Weekly Quit Stats for Week of Sunday, November 8th, 2009

Susan H

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Nov 8, 2009, 4:13:43 PM11/8/09

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.........................................................
Welcome to your weekly Quit Stats.
.........................................................

Be proud of your quit and enter your details simply by replying in the
appropriate quit period. If you have a meter you are welcome to show it off
there also.

(Haven't got a meter yet? Get one at a link listed at the bottom of this
page.)

If you're new to news: alt.quit.smoking.support, post as often as you wish.
We are here to help if we can so don't be shy. We are all fighting the same
battle. It won't be easy, but it can be done, and we are doing it. We love
listening to a good rant, too.

Good luck and welcome, from all of us here at AQSS!

Included in this page are:

1/ Smoking abbreviations used in this NG
2/ Stages of quitting
3/ Junkie thinking
4/ Web site links
5/ Meters

.........................................................
Smoking abbreviations used in this NG
.........................................................

W - 1 week
FWD - first/full week done
WW - 2 weeks
M - 1 month
FMD - first/full month done
MM - 2 months
QOF - Quarter Old Fogey, 3 months (1/4 of a year)
HOF - Half Old Fogey, 6 months (1/2 of a year)
3QOF - 3 Quarters Old Fogey, 9 months (3/4 of a year)
OF - Old Fogey (1 year)
DOF - Double Old Fogey (2 years)
VOF - Very Old Fogey (3 years or more)
AQSS/a.q.s.s. - this group, Alt.Quit.Smoking.Support
NRT - nicotine replacement therapy

.........................................................
Stages of quitting
.........................................................

Stage 1: Agitation
Anxiety, muscular tension, irritability, difficulty sleeping, and high
craving. You've probably already experienced this innumerable times during
your smoking career (this is when you root through the ashtrays looking for
butts). It generally begins a few hours after your last cigarette and lasts
for a day or two.

Stage 2: Slump
You feel depressed, fatigued, jittery and are forgetful, short-tempered, and
emotionally volatile. You may also have trouble sleeping. You continually
crave a cigarette. This may last for several days.

Stage 3: Honeymoon
Somewhere in the first 10 days after your last cigarette, you start feeling
better. A lot better. Your mood improves and your energy returns. Craving is
still present but manageable. The danger is you'll become overconfident.

Stage 4: Second Slump
It's hard to pin down, but for most of our quitters, this second slump
begins two to six weeks after the last cigarette. Craving may return along
with episodes of nervousness, irritability, sleep disruption, flu-like
symptoms, and fatigue.

Stage 5: Second Honeymoon
Begins four to six weeks after the last dose. Improvement in the above
symptoms leads to the conclusion that danger of relapse has past and
withdrawal is over.

Stage 6: Relapse Phase
Most ex-smokers experience at least one more noticeable "slump" during the
first four months of abstinence. Craving returns, and with it, the risk of
relapse. To get through it, you have to avoid exposing yourself to risky
situations.

Stage 7: Stabilization
Once the last of the initial slumps has ended, things stabilize. Craving is
largely the result of conditioned responses (e.g., to smells, activities)
which can be avoided. Abstinence is fairly comfortable with the exception of
periods of unusual stress, recurrent craving, and occasional strong memories
of pleasures associated with smoking.

Patience is the key here. Keep going in your quit, and all these stages will
soon become history.

.........................................................
Junkie thinking
.........................................................

JUNKIE THINKING: "One Puff won't hurt"
RESPONSE: "One puff will always hurt me, and it always will because I'm not
a social smoker. One puff and I'll be smoking compulsively again."

JUNKIE THINKING: "I only want one."
RESPONSE: "I have never wanted only one. In fact, I want 20-30 a day, every
day. I want them all."

JUNKIE THINKING: "I'll just be a social smoker."
RESPONSE: "I'm a chronic, compulsive smoker, and once I smoke one, I'll
quickly be thinking about the next one. Social smokers can take it or leave
it. That's not me!"

JUNKIE THINKING: "I'm doing so well, one won't hurt me now."
RESPONSE: "The only reason I'm doing so well is because I haven't taken the
first one. Yet once I do, I won't be doing well anymore. I'll be smoking
again."

JUNKIE THINKING: "I'll just stop again."
RESPONSE: "Sounds easy, but who am I trying to kid? Look how long it took me
to stop this time. And once I start, how long will it take before I get sick
enough to face withdrawal again? In fact, when I'm back in the grip of
compulsion, what guarantee do I have that I'll ever be able to stop again?"

JUNKIE THINKING: "If I slip, I'll keep trying."
RESPONSE: "If I think I can get away with one little 'slip' now I'll think I
can get away with another little 'slip' later on. And the slipping will get
stronger and the trying will get weaker."

JUNKIE THINKING: "I need one to get me through this withdrawal."
RESPONSE: "Smoking will not get me through the discomfort of not smoking. It
will only get me back to smoking. One puff stops the process of withdrawal
and I'll have to go through it all over again."

JUNKIE THINKING: "I miss smoking right now."
RESPONSE: "Of course I miss something I've been doing every day for most of
my life. But do I miss the chest pains right now? Do I miss the worry, the
embarrassment? I'd rather be an ex-smoker with an occasional desire to
smoke, than a smoker with a constant desire to quit."

JUNKIE THINKING: "I really need to smoke now, I'm so upset (or depressed, or
whatever)."
RESPONSE: "Smoking is not going to fix anything. I'll still be upset or
depressed or whatever, I'll just be an upset/depressed smoker. I never have
to have a cigarette. Smoking is not a need, it's a want. Once the crisis is
over, I'll be relieved and grateful I'm still not smoking."

JUNKIE THINKING: "I'm bored."
RESPONSE: "Smoking is an 'activity' or 'something to do' only for smokers.
I'm really not 'doing' anything when I smoke except still sitting/standing
there. The rest of the world survives occasional boredom quite well without
inhaling life-challenging chemicals."

JUNKIE THINKING: "But they've been smoking on TV and in the movies for
years! There are even magazines devoted to tobacco products!"
RESPONSE: "That's right. They were on TV for years; I wasn't. I'm still
alive; many of them aren't, and they departed this vale of tears in
prolonged and painful ways. And the smiling faces in the magazines now are
risking painful and disfiguring surgery later, at which point they won't be
smiling at all."

JUNKIE THINKING: "Its so nice to go out for a 'breath of fresh air' and a
cigarette."
RESPONSE: "Fresh air? I've got to be kidding. And face it, sunny days are
one thing, but how many days do I huddle out in the rain with the rain
hitting the cigarette and turning the cigarette paper that disgusting yellow
color? How many times is it windy and it takes forever to keep a match or
lighter lit long enough to light the cigarette, and then how often does a
gust of wind come up and blow the ashes into my eyes? And when it's icy
outside, freezing my face off is bad enough, but when it defrosts, there's
this bizarre yellow condensation around my nostrils. Now THAT'S attractive."

JUNKIE THINKING: "Smoking makes work go faster."
RESPONSE: "Most jobs where you work indoors are in companies which ban
smoking in the workplace. Some companies won't hire me if I smoke. And every
time I stop for a smoke it actually prolongs my work, since I'm not busy
accomplishing it."

.........................................................
Web site links
.........................................................

These sites are in no particular order and are contributed by members of
AQSS. If you'd like to add a link, please contact the quit stats poster.
Many thanks to those who have contributed!

Quitting support and info: personal quitters' pages:
http://www.geocities.com/JALARS/
http://www.roofchek.com/quitsmoking/
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ranch/6100/
http://www.cognitivequitting.com/
http://www.thebrackenfamily.info/html/why_quit_video.html
http://www.ciggyfree.com/

Quitting support and info: organizational, directories, etc.:
http://www.sk.lung.ca/content.cfm/cessation
http://www.quitnet.com/library/guides/quitnet/
http://quitsmoking.about.com/index.htm
http://www.stop-tabac.ch/en/welcome.html
http://www.trytostop.org/
http://www.americanlegacy.org/greatstart/html/home.html
(especially written for pregnant women!)
http://directory.google.com/Top/Health/Addictions/Substance_Abuse/Tobacco/Quitting/
http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/tobacco/
http://www.thetruth.com/
http://www.smoke-free.ca/ is sponsored by the
Physicians for a Smoke Free Canada. This is a registered charity made up of
doctors who want to reduce smoking related illness by helping people to
quit.
http://www.4woman.gov/QuitSmoking/index.cfm (from the National Women's
Health Information Center)
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_10_13X_Quitting_Smoking.asp
(American Cancer Society's Guide to Quitting Smoking)

Both MSN and Yahoo! have quit support groups; for semi-private group
support, please search at:
http://communities.msn.com
http://groups.yahoo.com

Nicotine addiction, health effects:
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/tobac-tabac/body-corps/index_e.html
http://www.nida.nih.gov/ResearchReports/Nicotine/Nicotine.html
http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofax/tobacco.html
http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/may98/nida-06.htm
http://www.garfield.library.upenn.edu/essays/v4p229y1979-80.pdf

Scare tactics and health effects:
http://www.smokingisugly.com/main.html
http://www.olivija.com/SMOKERSPRAYER/
http://whyquit.com/whyquit/
http://www.emedicine.com/aaem/topic84.htm#section~pictures
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/smoking.html
http://www.lechin.com/cancerpic1.htm
http://www.tobacco21.org
If you don't have enough reasons to quit then check out this site, "He
wanted you to know"
http://www.sptimes.com/News/61599/Floridian/He_wanted_you_to_know.shtml (Be
warned: it will send shivers up your spine.)
http://www.sptimes.com/News/102900/Floridian/Final_wish_granted.shtml
I don't know whether these are a smoker's lungs, but they show lungs
affected by centrilobular emphysema, the most common form of emphysema among
smokers:
http://www-medlib.med.utah.edu/WebPath/LUNGHTML/LUNG058.html
http://www-medlib.med.utah.edu/WebPath/LUNGHTML/LUNG057.html
Nonsmoker's lungs versus smoker's lungs:
http://www.britannica.com/ebc/art-85185
Smoker's lung with cancer:
http://whyquit.com/joel/cancer.jpg (White area on top is the cancer, this is
what killed the person. The blackened area is just the deposit of tars that
all smokers paint into their lungs with every puff they take.)

Tobacco industry, public health policy:
http://www.americanlegacy.org/
http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/
http://www.ash.org.uk/
http://www.tobacco.org
http://www.library.ucsf.edu/tobacco/cigpapers/book/contents.html

SilkQuit Chat Room:
http://www.silkquit.org/irc/chat.html

Alternative Chats:
mIRC: irc2.peacefulhaven.net (channel is #smokefreechat)
http://client0.sigmachat.com/sc.php?id=123817

Should I Smoke or Shouldn't I? The Bee in the Bonnet
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/alt.quit.smoking.support/msg/de2fe899c57982a1?dmode=source
or
http://tinyurl.com/5hjvn

Smoking From All Sides:
http://smokingsides.com/

NO SMOKE Software:
http://www.smokefreekids.com/smoke.htm

Welcome to QuitSmokingSupport.com!:
http://www.quitsmokingsupport.com/

More Information on Tobacco Use and Periodontal Disease:
http://www.perio.org/consumer/smoking_info.htm#websites

An on-line community for ex-smokers:
http://www.ex-smokers.com/

Way2Quit:
http://www.way2quit.com/

The Habitrol� Road to Success is a free behavioral modification program
designed to assist you in your journey to a smoke-free lifestyle:
http://www.habitrol.com/

SmokeStoppers:
http://www.smokestoppers.com/

SmokeWorm:
http://www.smokeworm.com/index.htm

Don't Give Up Giving Up (UK Site):
http://www.givingupsmoking.co.uk/

Weekly Warning:
http://www.weeklywarning.com/

Quit Now--The National Tobacco Campaign From Australia:
http://www.quitnow.info.au/

Stop Smoking Center:
http://www.stopsmokingcenter.net/

Want a busier news group?
Go here: news: alt.support.stop-smoking AKA AS3.
Just make sure you return here though, OK!

Quitbuddies (Includes photos from the above-mentioned AS3 news group members
as well as some AQSS members):
http://www.quitbuddies.org

.........................................................
Meters
.........................................................

Meters can be found here:
http://www.silkquit.org/
http://www.dedicateddesigns.com/qk/
http://www.quitsmokingsupport.com/counters.htm
PALM (PDA) meter: http://tinyurl.com/hv5o
(or search at http://www.palmgear.com for "pufffree")

Since the SilkQuit link doesn't offer any Mac meters, people sometimes ask
for them, so here's a more comprehensive list of links to meters for a
variety of platforms -- Windows, Mac, and Web-based (Perl & JavaScript)
meters:
http://quitsmoking.about.com/cs/quitmeters/
http://clbe.net/smobometer.htm (an online quit meter)
PERL script and/or web based meter: http://www.quitmeter.com/
JavaScript: http://www.angelfire.com/ak/jcvdwalt/quit/quit.html
http://exoprog.110mb.com/quitmeter.html

Best wishes,
Susan

I have been breathing free for One year, nine months, two weeks, two days,
18 hours, 59 minutes and 45 seconds. I have not held or inhaled a minimum of
13115 cigarettes, saving at least $2,491.85. I have reclaimed 6 weeks, 3
days, 12 hours, 55 minutes of my life to live it the way it is meant to be
lived.

Norman Philpott

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Nov 10, 2009, 1:38:18 AM11/10/09

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Eight years, two months, two weeks, one day, 23 hours, 50 minutes and 35
seconds.
74974 cigarettes not smoked, saving $14,095.27.
Life saved: 37 weeks, 1 day, 7 hours, 50 minutes.

Norm

Susan H

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Nov 15, 2009, 10:10:18 PM11/15/09

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Good to see you Norman,
Keep on keeping on!
Best wishes,
Susan
"Norman Philpott" <iris...@msn.com> wrote in message
news:dU7Km.3900$pN5...@unlimited.newshosting.com...

Susan H

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Nov 15, 2009, 8:56:24 PM11/15/09

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Greetings all,

I feel that since that lack of participation has become, um, null, I will
only post the stats once a month until there is more participation.
Until then I will occasionally check in.
If anyone else would like to step in and take over please contact me at
shmoozin*removethisforspam*@comcast.net.
Hope this finds all well, happy, and smokefree....

Best wishes,
Susan

I have been breathing free for One year, nine months, three weeks, two days,
23 hours, 25 minutes and 35 seconds. I have not held or inhaled a minimum of
13259 cigarettes, saving at least $2,519.15. I have reclaimed 6 weeks, 4
days, 55 minutes of my life to live it the way it is meant to be lived.

Norman Philpott

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Nov 19, 2009, 1:56:28 AM11/19/09

to

Susan you're doing a great job! Keep it coming and don't give up.
Really good to see you staying the course.

Norm

"Susan H" <shmo...@dontevenspamme.com> wrote in message
news:hdrg6o$83c$1...@news.eternal-september.org...

Susan H

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Nov 22, 2009, 4:55:33 PM11/22/09

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Greetings All,

Hope this finds all well, happy and smokefree! Here on Delmarva we are
getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving, which is one of my most favorite
holidays. I have some friends local, that are quite sick right now. I just
lost a few patients in the past couple weeks and am about to lose a couple
more. that I am/was quite fond of but I hope and I do believe I was able to
offer an ounce of comfort and help to them. I hope and believe that I was
able to help them and their family members get a few of the answers and a
bit of peace that I believe they were looking for. To be quite honest, this
past week has sucked royally. It has been physically challenging as I have
not felt well but still had to work, and I am a sponge to others sufferings,
strugglings and pain. I have to remember to squeeze myself out and be dry
to continue to help... no easy feat for this chick. And it gets me in
trouble when I don't check myself.

So, I still struggle with myself, try to be available to others *which I
have learned I am not so good at certain times*, and remain grateful.
Everyday is a gift. Everyone that touches our heart and our lives is a
gift, in one fashion or another. Sometimes gifts come in strange packages.
Sometimes I think gift wrapping is a very special given gift to a select
few, but most of my gifts came really badly packaged. But they were the
best and biggest gifts.

So Happy Thanksgiving to anyone that took the time to read this. Find
gratitude in every little thing, if you can. But most importantly find
gratitude for being free from the Nicodemon and if you are in the grips at
this moment.....
Make this time your time, even if it is not the first tme, if you can, and
you can, dont doubt yourself, just do it, you can. You are worth it. We
all are and all we have is this moment.

Best wishes and with gratitude to those of you unaware,
Susan

I have been breathing free for One year, nine months, four weeks, two days,
19 hours, 18 minutes and 44 seconds. I have not held or inhaled a minimum of
13396 cigarettes, saving at least $2,545.10. I have reclaimed 6 weeks, 4
days, 12 hours, 20 minutes of my life to live it the way it is meant to be
lived.

Susan H

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Nov 22, 2009, 4:58:03 PM11/22/09

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"Norman Philpott" <iris...@msn.com> wrote in message

news:x_5Nm.5544$Ve1....@unlimited.newshosting.com...

> Susan you're doing a great job! Keep it coming and don't give up.
> Really good to see you staying the course.
>
> Norm

Thanks Norm,
Not giving up, nope not me. I will keep it coming. Thank you my friend.
Hope you have a lovely Thanksgivring if you celebrate (American holiday).
If you dont, take some time out this week and take in some gratitude. And
please know that I am grateful for your encouragement.
Best wishes,
Susan

pcb

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Nov 24, 2009, 10:03:11 PM11/24/09

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One year, 2 minutes and 42 seconds.

YEAH ME !!!

I did it. I did it.....

Chris

Norman Philpott

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Nov 25, 2009, 1:04:14 AM11/25/09

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Congrats Chris! Nice going....

Norm

"pcb" <pcb62re...@cox.net> wrote in message
news:Q71Pm.45664$Wd1....@newsfe15.iad...

Susan H

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Nov 25, 2009, 6:22:58 PM11/25/09

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YaY You buddy!!!!
That was the fastest longest year, eh?!
Good to see ya.... I was hoping you were holding out for a big show!
Speech!!!
Huge Congrats on your OF!
That so rocks!!!!
Mega East Coast hugs Okie,
Susan

"pcb" <pcb62re...@cox.net> wrote in message
news:Q71Pm.45664$Wd1....@newsfe15.iad...

Elizabeth Cook

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Nov 27, 2009, 4:50:03 AM11/27/09

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"Susan H" <shmo...@dontevenspamme.com> wrote in message

news:hd7d23$fj1$1...@news.eternal-september.org...

> Congratulations on more than five years quit!
> Please reply here.
>

Me! Six years and a bit.

Liz

Norman Philpott

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Nov 30, 2009, 1:17:06 AM11/30/09

to

Hi Liz
Superb work. Nice to see you doing staying the course.
Norm

"Elizabeth Cook" <e.ba...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:phNPm.112629$Qc7....@newsfe17.ams2...

Norman Philpott

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Nov 30, 2009, 1:24:05 AM11/30/09

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As of November 29, 2009 @ 1:20 a.m.
I have been successful for eight years, three months, four days, 22 hours,
34 minutes and 32 seconds.
During that time there were 75473 cigarettes not smoked, saving $14,189.21.
(Canadian)
Life saved: 37 weeks, 3 days, 1 hour, 25 minutes.
Norm

"Susan H" <shmo...@dontevenspamme.com> wrote in message
news:hd7d23$fj1$1...@news.eternal-september.org...