My Hiatus is Over and I Have Quit!

Well, it has been a month since my last post, and now my hiatus is over. On September 3rd I smoked my last cigarette. The past 28 days have been quite challenging; more challenging than I expected. I suppose you have to be a smoker or an ex-smoker to truly appreciate the tentacles of nicotine addiction and the effect that the act of quitting really has.

I smoked since my sophomore year in high school. Over the years, almost everything I did became connected to smoking. When you quit smoking, not only do you experience withdrawal from nicotine, but you need to re-program your way of thinking when doing even the most daily chores. It goes beyond the biggies that everyone thinks of......the smoke after eating or the smoke with your daily coffee. Most smokers associate MANY activities with smoking. Smoking keeps us company while we work, talk on the phone, cook, clean, put on our makeup, drive to work, drive home from work. The list could go on and on.

Over the last month, there were many things I avoided, if I could, because the activity would trigger such a strong craving. Blogging was one. I ALWAYS smoked a few as I wrote. They kept me company when I would be doing my research for Sunday Morning News. I would fire a couple up as I checked my stats. I could go on and on with example, but I am sure you get my point.

I am early in "my quit," but I am making it. I have come to understand just how nicotine addiction works and why it is so hard to make a quit stick. Life is beginning to feel a bit more back to normal, and I have missed some feeling of normalcy. One of the supports I have used is a fabulous website called QuitNet. If you or someone you know is looking for support as they break their nicotine addiction, pay a visit to http://www.quitnet.com/ I am eternally grateful to my family and friends who have been supportive and understanding during this last month. So, this post represents another hurdle I have overcome as I make my way through my recovery. Another day down and another day following the mantra "NOPE".....not one puff ever!