An odd phenomenon among OFs

When as3 dinosaurs get together, we often remark on the fact that at some
point during the first couple of years of our quits, we just lost it. I'd
guesstimate that it tends to happen somewhere between eight months and
eighteen months of quit time. Now, I have never heard a dinosaur offer a
comprehensive explanation of this phenomenon, but all you have to do is
mention it to dinosaurs of my acquaintance, and their heads start nodding.
Some of us made fools of ourselves in chat, others on the ng (me me me),
still others in the workplace or on the home front, others discover some
hitherto unknown medical or psychiatric condition that makes them act, well,
crazy.

I think this OF phenomenon is related to the rough patch quitters usually
hit a few months into their quit, where they've been postponing so much
everyday stuff while making their quit *the* priority in their lives. Then
they gradually realize that they have fallen a bit behind on their lives
outside of quitting, and they get reeeeeal cranky. Or just plain crazy. Or
depressed.

I think this OF phenomenon is also related to the fact that so many of us
quit at a point in our lives where we just couldn't get away with smoking
any more. We could no longer sustain our youthful illusions that we are
bulletproof. So when the fog of quitting clears, we realize that there's a
whole constellation of issues related to aging and quitting, and that these
issues are piling up to the point of affecting our sense of self, our
identities, our personalities. Career issues, parents dying, friends aging,
self aging, existential angst, money issues, "empty nests." It piles up on
us middle-aged quitters, and we lose it.

I notice Robbb mentioned something about what I am calling the "OF
phenomenon" in one of her recent posts. It also comes up behind the scenes
a lot, as in "What the heck is going on with so-and-so?" Response: "I
dunno. But remember, she's right around the year-mark in her quit." Sage
nodding. 'Nuf said.

And for every time I've seen an OF lose it here at as3 and then come back
and sheepishly say, "Um. Sorry. Don't know what hit me there," the group
has promptly rushed to reassure the recovering psychotic that all is well.
This happened to me, and to many, many OOFs of my acquaintance.

As for those who do not come back to as3, I don't know what happens to them,
of course. I know some people with very substantial quit time blow their
quits when they go through the OF phenomenon. Usually, a person is going to
really have to grow and come to grips with their own constellation of
identity and aging issues to get through the OF phenomenon without getting
re-addicted to cigarettes or some other substance. And if you do stay quit,
and you do flex and grow, it is so worth it. We learn things during
quitting that enhance our whole lives -- *if we let them*.

FWIW, YMMV, for your consideration.

ep ooooooooof

Thank you for this posting, EP. I am sitting here nodding as I read
what you wrote as I have BTDT and lost a quit once because of getting
to a pleateau and sense of boredom and 'why bother' which made the
opportunity for the demon to strike and draw blood. I am hoping that
this time around I am past that point in my life and my perspective is
much more practical and I can maintain my self of entitlement to good
health and more by staying smober.

As I have seen from being in other 'rooms' at different points in my
own life, addiction is addiction and smoking has its own set of
baggage we have to work through to be freed and grounded. Realizing
this now, I am much more self-forgiving and try to be tolerant of
others as well.

But more than anything, this is all ODAAT as that is how any life is
truely lived.

FlatironMike
One year, six months, three weeks, six days, 17 hours, 57 minutes and
11 seconds. 11494 cigarettes not smoked, saving $3,448.24. Life saved:
5 weeks, 4 days, 21 hours, 50 minutes.

YES!

After focusing on the fight against the evil cigs for so long, all of a
sudden one realizes that the fight is over, things are good.
It is then that the 'becoming' of who you shall be post-smoker happens.
Some become fine, healthy people...some need serious help.
I'll admit, I still need meds here and there since I quit.
After OF, I think one needs to take inventory of who they have become.

Just my thoughts.
Thanks for bringing this up EP.
xoxo,
Cat
DOF+



"Edna Pearl" <edna_pearl@yahoo.BiteMeSpammer.com> wrote in message
news:w7Uwk.24775$rD2.12341@bignews4.bellsouth.net. ..
> When as3 dinosaurs get together, we often remark on the fact that at some
> point during the first couple of years of our quits, we just lost it. I'd
> guesstimate that it tends to happen somewhere between eight months and
> eighteen months of quit time. Now, I have never heard a dinosaur offer a
> comprehensive explanation of this phenomenon, but all you have to do is
> mention it to dinosaurs of my acquaintance, and their heads start nodding.
> Some of us made fools of ourselves in chat, others on the ng (me me me),
> still others in the workplace or on the home front, others discover some
> hitherto unknown medical or psychiatric condition that makes them act,
> well, crazy.
>
> I think this OF phenomenon is related to the rough patch quitters usually
> hit a few months into their quit, where they've been postponing so much
> everyday stuff while making their quit *the* priority in their lives.
> Then they gradually realize that they have fallen a bit behind on their
> lives outside of quitting, and they get reeeeeal cranky. Or just plain
> crazy. Or depressed.
>
> I think this OF phenomenon is also related to the fact that so many of us
> quit at a point in our lives where we just couldn't get away with smoking
> any more. We could no longer sustain our youthful illusions that we are
> bulletproof. So when the fog of quitting clears, we realize that there's
> a whole constellation of issues related to aging and quitting, and that
> these issues are piling up to the point of affecting our sense of self,
> our identities, our personalities. Career issues, parents dying, friends
> aging, self aging, existential angst, money issues, "empty nests." It
> piles up on us middle-aged quitters, and we lose it.
>
> I notice Robbb mentioned something about what I am calling the "OF
> phenomenon" in one of her recent posts. It also comes up behind the
> scenes a lot, as in "What the heck is going on with so-and-so?" Response:
> "I dunno. But remember, she's right around the year-mark in her quit."
> Sage nodding. 'Nuf said.
>
> And for every time I've seen an OF lose it here at as3 and then come back
> and sheepishly say, "Um. Sorry. Don't know what hit me there," the group
> has promptly rushed to reassure the recovering psychotic that all is well.
> This happened to me, and to many, many OOFs of my acquaintance.
>
> As for those who do not come back to as3, I don't know what happens to
> them, of course. I know some people with very substantial quit time blow
> their quits when they go through the OF phenomenon. Usually, a person is
> going to really have to grow and come to grips with their own
> constellation of identity and aging issues to get through the OF
> phenomenon without getting re-addicted to cigarettes or some other
> substance. And if you do stay quit, and you do flex and grow, it is so
> worth it. We learn things during quitting that enhance our whole lives --
> *if we let them*.
>
> FWIW, YMMV, for your consideration.
>
> ep ooooooooof
>
>

Out of the past he speaks. I have all of these bizarre physical
problems from being young and crazy. Now I'm older and all of the
times they said this is gong to hurt when you get older are coming
true. Vicoden can be your friend if you only use it when you really
hurt.

Mike M
..

On Sun, 7 Sep 2008 19:48:50 -0500, "CuckooCat" <silly@laughing.net>
wrote:

>YES!
>
>After focusing on the fight against the evil cigs for so long, all of a
>sudden one realizes that the fight is over, things are good.
>It is then that the 'becoming' of who you shall be post-smoker happens.
>Some become fine, healthy people...some need serious help.
>I'll admit, I still need meds here and there since I quit.
>After OF, I think one needs to take inventory of who they have become.
>
>Just my thoughts.
>Thanks for bringing this up EP.
>xoxo,
>Cat
>DOF+
>
>
>
>"Edna Pearl" <edna_pearl@yahoo.BiteMeSpammer.com> wrote in message
>news:w7Uwk.24775$rD2.12341@bignews4.bellsouth.net ...
>> When as3 dinosaurs get together, we often remark on the fact that at some
>> point during the first couple of years of our quits, we just lost it. I'd
>> guesstimate that it tends to happen somewhere between eight months and
>> eighteen months of quit time. Now, I have never heard a dinosaur offer a
>> comprehensive explanation of this phenomenon, but all you have to do is
>> mention it to dinosaurs of my acquaintance, and their heads start nodding.
>> Some of us made fools of ourselves in chat, others on the ng (me me me),
>> still others in the workplace or on the home front, others discover some
>> hitherto unknown medical or psychiatric condition that makes them act,
>> well, crazy.
>>
>> I think this OF phenomenon is related to the rough patch quitters usually
>> hit a few months into their quit, where they've been postponing so much
>> everyday stuff while making their quit *the* priority in their lives.
>> Then they gradually realize that they have fallen a bit behind on their
>> lives outside of quitting, and they get reeeeeal cranky. Or just plain
>> crazy. Or depressed.
>>
>> I think this OF phenomenon is also related to the fact that so many of us
>> quit at a point in our lives where we just couldn't get away with smoking
>> any more. We could no longer sustain our youthful illusions that we are
>> bulletproof. So when the fog of quitting clears, we realize that there's
>> a whole constellation of issues related to aging and quitting, and that
>> these issues are piling up to the point of affecting our sense of self,
>> our identities, our personalities. Career issues, parents dying, friends
>> aging, self aging, existential angst, money issues, "empty nests." It
>> piles up on us middle-aged quitters, and we lose it.
>>
>> I notice Robbb mentioned something about what I am calling the "OF
>> phenomenon" in one of her recent posts. It also comes up behind the
>> scenes a lot, as in "What the heck is going on with so-and-so?" Response:
>> "I dunno. But remember, she's right around the year-mark in her quit."
>> Sage nodding. 'Nuf said.
>>
>> And for every time I've seen an OF lose it here at as3 and then come back
>> and sheepishly say, "Um. Sorry. Don't know what hit me there," the group
>> has promptly rushed to reassure the recovering psychotic that all is well.
>> This happened to me, and to many, many OOFs of my acquaintance.
>>
>> As for those who do not come back to as3, I don't know what happens to
>> them, of course. I know some people with very substantial quit time blow
>> their quits when they go through the OF phenomenon. Usually, a person is
>> going to really have to grow and come to grips with their own
>> constellation of identity and aging issues to get through the OF
>> phenomenon without getting re-addicted to cigarettes or some other
>> substance. And if you do stay quit, and you do flex and grow, it is so
>> worth it. We learn things during quitting that enhance our whole lives --
>> *if we let them*.
>>
>> FWIW, YMMV, for your consideration.
>>
>> ep ooooooooof
>>
>>

I can relate to this. While never having had to receive any care for
depression or any other type of psychological issues, I certainly have
not regained all of the patience that I once had. In addition, I became
more of a Type A personality at work. Part of that may be related to
not taking multiple smoke breaks during the day, thus kinda being forced
to deal with problems as they occurred rather than "smoking over them."
There is no question that people do experience changes after quitting
smoking, and some of them may be completely unexpected. Cat's idea of
taking stock after a year is a valid one, and one that could have a lot
of benefits.
SteveS
OOF

CuckooCat wrote:
> YES!
>
> After focusing on the fight against the evil cigs for so long, all of a
> sudden one realizes that the fight is over, things are good.
> It is then that the 'becoming' of who you shall be post-smoker happens.
> Some become fine, healthy people...some need serious help.
> I'll admit, I still need meds here and there since I quit.
> After OF, I think one needs to take inventory of who they have become.
>
> Just my thoughts.
> Thanks for bringing this up EP.
> xoxo,
> Cat
> DOF+
>
>
>
> "Edna Pearl" <edna_pearl@yahoo.BiteMeSpammer.com> wrote in message
> news:w7Uwk.24775$rD2.12341@bignews4.bellsouth.net. ..
>> When as3 dinosaurs get together, we often remark on the fact that at
>> some point during the first couple of years of our quits, we just lost
>> it. I'd guesstimate that it tends to happen somewhere between eight
>> months and eighteen months of quit time. Now, I have never heard a
>> dinosaur offer a comprehensive explanation of this phenomenon, but all
>> you have to do is mention it to dinosaurs of my acquaintance, and
>> their heads start nodding. Some of us made fools of ourselves in chat,
>> others on the ng (me me me), still others in the workplace or on the
>> home front, others discover some hitherto unknown medical or
>> psychiatric condition that makes them act, well, crazy.
>>
>> I think this OF phenomenon is related to the rough patch quitters
>> usually hit a few months into their quit, where they've been
>> postponing so much everyday stuff while making their quit *the*
>> priority in their lives. Then they gradually realize that they have
>> fallen a bit behind on their lives outside of quitting, and they get
>> reeeeeal cranky. Or just plain crazy. Or depressed.
>>
>> I think this OF phenomenon is also related to the fact that so many of
>> us quit at a point in our lives where we just couldn't get away with
>> smoking any more. We could no longer sustain our youthful illusions
>> that we are bulletproof. So when the fog of quitting clears, we
>> realize that there's a whole constellation of issues related to aging
>> and quitting, and that these issues are piling up to the point of
>> affecting our sense of self, our identities, our personalities.
>> Career issues, parents dying, friends aging, self aging, existential
>> angst, money issues, "empty nests." It piles up on us middle-aged
>> quitters, and we lose it.
>>
>> I notice Robbb mentioned something about what I am calling the "OF
>> phenomenon" in one of her recent posts. It also comes up behind the
>> scenes a lot, as in "What the heck is going on with so-and-so?"
>> Response: "I dunno. But remember, she's right around the year-mark in
>> her quit." Sage nodding. 'Nuf said.
>>
>> And for every time I've seen an OF lose it here at as3 and then come
>> back and sheepishly say, "Um. Sorry. Don't know what hit me there,"
>> the group has promptly rushed to reassure the recovering psychotic
>> that all is well. This happened to me, and to many, many OOFs of my
>> acquaintance.
>>
>> As for those who do not come back to as3, I don't know what happens to
>> them, of course. I know some people with very substantial quit time
>> blow their quits when they go through the OF phenomenon. Usually, a
>> person is going to really have to grow and come to grips with their
>> own constellation of identity and aging issues to get through the OF
>> phenomenon without getting re-addicted to cigarettes or some other
>> substance. And if you do stay quit, and you do flex and grow, it is
>> so worth it. We learn things during quitting that enhance our whole
>> lives -- *if we let them*.
>>
>> FWIW, YMMV, for your consideration.
>>
>> ep ooooooooof
>>
>>
>

On Sep 7, 12:25*pm, "Edna Pearl" <edna_pe...@yahoo.BiteMeSpammer.com>
wrote:
> When as3 dinosaurs get together, we often remark on the fact that at some
> point during the first couple of years of our quits, we just lost it. *I'd
> guesstimate that it tends to happen somewhere between eight months and
> eighteen months of quit time. *Now, I have never heard a dinosaur offera
> comprehensive explanation of this phenomenon, but all you have to do is
> mention it to dinosaurs of my acquaintance, and their heads start nodding..
> Some of us made fools of ourselves in chat, others on the ng (me me me),
> still others in the workplace or on the home front, others discover some
> hitherto unknown medical or psychiatric condition that makes them act, well,
> crazy.
>
> I think this OF phenomenon is related to the rough patch quitters usually
> hit a few months into their quit, where they've been postponing so much
> everyday stuff while making their quit *the* priority in their lives. *Then
> they gradually realize that they have fallen a bit behind on their lives
> outside of quitting, and they get reeeeeal cranky. *Or just plain crazy.. *Or
> depressed.
>
> I think this OF phenomenon is also related to the fact that so many of us
> quit at a point in our lives where we just couldn't get away with smoking
> any more. *We could no longer sustain our youthful illusions that we are
> bulletproof. *So when the fog of quitting clears, we realize that there's a
> whole constellation of issues related to aging and quitting, and that these
> issues are piling up to the point of affecting our sense of self, our
> identities, our personalities. *Career issues, parents dying, friends aging,
> self aging, existential angst, money issues, "empty nests." *It piles up on
> us middle-aged quitters, and we lose it.
>
> I notice Robbb mentioned something about what I am calling the "OF
> phenomenon" in one of her recent posts. *It also comes up behind the scenes
> a lot, as in "What the heck is going on with so-and-so?" *Response: *"I
> dunno. *But remember, she's right around the year-mark in her quit." *Sage
> nodding. *'Nuf said.
>
> And for every time I've seen an OF lose it here at as3 and then come back
> and sheepishly say, "Um. *Sorry. *Don't know what hit me there," the group
> has promptly rushed to reassure the recovering psychotic that all is well..
> This happened to me, and to many, many OOFs of my acquaintance.
>
> As for those who do not come back to as3, I don't know what happens to them,
> of course. *I know some people with very substantial quit time blow their
> quits when they go through the OF phenomenon. *Usually, a person is going to
> really have to grow and come to grips with their own constellation of
> identity and aging issues to get through the OF phenomenon without getting
> re-addicted to cigarettes or some other substance. *And if you do stay quit,
> and you do flex and grow, it is so worth it. *We learn things during
> quitting that enhance our whole lives -- *if we let them*.
>
> FWIW, YMMV, for your consideration.
>
> ep ooooooooof

Yep..... quitting cigarettes with AS3 was the beginning of a journey.

I told ya not to snowmobile into that ravine, chasing terrorists, with 18
home-brews in ya!
Sheesh!

Hugs my friend...nice chatting last night.
Cat



"Mike M" <mikemcig-free@mindless.com> wrote in message
news:7j59c4h876e993urh84b4ki1u8f5mi6ovd@4ax.com...
> Out of the past he speaks. I have all of these bizarre physical
> problems from being young and crazy. Now I'm older and all of the
> times they said this is gong to hurt when you get older are coming
> true. Vicoden can be your friend if you only use it when you really
> hurt.
>
> Mike M
> .
>
> On Sun, 7 Sep 2008 19:48:50 -0500, "CuckooCat" <silly@laughing.net>
> wrote:
>
>>YES!
>>
>>After focusing on the fight against the evil cigs for so long, all of a
>>sudden one realizes that the fight is over, things are good.
>>It is then that the 'becoming' of who you shall be post-smoker happens.
>>Some become fine, healthy people...some need serious help.
>>I'll admit, I still need meds here and there since I quit.
>>After OF, I think one needs to take inventory of who they have become.
>>
>>Just my thoughts.
>>Thanks for bringing this up EP.
>>xoxo,
>>Cat
>>DOF+
>>
>>
>>
>>"Edna Pearl" <edna_pearl@yahoo.BiteMeSpammer.com> wrote in message
>>news:w7Uwk.24775$rD2.12341@bignews4.bellsouth.ne t...
>>> When as3 dinosaurs get together, we often remark on the fact that at
>>> some
>>> point during the first couple of years of our quits, we just lost it.
>>> I'd
>>> guesstimate that it tends to happen somewhere between eight months and
>>> eighteen months of quit time. Now, I have never heard a dinosaur offer
>>> a
>>> comprehensive explanation of this phenomenon, but all you have to do is
>>> mention it to dinosaurs of my acquaintance, and their heads start
>>> nodding.
>>> Some of us made fools of ourselves in chat, others on the ng (me me me),
>>> still others in the workplace or on the home front, others discover some
>>> hitherto unknown medical or psychiatric condition that makes them act,
>>> well, crazy.
>>>
>>> I think this OF phenomenon is related to the rough patch quitters
>>> usually
>>> hit a few months into their quit, where they've been postponing so much
>>> everyday stuff while making their quit *the* priority in their lives.
>>> Then they gradually realize that they have fallen a bit behind on their
>>> lives outside of quitting, and they get reeeeeal cranky. Or just plain
>>> crazy. Or depressed.
>>>
>>> I think this OF phenomenon is also related to the fact that so many of
>>> us
>>> quit at a point in our lives where we just couldn't get away with
>>> smoking
>>> any more. We could no longer sustain our youthful illusions that we are
>>> bulletproof. So when the fog of quitting clears, we realize that
>>> there's
>>> a whole constellation of issues related to aging and quitting, and that
>>> these issues are piling up to the point of affecting our sense of self,
>>> our identities, our personalities. Career issues, parents dying,
>>> friends
>>> aging, self aging, existential angst, money issues, "empty nests." It
>>> piles up on us middle-aged quitters, and we lose it.
>>>
>>> I notice Robbb mentioned something about what I am calling the "OF
>>> phenomenon" in one of her recent posts. It also comes up behind the
>>> scenes a lot, as in "What the heck is going on with so-and-so?"
>>> Response:
>>> "I dunno. But remember, she's right around the year-mark in her quit."
>>> Sage nodding. 'Nuf said.
>>>
>>> And for every time I've seen an OF lose it here at as3 and then come
>>> back
>>> and sheepishly say, "Um. Sorry. Don't know what hit me there," the
>>> group
>>> has promptly rushed to reassure the recovering psychotic that all is
>>> well.
>>> This happened to me, and to many, many OOFs of my acquaintance.
>>>
>>> As for those who do not come back to as3, I don't know what happens to
>>> them, of course. I know some people with very substantial quit time
>>> blow
>>> their quits when they go through the OF phenomenon. Usually, a person
>>> is
>>> going to really have to grow and come to grips with their own
>>> constellation of identity and aging issues to get through the OF
>>> phenomenon without getting re-addicted to cigarettes or some other
>>> substance. And if you do stay quit, and you do flex and grow, it is so
>>> worth it. We learn things during quitting that enhance our whole
>>> lives --
>>> *if we let them*.
>>>
>>> FWIW, YMMV, for your consideration.
>>>
>>> ep ooooooooof
>>>
>>>
>

Yes Yes Yes!

Steve, turns out, they may all be right...we may be crazy!!!

xoxo,
Cat



"SteveS" <inyourh@spamm.ers> wrote in message
news:0aWdnQEXZJCTlFjVnZ2dnUVZ_rmdnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
>I can relate to this. While never having had to receive any care for
>depression or any other type of psychological issues, I certainly have not
>regained all of the patience that I once had. In addition, I became more
>of a Type A personality at work. Part of that may be related to not taking
>multiple smoke breaks during the day, thus kinda being forced to deal with
>problems as they occurred rather than "smoking over them."
> There is no question that people do experience changes after quitting
> smoking, and some of them may be completely unexpected. Cat's idea of
> taking stock after a year is a valid one, and one that could have a lot of
> benefits.
> SteveS
> OOF
>
> CuckooCat wrote:
>> YES!
>>
>> After focusing on the fight against the evil cigs for so long, all of a
>> sudden one realizes that the fight is over, things are good.
>> It is then that the 'becoming' of who you shall be post-smoker happens.
>> Some become fine, healthy people...some need serious help.
>> I'll admit, I still need meds here and there since I quit.
>> After OF, I think one needs to take inventory of who they have become.
>>
>> Just my thoughts.
>> Thanks for bringing this up EP.
>> xoxo,
>> Cat
>> DOF+
>>
>>
>>
>> "Edna Pearl" <edna_pearl@yahoo.BiteMeSpammer.com> wrote in message
>> news:w7Uwk.24775$rD2.12341@bignews4.bellsouth.net. ..
>>> When as3 dinosaurs get together, we often remark on the fact that at
>>> some point during the first couple of years of our quits, we just lost
>>> it. I'd guesstimate that it tends to happen somewhere between eight
>>> months and eighteen months of quit time. Now, I have never heard a
>>> dinosaur offer a comprehensive explanation of this phenomenon, but all
>>> you have to do is mention it to dinosaurs of my acquaintance, and their
>>> heads start nodding. Some of us made fools of ourselves in chat, others
>>> on the ng (me me me), still others in the workplace or on the home
>>> front, others discover some hitherto unknown medical or psychiatric
>>> condition that makes them act, well, crazy.
>>>
>>> I think this OF phenomenon is related to the rough patch quitters
>>> usually hit a few months into their quit, where they've been postponing
>>> so much everyday stuff while making their quit *the* priority in their
>>> lives. Then they gradually realize that they have fallen a bit behind on
>>> their lives outside of quitting, and they get reeeeeal cranky. Or just
>>> plain crazy. Or depressed.
>>>
>>> I think this OF phenomenon is also related to the fact that so many of
>>> us quit at a point in our lives where we just couldn't get away with
>>> smoking any more. We could no longer sustain our youthful illusions
>>> that we are bulletproof. So when the fog of quitting clears, we realize
>>> that there's a whole constellation of issues related to aging and
>>> quitting, and that these issues are piling up to the point of affecting
>>> our sense of self, our identities, our personalities. Career issues,
>>> parents dying, friends aging, self aging, existential angst, money
>>> issues, "empty nests." It piles up on us middle-aged quitters, and we
>>> lose it.
>>>
>>> I notice Robbb mentioned something about what I am calling the "OF
>>> phenomenon" in one of her recent posts. It also comes up behind the
>>> scenes a lot, as in "What the heck is going on with so-and-so?"
>>> Response: "I dunno. But remember, she's right around the year-mark in
>>> her quit." Sage nodding. 'Nuf said.
>>>
>>> And for every time I've seen an OF lose it here at as3 and then come
>>> back and sheepishly say, "Um. Sorry. Don't know what hit me there,"
>>> the group has promptly rushed to reassure the recovering psychotic that
>>> all is well. This happened to me, and to many, many OOFs of my
>>> acquaintance.
>>>
>>> As for those who do not come back to as3, I don't know what happens to
>>> them, of course. I know some people with very substantial quit time
>>> blow their quits when they go through the OF phenomenon. Usually, a
>>> person is going to really have to grow and come to grips with their own
>>> constellation of identity and aging issues to get through the OF
>>> phenomenon without getting re-addicted to cigarettes or some other
>>> substance. And if you do stay quit, and you do flex and grow, it is so
>>> worth it. We learn things during quitting that enhance our whole
>>> lives -- *if we let them*.
>>>
>>> FWIW, YMMV, for your consideration.
>>>
>>> ep ooooooooof
>>>
>>>
>>

Great post, EP

Edna Pearl <edna_pearl@yahoo.bitemespammer.com> penned.wrote.stated:
: When as3 dinosaurs get together, we often remark on the fact that at some
: point during the first couple of years of our quits, we just lost it. I'd
: guesstimate that it tends to happen somewhere between eight months and
: eighteen months of quit time. Now, I have never heard a dinosaur offer a
: comprehensive explanation of this phenomenon, but all you have to do is
: mention it to dinosaurs of my acquaintance, and their heads start nodding.
: Some of us made fools of ourselves in chat, others on the ng (me me me),
: still others in the workplace or on the home front, others discover some
: hitherto unknown medical or psychiatric condition that makes them act, well,
: crazy.

: I think this OF phenomenon is related to the rough patch quitters usually
: hit a few months into their quit, where they've been postponing so much
: everyday stuff while making their quit *the* priority in their lives. Then
: they gradually realize that they have fallen a bit behind on their lives
: outside of quitting, and they get reeeeeal cranky. Or just plain crazy. Or
: depressed.

: I think this OF phenomenon is also related to the fact that so many of us
: quit at a point in our lives where we just couldn't get away with smoking
: any more. We could no longer sustain our youthful illusions that we are
: bulletproof. So when the fog of quitting clears, we realize that there's a
: whole constellation of issues related to aging and quitting, and that these
: issues are piling up to the point of affecting our sense of self, our
: identities, our personalities. Career issues, parents dying, friends aging,
: self aging, existential angst, money issues, "empty nests." It piles up on
: us middle-aged quitters, and we lose it.

: I notice Robbb mentioned something about what I am calling the "OF
: phenomenon" in one of her recent posts. It also comes up behind the scenes
: a lot, as in "What the heck is going on with so-and-so?" Response: "I
: dunno. But remember, she's right around the year-mark in her quit." Sage
: nodding. 'Nuf said.

: And for every time I've seen an OF lose it here at as3 and then come back
: and sheepishly say, "Um. Sorry. Don't know what hit me there," the group
: has promptly rushed to reassure the recovering psychotic that all is well.
: This happened to me, and to many, many OOFs of my acquaintance.

: As for those who do not come back to as3, I don't know what happens to them,
: of course. I know some people with very substantial quit time blow their
: quits when they go through the OF phenomenon. Usually, a person is going to
: really have to grow and come to grips with their own constellation of
: identity and aging issues to get through the OF phenomenon without getting
: re-addicted to cigarettes or some other substance. And if you do stay quit,
: and you do flex and grow, it is so worth it. We learn things during
: quitting that enhance our whole lives -- *if we let them*.

: FWIW, YMMV, for your consideration.

: ep ooooooooof