Quitting for good but scared ...
It’s my first day of quitting ... and I am scared. I quit cold turkey before when I was pregnant with each of my kids but I knew I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to cigarettes forever. Now I am. I have been smoking for about 20 years now and I am scared of what the cigarettes have done to my body. I wonder if quitting will make a difference to the damage that I have already done. I know I have to quit regardless of whether the damage can be reversed or not, but it just makes me so scared.
Almost everything can be healted.. you will feel benefits of non smoking in few days, and anothers in few weeks, and so on.. just make decision, keep yoyr commitment and stay with us.. together we are stronger.. :)
There really no reason to be scared. Fear is our worse enemy. It immobilizes us into doing nothing and becoming ostriches. I was one for over 40 years. I also quit when pregnant only to resume. How silly since it really never did anything for us. We miss out on nothing as non-smokers, but gain everything and are richer for it. Your breathing will be noticeable better in just a days, blood pressure, almost immediately. Of course you will smell better immediately and the sense of smell will become more acute eventually. Regaining our freedom is a huge benefit. We are no longer in an unending cycle of having to feed the addiction in order for it to leave us alone. That relief, smoking to end what it caused.
We are free of the addiction itself in just a few days (3 or 4) but we also have to deal with the changes in our lives without it. At first we miss it. Everything was done with the cigarette as a reward. Or a precursor. I will do this after my cigarette, or I will have a cigarette once this is done. It was not a reward, but dictated our lives. We no longer have to leave something undone in the middle to appease its hunger. It's insistance that befuddles our minds until we relent.
There are ways to avert these cravings. Keep busy, know they are just thoughts and once ignored will be banished. Read and learn. You can quit smoking and we are proof and here to help. Above all embrace this opportunity and crave all the benefits that quitting will bring. You will never be sorry. Why be afraid?
You are right Happiness. I will stay focused and keep busy. I know that eventually I will get to the point when cigarettes no longer dictate my life and I can actually recognized that I am free and better for it. But for now ... I will take each day as a celebration ... it is the beginning of Day 2 for me ...
Hi KKC,
I remember being scared before quitting but quitting is the greatest decision a smoker can do to gain back his freedom. No more slowly killing yourself while wasting money. The most important thing is to practice NOPE - not one puff ever. One puff and you are back to square one. Good luck. You can do it.
Another one I use in my self-talk everyday!
NOPE, I DON'T SMOKE.
And, I say that with just as much conviction and self-belief now, as when, I was on day 2 or 3.
It's a mindset and if you believe, you will continue to succeed.
Like everything in life, most do well when the task is enjoyable. If one is truly eager or READY to Quit? Its easy to go without the smoke.
If not ready? We go the long way around it. Like me. I had some stop start attempts before and believe I am over the addiction. I have no more excuses and no more reason's to fire up my receptors for nicotine now!
Practice NOPE and eventually the monster addiction leaves us alone!
I hope you are still with us Kkc. Let us know how you are doing. Don't give up. I can't tell you how proud I am of PuffNoMore who is one who had a few false starts but didn't give up and succeeded admirably. You too can be a winner. Keep trying!
Thank you PuffNoMore and Happiness. I am still on track - 4 days smoke free now. Definitely had some hard moments but this network of supporters like you have really been helpful for me. Thank you so much for checking in on me! I really appreciate it. People on this forum actually understand the challenges I am facing better than people who are close to me do.
Awesome news. So good to know that you find the site so helpful. My pleasure to help others realize their goal.
Great to hear that you remain determined to rid yourself of the poison!
Especially throughout my early day's and weeks, I would often tell myself...
"Just dont smoke - no matter what."