life choice

[cdforecheck]

it seems to me that the thrust here has been lost in the stats and numbers, i am no statistician, my point was:

WHAT THIS SITE MEANS TO ME

Who in the world would bet on any of us?

We are the 15%ers. We will make it. A life without nicotine is possible, we found a support and hopefully we are using it. We are the ones that made it past the 30 day mark when most relapses occur. We have determined to change our lives. We are the ones not afraid to admit that we are weak and canÂ’t do it alone. We are stronger together because we understand how hard it is to fight this. We know ways to distract ourselves and have the vehicle to do it here, from chat to wildcard to posting. We are more powerful against nicotine than anyone of us ever were by ourselves. We are committed to benefiting ourselves and our families and helping perfect strangers to do the same. We hold ourselves accountable to multiple networks of support. We make life changes to avoid the triggers. We will do this, we will succeed, and our lives will be much better for it. We are the 15%ers. We are FREE.

the closest i ever come to stats is my grade book and the ten year census. I am just proud to among the folks here

[cdforecheck]

I was bored so I did a little tinkering and found some interesting stuff.

According to recent studies, nicotine users who have stopped ingesting nicotine have a success rate of 23% for one year of abstinence and 14% for two years; these are the numbers for those using a support system.  Alone, the success rate is dramatically lower, around 14% make it one year and 9% make it two years.  Both studies, one by the Tobacco Health Related Disease Institute and the other through NIH notice little change in success rate following two years and both studies included only smokers and both stated that smokeless tobacco appears more difficult to quit long term.  No other drug shows relapse rates this high, heroin comes the closest.

Who in the world would bet on any of us?  A less than 1 in 4 chance to make one year and less than 1 in 10 to make it two alone?

How many people visited here one day, signed up, and have never been heard from again? About 85%, by using the member list have posted 0 to less than 100 times, excluding those joining before 100 days have passed.
 
We are the 15%ers.  We will make it. A life without nicotine is possible, we found a support and hopefully we are using it.  We are the ones that made it past the 30 day mark when most relapses occur.  We have determined to change our lives. We are the ones not afraid to admit that we are weak and can’t do it alone.  We are stronger together because we understand how hard it is to fight this.  We know ways to distract ourselves and have the vehicle to do it here, from chat to wildcard to posting.  We are more powerful against nicotine than anyone of us ever were by ourselves.  We are committed to benefiting ourselves and our families and helping perfect strangers to do the same.  We hold ourselves accountable to multiple networks of support.  We make life changes to avoid the triggers.  We will do this, we will succeed, and our lives will be much better for it.  We are the 15%ers. We are FREE.

Thanks for the info CD, it's good to put some numbers to it. As a trained statistician, though, I'd really like to see the tests before I accepted the numbers as gospel. Which group would people like (for example) Volp fall into? Depending on the researcher's own prejudices, or the construction of the survey, he might be considered a quitter or not. And if they cave, then succeed for more than two years, are they counted twice, once as a quit and once as a cave? What if they cave 3 times, then succeed?

Such considerations can REALLY skew statistical surveys. Not to minimize your efforts here, which are outstanding. I'm just sayin'.

We're still quit, and that's that.

hell i'm no statistician not even close just looked to see what nic cessation is, methodology is the all important factor and can blow any study apart, just interesting that looking at the number of members that have joined this site and postings match the data i saw....like i said i was bored

It's been said before that the board's success numbers are pretty well aligned with the overall statistics. It's interesting to see that yet again.

But here's some numbers that I try to pay attention to: 100% of the people that really want to quit bad enough to stop making excuses and do whatever it takes no matter how "hard it is actually quit. 100% of the people that know using nicotine is bad for them but aren't really willing to do whatever it takes to quit eventually fail.

amen to that 44

[11X4]

I was bored so I did a little tinkering and found some interesting stuff.

According to recent studies, nicotine users who have stopped ingesting nicotine have a success rate of 23% for one year of abstinence and 14% for two years; these are the numbers for those using a support system.  Alone, the success rate is dramatically lower, around 14% make it one year and 9% make it two years.  Both studies, one by the Tobacco Health Related Disease Institute and the other through NIH notice little change in success rate following two years and both studies included only smokers and both stated that smokeless tobacco appears more difficult to quit long term.  No other drug shows relapse rates this high, heroin comes the closest.

Who in the world would bet on any of us?  A less than 1 in 4 chance to make one year and less than 1 in 10 to make it two alone?

How many people visited here one day, signed up, and have never been heard from again? About 85%, by using the member list have posted 0 to less than 100 times, excluding those joining before 100 days have passed.
 
We are the 15%ers.  We will make it. A life without nicotine is possible, we found a support and hopefully we are using it.  We are the ones that made it past the 30 day mark when most relapses occur.  We have determined to change our lives. We are the ones not afraid to admit that we are weak and can’t do it alone.  We are stronger together because we understand how hard it is to fight this.  We know ways to distract ourselves and have the vehicle to do it here, from chat to wildcard to posting.  We are more powerful against nicotine than anyone of us ever were by ourselves.  We are committed to benefiting ourselves and our families and helping perfect strangers to do the same.  We hold ourselves accountable to multiple networks of support.  We make life changes to avoid the triggers.  We will do this, we will succeed, and our lives will be much better for it.  We are the 15%ers. We are FREE.

Thanks for the info CD, it's good to put some numbers to it. As a trained statistician, though, I'd really like to see the tests before I accepted the numbers as gospel. Which group would people like (for example) Volp fall into? Depending on the researcher's own prejudices, or the construction of the survey, he might be considered a quitter or not. And if they cave, then succeed for more than two years, are they counted twice, once as a quit and once as a cave? What if they cave 3 times, then succeed?

Such considerations can REALLY skew statistical surveys. Not to minimize your efforts here, which are outstanding. I'm just sayin'.

We're still quit, and that's that.

hell i'm no statistician not even close just looked to see what nic cessation is, methodology is the all important factor and can blow any study apart, just interesting that looking at the number of members that have joined this site and postings match the data i saw....like i said i was bored

It's been said before that the board's success numbers are pretty well aligned with the overall statistics. It's interesting to see that yet again.

But here's some numbers that I try to pay attention to: 100% of the people that really want to quit bad enough to stop making excuses and do whatever it takes no matter how "hard it is actually quit. 100% of the people that know using nicotine is bad for them but aren't really willing to do whatever it takes to quit eventually fail.

[cdforecheck]

I was bored so I did a little tinkering and found some interesting stuff.

According to recent studies, nicotine users who have stopped ingesting nicotine have a success rate of 23% for one year of abstinence and 14% for two years; these are the numbers for those using a support system.  Alone, the success rate is dramatically lower, around 14% make it one year and 9% make it two years.  Both studies, one by the Tobacco Health Related Disease Institute and the other through NIH notice little change in success rate following two years and both studies included only smokers and both stated that smokeless tobacco appears more difficult to quit long term.  No other drug shows relapse rates this high, heroin comes the closest.

Who in the world would bet on any of us?  A less than 1 in 4 chance to make one year and less than 1 in 10 to make it two alone?

How many people visited here one day, signed up, and have never been heard from again? About 85%, by using the member list have posted 0 to less than 100 times, excluding those joining before 100 days have passed.
 
We are the 15%ers.  We will make it. A life without nicotine is possible, we found a support and hopefully we are using it.  We are the ones that made it past the 30 day mark when most relapses occur.  We have determined to change our lives. We are the ones not afraid to admit that we are weak and can’t do it alone.  We are stronger together because we understand how hard it is to fight this.  We know ways to distract ourselves and have the vehicle to do it here, from chat to wildcard to posting.  We are more powerful against nicotine than anyone of us ever were by ourselves.  We are committed to benefiting ourselves and our families and helping perfect strangers to do the same.  We hold ourselves accountable to multiple networks of support.  We make life changes to avoid the triggers.  We will do this, we will succeed, and our lives will be much better for it.  We are the 15%ers. We are FREE.

Thanks for the info CD, it's good to put some numbers to it. As a trained statistician, though, I'd really like to see the tests before I accepted the numbers as gospel. Which group would people like (for example) Volp fall into? Depending on the researcher's own prejudices, or the construction of the survey, he might be considered a quitter or not. And if they cave, then succeed for more than two years, are they counted twice, once as a quit and once as a cave? What if they cave 3 times, then succeed?

Such considerations can REALLY skew statistical surveys. Not to minimize your efforts here, which are outstanding. I'm just sayin'.

We're still quit, and that's that.

hell i'm no statistician not even close just looked to see what nic cessation is, methodology is the all important factor and can blow any study apart, just interesting that looking at the number of members that have joined this site and postings match the data i saw....like i said i was bored

[Gump]

I was bored so I did a little tinkering and found some interesting stuff.

According to recent studies, nicotine users who have stopped ingesting nicotine have a success rate of 23% for one year of abstinence and 14% for two years; these are the numbers for those using a support system.  Alone, the success rate is dramatically lower, around 14% make it one year and 9% make it two years.  Both studies, one by the Tobacco Health Related Disease Institute and the other through NIH notice little change in success rate following two years and both studies included only smokers and both stated that smokeless tobacco appears more difficult to quit long term.  No other drug shows relapse rates this high, heroin comes the closest.

Who in the world would bet on any of us?  A less than 1 in 4 chance to make one year and less than 1 in 10 to make it two alone?

How many people visited here one day, signed up, and have never been heard from again? About 85%, by using the member list have posted 0 to less than 100 times, excluding those joining before 100 days have passed.
 
We are the 15%ers.  We will make it. A life without nicotine is possible, we found a support and hopefully we are using it.  We are the ones that made it past the 30 day mark when most relapses occur.  We have determined to change our lives. We are the ones not afraid to admit that we are weak and can’t do it alone.  We are stronger together because we understand how hard it is to fight this.  We know ways to distract ourselves and have the vehicle to do it here, from chat to wildcard to posting.  We are more powerful against nicotine than anyone of us ever were by ourselves.  We are committed to benefiting ourselves and our families and helping perfect strangers to do the same.  We hold ourselves accountable to multiple networks of support.  We make life changes to avoid the triggers.  We will do this, we will succeed, and our lives will be much better for it.  We are the 15%ers. We are FREE.

Thanks for the info CD, it's good to put some numbers to it. As a trained statistician, though, I'd really like to see the tests before I accepted the numbers as gospel. Which group would people like (for example) Volp fall into? Depending on the researcher's own prejudices, or the construction of the survey, he might be considered a quitter or not. And if they cave, then succeed for more than two years, are they counted twice, once as a quit and once as a cave? What if they cave 3 times, then succeed?

Such considerations can REALLY skew statistical surveys. Not to minimize your efforts here, which are outstanding. I'm just sayin'.

Anyway, WE'RE quit, wherever that puts us in the numbers.

[Ansaka]

I was bored so I did a little tinkering and found some interesting stuff.

According to recent studies, nicotine users who have stopped ingesting nicotine have a success rate of 23% for one year of abstinence and 14% for two years; these are the numbers for those using a support system.  Alone, the success rate is dramatically lower, around 14% make it one year and 9% make it two years.  Both studies, one by the Tobacco Health Related Disease Institute and the other through NIH notice little change in success rate following two years and both studies included only smokers and both stated that smokeless tobacco appears more difficult to quit long term.  No other drug shows relapse rates this high, heroin comes the closest.

Who in the world would bet on any of us?  A less than 1 in 4 chance to make one year and less than 1 in 10 to make it two alone?

How many people visited here one day, signed up, and have never been heard from again? About 85%, by using the member list have posted 0 to less than 100 times, excluding those joining before 100 days have passed.
 
We are the 15%ers.  We will make it. A life without nicotine is possible, we found a support and hopefully we are using it.  We are the ones that made it past the 30 day mark when most relapses occur.  We have determined to change our lives. We are the ones not afraid to admit that we are weak and can’t do it alone.  We are stronger together because we understand how hard it is to fight this.  We know ways to distract ourselves and have the vehicle to do it here, from chat to wildcard to posting.  We are more powerful against nicotine than anyone of us ever were by ourselves.  We are committed to benefiting ourselves and our families and helping perfect strangers to do the same.  We hold ourselves accountable to multiple networks of support.  We make life changes to avoid the triggers.  We will do this, we will succeed, and our lives will be much better for it.  We are the 15%ers. We are FREE.

Well researched and good info, Thanks. I like being a 15%er although a would rather be in a 15 incher club :P

[cdforecheck]

I was bored so I did a little tinkering and found some interesting stuff.

According to recent studies, nicotine users who have stopped ingesting nicotine have a success rate of 23% for one year of abstinence and 14% for two years; these are the numbers for those using a support system. Alone, the success rate is dramatically lower, around 14% make it one year and 9% make it two years. Both studies, one by the Tobacco Health Related Disease Institute and the other through NIH notice little change in success rate following two years and both studies included only smokers and both stated that smokeless tobacco appears more difficult to quit long term. No other drug shows relapse rates this high, heroin comes the closest.

Who in the world would bet on any of us? A less than 1 in 4 chance to make one year and less than 1 in 10 to make it two alone?

How many people visited here one day, signed up, and have never been heard from again? About 85%, by using the member list have posted 0 to less than 100 times, excluding those joining before 100 days have passed.

We are the 15%ers. We will make it. A life without nicotine is possible, we found a support and hopefully we are using it. We are the ones that made it past the 30 day mark when most relapses occur. We have determined to change our lives. We are the ones not afraid to admit that we are weak and canÂ’t do it alone. We are stronger together because we understand how hard it is to fight this. We know ways to distract ourselves and have the vehicle to do it here, from chat to wildcard to posting. We are more powerful against nicotine than anyone of us ever were by ourselves. We are committed to benefiting ourselves and our families and helping perfect strangers to do the same. We hold ourselves accountable to multiple networks of support. We make life changes to avoid the triggers. We will do this, we will succeed, and our lives will be much better for it. We are the 15%ers. We are FREE.

[Smokeyg]

One and ONLY one quit group for me. One day at a time, for the rest of my life.

Methinks I'll stop by this little intro section whenever my quit is lacking steam. Great stuff up in here.

[Snowboredm]

Why I post roll everyday:
It is the MINIMUM requirement of membership for AT LEAST the first 100 days of my quit; I take my quit seriously enough to meet the expectations of this site.
I post early so that the promise is the first thing on my mind, during the day, I check-in and watch the list grow knowing that others are joining me with their quit.
I make a commitment everyday to keep my quit strong and force me to be accountable to others.
I must be here for my brothers and sisters if I expect them to be there for me.
I have to keep the suck fresh, or heaven forbid, I forget the hell of withdraw.
Missing role will let me down; I have set a standard for myself.
I canÂ’t quite trust myself alone in my quit yet.
I am addict and would rather hang out here with other addicts than stuff shit in my mouth.
I owe my family this quit because of the lies, time, and money I have taken from them for this addiction.
I deserve to be nicotine free and it requires effort because I am an addict.

Solid.

Damn right, good stuff Curt.

Curt, can't disagree with a single letter you posted.

I read your post, and have to add (which I know you support and/or do yourself) -

I hang out in chat with my fellow quitters so quitting doesn't leave my conscious thought.
I hang out in chat to help inspire people on the fence to jump to our side and quit that disgusting, cancer causing addiction. One day at a time.
I PM other quitters that have hit milestones (HOF, months, weeks, double digits, etc) as much as I can to encourage them to congratulate others on their mini and major milestones. One day at a time.
I try and stay up to midnight so I can post. It lets me go to bed knowing I have promised to quit for the day before it really starts for me. It helps me know, from the moment I get up, that if I have to chuck in a lip when I wake up, as I have for the past 5 years, that it will be hooch, smc, a mint, or whatever the fuck it is, but none of that cancer dirt that controlled me for the past 1/4 of my life. I am DONE with that shit. I am, and will always be a December 09 quitter. One and ONLY one quit group for me. One day at a time, for the rest of my life.

Jason

[LaQuitter]

Why I post roll everyday:
It is the MINIMUM requirement of membership for AT LEAST the first 100 days of my quit; I take my quit seriously enough to meet the expectations of this site.
I post early so that the promise is the first thing on my mind, during the day, I check-in and watch the list grow knowing that others are joining me with their quit.
I make a commitment everyday to keep my quit strong and force me to be accountable to others.
I must be here for my brothers and sisters if I expect them to be there for me.
I have to keep the suck fresh, or heaven forbid, I forget the hell of withdraw.
Missing role will let me down; I have set a standard for myself.
I canÂ’t quite trust myself alone in my quit yet.
I am addict and would rather hang out here with other addicts than stuff shit in my mouth.
I owe my family this quit because of the lies, time, and money I have taken from them for this addiction.
I deserve to be nicotine free and it requires effort because I am an addict.

Solid.

Damn right, good stuff Curt.

[Gump]

Why I post roll everyday:
It is the MINIMUM requirement of membership for AT LEAST the first 100 days of my quit; I take my quit seriously enough to meet the expectations of this site.
I post early so that the promise is the first thing on my mind, during the day, I check-in and watch the list grow knowing that others are joining me with their quit.
I make a commitment everyday to keep my quit strong and force me to be accountable to others.
I must be here for my brothers and sisters if I expect them to be there for me.
I have to keep the suck fresh, or heaven forbid, I forget the hell of withdraw.
Missing role will let me down; I have set a standard for myself.
I canÂ’t quite trust myself alone in my quit yet.
I am addict and would rather hang out here with other addicts than stuff shit in my mouth.
I owe my family this quit because of the lies, time, and money I have taken from them for this addiction.
I deserve to be nicotine free and it requires effort because I am an addict.

Solid.

[cdforecheck]

Why I post roll everyday:
It is the MINIMUM requirement of membership for AT LEAST the first 100 days of my quit; I take my quit seriously enough to meet the expectations of this site.
I post early so that the promise is the first thing on my mind, during the day, I check-in and watch the list grow knowing that others are joining me with their quit.
I make a commitment everyday to keep my quit strong and force me to be accountable to others.
I must be here for my brothers and sisters if I expect them to be there for me.
I have to keep the suck fresh, or heaven forbid, I forget the hell of withdraw.
Missing role will let me down; I have set a standard for myself.
I canÂ’t quite trust myself alone in my quit yet.
I am addict and would rather hang out here with other addicts than stuff shit in my mouth.
I owe my family this quit because of the lies, time, and money I have taken from them for this addiction.
I deserve to be nicotine free and it requires effort because I am an addict.

[cdforecheck]

Here's a fun activity - spend 10 minutes if you have the time:

What are the benefits of quitting tobacco? (common theme?)

What are the benefits of using tobacco? (common theme?)

What are the negatives of using tobacco? (common theme?)

What are the negatives of quitting tobacco? (common theme?)

Can you man up today for a better tomorrow?

you know i have the time and i am going to put those questions with my reasons and contract....maybe you aren't such asshole after all....maybe just maybe an a-hole 'winker'

[Smokeyg]

Here's a fun activity - spend 10 minutes if you have the time:

What are the benefits of quitting tobacco? (common theme?)

What are the benefits of using tobacco? (common theme?)

What are the negatives of using tobacco? (common theme?)

What are the negatives of quitting tobacco? (common theme?)

Can you man up today for a better tomorrow?

[Gump]

I had a very tough day today on many levels, triggers from every angle and serious doubt in my own quit. I posted my concerns and texted my support network. It worked as I imagined and the crave subsided. Thanks to russjns, flash, vertex, and redyota for the positive text messages and all those who posted helping me through this today.

I saved reading something on this site for exactly this type of moment. Based on what many people have written, Tom and Jenny's Story helped them to make the final decision to begin a quit, I had already decided to quit before I joined so as I read the additional resources and introduction posts I purposely avoided that one link. I didn't expect what I just read to affect me like this. I write this with tears in my eyes for Tom and Jenny's family, the struggle and hardships that family has faced is NOTHING compared to my crappy day at work and dealing with things that ultimately won't mean anything in five years. How selfish I must be to even allow the idea of sucking on the shit to enter my mind? I don't think anyone other than the folks here can understand how utterly ashamed of my addiction I am at this point. I don't even think getting caught by the wife or using in front of my kids has ever made me this embarrassed and humiliated. I am going to list all the reasons I can for avoiding the "worm dirt" and keeping a copy of it in my wallet next to my contract. I have way too much to be thankful for this crap, I have too much to live for to have my children watch me take my last breath because of this shit. God Bless Tom and Jenny and their family, and God Bless the people giving of themselves to help rid others of this brutal addiction.

Curt

CD, you've been one of the people I've looked to from the beginning, not to be perfect, and not to never crave, just to never cave. You did it by the numbers, just like you were supposed to. The moment passed.

You did it right.

The Kern's story was the direct reason I joined this site, immediately after I finished reading it. I haven't talked with her, but I know for sure Jenny Kern didn't write that letter to humiliate us addicts. In her pain, she wrote that letter to help us, and our wives and husbands and partners and children. What you experienced today was exactly the reason she wrote that letter.

Like you've told me a few times, you pay it forward. She helped you, you've helped me, and even as a noob I'd like to think I'm helping some others also. You just needed some help today is all, and you asked for and got it. Thanks for hanging tough.