bad news all. i didnt succeed in quitting smoking. but i will keep on trying. my goal is to quit before christmas. i think it was so spontaneous i wasnt ready. i really hope i can get there and just do it. i really hate smoking. so good luck to me and to all of you who are taking the step to quit as well. and ty to the replies and congrats to those who have kicked the habit. i hope to join you soon.

Don't be hard on yourself. Try, try again. You'll make it one of these times. Good luck, Diva

This is where you have to be gentle with yourself.  Okay I work as and Admin. Assis. at a Treatment Center, we recently started using a new book for our 8 hour class, as I have thumbed throught the book I found that this study can be used in every aspect of our lives.  I too want to quit smoking, this is a hard thing, I know I need to quit, I just haven't done it yet.  I found this website to help you see what they refer to as the stages of change

http://www.habitsmart.com/motivate.htm

I think I want to use lozengers or something when I quit, I tried two summers ago with the patch, but it made me feel quesy.....Good luck ...

Hugs Mary

awww (((((((((((( NSN ))))))))))))

I know my butt is black & blue, I kick myself so much - I kick myself b4 anyone else gets a chance too.  But it does kinda give you some perspective, how hard it must be for them to change.

Change is hard for us all.  I am grateful, I am not fighting addiction from the inside!

I have read it takes 3 weeks to break a habit. 

I am sure if you really want it bad enough & are willing to do the work -- it's like being on a diet - I have read that when we are depriving ourselves, our senses become heightened so food really does taste better when you are dieting, it's not your imagination.

Change is hard for all of us -  progress not prefection.  I think when we have "Slips" it helps us to learn, either way, to strengthen your resolve or wtvr...  just one learning experience after another.

Happy Holiday!

love, -K

HAng in there. It is not easy to quit. I have tried with the patch and hypnosis. The patch made me dizzy and the hypnosis worked for about a month.

I have been told the gum is helpful. My next attempt I am going to try that.

Don't get discouraged.

                           Love Jeannie

It's not easy to quit, just keep trying. What worked for me, is I looked at it almost as if I was going into surgery - that is, I was prepared to feel just lousy for a while. Now, if you were to go for elective surgery, you would know that you were going to feel awful when you got out, but you figure the result is worth it, right? Same with smoking. For me it was a lot like having the flu, I just felt generally horrible for about a week or so, then not too bad for a couple of weeks, then it was over, and all I had to do was just not get hooked all over again! That was twenty years ago, and I still sometimes dream that I have started smoking - I wake up with a horrible feeling of loss. My A says he dreams that way about using and drinking, too. It is not an easy thing to quit. Good luck to you, and you don't have to succeed at everything you try in order to feel good about yourself.

They say it takes three 3 weeks to break a habit.  I have also heard it is more difficult to quit nicotine then heroin.

Be kind to yourself, hang in there.  xo

love, -K