WOW!!! WHAT A YEAR!!! I HAVE FOUND THAT WITH EACH NEW DAY BRINGS A NEW BEGINNING. I DON’T KNOW HOW ONE PERSON COULD CRY A RIVER FULL OF TEARS AND STILL GET UP AND FOLLOW THAT RIVER WHEN I NEEDED A PLACE OF TRANQUILITY BUT MOST OF ALL A PLACE WHERE MY FREEDOM COULD BE FOUND. THEN IN THE NEXT SECOND BE LAUGHING THROUGH MY TEARS. THROUGH THESE TEARS AND FRUSTRATIONS I FOUND THAT I COULD DO ANYTHING I WANTED TO AS LONG AS I BELIEVED IN MYSELF. I HAVE FOUND THAT DURING THE PAST YEAR I HAVE BECOME A STRONGER PERSON THAT DOES NOT BELIEVE IN THE WORD CAN’T. I WOULD SAY I CAN’T QUIT I ENJOY IT TOO MUCH.
WELL GUESS WHAT! I CAN AND I DID QUIT. I KNOW THAT I WILL ALWAYS HAVE TO KEEP MY GUARD UP SO THAT I WON’T FALL PREY TO IT’S GRIP BUT WITH THE HELP OF THE ANGELS OF BLAIRSVILLE I KNOW THAT SOMEONE WILL ALWAYS BE THERE TO SOMEHOW WRAP THEIR ARMS AROUND ME IN CYBER SPACE AND GIVE THE ENCOURAGEMENT THAT I NEED TO SAY NO. THE HARD PART WAS ACTUALLY ADMITTING THAT I WAS A DRUG ADDICT IN THE LEGAL SENSE. I KNOW THAT SMOKING WILL NEVER SOLVE A PROBLEM ONLY CREATE MORE.I PRAY
MAYBE SOMEDAY PEOPLE WILL SEE WHAT SMOKING DOES AND HOW IT CAN TEAR FAMILIES APART BY SICKNESS AND DEATH. I KNOW I WAS ONE OF THEM. I LOST MY DADDY TO LUNG CANCER HE WAS ONLY 56 AND MY MOM TO A HEART CONDITION THAT WAS AGGRAVATED BY SMOKING.. SHE WAS ONLY 60.
THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART ((((RAE, PAT, BOB, MARKS, RITA, SHERRY)))) AND LIST COULD GO ON AND ON.
MAY GOD BLESS EACH OF YOU IN YOUR QUITS AND IF YOU BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AND WANT THIS QUIT FOR YOU THEN YOU CAN AND WILL DO IT.
LUV
FOR ALL OF YOU JUST STARTING OUT OR FEELING THAT IT’S SO OVERHWHELMING IT DOES GET EASIER WITH EACH DAY OR I WOULD NOT BE WRITING THIS. THE FREEDOM THAT YOU FEEL IS SO AWESOME.
ANNIE
Annie's 2 Year "Ramble"
Wow
It's hard to believe that it's been 2 years. Believe
me it does get easier. The freedom is wonderful. Just being able to go somewhere and not having to always wonder when you could have a cigarette. I won't say it was always easy because it wasn't. I don't crave them at all now but I know that I will always be addicted to nicotine and I can't ever let my guard down. Thank you Blairsville and all the special people that are here 24 hours a day for support. I know that without you guys and alot of prayers I would not have made it past the first year much less the 2nd.
Hugs and Kisses and May God Bless Each of you.
Luv
annie
2/29/00 is my official quit date, and I chose to celebrate today. Below is my 'official' one year ramble! (Hope it fits)
Wow! I did it! One Whole Year! It's hard to believe that one year has gone by, and I no longer smoke!
First off, let me tell you all that the #1 reason I have kept my quit is because of Blairsville! Without having a place like this to come to for support in the very important first couple weeks and months, I wouldn't have made it this far.
A little history: I smoked 1 pack per day at my peak, in my late teens/early 20's. I was able to quit during both pregnancies in my 20's and gradually decreased my smoking thereafter, until I got down to 2-3 a day. When my oldest was 5, I went underground, and became a closet smoker. I did not want my kids to grow up thinking smoking was okay!
During the last few years, I became tired of hiding, tired of worrying about my health, and scared I might not live long enough to see any future grandkids. I had tried a couple half-hearted attempts, but the longest only lasted 6 weeks. I used to tell myself I could have 'just one', or 'smoke only on the weekends'. It never worked. Even though 2-3 a day may not seem that bad to a lot of people, it bothered me a lot, and I had been a regular smoker for 25 years.
I did have one slip at 10 weeks. After a highly stressfull day, I bought one pack of cigs. I smoked 1/2 each of two smokes, kept thinking of the phrase "smoking doesn't change anything," got in my car, drove to the nearest grocery store, and buried the pack in their trash bin. Then I drove back home. I never had another smoke again. I worried about whether I had "lost" my quit, and needed to change my date, until I read an excellent post from Freddy, about 'cheating'. I realized I did not need to change my date, because I did not go back to the habit of smoking. "I didn't become a smoker again, I had a smoke".
Some of the things that helped me in my quit were: Keeping myself extremely busy; staying away from people who smoked; eating tootsie pop suckers or long pretzels, deep breathing (take a breath, hold it in, then let it out slow), reading all the articles I could find about why smoking is bad for you, reading through most of the Quit Smoking Links located right here in Blairsville, and, of course, visiting the Blairsville Board often! Silly as it is, not wanting to lose my unique 'quit date' was another factor that helped me keep my resolve. The point is, anything, no matter how ridiculous, that helps you keep your quit, is worth a try.
Was quitting easy? No! The first month was a roller-coaster ride. I became depressed without my 'best friend'. I overate. I cried. I was an angry person. But little by little, with the help of the above techniques, I was able to stay on focus, and the cravings gradually subsided.
Need more positive results? I think I have actually become a more calm person. Stuff that used to bother me doesn't anymore. I'm happier, and apparently I've learned better ways of coping with stress, because I seem to get less stressed now than ever before! And believe me, there have been some trying times over the last year (as there are for every one of us). My car broke down directly in front of a crowded shopping store, I went through a period of downsizing at the company where I work (I survived), and saw my relationship with my husband come to an end. But what amazed me throughout all of this, was that the only time I thought of smoking, it sounded something like this "wow, I didn't even think of smoking, it never entered my mind". And, I only gained 4 pounds! I felt ready to start an exercise program in January, and that weight is slowly coming off.
Yes, there are still those times that a smoke sounds good, but it is very rare these days, and more like a passing thought than any real craving. Besides, smoking is just NOT an option. I haven't had any real longing for a smoke since way back at the 6 month mark. And keep in mind, though it is different for everyone, the real hard cravings practically diminished after 2 months, and by 4 months, I rarely thought of smoking. But I never let my guard down! I've learned I'll always be an addict, Nicodemon is always hiding around the corner, and I have to keep watch.
It's great to check in from time to time, see all the new names, and offer support and encouragement! My message to you newbies is this, if you stay close to Blairsville, you will succeed, and before you know it, you too will be an 'old fogey.' I would like to thank everyone here who has helped me keep this quit!!! And a special thanks to Blair for making a place such as this available to everyone who needs it.
I found Blairsville by accident when I was 3 weeks into my quit. I was looking for information on the benefits of quitting, and needed some positive reinforcements. Boy, did I find it when I made my first post! The encouragement and support to be found here are just amazing. You can't get this kind of support from home or the workplace, there just aren’t that many ex-smokers around, and non-smokers don't have the same understanding.
The time finally came that I knew was "the right time". No more bargaining with myself. I knew I had to quit for good. I thought if I could beat my old record of six weeks, I could beat this thing. I wanted a unique quit date, so I chose leap year day, 2000! I had my last smoke on 2/28, and quit cold turkey on 2/29/00. Since 2/29/00 was my first smoke-free day, that is the day I chose to set my quit meter.