I was coming up to my 3rd year of NOT Smoking, this time, looking for a theme for a GUS diary. A
comment from a GUSstreet irregular helped me get started and inspired the title of this post.
It[] gets easier with each passing day
I'm 3 years clean of cigs and while usually they don't even cross my mind anymore, on occasion I'll get a small pang for nicotine - easily ignored and quickly passed tho.
Quitting smoking is the hardest thing you will ever do - congrats on doing it - you're awesome!
I could not have stated it better myself and I didn't even have to change the number of years quit and clean.
GUS (Gave Up Smoking) is a community support diary for Kossacks in the midst of quitting smoking. Any supportive comments, suggestions or positive distractions are appreciated. We avoid discussion of political issues. If you are quitting or even thinking about quitting, please -- join us! GUS Library at dKosopedia is organically evolving, and stocked with free-range information: quit-smoking links, helpful GUS diary writing tips, and the GUS buddy list.
And the latest updated Buddy List by Mr. Amazing, anodnhajo!!!! (?/?/201?)
1BQ,
2thanks,
3rdGenFeminist,
417els,
A Man Called Gloom,
Abra Crabcakeya,
Actbriniel,
addisnana,
AfroPonix,
aishmael,
Alise,
Alpha99,
also mom of 5,
ambeeeant,
American in Kathmandu,
amk for obama,
andsarahtoo,
angry marmot,
Anne933,
anodnhajo,
aoeu,
AoT,
aquarius2001,
arcadesproject,
Archie2227,
arodb,
Arthur Wolf (in memoriam),
assyrian64,
Aunt Acid,
awkawk,
b4uknowit,
BadKitties,
bamablue,
BARAKABETH,
barnowl,
b barrie,
bdizz,
beatpanda,
beefydaddy18,
betterdemsonly,
BFSkinner,
bgblcklab1,
BigAlinWashSt,
Bike Crash,
BirderWitch,
BJKay,
bleeding heart,
blingbling65,
blue husky,
Blue Intrigue,
bluedust,
BluejayRN,
BlueJessamine,
BlueMississippi,
Bluerall,
bluestatedem84,
BoiseBlue,
boudi08,
Brahman Colorado,
breedlovinit,
BrenP,
BrianParker14,
Bronxist,
broths,
BrowniesAreGood,
bsmechanic,
Buckeye Nut Schell,
buddabelly,
Bugsydarlin,
bumbi,
BusyinCA,
cactusgal,
cagernant,
Carol in San Antonio,
CathiefromCanada,
CathodeRay,
CDH in Brooklyn,
Cedwyn,
cee4,
Cen Den,
ChocolateChris,
ChurchofBruce,
ciganka,
cinnamondog,
citizenx,
ClapClapSnap,
claude,
Cleante,
Code Monkey,
codobus,
Coldblue Steele,
Colorado is the Shiznit,
coloradomomma,
common green,
commonmass,
Common Sense Mainer,
congenitalefty,
coppercelt,
CwV,
dadanation,
Damnit Janet,
dangoch,
DarienComp,
dauber,
Dauphin,
Dave in AZ,
Dave in Northridge,
David54,
deedogg,
demkat620,
Dexter,
Diana in NoVa,
Dickie,
DiegoUK,
Dingodude,
dirtdude,
distraught,
djMikulec,
docreed2003,
dolfin66,
donnamarie,
Donna O,
dotsright,
Dr Teeth,
Dreggas,
DRo,
droogie6655321,
Dube,
duckhunter,
Eclectablog,
Eddie C,
EdgedInBlue,
edr,
effervescent,
elbamash,
El barragas,
el vasco,
electricgrendel,
entrelac,
ericlewis0,
Everest42,
Ex Con,
exlrrp,
ExpatGirl,
ezdidit,
fat old man,
fauve,
fhamme,
Fineena,
fiona2,
fishhawk,
Flea,
flumptytail,
Friend of the court,
fritzi56,
FrugalGranny,
Garrett,
Gator,
gchaucer2,
GDbot,
Geiiga,
GenXangster,
glpaul,
gooderservice,
gooners,
Gordon20024,
gravlax,
GreenMountainBoy02 (in memoriam),
greylox,
grndrush (in memoriam),
GrumpyWarriorPoet,
GuerillaLiberal,
GulfExpat,
gzodik,
Haole in Hawaii,
HappyinNM,
henlesloop,
here4tehbeer,
HeyMikey,
hideinplainsight,
High Tide,
hiliner68,
history first,
hold tight,
Hugh Jim Bissell,
hulibow,
I love OCD,
I said GOOD DAY sir,
Im a frayed knot,
imisa,
Indexer,
indubitably,
indyada,
Interceptor7,
Inventor,
Isaacsdad,
ItsaMathJoke,
itsbenj,
Jahiz,
James Earl,
JamesEB,
janl1776,
Janeo,
jarbyus,
JayinPortland,
jayjaybear,
jbalazs,
JBL55,
jbou,
Jeffersonian Democrat,
jillwklausen,
jmadlc55,
jmonch,
Joes Steven (aka Steven),
john keats,
john07801,
johngoes,
johnny wurster,
jsfox,
just another vet,
JVolvo's Mom (in memoriam),
jwinIL14,
Kai99,
kailuacaton,
Kamakhya,
kat herder,
katchen,
Kelly of PA,
khloemi,
Khun David,
Kitsap River,
kittania,
kos,
KrazyKitten,
Kristina40,
Ksholl,
labwitchy,
ladypockt,
Lahdee,
langerdang,
LarsThorwald,
LA rupert,
last starfighter,
LaughingPlanet,
Laurie Gator,
Lava20,
Leo in NJ,
LiberalVol,
Lipstick Liberal,
litoralis,
lmdonovan,
lockewasright,
Lonely Liberal in PA,
Lonely Texan,
longislandny,
Lorinda Pike,
LtdEdishn,
lunacat,
lunachickie,
luvsathoroughbred,
lying eyes,
maggiemay,
magicsister,
mango,
Marc in KS,
MargaretPOA,
Marjmar,
Mark E Andersen (Kodiak54),
marknspokane,
marsanges,
maryabein,
Matf,
Matt Esler,
Maxiemax,
maybeeso in michigan,
MBNYC,
mdemploi,
Meteor Blades,
Micburke,
michael1104,
MillieNeon,
minerva1157,
MinervainNH,
Missys Brother,
mjbleo,
MnRaindog (in memoriam),
mntleo2,
mollyd,
Morague,
MotoGP,
Mr Bojangles,
mrsgoo,
mskitty,
msmacgyver,
MsWings,
Murphoney,
nannyboyz,
ncsuLAN,
NearlyNormal,
Nedsdag,
Nespolo,
Nick Zouroudis,
NinetyWt,
nokkonwud,
notgivingup,
NY brit expat,
oceanview,
Ole Texan,
OleHippieChick,
Olkate,
one pissed off democrat,
One Pissed Off Liberal,
Onomastic,
operculum,
OrangeMike,
Ordvefa,
Overseas,
Over the Edge,
Pager,
paige,
PaintyKat,
palmer18,
paradox,
parryander,
paulitics,
peglyn,
Pennsylvanian,
peterfallow,
phrogge prince,
plok,
Portia Elm,
Positronicus,
post rational,
PowWowPollock,
Proud Mom and Grandma,
psycho liberal,
ptolemynm,
Purple Priestess,
PvtJarHead,
racheltracks,
randallt,
ray bob,
real world chick,
red mittens,
Reepicheep,
regis,
relentless,
revelwoodie,
revsue,
Rex Manning,
rexymeteorite,
RiaD (in memoriam),
rickeagle,
ridemybike,
rightiswrong,
Rileycat,
rincewind,
rkex,
roadlion,
RoCali,
Roger Fox,
Rosebuddear,
roses,
rscopes,
Rudini,
RumsfeldResign,
Safina,
SallyCat,
Sanuk,
Sark Svemes,
sboucher,
scooter in brooklyn,
Scrapyard Ape,
seenaymah,
Senor Unoball,
sewaneepat,
sfbob,
sgary,
Shahryar,
sheddhead,
shesaid,
Shifty18,
shmuelman,
shopkeeper,
sidious666,
sidnora,
slksfca,
slowbutsure,
smartcookienyc,
smeesq,
Smoh,
snoopydawg,
snorwich,
SnyperKitty,
SoCalHobbit,
SoCalSal,
sofia,
soonergrunt,
sostos,
sowsearsoup,
SpecialKinFlag,
spmozart,
spotDawa,
SpotTheCat,
StateOfGrace,
Statusquomustgo,
stiffneck,
stonekeeper,
suesue,
sunbro,
Super Grover,
susans,
Syoho,
tallmom,
tarkangi,
Tay,
tdslf1,
teknospaz,
theatre goon,
The Eyewitness Muse,
The Technomancer,
TheGeneral,
TheStoopingRabbit,
TigerMom,
Tim DeLaney,
tiredofcrap,
TomP,
tonyahky,
Toyotabob7,
TracieLynn,
TreeFrog,
triciawyse,
tripodisblack,
trs,
trueblueliberal,
TrueBlueMajority,
ttanner,
Tulsonian,
Turn VABlue,
Turtle Bay,
Tyto Alba,
uc booker,
UncleCharlie,
Unduna,
Unforgiven,
ursoklevar,
USArmyParatrooper,
VA02 femocrat,
Vacationland,
valadon,
Vayle,
vc2,
Vetwife,
vgranucci,
Via Chicago,
Village expects idiot home soon,
viral,
vulcangrrl,
waytac,
webranding,
Wee Mama,
weelzup,
Wes Opinion,
Whimsical Rapscallion,
willy be frantic,
willy mugobeer,
Wood Dragon,
wolfie1818,
Wordsinthewind,
Wreck Smurfy,
x,
xopher,
yet another liberal,
Zotz
Weekly GUS Diary Schedule (regular hosts featured in bold) is below. Sat AM: Currently, YOU ARE HERE!!
Sat PM: Open
Sun AM: bgblcklab1 (Happy GUS-iversary!)
Sun PM: gchaucer2 (GUS is 5 years old today!)
Mon AM: Homers24
Mon PM: Open
Tue AM: gchaucer2
Tue PM: Open
Wed AM: Homers24
Wed PM: Vacationland
Thu AM: anodnhajo
Thu PM: Open
Fri AM: flumptytail
Fri PM: Open
Sat AM: paulitics on sabbatical we'll miss you!!!!!!
Sat PM: Open
I had joined Daily Kos a couple months before deciding to Give Up Smoking [again], after I had noticed this support group. Yes, I have given up before, once for 4 years and another time for 3 years. You would think after quitting once and falling off the wagon would be enough to keep me from falling off the second successful attempt. Both times I thought I could control the habit; both times I was back to my normal pack-a-day so quickly I was astonished.
It is a sneaky drug; both times I fell off the wagon I tried a couple puffs on a cigarette and nothing happened. So I tried another puff a few days later, thinking I could just have a couple lungs full a few times a year maybe and drop it the next morning. Both times it was the second time that did me in. The nicotine habit brain cells were reawakened and ready to send that drug rush to the pleasure center. Both times I went out and bought a pack of cigarettes instantly. I kinda wanted to quit again from that first moment but I put it off for a little while, and then a little while longer till it was too late to give up without the fight against myself.
In all my comments here at GUS encouraging others to try to quit I tend to ignore how hard it can be [was, for me] to quit this drug, focusing more on the fact that is does get easier after a couple days, a couple weeks, a couple months. I get really happy when I notice that but I don't remember how much of a bother it was to overcome the cravings in the early days. And it really does become very easy to laugh at the rare, weak urge to have a smoke. It may have been a pain to get here but I don't remember it thank goodness.
I Got MAD when I learned the cigarette companies made them more addictive by adding sugar and acetaldehyde to the tobacco. [Good article] The anger helped me focus and succeed I think. One really good point they make in that article is that
Two million people quit smoking every year, and there's no reason you can't be one of them. No matter how many years you've smoked, your body will immediately begin to repair itself once you've put out your last butt. It's intimidating, so you might try by cutting back to begin with. A review of smoking studies in people that had no desire to quit showed that cutting down often led to complete cessation.
[[my bolding]] I cut back for many moons before committing this time, after lurking at GUS for a little while too, and I think it helped. Rolling my own towards the end automatically helped me think twice before I could light up without thinking.
Suddenly, three years will have gone by and you will be thrilled with how good you feel, how delicious everything is, how deep you can breath a sigh of relief, and how grateful you are to have found such a great support group. I have learned many powerful things quitting this time that I use to help me deal with other challenges. I recommend GUS highly