Thread: Had enough of smoking.

I gave up at University nearly 20 years ago. I was standing over the cadavre we were dissecting. It wasn an old man who had lived in London all his life -- 89 years. We opened up his chest, the demonstrator crunching through the ribs with a big set of clippers, and we opened him up. His lungs were almost black with multiple nodules. "Oh wow, he must have been a lifelong smoker" someone said. The demonstrator looked at his notes and said "Nope, non-smoker. This guy just lived in London all his life. If you want to see a smoker's lungs, come over here..."

I stopped smoking cigarettes that day. But I do still partake in the odd 'smoke' every now and then.

Chin up, Nicky. You'll get through it. Just hone up an eboy special everytime you get the urge!

It's the same with me...I quit numerous times over the years, always drifting back. Now I've been nicotine free for 3 years, and I don't dare to try it again. Like someone else said; it gets harder and harder to quit with each time. I sometimes still get "smoke cravings" out of nowhere, and that is something I never had before.

Hang in there! Not only will your health benefit from it - your wallet will too!

Keep with it Nick! I’ve been there myself, I quit last October with the aid of that nicotine gum – but I still enjoy the occasional cigar!

I actually find the worst part to be the psychological aspects. After the physical cravings pass - say day5-8. Then you're not so aware of "quitting" and the smoking situation can creep up on you and nail you - and it only takes a second to reach for that cig. That's what you have to watch out for - in my experience anyway.

Jordan

Congrats on your progress! I've never smoked cigarettes, but I've seen my dad struggle with them since I can remember. Something I noticed with him is that it's typically a boredom issue- much like munching in front of the TV. Anyone that can just quit and stay off it has truly accomplished something!

For me the worst times to stay quit were the most stressful ones.Death in the family,fight with the boss,fight with SWMBO,etc,etc.If you can stay quit through these kinds of times,you can do it.

I quit using the "easy way to quit smoking" by Allan Carr, have been smoke-free since october now

Best of luck with quitting. I quit all kinds of smoking January 2004 and haven't looked back. For a long time, I'd smoke a cigarette or spliff in a dream and wake up thinking I'd smoked for real and kicking myself that I'd undone all the good work. I don't get those dreams much now though. Mostly I have to say it was easy - the only real temptation was after a few drinks and when other people were smoking but now that you can't smoke in pubs, and all the smokers are huddled outside the door dying of hypothermia, that temptation has passed.

If anybody wants to quit or is struggling to quit, I strongly recommend a free e-book I found on download.com - Stop Smoking - Break the Chains: A Free eBook - Free software downloads and reviews - CNET Download.com I found this one afternoon in 2003 when I wasn't really thinking of quitting and stopped smoking that afternoon without any withdrawal problems. I did continue to smoke nicotine free bongs and this eventually proved my downfall because one day, after about 10 months nicotine free, I was out drinking and spliffs were making the rounds but obviously no bongs and I gave in to temptation and had a few tokes. Within a few weeks I was smoking full time again. But after six months of smoking, I read the book again, cut the bongs as well and haven't smoked anything since. Soon after my mum, a 40 year smoker, read the book too and she hasn't smoked since either. So give it a try - nowt to lose except tarred lungs and the few hours it'll take to read it.

When I quit smoking I wanted to make an entire life change and decided that I needed a place to really clear my mind and my lungs. I ended up going on an extended camping/hiking trip in the desert of Arizona for several months. It was one of the best, most spiritual times of my life, getting closer to the natural aspect of life. I've been smoke free since, and it feels great.

I applaud your decision and wish the best.

Good luck to you and anyone else who has decided to quit smoking. I smoked my first cigarettes in third or fourth grade when a buddy and I found half a pack in the ditch. Unfortunately, that lead to more walks down the roads by our houses looking for individual unsmoked cigarettes then on to half smoked butts. No, we didn't end up becoming habitual smokers at that age, but it did result in me smoking sporadically from that age on. Then I smoked regularly from about age 20-30.

One day getting ready for work and with half a carton of cigs left in the freezer, I just decided "I'm going to stop smoking right now. Not when the carton is done or even the pack I'm working on is done, but....now." That was about ten years ago, and I'll never start again.

Addiction in general is such a complex thing and although people that are addicted to something share commonalities, addiction is as individual as each person.

Case in point related to cigarettes; It was not easy for me to quit, but I'd had enough. I just stopped. I didn't need the patch or gum, etc. Others seem to need all of that and more to stop. I consider myself fortunate that I was able to stop the way I did. I can see how many people struggle with quitting for good. It is a hard habit to break.

Chris L