March 10th for me marks..........

39 months since i had my last cigarette!!!! Definately was the hardest thing i have ever done. Smoking was my crutch, sad, stressed, happy etc i used smoking for it all. It was the one thing that remained constant in my life and it was always there to lean on. I smoked heavily for 18 years and never in a million years did i ever think i would be a non smoker. I can't even stand the smell anymore (but do not preach), it makes me ill.

Surprisingly i never had a problem wanting it when i was drinking, it is when i am sober. I was severely tempted 3 times but did not go to the store. Probably helps that cheap cigs here are like $13 and go to like 15-16 a pack.

Today is also 1 month till vegas!!!

 

As someone who quit after 25 years (2 packs a day) all I can say is congratulations

I haven't had one now in about 21 years but I know if I did, I would probably be back to buying them the next day.

 

That is awesome Joe!!

I wish i could eb a casual smoker like some, but a lot of my family struggles with addiction and i know i would be at it again like i never stopped.

 

I haven't had a cigarette in seven years. Quitting was one of the hardest things I've ever gone through. It's tough visiting Vegas sometimes too because of it, because there is smoking absolutely everywhere.

 

Congrats to everyone here. I'm struggling. Chantix helped but I am surrounded by smokers. I make it several weeks at a time then just crash. Its very difficult. I am going to get to the point where its just when drinking or gambling. Which for me is only every few months. 20 plus years is a tough habit to break.

 

YOU CAN DO IT!!!!! I took champix and took it for 2 months longer than needed. I cut out a cigarette a week (cut out 10 after the first 2 weeks)and took it for 1 month after i was done them all. It made a huge difference. I tried to quit a year prior, took champix for about 6 weeks. I quit for 3 weeks and decided i did not need it anymore. I started again a week later.

so this is kinda how i did it. week 1+2, smoked normal with the exception of 2-3 cigs i cut back.
week 3 i cut out 10 (i was smoking a pack a day almost and sometimes more).
week 4 i got down to 1/2 a pack.
week 5-12 i cut out a cig a week. At the end i was down to 2 a day, one mid day and 1 before bed. Cutting out the morning cig was the hardest followed by the one at bed. I had to change many thoughts and habits but i couldn't go more than 45 minutes without a cig and smoked with everything i did so if i can do it, anyone can. I have 0 willpower. If you need motivation put the money away and tell yourself you will get rewarded once you hit the 6 month mark and splurge!!!

EVERY single person in my family smokes, every one. That is over 40 ppl here. I just stopped going to the houses where they smoked inside. Sure i was seeing people less but it was what i needed to do in order to succeed.

Now i do not go cause i can not stand the smell but i am not bothered not going, they can come to me as well and my house is smoke free and always has been.

Smoking when drinking & gambling is a hard thing to do. If you know that is your weakness i would avoid it at first, it really does get easier. I don't think about it once when i am drinking anymore, but i do when sober.

 

I wish I could avoid it. My gf smokes. And all of my coworkers smoke. They all quit, and couldn't stop. I was the last hold out haha. I will get there. I have willpower, I just need to flip that switch.

 

This is a tad confusing, they have all since quit?

 

My gf never quit. My coworkers/friends/family (we are super close) all quit at the same time. They each lasted different lengths. Now they all currently smoke again. I didnt mean to high jack this thread. Sorry OP

 

No hijack.

I get it now, it is still a struggle for me but one i am winning so far. Not to say that it will always be that way but i hope

 

Congrats!! I talked about quitting for years (18 years a smoker) but finally did it and May 20 will mark my 2 year no smoking mark.

Like you, it does make me sick too to be around cig smoke now.

 

Funny. I smoked for about 15 years. I was three packs a day at the end. I woke up one morning and felt awful and my clothing smelled terrible.

I decided I would never smoke again after that day and quit cold turkey. That was 10 years ago this March.

I think a mistake people make when they quit is avoiding opportunities where they liked to smoke. That was the opposite for me. I did everything I used to when I smoked to train myself to be comfortable in those situations without smoking. Including hanging out with all my smoker friends. I just instructed all of them never to offer or give me cigarette even if I begged... and I did early on.

I still miss smoking. I just won't ever smoke again.

 

That is awesome, congrats to you as well

 

Congratulations!

My Dad was a WWII vet and smoked unfiltered Pell Mel's, he eventually quit and gave us $100 on our 18th birthday if we didn't smoke.

 

I kept my pack of cigarettes for 6 months. the first time i quit i threw them out and wanted them more. This time i looked at them and willed myself not to smoke them.

I did avoid things though, i would still drink, and do other things i did when smoking but i wouldn't and still won't go to someone's house if they smoke in the house. Even if they "air it out" that stench hits me in the face every single time and makes me feel ill. My husband tells me "that's what i kept telling you, that you stank like that". He laughed the first time i said i now know what you mean.


Hammie, how many of you did not smoke @ 18??

 

There were four of us, no one smokes and we're all fifty plus.

Imagine instead of buying a pack a day if a young adult paid into a mutual fund, what its worth would be at retirement.

sweetcanadian, undathesea, weluvvegas, owenstar, lithium78, and of course Joe, keep fighting the good fight, stay strong.

 

Well done everyone. I want to be you guys when I grow up!

I just passed the two month mark on the 12th. I also managed to get through my biggest test yet (Vegas from 3/8 - 3/12). While it was hard, it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I asked my sister (who smokes the same cigs I used to) for one on two occasions. She asked if I was absolutely sure both times and that was enough to nudge me back onto the straight and narrow. Knock on wood...I think it might just stick this time around.

 

Nice job! It has been 3 months for me...very difficult, I quit cold turkey.

 

Thank you

I will knock on wood with you, keep it up

It will get easier as well! Congrats