treepeo
832 posts
Registered:
29 Nov 2017
05 Dec 2017
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Hi franny,
I can relate to what you are going through, and I know it's not easy. But you are on your third day, and you have to keep fighting to hold on. You are doing everything right. You are trying to keep your mind off of it. You are thinking about the 3 days you already have under your belt, and you are using your NRT. If I were you, I wouldn't hesitate to use an NRT because that is what they are there for. They are nothing compared to smoking. Do whatever you have to do to stay smoke free. I know it's really awful at the beginning of your quit, but it WILL get better. Your mind and body have to learn to adjust to this new, smoke free life, and that's not easy. And our addiction keeps rearing its ugly head trying to get us to give in.
Be more stubborn than your addiction. You are strong enough to do this. And you will find an incredible freedom comes with living life as a non-smoker. Honestly, to this day, I still can't believe how happy I am that I quit. It is like a dream come true. What other people take for granted, I see as a gift. My life is no longer ruled by my insatiable need to smoke. In the past, what I did or did not do depended on whether I would be able to light up when I wanted to. So for example, if I was invited to go out to dinner, sometimes my answer would depend on whether one of my fellow smokers would be there. If not, I hesitated to go to dinner, because I knew I would have to excuse myself a few times to get my fix. Pretty pathetic, eh? But I no longer have to do that, and it is such a relief. And that is just one example of many that I could give. That is what I mean when I say there is a great freedom that comes from quitting.
There are also the physical benefits. You will start to notice that your heart rate has slowed down. You won't get winded climbing a flight of stairs. You will have more energy. There will be a new pep in your step. And you won't struggle to breathe when it gets really humid, or at least, you won't struggle as much.
And you will smell better. So will your clothes, so will your home. You won't get nicotine stains on your fingers, or holes in your clothes from the stray ember that falls from your cigarette. You won't have smoke breath.
These are just some of the benefits of quitting for you to consider.
Hang in there, franny, and make sure you read the quotes that lithan44 posts daily. They are truly inspirational and they will help you in this journey. And remember, we are all on your side and we are all here for you.