Can we enhance a smoker's determination to quit?

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John (Gold)	Can we enhance a smoker's determination to quit?		Lead	[-]
12/15/00 07:38	Tags : None Today's question: What factor's influenced your determination to quit? Are those factors something that we can give or share with all new arrivals here at Freedom or is it something that has to come from within? Is it possible to identify the important factors that can alter or influence a smoker's determination to succeed at a quit? We often hear that a smoker won't quit until they're ready. My question is, "how do we determine when a smoker is ready?" Is it possible to help a smoker get ready to quit? Are there certain specific things that we can do to help bolster motivation and feed determination? Desire, motivation and determination seem to be three different animals when it comes to quitting. I wanted to quit for almost 30 years, and I always had some degree of motivation to do so but I simply wasn't determined enough to achieve success. Are the sole predictors of success simply how strong our motivation or determination are at the time we begin our quit? If not, what other factors are involved? If so, how do we measure a smoker's motivations or determination? Can it be done? I started my quit on May 15, 1999. Could someone have come up to me in February, March, or April of 1999, asked me a couple of probing questions and then said to me, "Zep, you're ready now! Go for it!" Are millions of smokers out there ready to quit and just don't know it? If not, when will they be ready? On a scale of one to ten, just how much determination does it take to get through the first 24 hours of a quit? If a quitter doesn't have the required motivation and determination to get through the first 24 hours, can we help them obtain it? We teach that knowledge and understanding is power, and I firmly believe that it is. We teach that there is only one rule that any smoker must follow in order to achieve permanent abstinence - NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF! Is it possible that all smokers are ready to NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF but that they simply need the knowledge and understanding to do so? I'd like to use this thread to explore your thoughts about the degree of motivation and determination are required for a successful quit and what we might be able to do here to influence them. Were you ready to quit earlier than you did and you just didn't know it? Is there something more that we could be doing for new arrivals? What factors influenced your ability to quit?
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elec7	Can we enhance a smoker's determination to quit?	#1	[url]	[-]
12/15/00 08:20	This is a very interesting subject and I am sure there are as many answers as there are people who have quit. I wanted to quit because I was afraid of the health problems of Longterm smokers, myself 46 years. The reason I failed at my other quit attempts is that I thought I had a bad habit, always not willing to admit it was an addiction. Whenever an ad played on TV about the relationship of cancer and smoking I just changed the channel. The first step to quitting is admitting you are addicted to nicotine plain and simple. The second step is doing something about this addiction more than saying I wish I could quit. My motivation was a cough that would not go away. Wheezing that kept me awake at night and shortness of breath. To all new quitters these and other smoking related problems disappear rather quickly. I also have not had a smoking thought in over 2 months but still am on guard. To quit you have to be willing to admit to your addiction to nicotine and make up your mind to take your life back. To quit you have to stop saying can I and believe you can...Ed After 46 years proud to be nicotine free for Three months, four weeks, one day, 11 hours, 24 minutes and 44 seconds. 3036 cigarettes not smoked, saving $694.16. Life saved: 1 week, 3 days, 13 hours, 0 minutes.
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Laila (staff3)	Can we enhance a smoker's determination to quit?	#2	[url]	[-]
12/15/00 09:14	I think that Education is probably the fourth factor, that rates right there along with Desire determination and motivation. When I quit last december, I was determined, I was motivated, I was full of desire, I would and could cry at the thought of being nicotine free, however, I was not educated, I did not understand simple principals like never another puff and when it would get better, I did not understand that as long as nicotine was in my system in any form I would crave. I did not understand when I took that one single puff, I signed sealed and delivered the catylist to another 6 months of inslavement. I stumbled into freedom a mess two days into my quit last June, anyone that was here probably remembers me, I was not very quit, and i was suffering so, I would have failed again, without a single doubt had I not found all of you. I learned so much those first few weeks, I learned what to expect, I learned what to want, I learned how to change my overall thinking patterns to Nic, I learned how to cope, and most importantly, when it would be over. I was given something to have faith in other then good ol' Nic, I learned what I would go through in the comming weeks before I got there so I wasn't blindsided with it. I learned how to shut the door on Nic forever. Most people fail the first few quits because they don't have the knowledge to beat this thing, they have to learn from trial and error, however, freedom seals up all this info, and anyone who wants to quit, is determined, motivated and commited can do it. You can't give motivation, you can offer encouragement, which may motivate if they are ready. You can't give determination, you can give the skills to show how. Hey, I may be determined to build a 60 foot building, but if I don't know how I won't succeed. You can't give desire, but like motivation, if you can show that it is possible, desire may be fueled, many people don't think they can, therefore they don't want to try.
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S Sweet	Can we enhance a smoker's determination to quit?	#3	[url]	[-]
12/15/00 09:20	What factors influenced your ability to quit? I'd have to say that what influenced me the most to stay quit the first day i woke up and didnt smoke, was education. the more i learned and was aware of how deadly smoking was; the more i learned and was aware of the things i was going through physically and then ofcourse the more success stories i heard.... the more determined i was to quit and stay quit. that all influenced me to REALLY quit. i think it is very important to have a support network because too many times, i was able to "talk myself" back into smoking because i didnt realize just how many other ppl were going through the things i was going through. sooo to summarize, the things that influenced me most to quit and stay quit were: educational material on smoking; education material on addiction and withdrawl symptoms and a support network
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Jitterbug	Can we enhance a smoker's determination to quit?	#4	[url]	[-]
12/15/00 09:51	Very interesting thread. Hmmmmm, let me think back (if Old Timers doesn't fail me). I guess I could start with when I started smoking - they hadn't begun putting Surgeon General's warnings on cigarettes yet, but even if they did, it would not have deterred me in any way, never has. I've tried on several occasions to quit, it's ALWAYS been on the back of my mind. My first excuses were, I'm just a teenager, I can quit whenever I wanted. Then as time went on, I really should quit smoking, I could catch cancer, along with, at the same time, yeah, but it won't happen to me. I did have 2 half-way serious attempts, when I was in my 20's, and both of them ended when my father had heart attacks and I was on my way to the hospital to see him - I needed an old friend to rely on, I guess, and the quits were only 1-2 weeks long, maybe three. This last time, I was just playing on the internet - looking to see what I could get into, when I saw something on MSN homepage regarding quitting. I gave it a quick thought. Throughout the day, i played around it and toyed around going into the site, and then in the afternoon, I finally gave in. I found the library, did a lot of reading and printing, some more reading and printing. I finally decided to come out of denial (that I was an addict) and spent several days telling myself that "it's time to quit, before it's too late". Contemplated for a couple days, discussed it with the nurse practitioner, and was TERRIFIED of quitting. I finally did it. Of course, she suggested I get patches, and gave me Zyban then a prescription for Welbrutrin. I got myself all geared up and finally I signed in. After the educational experience, which I got from Joel's Library, I realized I couldn't do it alone. I took them both, got really sick off the patches, and threw them away. I made my friends stay away from me for 3 days (my 1st 72 hours), and more or less hid in bed. I never would get to where I am now without Freedom and Without Taking Another Puff! That in itself is the key for me - support and knowledge. Hope this helps. Jitterbug (Staff2)
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JanieB (Staff 1)	Can we enhance a smoker's determination to quit?	#5	[url]	[-]
12/15/00 09:54	I agree wholeheartedly with Laila....if you don't know what to expect..... and you don't know what to watch out for...... and you don't know how addiction works...... and you don't know when it's going to start getting easier....... and you feel like you are suffering all alone..... then you have a very big chance of failing. I really don't know of any one reason that I decided to quit. I had smoked for 38 years, and never even tried to quit before. I guess I just started feeling like too much of a fool for being a smoker. I also never really believed that I could quit, or that if I did manage to quit, that I would ever be happy again....in otherwords, I was a bigtime junkie thinker. What changed for me was that I read a book that made me see that not only could I quit (cold turkey....YIKES!), but that I would enjoy my life even more after I quit. What a concept!!! Well, I decided to believe that concept, and take a leap of faith. It worked. As soon as I started experiencing withdrawal and how hard it was for me, and what a huge and negative effect nicotine had on me, my determination went sky high....to the moon! I wasn't going to be a slave to this monster addiction any more. I went through hell week and beyond before I found this site. Boy! Was I ever glad to find this site! Other cold turkey quitters, bonded together, supporting each other. Wow! Did I ever need to find this site. Angels must have directed me here. No one telling people that had relasped that it was okay and no big deal....or telling them that one little slip was no reason to reset their quitmeters. I didn't want to hear talk like that!.....and that kind of stuff really dragged me down...even with my brain fog in full effect, I knew that was the WRONG attitude. This place called Freedom feels like home to me! Janice Proudly nicotine free for: Two months, three weeks, six days, 12 hours, 18 minutes and 1 second. 1593 cigarettes not smoked, saving $278.95. Life saved: 5 days, 12 hours, 45 minutes.
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Christiana	Can we enhance a smoker's determination to quit?	#6	[url]	[-]
12/16/00 10:45	I strongly believe we can influence and motivate someone to quit,,, 1. As we know today, addiction takes on a life of its own, it would seem highly knowledgeable for an addict to know that while their addict self doesn't want them to quit, their real self does. In short junkie thinking need lots of emphasis in the disputing stage of a quit,. A separating of who is who,,, sounds a little crazy but it works for me.. 2. Last, do the test yourself,, read post, that are positive and firm,, regarding the quit,, and feel the internal struggle ease up, and for me especially the yo yo torturing of changing my mind is over. As someone posted,, Today i am willing to stop torturing myself, by changing my mind,,,,, yes, i quit, it is my final answer. And it is easier realized by knowing my real self does quit,, Only junkie thinking (((lies))) would have me think otherwise, and today i know not to believe addictive thinking.. Yqs Chirstiana
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Joel	Can we enhance a smoker's determination to quit?	#7	[url]	[-]
12/16/00 03:20	OK, I will weigh in on this one. Of course, not from personal experience but from watching lots of people quit over the years. I have seen numerous members thrust into my program, totally against their wills who succeeded in quitting smoking. I had two in the last clinic who clearly stated they did not want to quit but were forced in by parents. Others people are forced in by doctors, some people have even been tricked into coming to my seminars by family and friends who told them they were going somewhere else and literally brought them to the room under some form of false pretense. While I won't say this tactic works in the majority of cases, it works a lot more often than most people would think. To say that these people had no prior motivation and quit anyway would not be true. I suspect most smokers have some level of motivation to quit, but motivation without understanding isn't enough to succeed. That is what I try to do in the first session of a clinic or in the single session seminars. I try to cram in four areas of understanding, all of which I think are crucial for the smoker to understand if they are going to have a good shot at success. The areas I try to cover are why they smoke, why they should stop, how to quit and then how to stay off. I think these four areas are crucial points of understanding, without having a firm grasp of each component, the smoker is handicapped in his or her efforts. Understanding why he or she smokes help the smoker see that all the magical qualities associated with smoking are false feelings. While most smokers think they smoke because they want to, the real reason they smoke is because they have to. Their bodies demand it. They are drug addicts, plain and simple and understanding this premise is the crucial first step. As with any other addiction or 12 step program, the premise of being powerless over the drug is the first step in recovery. I want them to recognize that while they thought smoking was keeping them calm, it was actually increasing their stress levels, or more accurately, their reactions to stress. While they thought smoking made the energetic, it in fact robbed them of endurance and energy. That it made keeping their life style fun and active, it was actually robbing them if ability to do many things and was in fact putting every activity and relationship at risk. That it was at their core of their ability to be an active member of society, it was in fact causing them to resort to many antisocial behaviors, leading them to smoke in lieu of human contact or even leaving gatherings because smoking was not permitted. Why they should stop smoking is probably the least surprising to most people, they already know smoking is bad for them, but most people don't recognize how bad it is. Many people are blown away when they realize the full magnitude of the dangers from smoking. While I don't spend a great quantity of time on the issue, maybe only an hour and a half of 10 hours of presentation time, it is still one of the areas that many people refer back to years later as a major motivating factor to stay off. The recognition that quitting smoking is in fact a fight for very survival is often of paramount importance in long term success, dealing with the occasional thoughts that are still triggered by circumstances and situations faced throughout the ex-smoker's life. How to quit, now there is a shock to most people, especially after the more reading and research they have done prior to coming to my programs. If they are medical professionals, bombarded by the influence of the state of the art of smoking cessation techniques, what I am proposing is so radical that it takes them a few minutes to overcome the idea that I am out of my mind. After being bombard by study after study and expert after expert, to come out and accept that the way to quit smoking is simply to quit smoking seems ludicrous. It is only when I have them think real hard of all the long-term (one year plus) ex-smokers they know, of how these people initially quit, that they start to realize that the vast majority of these people, and in many cases all of them, quit by cold turkey. It is often like a light bulb goes off in their head for the first time seeing the obvious, even though it flies in the face of conventional wisdom. Finally, how to stay off, here is another kicker. Almost every piece of professional literature on smoking cessation produced over the last 30 years will bury one line in the text, or sometimes make it really obvious that will undercut the most truly motivated and educated smoker. The line is "don't let a slip put you back to smoking." That makes as much sense as don't let a drink put you back to drinking to an alcoholic, or a heroin addict given the message of don't let a little injection put you back to using. The message needs to be stronger than that, not don't let a slip put you back to using, the message had better be--DON'T SLIP! There is no such thing as a slip, or an accident, or a mistake, or a puff, or just one, they are all a RELAPSE! This point, more than anything else is what is going to make a quit last. Forgetting this concept, or worse, never knowing it all but assures failure. I have seen the education of the smoking problem work thousands of times in getting people to be properly prepared to quit. Again, that problem is more than just the physical dangers of smoking. It entails the smoker developing a full appreciation of the physical, mental, social, economic, and esthetic implications of smoking. I have also witnessed the understanding of these issues to be the tools utilized by thousands of ex-smokers in keeping their quits going as long as they keep the understanding of all these issues at the forefront of consciousness. So can we motivate a smoker to want to quit? I think most smokers of any appreciable time period is already motivated. If not most smokers in general, any smoker who shows up here for even a glimpse at Freedom is motivated or they would not even have typed in the word smoking into a search engine or followed a link sent by a friend. If they took a peak, there is an interest. Now it is a matter of tapping into that interest and helping them realize that there really is a way out. You have all found it here. Those just starting, listen to those who are here for months and years already. Listen to how they sound about not smoking, the overall improvement of life experienced by most. Those who are here for months and years now, listen to those who are just joining. Hear the fear and doubt expressed and realize that was you so long ago and how you never want to be back at that stage of your life again. You don't know you will have the strength or sufficient desire or opportunity to quit again if there were another need to do so. For everyone, recognize to quit smoking and stay smoke free, always remember to never take another puff! Joel
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GrumpyOMrsS (Gold)	Can we enhance a smoker's determination to quit?	#8	[url]	[-]
12/17/00 08:37	Hi Zep, Very interesting question and one that I have to go back to my quit to answer in part and then as I see it today. Having smoked for 41 years, I heard many well meaning people, doctors, dentists, friends and relatives look at me and my husband, Hal and shake their heads.....you two still smoking? Heard that a lot, especially the last 10-15 years we smoked.....and still we smoked. When push came to shove....and our health entered the picture, we ran out of excuses for smoking.....and still smoked. Having set a date of Jan. 1, 2000....messed that up too....but finally, on January 3, 2000....I hit a search button that said smoking...support groups while online, and the magic happened....I quit for good. Finding online support, with a 24 hour hot line and help and information about my addiction.....and mind you...did not, at that time realize that it was an addiction...my smoking, that is....helped give me the push I needed to say........by golly, I can do it now.....just get me past the 5 day mark and I know I can quit.....and it happened. The rest was easy and once I got to Freedom and realized I was an addict, and that if I took a puff I would be back to square one......I was on my confidently on my way. Today, I come into contact with many smokers at work. I manage a drug store and sadly enough, one quarter of our sales, in our store, on a daily basis are cigarettes/cigars. That is a lot of cigarettes!! I had a few customers push me to quit.....I am forever in their debt....but I now am on the other end of the stick and I cannot allow myself to push others. Those who know me and smoke, look to me for help and advice. Many, don't have computers, but those who do, get directions to Freedom. Many are amazed to find out that there is such a thing as online support and are thrilled to be given the web address. I tell them to just come here and read and when they are ready to quit....know that we are here to help. I hope that they have listened to me as quitting is not really as bad as I thought it would be. Perhaps that happens when you get to the point I did and reaize that smoking is not only costly in terms of health risks and monetary risks......but controls every waking moment of our lives. for most of us fear of the unknown is the greatest detriment to the beginning of a quit. Fear that withdrawal will be painful, fear that smoking will be greatly missed....fear of learning how to live without a cigarette in hand and fear of failure are all part of delaying a quit. Once a person realizes, like me, that there is indeed help and indeed a wonderful life without cigarettes....quitting becomes not only possible....but a reality. and to all of you reading this and have not yet quit....give yourselves the best gift you can give yourself this holiday season.....give yourselves the gift of life. hugs to all......Linda
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Christiana	Can we enhance a smoker's determination to quit?	#9	[url]	[-]
12/17/00 08:50	Thank you for posting Joel,, i especially like the way it is tightly summed up,, i hope to set the essence of it to memory. It answers the most important things for motivating someone i think. Agian thank you and everyone ,, Christiana
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Joel	Can we enhance a smoker's determination to quit?	#10	[url]	[-]
12/18/00 05:16	Thanks for noticing that Christiana. I did feel as I was writing my reply above that it was a particularly important post. I am often concerned that many people don't really remember their initial reasons and motivations, and losing sight of these personal issues makes them often fail to fully appreciate and really cherish the true value of their quits. In the beginning of their quits reasons are usually very strong, that is how they get through such a powerful grip being exerted by nicotine. As time passes though, these reasons seem more distant and abstract, and if not reinforced, simply forgotten. The simple lesson we learn throughout history in many tragic situations is to never forget. Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. As true as this statement is for political and sociological issues, it is equally true in personal issues, especially ones regarding addiction. For those of you who had lost loing term quits in the past, learn from your past failures. For those of you who this is your first time, learn from other peoples past failures. But whether or not this is your first or hundredth attempt, you must all remember life as it truly was as a smoker, not what you fantasized it to be. To keep your Freedom, always remember to Never Take Another Puff! Joel
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geecarol	Can we enhance a smoker's determination to quit?	#11	[url]	[-]
12/20/00 06:55	The Awakening.A time comes in your life when you finally get it. When in the midst of all the fears and insanity you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out---ENOUGH...........I have read here for weeks. I have been inspired by all the quits. I have the information, I have the inspiration, I have the motivation, I have the determination, I have the support system. Dear God help me, from my lips to your ears, tomorrow I will become a not smoker Please read The Awakening. outoftheashes
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selpel shelley	Can we enhance a smoker's determination to quit?	#12	[url]	[-]
02/06/01 11:06	I think my Higher Power sent me to the message board today to read this post---I have been battling depression, anger, irritability, and crying most of the morning---but I WILL NOT SMOKE...I had quit a number of time over the past years, but 36 years of smoking is hard to lose without help. I used the patches, which I was allergic to , the gum, which did not help because I have a hard time chewing gum, Zyban, which made me more irritable than quitting (one of its side effects) a few of the times that I quit, I did it cold turkey and so when I decided to quit this time, I knew that it had to be cold turkey--if I had a little nicotine, I would always need more. So I set my quit day...then I subscribed to lots of health mags online and any references to quitting smoking I followed up on. Then I found Freedom---imagine! a website for quitting cold turkey! I was amazed! I read Joel's articles, and started reading the posts. I read for a few days before I decided that it would be very helpful for support--I usually won't admit that I need any help for anything. My reasons for quitting are simple---I wanted to be free of this addiction (I knew it was an addiction a long time ago, just couldn't get motivated to deal with it head on), I wanted to be able to breathe without a wheeze, and I wanted to save money wasted on cigarettes to spend it on something more worthwhile, like my hobby, crocheting. I was determined to make it this time and Freedom's tough love policy and taking it an hour at a time were just what I needed. Telling myself every morning that I WILL NOT SMOKE TODAY, and patting myself on the back every night before I fall asleep are big ego boosts. The support of other cold turkey quitters is tremendously helpful and necessary, we need to feel that we are not alone in this struggle. Also, Joel's library and posts from Joel and Zep and other managers help reinforce the quit. Thanks for whoever came up with the idea of this kind of community/website---it is necessary for us quitters!!! I now have 3 weeks, 3 days, 12 hours without a single puff!!!NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF!!
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QuietWaters	Can we enhance a smoker's determination to quit?	#13	[url]	[-]
02/06/01 11:53	I'm new here and new to my quit (2 weeks, 4 days), but I've attempted to quit several times in the past. Reading this thread this afternoon while preparing myself for what I think of as the "peak crave" time of day has not only given me something to think about to take my mind off the cravings/urges, but it has also helped to remind me of why I'm here and why I quit. Thank you. Just to add a little something -- I agree that desire, motivation, determination and education are all very important. I would add one more thing: Patience. Patience has always been a difficult lesson for me to learn, especially when quitting smoking. Immediate gratification (something our society seems to tout and encourage) is not going to happen here. I didn't develop the habit aspect of my addiction overnight and I'm not going to relearn that quickly either. When I'm in the midst of struggling, when it seems like I'm not sure I can make it another minute, I remind myself to be patient....to hold on....because this could very well be the worst moment of my entire quit.....because this could very well be the turning point....because it can and will get better, but I'm never going to truly know that unless I'm patient and hang on and ride it out. Thanks again for the thought-provoking thread to help me through this afternoon. : ) QuietWaters
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Patticake (Gold)	Can we enhance a smoker's determination to quit?	#14	[url]	[-]
03/06/01 08:43	I wanted to quit smoking for years just didn't think I could. I had heard so many horror stories from people that had tried I kept telling myself that if they couldn't quit I would probably also fail. I saw people wear the patches, chew the gum, take Zyban/Wellbutrin, I see the same people today.....still smoking. My husband who has never smoked had talked to me several times about my smoking, always relating some news media article concerning health and smoking, my children who have never smoked (thank you Lord) would approach me about quitting. At first I appreciated their concern, later I would feel angry if they said a word about me smoking. I envied people who were non smokers, although my home was smoke free I loved going to other homes and being around other people who were smoke free, I loved the cleanliness. Last January I was standing on my porch in freezing rainy weather, shaking so bad my teeth were chattering, smoking a cigarette. Suddenly I became so disgusted with myself I was almost physically ill. I threw my cigarettes out into the rain and went into the house promising myself I would never smoke again. Okay here is the good part, I am 58 years old, have smoked for 40+years and didn't have a clue I was addicted. I promise you I did not know the difference between an addiction and a habit. Now here is the best part. A few days later I was really having a hard time and was just checking around on my pc to see if I could find something about smoking cessation. Well as an answer to my prayers I found Zep@Whyquit.com. For days I read and read and read, would get up in the middle of the night and read some more. What I was getting was an education which has been one of the best things that has ever happened to me. Probably had I not found this site I would have relapsed simply because I didn't have the necessary tools to deal with the cessation. I can now handle this because I am not dealing with the unknown . Just the last several days I have come to the pitiful realization that for me most of the difficulties I have experienced during this quit have been self induced, quite possibly often feeling miserable because someone else was and I just thought I was too. Even complained last week about my skin itching....well found out that was from a new bath soap I was trying, and the list goes on. Everything to enable one to handle each and every aspect of smoking cessation is in Joel's Library. I am having to learn to live as a "non smoker", I am having to create a new way to do things, I feel different yes, but I love this being a non smoker and I will protect this new life of mine with a vengence. I feel so sad for the old me who wasted so many years with an addiction. I told someone just this weekend that if I were a very, very wealthy person, I would purchase TV Commercial time and run Joel's Library (of course if he would let me) one subject at a time during prime time. Can you even begin to imagine the lives this would save? I am so very sorry for rambling on and on here, I am just so very happy to be alive, to be smoke free, to be able to breathe deep and be able to smell the roses, to hug my family without worrying about how I smell, I just love the freedom. Okay you asked, this is my story and I am sticking to it. Thank you very much. YQS @ 1M, 2Wks, 5D, and counting.
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Joel	Can we enhance a smoker's determination to quit?	#15	[url]	[-]
03/06/01 03:52	Thanks Patticake. If you ever get the prime time cash I'd be glad to have the materials used. I'd actually read it to them if you would like. Better yet, I'd do my live program. I am so glad you brought up the itching soap story. It is so important for people to realize that quitting smoking doesn't cause everything that happens. So many times I see people quit, get a physical condition within weeks or months, blame it on not smoking and either go back to smoking to fix it or hold off going to the doctor because they "know" it is just a side effect to cessation. Well the fact is you never know something is a side effect. You suspect it may be but you don't know. If something happens in the first three days there is a really good chance the reaction if from quitting. But after that, especially after a couple of weeks the odds something else is in play are greater than the odds that this is just from not smoking. Glad you identified the source of the irritation. Again, thanks for sharing your insight. Don't dwell on past regrets now, look at what you are doing today and feel good about it. Actually, feel great about it. You have taken control of your addiction. You have the tools to keep control of your addiction now, for as long as you so choose as long as you always remember to stay smoke free you must never take another puff! Joel
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NYPam	Can we enhance a smoker's determination to quit?	#16	[url]	[-]
03/07/01 04:58	Joel, thanks for raising this thread.... I wish it was an easy answer to know how to enhance a smoker to stop... My girlfriend of 4 years is a smoker .... she has seen my quit twice ((on my own using gum, and then hypnosis)) But my quit since joining Freedom has been powerful....magical...unbelievable.... I also always saw my "inner" self as weak but for some reason when I heard the words of my daughter I did not hear recrimination... I heard love and fear.... I want my girlfriend to quit and yet I sit with her and allow her to smoke in front of me.... I don't think my harping on her is going to help ((she is dealing with depression too which is not easy)) but I want her to see that not smoking is a good thing.... We are going on a vacation to Florida spring recess ((we are teachers)) and would love to not have her smoking.... it is not hard on me ... but I want to give her support to quit... yes, she wants to quit ... I tell her to read from this site((she never got in cuz she is still smoking)) So How does one help another? It took my dad over 50 years to quit ... and that was having his wife (my Mom) asking him to quit for 50+ years of their marriage.... he has emphysema now and when I asked him if he ever regretted not quitting years ago... he actually said he was not sure ... but did say that tobacco companies were the instigator to getting people of his generation to smoke... so my generation and after ((I am 49)) should know better...You think?? UNfortunately, teens don't make a connection and I wonder if my Dad's generation would have stopped had they the information... Hindsight is a great teacher but does not take away the negative effects of smoking.....It is confusing me.... I am glad I am quit for 2+months but why did it take me so long... The affect it gives me?? I found it humourous what I read of using excuses to start smoking.... You want to hear something sick? I quit for 10 years.. !!! i smoked from 15 to 25 Years.... quit ((cold turkey in college )) cuz I wanted to give birth to a healthy baby when I was 25 years.....had miscarriage .. then had healthy daughter in 2 years later! when I was 35 started smoking when I lost a filling and had the stress of a bad divorce.....quit again when I was 38 and moved with my daughter back east...after a breakup ((yes, used broken heart as another excuse to get back into the clutches of nicodemon)) I started smoking at 45. Now I know the triggers ..I feel the strength and fears.. and I see where I am in my quit and I take nothing for GRANTED!! the addiction will always me there... begging me ...trying to seduce me to light up... I think of my body... at 49 years... I want to live longer and healthier... I am a quitter. I am finally a quitter. Pamela Two months, four days, 12 hours, 38 minutes and 39 seconds. 1588 cigarettes not smoked, saving $361.31. Life saved: 5 days, 12 hours, 20 minutes.
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NYPam	Can we enhance a smoker's determination to quit?	#17	[url]	[-]
03/07/01 05:28	OHHHHHHH MYYYYYY!!! ZEP!!!! I am sooo sorry ... I have written a few posts to Joel and realize now that YOU posted the thread and I wrote "Joel".... sorry.... damn... I am a VIRGO and hate making mistakes... I apologize for not giving credit to you.... but I wrote to all... so I guess that is all that matters//// regardless would like to "sweep" my mistake away .... again, you HAVE NO IDEA what it means to me that I found this site and you brought me in!!! THANKS!! pamela Two months, four days, 13 hours, 11 minutes and 25 seconds. 1588 cigarettes not smoked, saving $361.44. Life saved: 5 days, 12 hours, 20 minutes.
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MarcyLV (Gold)	Can we enhance a smoker's determination to quit?	#18	[url]	[-]
03/07/01 10:23	"What factors influenced your ability to quit?" My sister, who I live with, swore she would quit smoking in 2000. She has degenerative arthritis and several other health problems that smoking exacerbated. She talked about "needing to quit" a lot in December and didn't do it but it made me think about it a lot. Thinking about it always made me nervous since I had quit a few times before but started again within 3 to 8 months so I looked into Zyban. My doctor prescribed it and I followed instructions......started taking it and set a quit date for about 10 days ahead. My sister did the same. We quit Jan. 17 and I joined Freedom a few days later. I haven't had a single puff since then even though I quit the Zyban within 3 weeks but my sister first chewed some nicotine gum and then took a puff here and there and is now pretty much back to her old habit. So, to answer the question, my sister influenced me to quit but keeping the quit is due to this site. I knew most of what Joel's library says but reading it and the message board has kept me determined and helped me fight the junkie thinking. That junkie thinking is what made me fail every other time. I printed out a lot of stuff for my sister but junkie thinking won her over. I think another big difference in our quits is that I wanted to quit and she needed but didn't really want to quit. Hard to analyze, really. I think over-confidence may have been her downfall. I think you have to be AFRAID of that one puff.......KNOW that it will lead you right back to your old habit. Or maybe the Zyban, which helped us not be as miserable those first few days, was not a good idea. I was miserable enough not to want that effort to be wasted but maybe she wasn't. Anyway, I absolutely attribute my success to the reenforcement of this site. I saw on Discovery Channel that most successful quitters have some kind of reenforcement program and this site is mine. Thank you so much to everyone who contributes here! Marcy One month, two weeks, three days, 21 hours, and 15 minutes. 977 cigs not smoked. Saved $136.88. Life saved: 3 days, 9 hours, 25 minutes.
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Joel	Can we enhance a smoker's determination to quit?	#19	[url]	[-]
04/25/01 12:01	This message has been deleted by the manager or assistant manager.
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beamusin	Can we enhance a smoker's determination to quit?	#20	[url]	[-]
04/25/01 01:38	I sat back for a few days and read everything that Freedom had to offer. I also had no idea that I was addicted, I fooled myself into just a bad habit. It was inspiring to hear so much positive feedback and support for each other. I don't know how may times I have turned to this family to get me through another day without a puff, but it has given me back my self esteem and made my family proud of me. I had quit for 10 years previously and can't explain how I came to have a cigarette in my hand, but with all the information and support at hand, it makes the journey so much easier. And this transends much more than NOT HAVING A PUFF, I think Freedom has given many of us much more back. It should be mandatory for schools to get the information out where it needs to be. Everyone has a choice, but to make an informed choice you need the proper information and that is provided here. Thanks for giving me my life back John
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