I can’t take because of my COPD. This one is an antidepressant which also works for insomnia and anxiety. It’s a good one for me to be on because I’m already on an antidepressant so the more the merrier. If this one doesn’t work then there’s nothing else to try. Why it worked so well the first night and not the second I don’t know. Will try it tonight. The dosage can be increased. My specialist said I was on it yrs ago and it was effective. Then why was I taken off it? Did it stop working? Anyway enjoy your flight Liz. And you take care Lucille

I don't claim to have all the answers to your problems but I encourage you to keep trying as it is the best feeling in the world when you can say I'm no longer a smoker and I feel wonderful. Sure you'll still have stress and anxiety, and some days you'll crave a cigarette, these are a normal part of life, but smoking will only make it worse and only you can say wether or not you want to take control. This community is a haven for those of you who are having a hard time with your quit, sharing your thoughts with others helps and paying it back is as rewarding to you as it is to me. Please take time to yourselves when you need to but please don't smoke. It won't help, it's not a solution to your problem and will only make you feel worse. That's what I have to say and I'm sticking by it. Thanks for all your words of encouragement and for your help. ♥️👍🚭

Hi everybody. It’s Sunday morning at 2:30am. I don’t suppose any of you are up. I need some support so turned to the forum. I’m having a cup of tea and staring at the clock which isn’t helping. I am trying a new sleeping pill but it did nothing last night. The first night I took it I felt quite sedated and went to bed about 10. I fell right to sleep which was wonderful. I got up frequently but was able to get right back to sleep. I got up around 2 and made a salad and had some of that. Went back to bed and fell asleep. Wonderful. Slept for awhile then got up and made tea. Had that then went back to sleep. Didn’t get out of bed till 7 which is unheard of! Think I got about 5 hrs of sleep. Wow!! This new sleeping pill is great. Then Saturday night came. I took the sleeping pill at same time but felt nothing. Finally went to bed at 10 and layed there. Finally fell asleep but only for short periods. Very frustrated. Got up at 2:30 and as I said having a cup of tea. Wide awake. Before I started this new sleeping pill I was averaging 2-3 hrs a night. Not enough. So here I am posting, looking at my balcony. This is where I used to go to smoke. I want one badly. So stressed. Just one. I use my Nic Hit spray. It’s not working today. I used to go onto balcony and smoke and cough so hard it woke the neighbours up. I don’t care. I want one anyway. There aren’t any on the buffet where I used to keep them next to the balcony. I’m so frustrated. I need sleep. I can’t go back to bed. Wish I could text somebody but it’s too early. The balcony is right there. Don’t live nearby any stores that would be open at this time. I’m on foot so can’t go out to get any. What now? I reach for my tea. I’m trying to fight the cravings. If I can only wait till 6 when I routinely text my friend. I’ll get through this. I always do. But tonight feels different. If I could just have one . That would make my dilemma seem less real or so I’m telling myself. Do any of you suffer from insomnia resistant to treatment? How do you handle it? I practice sleep hygiene so don’t tell me to try that. It doesn’t work for me. My son is coming in a few hrs from Port Alberni. I’m so excited. But he’s a smoker. He’s so proud of me for quitting. We used to enjoy having a cigarette together and just talking. Am I going to be strong enough to resist this today? He’s a heavy smoker so will likely have a couple of cigarettes in front of me. I’m not taking my oxygen tank today. We won’t be doing anything strenuous so shouldn’t need it. If he could just see. He’s going to to end up like me some day. With COPD and an oxygen tank. I don’t hassle him about it though. I understand. He will quit when he’s ready. I can be an example for him. I will get through today without smoking. I’m at 7 months and don’t want to jeopardize that. I will treasure the time we have together and I will show him you can get through a day without smoking. I love him. Well, time to make another cup of tea. Thanks for listening. NOPE

The sneaky thought 💭 came to my mind at 2:00 till now. I keep walking at my garage and went to wall mart to distract myself. I know it is not an urge. It is a little crave that recall me feed the nicodemon. I won’t give in and I won’t do it. Now I stop to visit the little store. I don’t want to try a puff and recall my addiction alive again. Keep fighting each battle.

Cheer everyone up and keep NOPE

Stand firm to say no to nicodemon

Green Meenie, if you need time to yourself, we understand. Sometimes it helps to step away if only for a while to deal with whatever it is you have to deal with. If we can help, you know we're here to offer support just as you have over the years I've known you. Take care of yourself my friend because you are appreciated more than you'll ever know. Soon you'll be celebrating your five year anniversary and I for one will still be here to congratulate you and celebrate your success. Much love, Lucille.

i’m post breast cancer treatment and hate that i’m addicted to cigarettes

Just noticed your three year milestone DianneE!! Three times through the year is an absolutely wonderful accomplishment. Take a moment to think about and absorb what you have done Dianne. You were one year into your quit when I started mine. Man, was I ever envious!!! And I still am. Thank you for leading the way, you are awesome!

Here's my story.

I tried cigarettes for the first time when I was about 6. Gross! Dad left a pack in our camping trailer and I tried them - got caught. They were truly disgusting.
I swore them off until I was an early teen. Then "looking cool" around older kids started my road down tobacco use.
Through highschool - I "smoked when I drank" - which was every couple of weekends. I would share a pack, but would nmever bring the pack home. I didn't want to get caught and I didn't want the tempation.
In university, I moved out on my own, and socializing became more frequent and I wasn't living under my parent's roof - so my rules now. I began to buy my own packs, kept them around the house, didn't always have them on me.
My profressional life started and I began to smoke at work, but never at home. Smoke breaks were a social club for years and that continued from 1998 until 2006. I then changed and opted, for some reason, to no longer smoke at work, but just smoke at home. THe amount didn't change, just the times in which I had them. I would now condense my intake between 5p-12a as opposed to 9a-5p.
I've always, as an adult, smoked when I do certain things - play softball, play golf, at parties. But, I knew I had to quit, but didn't have the desire to quit - even knowing the damage I was doing to myself. At some point, during Covid and spending a lot of time by myself and dealing with my ongoing divorce, I knew I had to quit. I timed the quitting with my move so I could establish new routines and new and better habits.

Between when I started full time to today, I have quit 3 times totalling 5+ years. My last attempt was during a move and it lasted a year, but my then wife didn't quit and it make it difficult having them around. I was impressed with my 1 year, but less impressed when I pciked htm back up.

So, as I write this, I'm 20 days in - have had a few cravings, but nothing I couldn't address. What I am struggling with is the increased irritability I've noticed this week (week 3). I'm very snappy, short with my kids, etc. and they don't deserve that. They also don't know that I smoked (they're both under 10 and I hid if from them - as does my ex who hides both cigarettes and weed from the kids). So, I hope this irritability calms down soon...and it's the thing that gets me going and is the only thing that's lead to my major cravings/inlkings to go have a cigarette.

Fingers crossed.