Today is my first day. I have smoke for 13 years. Watched my grandmother die from epyshema and still puffed away.
Last cig was last night. I have not had one all day, I also am taking Chantix which seems to work.
I am so scared I am going to pick one up.
Please pray that I have the strength and will power to quit and never have a desire to pick one back up again.
Thank you
Full Version: Quit Smoking
I smoked up to 3 packs a day for almost 20 years. I quit in October 1989. It was rough for a week or two and decreasingly tempting for the next 10 weeks or so. During the next year I thought about it occasionally. After that, I really never thought about it unless someone reminded me. Just wanted to encourage you. I'll be praying for you.
Hello ZBaby,
Congratulations on making the decision to give up the habit! I was a smoker for over 18 years when I made my decision to quit. I will admit, it was one of the hardest things to do. Smoking had such a hold over me. I needed that cigarette, couldn't live without it. In the end it caused life-threatening repercussions. It aggravated my asthma so much I nearly lost my life to it last summer. That was when I knew I needed to give it up. I really gave a lot of thought about how to proceed and looked into support programs. It took me about 2 months and I set my quit date. I had a partner, a good friend who also wanted to be released from the hold that smoking had over her. We both started our programs together with the aid of the Patch and have been clean and free of cigarettes for 5 months now and counting.
I will admit, there isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss having a cigarette and I have wanted to fall off the wagon and go back. Every time I'm around it, I have one of 2 reactions; an overwhelming urge to have a cigarette or an absolute repulsion to the smell. I never know which one I will have, but I do know staying free of the habit is more important to me. I have a range of friends that have also given up the habit and they all say the same thing, the desire will always be there, it's just learning how to control that desire.
This will not be an easy thing for you, but your already half way there. You made the commitment to give it up. Just remember, you do not need to do this alone and you are NOT alone. I know if my friend was not there to talk to when the urges were overwhelming, even with the patch step down system, I may never have succeeded. If you falter, don't beat yourself up over it. Put down the cigarette and continue on with the program. I was able to stay free of smoking when I made the commitment, but my friend did falter twice when we were going through the detox. We talked about it and she was able to move forward with her program to quit.
Just some advise, for the first 30 days, stay away from all smoking environments. This will help to re-train your mind as a non-smoker. If you drink socially, also give that up, just until you’re past the detox stage and your mind understands you do not need that cigarette in your hand while you drink. Find a partner, someone who is going through the same thing or someone who had already been through the quit smoking program who will listen and relate to what you’re going through. ABSOLUTALLY use a quit smoking aid. They do help to lessen the effects from the detox you will be going through. Finally, STICK TO YOUR CONVICTIONS! You can do it; you have that capability within you to overcome the addiction. You just need to recognize that within yourself.
If you ever need to talk, feel free to PM me. I'll be happy to listen.
Jade
Congratulations on making the decision to give up the habit! I was a smoker for over 18 years when I made my decision to quit. I will admit, it was one of the hardest things to do. Smoking had such a hold over me. I needed that cigarette, couldn't live without it. In the end it caused life-threatening repercussions. It aggravated my asthma so much I nearly lost my life to it last summer. That was when I knew I needed to give it up. I really gave a lot of thought about how to proceed and looked into support programs. It took me about 2 months and I set my quit date. I had a partner, a good friend who also wanted to be released from the hold that smoking had over her. We both started our programs together with the aid of the Patch and have been clean and free of cigarettes for 5 months now and counting.
I will admit, there isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss having a cigarette and I have wanted to fall off the wagon and go back. Every time I'm around it, I have one of 2 reactions; an overwhelming urge to have a cigarette or an absolute repulsion to the smell. I never know which one I will have, but I do know staying free of the habit is more important to me. I have a range of friends that have also given up the habit and they all say the same thing, the desire will always be there, it's just learning how to control that desire.
This will not be an easy thing for you, but your already half way there. You made the commitment to give it up. Just remember, you do not need to do this alone and you are NOT alone. I know if my friend was not there to talk to when the urges were overwhelming, even with the patch step down system, I may never have succeeded. If you falter, don't beat yourself up over it. Put down the cigarette and continue on with the program. I was able to stay free of smoking when I made the commitment, but my friend did falter twice when we were going through the detox. We talked about it and she was able to move forward with her program to quit.
Just some advise, for the first 30 days, stay away from all smoking environments. This will help to re-train your mind as a non-smoker. If you drink socially, also give that up, just until you’re past the detox stage and your mind understands you do not need that cigarette in your hand while you drink. Find a partner, someone who is going through the same thing or someone who had already been through the quit smoking program who will listen and relate to what you’re going through. ABSOLUTALLY use a quit smoking aid. They do help to lessen the effects from the detox you will be going through. Finally, STICK TO YOUR CONVICTIONS! You can do it; you have that capability within you to overcome the addiction. You just need to recognize that within yourself.
If you ever need to talk, feel free to PM me. I'll be happy to listen.
Jade
You are in my prayers definitely!!!! My dad has a really bad smoking habit and it is a scary thing to watch your loved one's die from smoking their whole life away. I will pray that GOD will give you the strength you need to stop the habit and never desire to pick up another one!!!! Congratulations on not picking up one all day, because that is the first step on quitting the habit!!!!
Chelsea
Chelsea
ZBaby1,
Congrats on quitting! One of my first employers told me a story about how he quit smoking. He used to keep a pack of cigarettes in his shirt pocket and when he quit, he continued to reach for them, even when they were no longer there. He said that he put a pack of gum wherever he used to keep cigarettes. Every time he was reminded to smoke, he grabbed the pack of gum and took out a piece. He said that it helped tremendously, because it gave him something else to focus on.
I'll be praying for you in the coming weeks! Stick with it!
Congrats on quitting! One of my first employers told me a story about how he quit smoking. He used to keep a pack of cigarettes in his shirt pocket and when he quit, he continued to reach for them, even when they were no longer there. He said that he put a pack of gum wherever he used to keep cigarettes. Every time he was reminded to smoke, he grabbed the pack of gum and took out a piece. He said that it helped tremendously, because it gave him something else to focus on.
I'll be praying for you in the coming weeks! Stick with it!
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