I may be the wrong person to help you. I have emphysema;
and have quit repeatedly---only to start again. I quit for 3 years, smoked 3 years; then was diagnosed with COPD, and quit for 5 years.
I had a PTSD moment when having to face my abuser and started smoking again August 2004. Since that date I have quit and started repeatedly. Fear of dying does not make me quit. Worry for my son being without me does not make me quit. Being on oxygen does not make me quit.

It is NOT a matter of willpower or strength, as you put it. 1) I think we need to change the way we think. 2) Support 3) accept this is as addiction.
I have quit smoking. I hate the taste. I hate the smell. I hate not being able to breathe. Yet, I still crave that nicodemon.
It is all powerful. It is addiction. Hate addiction,
Hate cigarettes. DO NOT hate yourself and think you are a failure. This just sets you up to fail over and over. I do not know if I helped at all, as I am trying to cease smoking, one day at a time for the rest of my life.

wow.....sounds like me. i have struggled so many times with quitting. and for me, it has always been the fear of failure that has kept me smoking. sounds crazy, but i could smoke and spout off with that tough guy attitude about smoking......when the bottom line is that it was totally out of my control.....and i don't like that, even a little. i too, have worked with horses and all animals my entire life, and will "step in" with anything. i can work through that situation with reason, knowledge, and persistance......i can't do that with cigs.....i have had to get help. chantix & reaching out to those that have done it before me. i have had to admit that i can't do it on my own. only took me 40 years to realize that......if i can be as stubborn about quitting as i was about smoking, i should be ok

I don't feel like that why? I
could never quit till I did get willpower & strength. But
only way I got that was asking HIGHER POWER (GOD) for willpower and strength. Proud too say togather I am smoke free for

I have been quit for 4 Months, 4 Weeks, 1 Day, 8 hours, 45 minutes and 17 seconds (152 days). I have saved $674.97 by not smoking 3,047 cigarettes. I have saved 1 Week, 3 Days, 13 hours and 55 minutes of my life. My Quit Date: 07/01/2007 1:00 AM

In my opinion, you have to want to quit more than you want to smoke. And also, I don't think it's about just stopping, I think it's a lifestyle change. A person can be strong and still not have very much self-esteem. So, I think you have to value yourself before you can quit.

Lots of good info and advice in the posts above. Read them well.

Just as no two fingerprints or retinal scans are the same, no two quits are the same, even for the same person. But there are things they all have in common. One of those is attitude.

Being a COO in what is essentially an infant industry, I have no doubt you are well versed in Positive Mental Attitude techniques. You need to apply those to your quit with more vigor than you've used them in the past.

You have said I've never failed so many times at something in my life, there has been a huge vacancy in my efforts, I have found and used every possible excuse to continue to smoke, and I don't think my mind and body can handle another failed attempt. I will tell you now, and you can take this to the bank, YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE, NOR HAVE YOU FAILED EVEN ONCE!!! What you have done is found a number of ways that do not work, or at least, they did not work at that time. You have not hit on the right combination yet. But know this you still desire to be quit, you are still quitting, and you have not given up on quitting. That makes you a winner in anybodys book. So stop the negative thinking because there has been no failure.

Another thing I saw, I cannot figure out why my life and responsibilities to my children have not been enough. The best way to quit is for you, nobody else. You cant quit for your children, for your responsibilities, for your job, or any other reason. You must quit for you, because you desire to quit because it is best for YOU! Because you desire to improve your health, because you desire to regain your freedom and control from the addiction, because YOU DESERVE IT.

When you quit, dont focus on the moment. Pay no attention to what is happening right now and do not give it the power to exist in your future. Withdrawal is temporary. Recovery is forever. Instead, imagine how you will be in the future, but establish no time limits and no deadlines. Simply see yourself as a non-smoker. You smell good, you are breathing better, you actually look better and younger as your skin recovers, you have more energy, you have more time, you can relax and enjoy after a meal with friends or family or business associates instead of rushing out or being distracted by the need for a fix, no more burn holes in your clothes, no more yellow fingers, ad infinitum.

Im glad you are still quitting and that you have joined us here at DS. You can do this and you will succeed (I know these things).

Peace and blessings, Cowboy.
Shevie

Cowboy,
You are SO right!! It takes WAY more than "willpower" and "strength" to quit smoking!

It takes the ability it be HONEST with yourself about your addiction, maybe for the first time EVER in your life.

It takes the ability to completely re-program how you deal with stress. And trust me, THAT takes more than willpower. But if you can master this ONE thing, you will have beat the Nicodemon's biggest tool!

It takes more than just "WANTING TO QUIT". Why? Because EVERYONE "wants" to quit on some level. Instead of dwelling on "I want to quit" you have to change your way of thinking to "I DON'T want to smoke". It sounds the same, but believe me, these are two totally different mindsets. The latter being much more powerful than the 1st.

It takes PREPARATION. I don't know anybody who went from smoking a pack of cigarettes or more a day to QUITTING in one day. I am sure there are people out there who have quit "cold turkey" on a whim, but it's rare. For most of us, who are deep into the addiction, you have to take a certain amount of time to mentally prepare for the day when you will no longer use nicotine as your crutch. Much like someone who has used crutches or a walker for 10-20-30 years will need physical therapy before they can ever hope to use their legs on their own, so to do you need a form of "mental therapy" before you can really quit smoking.

And finally, it sometimes takes HELP! Don't ever be too afraid or too macho to talk to your doctor about the best ways for you to approach quitting. There are LOT's of things out there to try and believe me, I tried them all before I found the one that worked! I chalk those attempts as part of my "mental therapy".

So you are right. Ouitting smoking is much bigger than simply having the "willpower" to do it. Let's be real. If all it took was willpower, Big Tobacco would be out of business because NOBODY would smoke!

It's a daunting and difficult task, but once you have done it, it feels great! In fact it feels so much better than the small amount of pleasure you get from that smoke!! It really does!

Wishing you the BEST of luck with your Quit!

Tamera
I have been quit for 2 Weeks, 6 Days, 14 hours, 43 minutes and 19 seconds (20 days).

I have saved $84.10
by not smoking 412 cigarettes.

I have saved 1 Day, 10 hours and 20 minutes of my life.

My Quit Date: 11/10/2007 12:00 AM

I agree with all these fine people! I guarded and defended my addiction for close to 30 years. Quitting has been the best life-style change that I have ever made. It truly is a lifestyle change and a good one!
N not
O one
P puff
E ever
A word I learned from shevie and I live by!

Everyone, I cannot tell you what your posts have meant to me. Shevie, you are simply awesome. I will read that post everyday if I have to. Tam, yours too. In regards to preparation, I have been preparing for years. I really have tried it all. I just know this has to be it. I'm not diluding myself into thinking it will be any easier than before, but there has to be a point where one simply says "that's enough!". I smoked my last cigarette just before typing this message. Living started the second I was finished, the slow suicide stopped. And that is the correct term.....finished! I will likely be on here a lot over the next few weeks. I find it tremendously helpful just to talk about it with you folks whom are simply strangers.....strangers that care and can identify, and I am grateful to you for that.
Please tell me how to calculate the "saved days". I believe that will be something I'll want to keep track of.
NOPE - Thanks Shevie & Shell!

Cowboy, here's a link to the SilkQuit meter that many people use:
http://www.silkquit.org/sqmmiv/meter.aspx

Here's a link to links to other meters:
http://whyquit.com/whyquit/LinksDMeters.html

Shevie
Quit May, 2005

Hmmm. I was not aware that SilkQuit started charging for their meter.

Here's a link to another that I like: http://www.dedicateddesigns.com/qk/index.htm

Here's the output of it for me:
I have been quit for 2 Years, 6 Months, 1 Week, 9 hours, 52 minutes and 27 seconds (921 days). I have saved $3,188.07 by not smoking 18,428 cigarettes. I have saved 2 Months, 2 Days, 23 hours and 40 minutes of my life. My Quit Date: 5/23/2005 5:30 AM

The "life saved" will vary from meter to meter because of the rather ambiguous calculations used. Anothr meter I have says I've saved over 130 days. Whatever you use, watching the numbers go up is awesome.

Congratulations on your quit, Cowboy.
Peace and blessings to you.
Shevie
Quit May, 2005

You either quit or you don't, it is your call, there is no Magic about it. I am sure no one holds a gun on you and says, smoke! There ya go.
Grannie 189 Days

Well, what can I add that hasn't been said already? Not much. Yes, embrace the fact that this is an addiction. Accept it and tell it who's boss! Prepare! So important for me, I did a good month's worth of preparation before quitting, I read books, I joined this site weeks before my quit date, by the time I quit I was excited to do so, to start my life so to speak. And support, oh my goodness, how much that has helped me. To have a group of people who understand everything i am going through because they too have experienced it is priceless. You have certainly come to the right place! We welcome you with open arms. I hope this quit goes wonderfully for you!
Liz-Beth:
Three months, three weeks, three days, 17 hours, 12 minutes and 32 seconds. 2334 cigarettes not smoked, saving $834.82. Life saved: 1 week, 1 day, 2 hours, 30 minutes.

I know for me, I had to immediately call refer to my self a non-smoker. For me, the words "i quit smoking, or i don't smoke anymore,etc. I have 18 days without a cigarette and this may sound cliche - but it is one day at a time (sometimes, one minute at a time). Believe in yourself and JUST DON'T SMOKE. Not one, not a drag, just don't do it - because you are a NON-SMOKER. You get to check the non-smoker box on applications now.

...good stuff for our new quitters...and old alike, just really good stuff, bumping again.

Hey Cowboy,

Just wanted to check in with you and see how you are doing.

Did you find that Quit Keeper?

Another thing I wanted to share with you that helps me STAY quit is that when I am faced with difficult situations that would have normally sent me to the smokes, I feel a sense of empowerment that it no longer does and I have found that I actually handle these situations so much better!

It feels good to be in control and I am proud to share that feeling with the people who matter the most to me.

I hope you are doing well!!

Tamera
I have been quit for 1 Month, 4 Days, 13 hours, 15 minutes and 52 seconds (34 days).
I have saved $140.97 by not smoking 691 cigarettes.
I have saved 2 Days, 9 hours and 35 minutes of my life.
My Quit Date: 11/10/2007 12:00 AMI have been quit for 1 Month, 4 Days, 13 hours, 15 minutes annds (34 days). I have saved $140.97 by not smoking 691 cigarettes. I have saved 2 Days, 9 hours and 35 minutes of my life. My Quit Date: 11/10/2007 12:00 AM