Almost gave in tonight

[YCGP]

I have been off cigarettes for about five days. I have been using a patch and sometimes gum.

So far it hasn't been too hard. I take a few deep breaths, drink some water, tell myself that this is an addiction. My brain now associates smoking with a reward. Just saying, "that's addiction" helps me a lot.

Though I almost gave in tonight! I was so ready to just go ask my friend for one.
One thing that was holding me back from smoking is that I do not have the money for it for at least another week. So if I smoked tonight I would have to start all over again and wouldn't have real access to smokes if I decided to pick another day to quit.

Well, I made my way upstairs to play a game on the computer, and within a couple of minutes my craving went away and I felt glad that I did not smoke.

Just writing about it almost has me considering giving in and just smoking one outside.
Though I know from experience that I will feel better in a few minutes and most importantly be happy that I stayed clean.

Anyone else out there quitting?

 

[ewq1938]

I'm allergic to smoke so I was lucky never to have been able to smoke.

 

[YCGP]

Yes indeed, you are lucky.

How did you know you were allergic to smoke?

 

[ewq1938]

When I would gag and throw up from smelling it or also when I was younger and tried to smoke.

 

[CrystalDragon]

Glad to hear you're quitting your smoking habit.

 

[YCGP]

As am I. I no longer want to be addicted.

Disappointed to find out that cravings can come on long after the initial two weeks is up. It just gets 'easier' apparently.

I wonder when I will be totally free of cravings.

 

[createdtoworship]

I have been off cigarettes for about five days. I have been using a patch and sometimes gum.

So far it hasn't been too hard. I take a few deep breaths, drink some water, tell myself that this is an addiction. My brain now associates smoking with a reward. Just saying, "that's addiction" helps me a lot.

Though I almost gave in tonight! I was so ready to just go ask my friend for one.
One thing that was holding me back from smoking is that I do not have the money for it for at least another week. So if I smoked tonight I would have to start all over again and wouldn't have real access to smokes if I decided to pick another day to quit.

Well, I made my way upstairs to play a game on the computer, and within a couple of minutes my craving went away and I felt glad that I did not smoke.

Just writing about it almost has me considering giving in and just smoking one outside.
Though I know from experience that I will feel better in a few minutes and most importantly be happy that I stayed clean.

Anyone else out there quitting?

addictions are life long things, you never get fully over them.

life style changes are required.

I recommend electronic cigarettes, then weed off of the need to hold something, slowly reducing it over a year, then ween only to use patches for another year.

a few years later, your off both patches and cigarrettes. If you fall into the addiction again, you just pick back up the electronic, and do another 2 year marrigoround.

I am battling eating too much right now.

once one addiction conquered you keep yourself busy and start battling another one. With the lifestyle of mortification of flesh, you knock one sin out at a time.

 

[visionary]

I hope this will be encouragement that you are on the right path. I am going to tell you the story of how I quit. I was under the conviction to quit. I wanted to be baptized but felt convicted that this bad habit needed to be won. So I would go without cigarettes the whole day, and celebrate with one.

The need for cigarettes was the strongest when I first sat down, first woke up, after I finished a meal, just before bed, and any excuse in between. I was a pack and 1/2 smoker. So you can understand when I say "my world circled around the next cigarette".

The Pastor kept asking when will I be baptized and I always gave him the answer, when I quit smoking. Months went by with the battle of going without, and then boom I was right back at it.

In frustration, I cried to the Lord that I was losing this battle, and felt worthless in my weakness. I went to bed to rest. I had a "dream"?? in which I was standing before the Lord, but I could not look at His face so I looked at His chest. But you know what. I am not worthy to even look at His chest, so I looked down at His feet. But I am not even worthy to look at His feet so I looked at my own. Shock of shocks.

There was a pack of cigarettes lying by my feet. Oh My.. I can not be standing before the Lord with cigarettes at my feet. So I kicked them out of the way. They reappeared. I kicked them again. They reappeared. I got so caught up in the kicking and reappearing in frustration, that when He spoke, I just answered. He asked me in a still small voice, if I would like Him to take them away, and I said a resounding YES.. and woke myself up.

I spent the next forty days battling not the craving but the habit itself. I would imagine cigarettes between my fingers and knew that this was the devil tempting me. It was forty days but I was not going to pick up what the Lord had taken away.

I have been smoke free for over 35 years now. I hope my story of me quitting gives you strength to continue on this righteous path of not bringing smoke into His Holy Temple [your body].

 

[Hank77]

 

[CrystalDragon]

addictions are life long things, you never get fully over them.

life style changes are required.

I recommend electronic cigarettes, then weed off of the need to hold something, slowly reducing it over a year, then ween only to use patches for another year.

a few years later, your off both patches and cigarrettes. If you fall into the addiction again, you just pick back up the electronic, and do another 2 year marrigoround.

I am battling eating too much right now.

once one addiction conquered you keep yourself busy and start battling another one. With the lifestyle of mortification of flesh, you knock one sin out at a time.

I was actually just about to suggest the e-cigarettes to help, but you beat me to it. XD

 

[createdtoworship]

Just realized U TURN for Christ started by a pastor in my church denomination.

thats exciting.

chemical addiction, alchol etc, even porn..

each addiction needs it's own battle tactic, but the 12 steps to each are very similiar when you think about it.

but never forget to ask God for His holy spirit,

if a son asks a father for a piece of bread, He will not deny him.

and even moreso, when we are needy of God's presence, if we ask for extra help by His spirit, He will even moreso give us our daily bread.

 

[Amaze0707]

Let me start of with one of the most well-known verses, Luke 1:37, “For nothing is impossible with God.” Well, my mom was a chain-smoker. She tried several ways to quit smoking, but failed. I still remember it was on a Good Friday that my mom surprisingly said she had to quit smoking with God’s help. She did, and she found it really hard, too. However, her firm believe in the power of our Heavenly Father kept her moving forward. It’s been over 20 years now, she can’t stop thanking God for delivering her from that addiction. I’m praying for you, brother, that the same God, who delivered my mom several years ago, will give you strength and help you defeat this battle.

 

[YCGP]

Thank you all for your responses.

I will say a prayer and ask God for strength. I don't want to 'bring smoke into His holy temple' as you said.

Argh, I have been dealing with a craving all morning.

To be honest, I'm a little excited to see what happens next... what will I experience after two weeks?