Hello all,
I decided to create this blog as reinforcement to my quit, and yours too, if you are in the "maintenance" phase of quitting. Since May 16, 2005, I have not so much as taken a drag from a cigarette. That makes today Day 97.
I'm not the first person to make it to Day 97, and Day 97 isn't even a first for me--I once quit smoking for 6 months. Today has something in common with all other Day 97's: I had to make it through Days 1 through 96 before it to even have a Day 97.
I liken quitting smoking to a romantic relationship: there is a "lust" phase, followed by a "love" phase (aka. the Maintenance Phase). The "lust" phase is the time when you are obsessed with your desire to quit smoking. It is the most difficult phase, physically, but the easier one, psychologically. You have the support of your loved ones, friends and co-workers (if you've told them about your quit, and they're decent people.) The pain of withdrawal is still fresh in your body and mind, and you're less likely to sabotage your quit by getting cocky and thinking you can have just one.
Later, the obsessive "lust" days give way to the laid-back "love" days. You no longer have to keep a constant vigil over your quit. As you put hours, days, weeks and months behind you, your thoughts about smoking and quitting subside. Then, out of nowhere, the urge to smoke hits you. It's been a while since you've done anything to reinforce your quit, and you think you are so good at it, you could get away with smoking one, a few, or a pack, and then pick up where you left off in your quit. It takes some effort to remember that you can't pick up where you left off. Many smoking cessation experts say that the clock starts over when you so much as take a puff. I wouldn't say that the clock goes back to Day 1, but it probably does go back to Week 1--you are physically and psychologically starting your quit over. Once you realize this, it's such a small step to go back to Day 0, that within a week or two most people go back to being full fledged smokers again.
On Day 1, I was determined. I was suffering but very motivated to quit. Work sucked; all day I felt like I was in a warm bubble of stupidity and frustration, and trying not to give voice to either. Days 2 and 3 were similar. I had a tight feeling in my chest all the time, felt stupid, and had nowhere to go with my stress. I looked forward to my daily workouts (the only time I wouldn't think about smoking) and going to bed. That was pretty much my routine for the initial phase of my quit: Get up, go to work, go to the gym, shower (most days) and go to bed. It worked, but ultimately I wouldn't sustain that routine, because there is more to life than work, the gym, and sleep. I needed reinforcement for the changing days of the Long Haul.
Mantras help. These are mine:
"I'm going to be stressed out anyway." --work mantra
"If nothing else, I quit smoking." --daily survival mantra
"If I wait five minutes, the urge will go away." --maintenance phase mantra
Here are my reasons for quitting. I came up with these on a previous quit, and they're still true today:
1) It's way too expensive: I spend over $100/month on it.
2) It's too time-consuming: I waste almost 2 hours/day on it.
3) Smells bad, tastes bad, not sexy.
4) I don't want to be weak-willed. I want to defeat this.
5) I don't want to find myself smoking and pregnant.
Another motivator for me is to set an example for my immediate family. There are six of us, and all six have been smokers at one time or another. Since we have all been adults, there has never been a time when all six of us were not smoking. My mom has been quit for over 20 years now, going on 25, I think--go, Mom! The rest of us have some catching up to do.
Those of us quitting in the United States today are lucky to have lots of external reinforcement for our quits--smoking is stigmatized here more than anywhere else in the world. That's something I'll have to remember next time I go abroad and the temptation strikes (inevitably).
Maintenance-phase quit help:
SilkQuit The Quit Meter keeps tabs on your quit.
Timeline of benefits
If you're maintaining a quit, I welcome your comments.
I decided to create this blog as reinforcement to my quit, and yours too, if you are in the "maintenance" phase of quitting. Since May 16, 2005, I have not so much as taken a drag from a cigarette. That makes today Day 97.
I'm not the first person to make it to Day 97, and Day 97 isn't even a first for me--I once quit smoking for 6 months. Today has something in common with all other Day 97's: I had to make it through Days 1 through 96 before it to even have a Day 97.
I liken quitting smoking to a romantic relationship: there is a "lust" phase, followed by a "love" phase (aka. the Maintenance Phase). The "lust" phase is the time when you are obsessed with your desire to quit smoking. It is the most difficult phase, physically, but the easier one, psychologically. You have the support of your loved ones, friends and co-workers (if you've told them about your quit, and they're decent people.) The pain of withdrawal is still fresh in your body and mind, and you're less likely to sabotage your quit by getting cocky and thinking you can have just one.
Later, the obsessive "lust" days give way to the laid-back "love" days. You no longer have to keep a constant vigil over your quit. As you put hours, days, weeks and months behind you, your thoughts about smoking and quitting subside. Then, out of nowhere, the urge to smoke hits you. It's been a while since you've done anything to reinforce your quit, and you think you are so good at it, you could get away with smoking one, a few, or a pack, and then pick up where you left off in your quit. It takes some effort to remember that you can't pick up where you left off. Many smoking cessation experts say that the clock starts over when you so much as take a puff. I wouldn't say that the clock goes back to Day 1, but it probably does go back to Week 1--you are physically and psychologically starting your quit over. Once you realize this, it's such a small step to go back to Day 0, that within a week or two most people go back to being full fledged smokers again.
On Day 1, I was determined. I was suffering but very motivated to quit. Work sucked; all day I felt like I was in a warm bubble of stupidity and frustration, and trying not to give voice to either. Days 2 and 3 were similar. I had a tight feeling in my chest all the time, felt stupid, and had nowhere to go with my stress. I looked forward to my daily workouts (the only time I wouldn't think about smoking) and going to bed. That was pretty much my routine for the initial phase of my quit: Get up, go to work, go to the gym, shower (most days) and go to bed. It worked, but ultimately I wouldn't sustain that routine, because there is more to life than work, the gym, and sleep. I needed reinforcement for the changing days of the Long Haul.
Mantras help. These are mine:
"I'm going to be stressed out anyway." --work mantra
"If nothing else, I quit smoking." --daily survival mantra
"If I wait five minutes, the urge will go away." --maintenance phase mantra
Here are my reasons for quitting. I came up with these on a previous quit, and they're still true today:
1) It's way too expensive: I spend over $100/month on it.
2) It's too time-consuming: I waste almost 2 hours/day on it.
3) Smells bad, tastes bad, not sexy.
4) I don't want to be weak-willed. I want to defeat this.
5) I don't want to find myself smoking and pregnant.
Another motivator for me is to set an example for my immediate family. There are six of us, and all six have been smokers at one time or another. Since we have all been adults, there has never been a time when all six of us were not smoking. My mom has been quit for over 20 years now, going on 25, I think--go, Mom! The rest of us have some catching up to do.
Those of us quitting in the United States today are lucky to have lots of external reinforcement for our quits--smoking is stigmatized here more than anywhere else in the world. That's something I'll have to remember next time I go abroad and the temptation strikes (inevitably).
Maintenance-phase quit help:
SilkQuit The Quit Meter keeps tabs on your quit.
Timeline of benefits
If you're maintaining a quit, I welcome your comments.
posted by Mary Linton at 7:14 AM
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