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Stress

 
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daggy12



Quit Date:
-

Posts: 678
Location: Palm Bay, FL

PostPosted: January 24, 2008 2:52 PM    Post subject: Stress Reply with quote

I still struggle with wanting a cig every day. Hopefully that it will let up. Stress and a cig have gone hand and hand for 20 years.
I actually feel alone when Im dealing with stress as a non smoker! weird. I was really hoping it would settle down but it hasnt. Even going on 6 month its a daily struggle for me.
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Life can only be "understood" by looking backward, but must be "lived" by looking forward.

Patty
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kannprint



Quit Date:
April 10, 2004

Posts: 4988
Location: St. Louis, MO

PostPosted: January 24, 2008 5:11 PM    Post subject: Reply with quote

It will settle down, Patty. The day will come when you will realize that you're much less stressed as a non-smoker than you were as a smoker. I know it's difficult to remain patient when you're working so hard at remaining free but, believe me, it's really worth all the effort you're putting into it. Your quit is precious -- keep it going!
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LIVE WELL, LAUGH OFTEN, LOVE MUCH.
Jo
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texas2step



Quit Date:
-

Posts: 793
Location: Texas

PostPosted: January 24, 2008 6:14 PM    Post subject: ask yourself.... Reply with quote

Okay Patty, you say:

"I still struggle with wanting a cig every day."

But what you MUST do is ask yourself honestly - do you REALLY want one or is it just old "memories".

What I mean is, do you want everything that goes with that "one" - the coughing, the stink, the cost, the craving one every 30 minutes even though you just had one? Do you really want all that back?

I don't think so. Your brain is remembering that you "USED TO" want one but your body doesn't need the nicotine - you're beyond all that so now what you have to do is make your brain realize that it won't be "one" every day -- it will be MANY and you'll be right back coughing and feeling crappy like you did before and stinking of smoke and spending a fortune to burn it up and feel like crap.

I think you know the answer -Wink

Now each time your brain says "gimme" all you have to say is "are you nuts?"

Hang on girl it's getting better all the time and you know it!

Texas
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"You can't always have happiness, but you can always give happiness."
Anonymous

Quit: 8/14/06
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kevin
Site Admin


Quit Date:
-

Posts: 9538
Location: cincinnati, oh

PostPosted: January 24, 2008 11:40 PM    Post subject: Reply with quote

if you could only remember exactly what day one was like, or the middle of the second week, you'd realize how far you've come, in terms of the intensity and frequency of the wanting, patty. the key is to choose life, just for today, and let tomorrow take care of itself. before you know it, you'll be amazed to think how long it's been since you even thought of smoking.
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keep choosing life!

kevin

the zen of the quit
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nichole



Quit Date:
April 14, 2007

Posts: 455
Location: So Cal

PostPosted: January 26, 2008 3:41 PM    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yay for you, Patty!! You are doing an amazing job. You have made the committment to stay free for the last 5 months. Just keep doing that and it WILL get better. Everyone's quit is different and unique, but I have noticed that they all have one thing in common: at some point it gets better and they can't remember the last time they had a craving. Wow. We will get there too, girl. Keep up the good work!!!
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~nichole
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Mary Dude



Quit Date:
June 15, 2004

Posts: 4803
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

PostPosted: January 27, 2008 7:10 AM    Post subject: Reply with quote

Patty - it will get better! I kept asking the same questions you are - when will I quit thinking about "just one"????? I don't remember when it finally happened - but it did! Are you rewarding yourself for the in-between milestones? Go back to the basics...see if there are specific things that you can change to put more distance between you and the stress. I took up yoga and started exercising more consistently - both of those things helped me really appreciate my new smoke-free life. For the first year - every month my treat was a pedicure....I looked forward to it and I earned it...

Patty - when all else fails - take it one day at a time! You can do it! Try a little positive self-talk...if you keep telling yourself "its hard - I can't do it" - you'll believe it! If you tell yourself - "this is hard - but I CAN do - and I want to keep this quit going - just one day at a time" - you'll believe it and feel like "YES - I CAN do this!!"
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Mary D.
Smoke-free one day at a time!
Worry doesn't help tomorrow's troubles, but it does ruin today's happiness!
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Patty129



Quit Date:
February 18, 2007

Posts: 828
Location: Saginaw, MI

PostPosted: January 27, 2008 6:42 PM    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Patty.....There are still days when I'm right there with you and I HAVE to do just what Texas wrote about.....I have to go through the list of all of the things that I don't want to deal with again.....the stigma, the smell, the cost, the pain of letting people down, the fact that I would have to tell my doctor and dentist that I relapsed ( I would feel mortified), and I can't even imagine how disappointed my husband would be (he quit with me).....so usually by the time I've run the gauntlet of those depressing thoughts, smoking doesn't seem quite so compelling......
I, too, am waiting for that few days or week or month when I can't remember when I last thought about it, it hasn't happened for me yet, but I know it will......hang in there.....WE CAN DO THIS!!!!!
Patty
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daggy12



Quit Date:
-

Posts: 678
Location: Palm Bay, FL

PostPosted: January 28, 2008 11:04 AM    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you everyone. I hear all of you. I just cant wait for the time to come where its not an everyday thing.
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Life can only be "understood" by looking backward, but must be "lived" by looking forward.

Patty
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