Sorry to hear that you're still under stress, but I'm glad you've been able to keep from smoking. Smoking doesn't really help but we smokers really seem to escalate it during stressful times believing that it will. Keep up the new mindset.
Yeah, I miss all the old friends here, too. Remember when you couldn't step away from the computer to go to the bathroom without having a bunch of posts to catch up on when you came back? Forget about sleeping...there would be so many pages to catch up on that you'd have to post first to let everyone know you were around before spending an hour catching up.
I miss those days and all the laughs we had. I wonder where everyone went?
I know that some people revert and some people are "cured" and some people just lose touch, but I would like to hear from them occasionally!! We used to keep the forum on fire, remember when you would wake up and log in, and you would have 35 to 40 likes to review. The like-fest really used to make my day!! I still find comfort here and I wish others felt the same way. Hey Thaya, we still have each other babe!
Yep I'm here. On my birthday and so far about a week into not smoking (again) and on the same page that FQ is.
Smoking doesn't make it better so why go back to it.
Have a good day folks and embrace the suck!
Embracing the suck with both arms here, Ethereal. Sorry to hear you're stressed, I'd like to tell you it will get better but you are a better judge of that than I am. Huge congrats on the week and counting!!
My stress goes up and down like an elevator these days. Just when something clears up, something new pops up. It's a never-ending story and I'm going to have to learn how to cope without my old friends (Newports) and still be able to function and have fun in my life!!
I think people often go back to smoking while under stress because smoking is simple and easy. Vaping requires time, effort and planning so anyone who is stressed out often reverts to the mindlessness of smoking.
THIS!!!! 1000 times this. I was so used to smoking and stuffing all my feelings into that little box in my head (y'all might not have one, but I do, it has a tight-fitting lid and several heavy chains wrapped around it!!) then when I extinguished the cigarette the feelings were gone as well. Okay, a really bad fight might have me chain-smoking up to 3 at a time, but you get the idea. Nowadays the smoking made me even more anxious and feeling bad physically (chest and throat sore, coughing again, etc.) then I added on a healthy dose of shame at my own weakness and stupidity, and smoking actually INCREASED my stress. Now, wouldn't I have learned that lesson the first time I tried it? Why, sure, but I had to keep "trying again" to make sure it didn't suddenly become my magic elixir again.
Now I've pretty much come to terms with it. Smoking makes me feel like crap, both physically and mentally. Smoking does not alleviate stress anymore. Smoking is beginning to lose the allure it once had. Only took me 20+ years to come to that realization, and I'm glad I was finally able to connect those dots in my head. Remember how my mantra used to be "I'm one weak moment or bad decision away from being a pack-a-day smoker again." That was a self-fulfilling prophecy. At least I was honest with myself about it!
Good luck everyone with your journeys. I'm so glad there are people who "get it" here!!
I finally started watching TV shows on my computer when this thread slowed to a crawl, but still check it out whenever I see a new post. 
And that goes for all of you, too.
