My name is Carol R.  

I am a recovered nicotine addict; as long as I don't take that first puff of nicotine, I hope to stay that way. I will always be addicted to nicotine. I want to welcome you to my story of how I quit nicotine and continue to stay quit.  My quit date on Nicotine is 2/4/98. I was a 2 to 3-pack-a-day smoker. I did that for about 27 years. I had tried quitting on my own for almost ten years before I found Nicotine Anonymous.  A friend and I were trying to quit using the 12 Steps from another program that started our journey to smobreity.  I finally found our solution for smoberty by working the Steps of Nicotine Anonymous and helping others to quit nicotine.  

I am more than just a nicotine addict; I do consider it my primary addiction. I also qualify for many 12-step programs such as Chronic Pain Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous, Marijuana Anonymous, and Alanon. A true addict at its core. 

I also have a hearing processing problem (APD) that I was born with, and I am dyslexic. Often, people with ADHD have APD in the mix. I do not have that. Although, treatment for it pretty much the same excluding hearing though. That is in more of align with a hard of hearing person. I use Grammarly to help me write and correct my spelling. 

This processing problem comes with major depression, which nicotine complicates. I did have to have professional help related to my mental health to start a successful nicotine recovery program. 

I need help staying focused and remembering things, so I keep a planner. Today, I use a notebook to journal and plan my daily activities. I created my own pages. It's a great way to keep those hands busy. I have also alternated between digital and paper-based drawing planners. When the hurricane came around, I thought I should go paper.  In early recovery, I kept a journal to process my emotions and keep track of things to do. My focus was very much off during this time. This remains very helpful even today. 

I can be quite OCD about anything if you let me. Nicotine was one of those things. So, I decided to switch my addictions to the 12 Step Recovery Programs and Artwork. I got involved with the program. I made meetings, worked the Steps, and helped others. I was able to stay quit from nicotine. 

This is a journey in which we discover what worked for us. You can take what you like and leave the rest. Some of these links will direct you to external pages, such as Nicotine Anonymous World Services, or to other products that I have found helpful.  I am not affiliated with or approved by any 12-Step Anonymous Programs. This is just me sharing with you how I work the steps.  

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