Doing good Norma. Hanging in. You are so funny... simplicity, ha ha.
Tomorrow is a new day. Hang in.
chick

I have never smoked so I can't relate from a smoker's point of view. And I don't want to discourage anyone. However, I've worked with a lot of patients trying to quit and I agree with JJ's Dad.

All smokers say they will 'taper off,' as Chick is doing, but as someone said, smoking is an addiction and each cigarette, no matter where or how seldom it is smoked. readdicts the smoker.

Smokers are like alcoholics. They can "never" smoke again. The first cigarette or even a puff will readdict them all over again.

Only by completely stopping a drug can anyone ever break an addiction. Some people taper off then decide to stop, but usually tapering off is unsuccessful unless it leads to complete withdrawal.

smile

So Chick did you smoke more or less then usual today?? How many cigerettes do you normally have per day? i haven't had as many as i normally have, probably because am happy about being accepted by our non smoking friend Ladybug..my wonderful project was finally finished an hour ago... my daughter came by, tried it on..okay so .. maybe the simplicity company is not entirely at fault.. you know this cutting on the fold business.. ... sewing the yoke into armhole areas.. well never mind. Good luck for tomorrow Chick

Smile you are right.
I've quit for months so many times and then for some reason all it takes is a momemt of weakness and I'm right back where I was before I quit.
It's hard but I know I can do it. I need to be in the right frame of mind to get started and then I need to stay in that frame of mind for the rest of my life. (no easy task for me)
Thanks to all who are sympathetic and encouraging!
We can do it ladies!
Tomorrow, Tomorrow!
(yes I messed it up again today- hanging my head in shame)

First of all I want to say to all the "smokers" that you SHOULD NOT be hanging your head in shame, and you SHOULD NOT be afraid to post about any of your successes, or what you consider lack of, in here.

Do you think you are the only one who has an addiction? Mine, for the time being, is food. Now you want to talk addiction? Come on over, and since you're coming, bring some of those Salt and Pepper potato chips with ya, k?

Yes, tabacco is addictive. And yes, it takes about 30 days to get it out of your system. And yes, bad situations, (i.e., stress) all trigger the "need" for a cig... been there done that. Believe me, I totally understand.

And if it makes anyone feel any better about it all, I LOVED SMOKING! It was a social thing with me. Some people have a diet coke in their hands when they're on the phone chatting away to a friend, some people smoke. I smoked. I loved it. And get this, I loved how it calmed me down, or....... hyped me up! Depending on the circumstances. If I didn't know NOW about how it feels to be on the "other side" of the smoking thing, I would go right this minute and buy a pack and smoke all day. Some of my best writing came from a pack or two.

Now...having said all that, and knowing I support you 100%, let me say this. When I pass by someone who smokes, I know it. I don't care how much gum they chew, I can smell it. And my "smeller" ain't that great. When I am around someone who smokes, I can smell it in their clothes, their hair, their cars, house...yada..yada...yada.

I cannot believe I use to smell like this. It still blows my mind. I first noticed it when I had been quit about a season, and went to the extra closet to change out my clothes for the next season. Pewwww... I couldn't wear them.

I'm not saying this to offend you, sweet women! On the contrary. I'm telling you this because you will not believe the difference once you stop. There is a reward at the end. Not only will you save money, but you will love the way you don't smell things. Did I say that right? LOL!

JJ

"I keep hearing stories from people who say they quit and didn't crave another one after...Why can't we do that? Ladybug, I quit every day for two weeks now. I am just going to keep quitting until I get it right"

I posted the book that helped me quit and in it the author says the reason we continue to have cravings is because we haven't really made up our minds to quit. When the monster was begging to be fed every 15 minutes, I would tell myself that smoking wasn't an option anymore and I'd go on to something else, like work that had been waiting while I was smoking.

I seriously encourage you to get that book and read it.

I have quit smoking successfully before, am very much aware of the smell. Have made it for days at a time, a week or two at a time, even 3 months one time. Obviously didn't stay quit. I am no longer trying to quit smoking. I am trying to get myself into a frame of thinking that does not need a cigerette for help in whatever situation.

It's been five months since I quit smoking. There are days I would really...really like a cigarette. But, I stick 2 pieces of gum in my mouth and chew like mad. Can hear my mom say, "you look like a cow chewing, like that".

It's even worse when others in the house are smoking...I can smell when they have had a cigarette. Pure torture!
Any one who says it's easy...just isn't telling the truth.

Don't be to hard on yourselves, sometimes we think we have lost sight of our goal...but it will always be there...waiting.

[ November 19, 2005, 01:53 PM: Message edited by: yepthatsme2 ]

Hi my ladies, I missed you all and I'm so glad to see you are helping one another.

You CAN and you WILL stop smoking. You've got to do what works for you and not be ashamed when you back slide. People with every kind of addiction back slide.

Why can't you quit you ask? This IS a powerful addiction.

Just keep trying, remember each small step each day gets you closer to that goal.

I encourage you to use this post each day and log in whatever your thoughts are. Log in your disappointments at maybe caving in to another cigarette.

No one here is going to criticize that and I personally ask anyone who attempts to to please back off and not post. If you don't understand or if you feel the need to be harsh to these ladies don't post. This is their thread now.