over one year quit
Hi all,
I just dropped in to say hi. I stopped smoking a year ago and
thought I never would be able to stay quit for longer than six
month. After several downfalls I learned to use the tools Pam and
Steve gave me. I learned to use the timer exercise, how to make ABC.
Until today I use ABCs not only for staying quit but for different
parts of my life.
I have been through a lot due to illness over the last year and came
many times close to smoking. I have been diagnosed Bipolar and I
attempted to hide with ciggs behind the constant mood swings.
Whenever I felt down and used smoking as an excuse there was always
one question popping up automatically in my mind and that was
Steve’s question: ” Do you want to be a smoker” and I clearly knew I
did not want to be a smoker and then I knew what to do. I guess
Steve asked me this question so many times until I knew the answer.
Steve, Pam and Ion and anyone else who still remembers me and
supported me I want to send a big thank you as you have been always
patience and thought me to use the tools. I know I was stubborn and
didn’t always grab the basic idea. I am still stubborn but in one
year I have learned to deal with a long life illness and at the same
time not to give in to smoke. I learned cognitive behaviour with my
psych and it helped a lot that I had an idea of how it worked.
Best news of all with me not smoking my husband stopped smoking in
the beginning of October. Yippee we now have a smoke free home and I
hardly ever worry about going back to smoking.
My advice to anyone who is just starting out is: read the getting
started sites and the achieves and follow Steve and Pam’s
guidelines. Believe me it is so worth all the work. It may seem a
lot at the beginning but it gets easier and easier as more as you do
it. If you learn to use the tools Pam and Steve are teaching you,
you will have life long tools to use and never have to worry about
to be a smoker again.
Many greetings
Your
Carmen (HappyPolarBear)
October 23rd, 2006 at 7:57 am
Congrats Carmen - very well done :)) It was great to read your
post tonight and hear how you’ve done - you worked hard and now
you’re reaping the rewards, living your life very differently. Take
note, newbies - this cognitive quit is very doable if you ‘do the
work’
take care,
Pam
October 23rd, 2006 at 3:46 pm
Congratulations Carmen
It’s wonderful to see you at a year quit. You’ve worked hard and come a
long way.
Thank you,
Steve