ceceliamurphy
07-09-2005, 09:52 AM
Though I've "only" been off cigs for three days - for me those three days, however short, seem like no small feat at all - I've noticed some serious improvements in a lot of areas and I thought I would share.
Keep in consideration that I'm taking Commit lozenges, so these benefits won't be comparable to those of someone quitting cold turkey.
ENHANCED PRODUCTIVITY: I no longer have to break up every task into twenty-minute intervals, taking breaks and therefore getting sidetracked and distracted. Last night I cleaned out my filthy, filthy car, my bedroom, and packed away my winter clothes. It didn't feel like I had to be more disciplined than before. . .I just kept at the task at hand and therefore made more progress.
INNER CALM: I'm not sure why I feel so much more tranquil, considering that I'm still consuming the stimulant from cigarettes that causes anxiety both during consumption and in its absence. Still, I feel this remarkable, penetrating calm all day long. I actually feel like I'm so much more in the present : in conversation with someone, I'm so much more available mentally to the person I'm talking to. In the places I go, I feel so much more there than before; I notice my surroundings more and I feel more at peace.
Again, this seems strange because I'm still ingesting nicotine. But it's such a marked difference from the way things used to be that I have to attribute it to quitting. It's by far my favorite benefit, so even if I'm only imagining it, let's not tell that to my brain.
I never expected something like that to happen. You just don't notice what the %^&* you're doing to yourself - your body and your psyche - as as smoker, until you quit. It feels like magic, but. . .I guess these are just the perks of possessing a human body that's not being poisoned!
NEW DEPTHS IN MY LUNGS: I was very very active even as a smoker, and the pack/day I smoked never prevented me from intense, 5x-weekly cardio sessions. Still, when I go to work out now, I have discovered that when I'm hauling oxygen, there's a much greater supply, coming from places much deeper in my lungs than I ever knew existed! I actually had to consciously re-adjust my breathing habits while exercising- I didn't have to breathe so shallowly anymore.
Unfortunately, when I breathe that deeply, it still causes me to cough: the passages down there may be open now, but they still aren't clean. Surely that will change: I'll go even deeper and clean it all out!
Well... I'll update this as I notice new benefits. I hope it's been of some help to motivate at least a teeny bit? Can anyone identify with any of these things?
oh and ps: tell me I'm not the only one who, when trying to write a post, is often distracted to the point of mesmerization by the little green :bouncing: on the right hand side of the writing box?
Keep in consideration that I'm taking Commit lozenges, so these benefits won't be comparable to those of someone quitting cold turkey.
ENHANCED PRODUCTIVITY: I no longer have to break up every task into twenty-minute intervals, taking breaks and therefore getting sidetracked and distracted. Last night I cleaned out my filthy, filthy car, my bedroom, and packed away my winter clothes. It didn't feel like I had to be more disciplined than before. . .I just kept at the task at hand and therefore made more progress.
INNER CALM: I'm not sure why I feel so much more tranquil, considering that I'm still consuming the stimulant from cigarettes that causes anxiety both during consumption and in its absence. Still, I feel this remarkable, penetrating calm all day long. I actually feel like I'm so much more in the present : in conversation with someone, I'm so much more available mentally to the person I'm talking to. In the places I go, I feel so much more there than before; I notice my surroundings more and I feel more at peace.
Again, this seems strange because I'm still ingesting nicotine. But it's such a marked difference from the way things used to be that I have to attribute it to quitting. It's by far my favorite benefit, so even if I'm only imagining it, let's not tell that to my brain.
I never expected something like that to happen. You just don't notice what the %^&* you're doing to yourself - your body and your psyche - as as smoker, until you quit. It feels like magic, but. . .I guess these are just the perks of possessing a human body that's not being poisoned!
NEW DEPTHS IN MY LUNGS: I was very very active even as a smoker, and the pack/day I smoked never prevented me from intense, 5x-weekly cardio sessions. Still, when I go to work out now, I have discovered that when I'm hauling oxygen, there's a much greater supply, coming from places much deeper in my lungs than I ever knew existed! I actually had to consciously re-adjust my breathing habits while exercising- I didn't have to breathe so shallowly anymore.
Unfortunately, when I breathe that deeply, it still causes me to cough: the passages down there may be open now, but they still aren't clean. Surely that will change: I'll go even deeper and clean it all out!
Well... I'll update this as I notice new benefits. I hope it's been of some help to motivate at least a teeny bit? Can anyone identify with any of these things?
oh and ps: tell me I'm not the only one who, when trying to write a post, is often distracted to the point of mesmerization by the little green :bouncing: on the right hand side of the writing box?
Sponsor
Johnsternow
07-09-2005, 01:39 PM
Debbie,
You mention “Emphysema in their 20’s and 30’s” Here is something some don’t know or consider but I only touch on once here before. Cigarettes are not the same as we smoked when we were younger years ago Debbie. THEY ARE WORSE! Some same brand cigarettes are sold over seas in some European countries THAT WILL NOT ALLOW ANY CHEMICALS TO BE ADDED TO THEM. Big lists of chemicals that they would not allow them to add to food though??? Search and see what they add and ask why? I believe last time I looked there were over 600 chemicals allowed to be added in the U.S and U.K. Most of us would never put them in our mouths but we treat ourselves to them by inhaling them burning in our soft lungs and blood streams to the brain. They are only there to make us more addicted and tougher to quit. Here is a list of some of my favorites.
Ammonia: Household cleaner
Angelica root extract: Known to cause cancer in animals
Arsenic: Used in rat poisons
Benzene: Used in making dyes, synthetic rubber
Butane: Gas; used in lighter fluid
Carbon monoxide: Poisonous gas
Cadmium: Used in batteries
Cyanide: Deadly poison
DDT: A banned insecticide
Ethyl Furoate: Causes liver damage in animals
Lead: Poisonous in high doses
Formaldehyde: Used to preserve dead specimens
Methoprene: Insecticide
Megastigmatrienone: Chemical naturally found in grapefruit juice
Maltitol: Sweetener for diabetics
Napthalene: Ingredient in mothballs
Methyl isocyanate: Its accidental release killed 2000 people in Bhopal, India in 1984
Polonium: Cancer-causing radioactive element
This is a list of 18 of my favorites from around 600. Oh there are also things like cocoa that open your lung capacity longer to get more of these addictive ingredients in even further and react quicker in the bloodstream and brain. Look them all up for yourselves.
This may help answer your questions. Take a good hard look at this list people. What are you doing to yourselves??????????????
John
I am so happy and excited for you!!!! I posted this Quote I wrote to someone else a wile ago to help you understand why you still feel so good already even with the nicotine intake. If you put all those chems in your water would you worry about caffeine from a cola??? LOL!!! Dear you have been poisoning yourself too! I am so happy that in such a short time you too are becoming a supporter to help others quit like some of us. Welcome to your new life! We need your help supporting others too!!! KEEP IT UP!!! YOU CAN DO IT!!!! :bouncing: :bouncing: :bouncing:
Sincerely
JohnD
You mention “Emphysema in their 20’s and 30’s” Here is something some don’t know or consider but I only touch on once here before. Cigarettes are not the same as we smoked when we were younger years ago Debbie. THEY ARE WORSE! Some same brand cigarettes are sold over seas in some European countries THAT WILL NOT ALLOW ANY CHEMICALS TO BE ADDED TO THEM. Big lists of chemicals that they would not allow them to add to food though??? Search and see what they add and ask why? I believe last time I looked there were over 600 chemicals allowed to be added in the U.S and U.K. Most of us would never put them in our mouths but we treat ourselves to them by inhaling them burning in our soft lungs and blood streams to the brain. They are only there to make us more addicted and tougher to quit. Here is a list of some of my favorites.
Ammonia: Household cleaner
Angelica root extract: Known to cause cancer in animals
Arsenic: Used in rat poisons
Benzene: Used in making dyes, synthetic rubber
Butane: Gas; used in lighter fluid
Carbon monoxide: Poisonous gas
Cadmium: Used in batteries
Cyanide: Deadly poison
DDT: A banned insecticide
Ethyl Furoate: Causes liver damage in animals
Lead: Poisonous in high doses
Formaldehyde: Used to preserve dead specimens
Methoprene: Insecticide
Megastigmatrienone: Chemical naturally found in grapefruit juice
Maltitol: Sweetener for diabetics
Napthalene: Ingredient in mothballs
Methyl isocyanate: Its accidental release killed 2000 people in Bhopal, India in 1984
Polonium: Cancer-causing radioactive element
This is a list of 18 of my favorites from around 600. Oh there are also things like cocoa that open your lung capacity longer to get more of these addictive ingredients in even further and react quicker in the bloodstream and brain. Look them all up for yourselves.
This may help answer your questions. Take a good hard look at this list people. What are you doing to yourselves??????????????
John
I am so happy and excited for you!!!! I posted this Quote I wrote to someone else a wile ago to help you understand why you still feel so good already even with the nicotine intake. If you put all those chems in your water would you worry about caffeine from a cola??? LOL!!! Dear you have been poisoning yourself too! I am so happy that in such a short time you too are becoming a supporter to help others quit like some of us. Welcome to your new life! We need your help supporting others too!!! KEEP IT UP!!! YOU CAN DO IT!!!! :bouncing: :bouncing: :bouncing:
Sincerely
JohnD
Deda
07-09-2005, 02:17 PM
Hey Cecel...congratulations...that's really great news! It doesn't take long to notice a differance,... and wait until later, it just keeps getting better and better!!
Even tho you are using NRT, (Commit), it is still less nicotine than when you were smoking a pack a day. Don't think that your using it makes your quitting any less beneficial than quitting cold turkey. It's only nicotene, and like John's post above shows, you have eleminated a ton of dangerous chemicals. That list is unbelievable! I can't believe I was inhaling that crap all day long, for so many years! :eek: !!!
Yes, I get lots more done these days too. And I do feel more focused too when speaking to others. Before I would sometimes be thinking, "I wish she'd go, so I can smoke!!" Embarrassing to say, but true. :rolleyes:
And yeah, a lot of us quitters notice better breathing real soon after we stop. Isn't it wonderful?! I'm very happy for you, and it's nice to hear such optimism so soon after quitting. Lots of us are on a more negative note right after we quit, so I'm glad you are feeling so cheerful! :D Go girllll!
Keep it up...
Deda :)
Even tho you are using NRT, (Commit), it is still less nicotine than when you were smoking a pack a day. Don't think that your using it makes your quitting any less beneficial than quitting cold turkey. It's only nicotene, and like John's post above shows, you have eleminated a ton of dangerous chemicals. That list is unbelievable! I can't believe I was inhaling that crap all day long, for so many years! :eek: !!!
Yes, I get lots more done these days too. And I do feel more focused too when speaking to others. Before I would sometimes be thinking, "I wish she'd go, so I can smoke!!" Embarrassing to say, but true. :rolleyes:
And yeah, a lot of us quitters notice better breathing real soon after we stop. Isn't it wonderful?! I'm very happy for you, and it's nice to hear such optimism so soon after quitting. Lots of us are on a more negative note right after we quit, so I'm glad you are feeling so cheerful! :D Go girllll!
Keep it up...
Deda :)
cookiepls
07-09-2005, 03:29 PM
ceceliamurphy,
I'm so happy for you but I'm so jealous too! :D I want to quit too! You've been without a cigarette for 3 days which I think is MONUMENTAL. I've never made it that far. I have been a heavy smoker for 35 years now. So far, I've tried cold turkey. Ended when my co-workers begged me to light up a cigarette. I was a miserable witch. :eek: I tried Nicorette gum. Useless. I ended up spitting out the gum and lighting a cigarette. The patch with Wellbutrin did nothing except the Wellbutrin made me feel weak and lathargic. Spent $65 for a group hypnosis session. After the session, got in my car and lit up a cigarette. Tried a little electronic device that tells you when you can smoke a cigarette and slowly tapers you off. Yeah right! Back in the 80's I tried a series of filters that were supposed to lower the nicotene progressively until you could quit. At least they weren't very expensive. I even used to poke pin holes in the filters of my cigarettes. I don't know what I thought that would accomplish. I bought a book on quitting smoking and used self-hypnosis tapes and even meditation. I tried non-nicotene herbal cigarettes. Those were horrible. The next thing I'm going to try is the Nicotrol inhalers. I'm almost afraid to get started on them. I only have one box and they're so ridiculously expensive. I don't have insurance at this time either. I already feel like a complete failure and I haven't even tried them yet. I could just scream when people say "You're just not ready to quit", "You have to be ready", or "You just don't have enough will power". Well, obviously I don't have enough will power, but as for being ready to quit......Well, I guess I'm either ready to quit or I just like torturing myself trying. Sorry everyone, for sounding so pessimistic. I'm not giving up though.
Ceceliamurphy, you rock! How are you achieving that inner calm that you talked about?
P.S. You're not the only one who is mesmerized by the little green :bouncing: .
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try.
Beverly Sills, US opera singer (1929 - )
I'm so happy for you but I'm so jealous too! :D I want to quit too! You've been without a cigarette for 3 days which I think is MONUMENTAL. I've never made it that far. I have been a heavy smoker for 35 years now. So far, I've tried cold turkey. Ended when my co-workers begged me to light up a cigarette. I was a miserable witch. :eek: I tried Nicorette gum. Useless. I ended up spitting out the gum and lighting a cigarette. The patch with Wellbutrin did nothing except the Wellbutrin made me feel weak and lathargic. Spent $65 for a group hypnosis session. After the session, got in my car and lit up a cigarette. Tried a little electronic device that tells you when you can smoke a cigarette and slowly tapers you off. Yeah right! Back in the 80's I tried a series of filters that were supposed to lower the nicotene progressively until you could quit. At least they weren't very expensive. I even used to poke pin holes in the filters of my cigarettes. I don't know what I thought that would accomplish. I bought a book on quitting smoking and used self-hypnosis tapes and even meditation. I tried non-nicotene herbal cigarettes. Those were horrible. The next thing I'm going to try is the Nicotrol inhalers. I'm almost afraid to get started on them. I only have one box and they're so ridiculously expensive. I don't have insurance at this time either. I already feel like a complete failure and I haven't even tried them yet. I could just scream when people say "You're just not ready to quit", "You have to be ready", or "You just don't have enough will power". Well, obviously I don't have enough will power, but as for being ready to quit......Well, I guess I'm either ready to quit or I just like torturing myself trying. Sorry everyone, for sounding so pessimistic. I'm not giving up though.
Ceceliamurphy, you rock! How are you achieving that inner calm that you talked about?
P.S. You're not the only one who is mesmerized by the little green :bouncing: .
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try.
Beverly Sills, US opera singer (1929 - )
Johnsternow
07-09-2005, 06:35 PM
cookiepls,
Hey there!!! The wagon is coming bye. YOU CAN CATCH IT !!! RUN FOREST RUN!!!! LOL!!! cookiepls. Lets go. We will help too!!! YOU CAN DO IT and the time is NOW!!! :bouncing: :bouncing: :bouncing:
Sincerely
JohnD
Hey there!!! The wagon is coming bye. YOU CAN CATCH IT !!! RUN FOREST RUN!!!! LOL!!! cookiepls. Lets go. We will help too!!! YOU CAN DO IT and the time is NOW!!! :bouncing: :bouncing: :bouncing:
Sincerely
JohnD
cookiepls
07-09-2005, 11:39 PM
cookiepls,
Hey there!!! The wagon is coming bye. YOU CAN CATCH IT !!! RUN FOREST RUN!!!! LOL!!! cookiepls. Lets go. We will help too!!! YOU CAN DO IT and the time is NOW!!! :bouncing: :bouncing: :bouncing:
Sincerely
JohnD
...............or tomorrow?.................yes? :dizzy:
Hey there!!! The wagon is coming bye. YOU CAN CATCH IT !!! RUN FOREST RUN!!!! LOL!!! cookiepls. Lets go. We will help too!!! YOU CAN DO IT and the time is NOW!!! :bouncing: :bouncing: :bouncing:
Sincerely
JohnD
...............or tomorrow?.................yes? :dizzy:
Johnsternow
07-09-2005, 11:45 PM
O.K. I will check in tomorrow and see how your doing!!! I'm soooo excited for you I can hardly wait!!!! :D :D :D
JohnD
JohnD
Deda
07-10-2005, 02:05 AM
Me too!! :) I wanna help you too cookiepls!
Don't smoke :nono: We're here to help you become and stay a nonsmoker! :bouncing:
woo-hooooooo...
Deda
Don't smoke :nono: We're here to help you become and stay a nonsmoker! :bouncing:
woo-hooooooo...
Deda