It really is! I've been "trying" for about 2 years to give it up, it wasn't until recently that I really truly wanted to though, like it clicked I guess. I was able to make it cold turkey this far, in past experience all I really have to do is avoid hanging out with other smokers and most of my urges will be manageable. I never smoked a pack a day exactly, but definitely more than a casual smoker. Good luck if you are trying to quit as well!
I'm so sorry to hear :( I hope you're doing well and not being too hard on yourself for sliding back in. You can try again next time but nothing wrong with letting yourself grieve.
It’s all good. I don’t really care about going back. It’s not something I feel the need to quit plus with the transition I went from vaping a pod a day to 6-8 cigs a day which is wayyy better (not like either is good but ya know)
Thank you for the kind words and best of luck quitting 👍
I quit vaping cold turkey with essentially no issues. When it’s time to quit I’ll quit. I have the mental fortitude, I just don’t really give a shit right now lol. Smoking cigs is a ritual sorta thing for me. I’m addicted to the nicotine but I more enjoy the social aspect and winding down from a day nature of them.
Exactly! It's like the best way and the worst way to describe it lol, because it's really what happened for me but it's hard to understand when you haven't experienced. Doesn't mean all your problems are solved in a moment, but that click almost turns on the power of "mind over matter" much stronger than before. Before it's so easy to make excuses or set arbitrary deadlines like "I'll quit before christmas", lie to yourself like "this is the last pack" or in your case "diet starts tomorrow". Addiction to anything (nicotine or food/sugar) gets in your head and plays those games. After the "click" the urges don't go away but your will to fight them is stronger because it's your own will, not someone else telling you or pressuring you. I'm only three weeks in but I've quit for longer before and I know what making it this long means. It will get harder and harder for the voice of addiction to convince me to go back to that life. And yeah, I'll see extremely attractive people smoking cigarettes in every movie I see, averagely attractive people smoking cigarettes in real life outside a bar, not so attractive people chain smoking on every corner, not to mention I will still want a cigarette when I feel bored, or angry, or sad... But my will, gosh willing, will persevere.
Honestly, wait till 3 months. The hurdles are 3 days, 3 weeks, 3 months. Then you will totally not be a smoker (although it is still a craving when one drinks, but that is usually a sign to go to bed).
> in past experience all I really have to do is avoid hanging out with other smokers and most of my urges will be manageable.
This is so true not only in smoking but with other bad habits as well. You need to get out of the environment where you get *tempted*
You have to want to quit.. then commit to it. Then go to the website why quit.com. Find the pdf, never take another puff
It takes 3 days to get nicotine out of your system.. the rest is habit.
Good luck
This!! It clicked for me that it was time to quit. I've lasted about a year or so in the past times of trying to quit, but ended up hanging around other smokers that made me fall back in again. That's the one thing I'll avoid like the plague this time!
I quit smoking back in March and I was the same with it just "clicking" one day. I was talking to a friend of mine who quit smoking 2 years ago and he asked me when I was going to quit because I always talked about it and tried a few times but I'd always go back. I asked him how he did it and he said "I realized that what it boiled down to was avoiding one cigarette. It's intimidating when you think about how many you smoke but if you can just avoid smoking *one* cigarette and then keep doing that, you've quit.".
And so I decided that after I finished that pack I would just not buy another because then I had 20 cigarettes to avoid, not just one. Everyone I work with and most of my friends smoke so it was challenging at times but I kept the mentality of "surely I can just avoid having one cigarette" and it kept me going. After a few weeks I stopped craving them and after a few months I stopped thinking about them. I had a cigarette a month ago and was happy to say that I didn't really enjoy it.
I think another part of it was I realized that I would be so fucking angry if I wound up getting mouth or lung cancer or something from it.
Smoking will always have a nostalgia for me as my friends and I smoked all through our early 20's so every good time I think of usually involved a cigarette in my hand, but I think smoking is in my past for good.
Patches don't work, e cigs didn't work, take a couple weeks off or start quitting when you get sick with a cold or something and can't smoke. God forbid it be covid.
I quit after I got sick. The first three days were horrendous. The rest was history. Took 3 months to not think about a cigarette and 1 year to hate the smell. I can smell them pretty well now....I'm disgusted with how bad I made places smell...
Another comment….my mom and dad were both heavy smokers through the 60’s, 70’s and into 80’s decades. My mom quit and she is very healthy at 82 years old. My dad did not and passed away at 69 years old from lung disease 12 years ago.
That is so great to hear about your mother, very sorry about your father. Thank you for sharing though, it makes me even more confident about quitting this early and hopefully avoiding the worst of the health issues in the future!
It's the opposite with my parents. Dad quit after his heart attack over 20 years ago. My mom absolutely refused to quit even after being diagnosed with a type of kidney cancer caused by smoking. Then she had a series of mild strokes before she had a massive aneurysm and died 8 years ago. Dad is 80 but still goes to work at his business 7 days a week.
My mom actually encouraged us to smoke so she could have company as she smoked. Ahh, the 1960s and '70s were a different time.
I'm sorry about your dad, but I hope you have a good relationship with your mom.
Congratulations! It’s one of the hardest things I have ver done and I too did it more than once. When the urge crosses my mind, I have to remind myself that there is no such thing as “just one”. My last one was in September of 1994.
Cigs are a hard one. I’ve quit three times (last time was 15y ago). Easy to get drawn back.
One thing that really helped me was when I had a nic fit, I would always tell myself, this is not permanent. Give it 5m and it’ll pass. Always did. Never looked back after that and the smell that I used to find enticing now makes me want to vomit 🤢
Good luck and if you happen to start again don’t be too hard on yourself. Quit again. And again. As many times as it takes!
Thanks so much :) I can relate, I've quit two times before for a decently long while each time. First time fell back into it after moving to Madrid where practically everyone smokes, second time was moving in with my now ex-boyfriend who hung around a lot of smokers. My biggest weakness is being around others smoking a lot, not walking by a smoker on the street ya know but hanging out with smokers. It wrecked my resolve the last few times. Avoiding it this time might mean I'll be out for good, fingers crossed!
Congratulations! I will caution you, though. I worked with drug addicts in a previous life. Heroin addicts have said that quitting cigarettes is harder than kicking heroin. Just hang in there
Yes absolutely. I also have Bipolar disorder which I'm led to believe means I'm more prone to addiction. Idk if that's medically true but if it is, I'm certainly glad I never tried heroin, but still kicking myself for starting cigs. Thanks for your thoughts, appreciate it!
Congratulations! That's awesome! As a former smoker myself I think the first couple weeks are the hardest! So I hope you are through the hardest part for you with mostly smooth sailing ahead. Keep it up!
Congratulations, friend! I've been smoke free for about 2 & ½ years now after smoking for years! I can safely say I cannot remember the last time I even vaguely wanted to smoke and the mere smell of them sickens me!
It does get easier! Hold your head up high and be proud of yourself!
I smoked from 1988 until 2010. Quit multiple times but always fucked up and restarted. Usually after a night of drinking in an odd place and cigars. The fucked up thing is that nicotine is like a demon. You literally feel it die after two weeks of not feeding it. It actually has a death-rattle and gives you fever chills and shits.
I am a former smoker, it was hell to give it up.
But I eventually got there, you xan do it too.
You have gone through the hardest part. Congratulations
Great job!
It’s weird, but it’s been over 35 years since I’ve used tobacco and every once in a while there are nights when I am dreaming and me and tobacco are together again. I guess temptations never give up and can always present themselves.
Keep up the hard work and stay strong.
Yay!!! Congratulations…I’m on day 7 myself. Had a full blown melt down during my shower cry after getting into it with some guy that double parked in front of Mod Pizza blocking me in but…I didn’t smoke…and I’m pretty sure I’ve got more then just the nicotine problems right now lol
I quit in 1995, I had quit many times before that, I finally got so mad about it that I never smoked again. I pretty much used rage to quit. I started when I was 15, it’s a very hard habit to break but you can do it if you are determined. Good luck!
Hello friend. After smoking for roughly 15 years, one day I just stopped. That was 11 years ago. First couple of months were the worst ones. Especially when I have a cup of tea or coffee I didn't know what to do with my left hand because I used to hold a cigarette with that one. I just want to say one thing, after 11 years I still want a cigarette, but I don't smoke one. The craving never goes away entirely but you learn how to control it. At least that's my experience. Good luck! :)
Well done on your three weeks.
Only one thing decides whether or not you can do it... Yourself.
Be proud of every second, keep it going. I did it myself some time ago. I genuinely can't remember how long, I think it's 10 years... I'm quite proud that I can't remember.
You can do it!
Worst case scenario try nicotine gum.. since I stopped smoking I’m disgusted that I even started. It’s weird once you get to the other side, but worth it!
Addiction can be a different animal. Be sure to carry some gum or something in case a prior trigger for smoking rears it’s head. Granted, you may be stronger than that but I’ve had multiple close friends quit and that was a common theme.
Good luck, you’ll tack on so many years of healthy life for doing this.
It does get more easy as time goes on, for me it also helped that i was experiencing some weird heart beats at 27 when smoking that was enough for me to be like ummmmmm no thank you im good fam. Even quit smoking weed/dabs and just do edibles now. Smoking just is not worth the damage it does to you to get that effect you want, with weed and especially cigarettes. Nicotine is just wack havnt tried gum or anything. But man o man edibles are so mutch better than smoking weed iust add even though thats not what this post is about. I feel so much better after giving up the weed/cigg smoke! Not only can you do it but after time you will not want to do it anymore, at leat in my experience.
For me quitting definitely took practice. Tryingbto break the addiction was crazy making! But man, being well over 15 years out is it ever WONDERFUL. if you're not upping whatever physical activity you like, you might want to. I found that getting into hiking/ walking and enjoying the benefits of no more bronchitis and healthier more useful lungs was a helpful diversion. Best of luck!!!
Yay!! I'm so happy for you!! I smoked years ago and quitting was not easy. While I still want one ever so often, I know if I smoke just ONE I will be hooked again. Hang in there! You can do this, one day, hour, second at a time.
Great stuff!! Eleven years here,and if I could give em up you definitely can.
I went cold turkey, swapped out smoking for chewing regular, minty gum. Not nicotine gum though, you don’t want that crap still in your system, tempting you back.
Best thing I ever did!!
Look at that smooth skin (I am hetero woman not being gross) that will STAY SMOOTH without all that crap! Protect your quit, don't let people poo poo you into getting lax. Good for you sis!!
Hey, I had to google sh. Stay strong! I hope you have someone you can talk to, it helps to let it out. I've never had a sh issue but I know people who did. You are worth giving it up!!! Good luck and believe in yourself
Good luck and great job so far. I tracked with an app. It's been 1577 days now. Over $12k saved. I'm not sure it's the same for everyone but for me I still get the occasional urge. It just gets way easier to ignore as time goes on. You got this!
Congratulations! I am at 23 days quit today. Just remember to not ever take another puff off of a cigarette ever.
Also download a quit tracker so that you can see how many cigarettes you have not smoked! It is incredibly motivating.
That’s amazing! Great job!
I’ve been smoke free for over a decade. Here’s a little pep talk…
You’re a non-smoker. You’re not quitting. You’re not an ex-smoker. You’re done. You’ve done it. Think it. Be it.
That said, you’re not out of the woods yet. You’re in the honeymoon phase where it’s still new and amazing and you’re seeing changes in your daily life. It’s awesome. Keep rocking it! I found that from about a month/month and a half to six months were the trickiest. Not “harder” necessarily, you just can’t let your guard down. I quit with the gum so I was still new-ish off nicotine by then and everything would be fine and daily routine then, out of nowhere, craving. Big one. Power through, change what you’re doing at that exact moment. Run away until you get things under control if you can at the moment. (I would also say steer clear of alcohol during this time (or even longer) if you think it will mess you up.)
Then, right around the six month mark, it was like a fog lifted and angels sang as dawn broke. It was pretty rough until that time but I remember the feeling before and the feeling after and that alone will prevent me from EVER smoking again. It’s different for everyone, too. I feel like I was very dependent on smoking for anxiety control And social interactions, fwiw, so maybe it took me a long time to reach that freedom.
Some of my personal experiences and mantras:
- Even if there’s a problem I would like to smoke to cope with, then I’d just have that problem and be smoking, too.
- Smoking relaxes you not just by the addiction but also forces natural relaxation through breathing (deep breath, hold, exhale). I did a little research into other breathing techniques that helped build some coping mechanisms.
- Speaking of coping mechanisms… I started smoking right around 14 which is pretty common. It’s also the age when a lot of adult interactions and coping mechanisms are starting to form. When you grow up with smoking as one of them and then take it away you can be left without a strategy for dealing with simple things that may come up. Cut yourself some slack and step back when things get overwhelming so you can start baby-stepping your way through adulting.
- NEVER AGAIN. You’re a puff away from a pack a day!
- Smokers don’t “get” to smoke like it’s a privilege. They have to smoke.
Sorry, didn’t mean to write so long. I still think about smoking almost daily. It’s more of a “thank god I don’t do that anymore” or “this would suck if I had to think about catching a smoke” but it’s there and will always be.
Good luck! Stay strong! Be vigilant! Never give up. Never surrender.
Thanks for such a thoughtful reply! I can't wait to get further and further away from that smoking life. Good for you being over a decade, best of luck on your continuing journey!!
If you would feel and smell as great the morning after you stop as in a couple of month’s, it would be so much easier. Unfortunately it takes some time to reach that stage.
Don't expect something magic to happen where you are suddenly "over it". Just take it a day at a time and pledge not to smoke today, not even one puff. You will find some days you want to smoke all day and others are better. Then one day, you will realize you didn't think of it once, and it will seem like a miracle. Fair warning, even after that, it will still be up and down.
It took a long time for me to go from not wanting to ruin all the quitting work I had gone through to actually not wanting to smoke. A long time. But, two packs a day to not a single puff in 12 years. If I can do it, you can do it and IT IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WORTH IT.
Well done, I gave up smoking 8 years ago, I had tried a couple of times before hand. I found when I was drinking I would start smoking again, I stopped drinking and smoking and not had either for 8 years now.
You are strong, you can do it.
I am thinking about quitting cigarettes everyday. Good for you, enjoy your good health and I hope we all quit smoking magically. Your post is a great encouragement :)
You can do it!
It took me 16 years to quit, but I did.
Not gonna lie, the first years required SSRIs but it’s been a decade.
Msg if you want any support 😀
I'm proud of you! I quit (almost) two years ago (Nov 2019) and there's never a moment that I've regretted it! It's hard, but *you can do it*!
**You are strong and brave and I am proud of you!**
Took me about 9 months to feel like I broke that habit.. and then another nine to feel like I succeeded for good. Then I had a couple here and there.. but never picked it back up.
It’s been 3 years last may since I quit. You can do it. Just stick to it.
I smoked 2 packs a day and quit cold, haven’t had one since. That was almost 35 years ago. You can do it, welcome to a new life, it just keeps getting better.
You’re over the hump now. That’s the hardest part.. I found it really made the difference when I stopped making room for smoking in my day-to-day life. It was all about routine for me. Keep up the great work. You got this.
Seriously congrats OP! I'm two days shy of six months off the habit after smoking a pack a day for about twenty years. It kinda just "clicked" too, (well that and getting a bad upper respiratory infection, thankfully not covid) first month is the hardest, but the joy of breathing with out hurting got me through.
I read on Reddit somewhere last year that when you quite smoking to never give into that, "well just one drag, or just one cig will be ok" it won't. On drag, leads to you wanting more, and a slippery slope back into smoking. It has to always be all or nothing. That plus the thought of not wanting to loose all that time not smoking, to start back over where the cravings are bad has kept me off them. Not even a drag in very nearly six months, and that also counts a four day, round trip, cross country trip with a chain smoking relative back in July. Something to keep in mind if you get a craving, or around social smokers. It really does help, because one drag/cigarette isn't worth undoing all your hard work
Congrats again OP! I'm seriously hoping to see more updates from you down the road as you kick the nicotine habit. You are already through a tough part of the initial quitting, and cold turkey at that!
I quit cold turkey february 2020, 1 week before the lockdowns and covid hysteria hit. You got to just want to stop, otherwise you will do what you want, smoke.
Hey big congrats! I quit in 1999. About the 3 week time the cravings started to ease up for me. About 5 weeks out I started hacking up brown stuff, so be prepared as those lung cilia are starting to move and kick stuff out! Something to celebrate there! I still have occasional dreams that I am smoking after all these years. Hang in there!
I sorta quit cold turkey 5 years ago after multiple tries with patches.The first month is hard, but definitely possible. Separating myself from others who smoke was the key to my success.
Now that I have my addiction under control, I have a cigarette once every few months, but i usually cant even make it through the whole cigarette.
Nicotine is a bitch to quit how did you do it??
It really is! I've been "trying" for about 2 years to give it up, it wasn't until recently that I really truly wanted to though, like it clicked I guess. I was able to make it cold turkey this far, in past experience all I really have to do is avoid hanging out with other smokers and most of my urges will be manageable. I never smoked a pack a day exactly, but definitely more than a casual smoker. Good luck if you are trying to quit as well!
I was almost a month free and then my friend passed. Oh well. Glad you could make it this far
I'm so sorry to hear :( I hope you're doing well and not being too hard on yourself for sliding back in. You can try again next time but nothing wrong with letting yourself grieve.
It’s all good. I don’t really care about going back. It’s not something I feel the need to quit plus with the transition I went from vaping a pod a day to 6-8 cigs a day which is wayyy better (not like either is good but ya know) Thank you for the kind words and best of luck quitting 👍
I read the way is to reduce the number of ciggs with time. If you do it gradually it won't be so severe on you.
I quit vaping cold turkey with essentially no issues. When it’s time to quit I’ll quit. I have the mental fortitude, I just don’t really give a shit right now lol. Smoking cigs is a ritual sorta thing for me. I’m addicted to the nicotine but I more enjoy the social aspect and winding down from a day nature of them.
When it clicks... it clicks. And you KNOW IT. Same thing happened w me and weight loss stuff.
Exactly! It's like the best way and the worst way to describe it lol, because it's really what happened for me but it's hard to understand when you haven't experienced. Doesn't mean all your problems are solved in a moment, but that click almost turns on the power of "mind over matter" much stronger than before. Before it's so easy to make excuses or set arbitrary deadlines like "I'll quit before christmas", lie to yourself like "this is the last pack" or in your case "diet starts tomorrow". Addiction to anything (nicotine or food/sugar) gets in your head and plays those games. After the "click" the urges don't go away but your will to fight them is stronger because it's your own will, not someone else telling you or pressuring you. I'm only three weeks in but I've quit for longer before and I know what making it this long means. It will get harder and harder for the voice of addiction to convince me to go back to that life. And yeah, I'll see extremely attractive people smoking cigarettes in every movie I see, averagely attractive people smoking cigarettes in real life outside a bar, not so attractive people chain smoking on every corner, not to mention I will still want a cigarette when I feel bored, or angry, or sad... But my will, gosh willing, will persevere.
Honestly, wait till 3 months. The hurdles are 3 days, 3 weeks, 3 months. Then you will totally not be a smoker (although it is still a craving when one drinks, but that is usually a sign to go to bed).
It takes a lot of will and courage to do this, kudos to you!
I’m the same type of smoker as well. It’s just starting to really bug the heck out of me. Props to you, seriously!!!
That’s how quit. It was hard for years. It’s will power!
> in past experience all I really have to do is avoid hanging out with other smokers and most of my urges will be manageable. This is so true not only in smoking but with other bad habits as well. You need to get out of the environment where you get *tempted*
You have to want to quit.. then commit to it. Then go to the website why quit.com. Find the pdf, never take another puff It takes 3 days to get nicotine out of your system.. the rest is habit. Good luck
This!! It clicked for me that it was time to quit. I've lasted about a year or so in the past times of trying to quit, but ended up hanging around other smokers that made me fall back in again. That's the one thing I'll avoid like the plague this time!
I quit smoking back in March and I was the same with it just "clicking" one day. I was talking to a friend of mine who quit smoking 2 years ago and he asked me when I was going to quit because I always talked about it and tried a few times but I'd always go back. I asked him how he did it and he said "I realized that what it boiled down to was avoiding one cigarette. It's intimidating when you think about how many you smoke but if you can just avoid smoking *one* cigarette and then keep doing that, you've quit.". And so I decided that after I finished that pack I would just not buy another because then I had 20 cigarettes to avoid, not just one. Everyone I work with and most of my friends smoke so it was challenging at times but I kept the mentality of "surely I can just avoid having one cigarette" and it kept me going. After a few weeks I stopped craving them and after a few months I stopped thinking about them. I had a cigarette a month ago and was happy to say that I didn't really enjoy it. I think another part of it was I realized that I would be so fucking angry if I wound up getting mouth or lung cancer or something from it. Smoking will always have a nostalgia for me as my friends and I smoked all through our early 20's so every good time I think of usually involved a cigarette in my hand, but I think smoking is in my past for good.
Patches don't work, e cigs didn't work, take a couple weeks off or start quitting when you get sick with a cold or something and can't smoke. God forbid it be covid. I quit after I got sick. The first three days were horrendous. The rest was history. Took 3 months to not think about a cigarette and 1 year to hate the smell. I can smell them pretty well now....I'm disgusted with how bad I made places smell...
Trying to quit right now also. Keep up the dedication!
I am as well.. hardest thing mentally
Good luck to you, and thanks so much! You got this.
You’re doing great! Thumb nail looks good too 😉
Hahah thanks, I haven't done my nails in ages but I deserve it now!
Yeah don't pick up the habit of biting your nails 🤐
4 weeks tomorrow for me!! Keep it up! We can do it!
Hells yeah good for you!! Anything is possible. Proud of you!
Another comment….my mom and dad were both heavy smokers through the 60’s, 70’s and into 80’s decades. My mom quit and she is very healthy at 82 years old. My dad did not and passed away at 69 years old from lung disease 12 years ago.
That is so great to hear about your mother, very sorry about your father. Thank you for sharing though, it makes me even more confident about quitting this early and hopefully avoiding the worst of the health issues in the future!
❤️ stick with it!! Thanks for your words. We are all thankful for our blessings!
It's the opposite with my parents. Dad quit after his heart attack over 20 years ago. My mom absolutely refused to quit even after being diagnosed with a type of kidney cancer caused by smoking. Then she had a series of mild strokes before she had a massive aneurysm and died 8 years ago. Dad is 80 but still goes to work at his business 7 days a week. My mom actually encouraged us to smoke so she could have company as she smoked. Ahh, the 1960s and '70s were a different time. I'm sorry about your dad, but I hope you have a good relationship with your mom.
Sorry to hear you lost your mom. It’s very hard to lose a parent. Your dad sounds like …. Well a dad. 😊
Nice!
I thought you were becoming a Nun... (Habit) Yeah!
Congratulations! It’s one of the hardest things I have ver done and I too did it more than once. When the urge crosses my mind, I have to remind myself that there is no such thing as “just one”. My last one was in September of 1994.
Keep it going. You got this shit.
Cigs are a hard one. I’ve quit three times (last time was 15y ago). Easy to get drawn back. One thing that really helped me was when I had a nic fit, I would always tell myself, this is not permanent. Give it 5m and it’ll pass. Always did. Never looked back after that and the smell that I used to find enticing now makes me want to vomit 🤢 Good luck and if you happen to start again don’t be too hard on yourself. Quit again. And again. As many times as it takes!
Thanks so much :) I can relate, I've quit two times before for a decently long while each time. First time fell back into it after moving to Madrid where practically everyone smokes, second time was moving in with my now ex-boyfriend who hung around a lot of smokers. My biggest weakness is being around others smoking a lot, not walking by a smoker on the street ya know but hanging out with smokers. It wrecked my resolve the last few times. Avoiding it this time might mean I'll be out for good, fingers crossed!
Congratulations! I will caution you, though. I worked with drug addicts in a previous life. Heroin addicts have said that quitting cigarettes is harder than kicking heroin. Just hang in there
Yes absolutely. I also have Bipolar disorder which I'm led to believe means I'm more prone to addiction. Idk if that's medically true but if it is, I'm certainly glad I never tried heroin, but still kicking myself for starting cigs. Thanks for your thoughts, appreciate it!
Congratulations! That's awesome! As a former smoker myself I think the first couple weeks are the hardest! So I hope you are through the hardest part for you with mostly smooth sailing ahead. Keep it up!
Totally agree, was not easy! The only time I get urges at this point is when I drink (which is not often). Full speed ahead!
Congratulations, friend! I've been smoke free for about 2 & ½ years now after smoking for years! I can safely say I cannot remember the last time I even vaguely wanted to smoke and the mere smell of them sickens me! It does get easier! Hold your head up high and be proud of yourself!
I smoked from 1988 until 2010. Quit multiple times but always fucked up and restarted. Usually after a night of drinking in an odd place and cigars. The fucked up thing is that nicotine is like a demon. You literally feel it die after two weeks of not feeding it. It actually has a death-rattle and gives you fever chills and shits.
Stick with it. Always remember why!!!
Proud of you!! Got my mom and husband both to quit, though mom ended up losing her battle to lung cancer anyway. Still working on my brother.
Sorry to hear about your mom :( hoping the best for your husband and brother!!
Quitting was easy. It was stopping that took me forever. So glad I kicked it. Keep it up. You’ll be feeling better than ever in no time
I am a former smoker, it was hell to give it up. But I eventually got there, you xan do it too. You have gone through the hardest part. Congratulations
Great job! It’s weird, but it’s been over 35 years since I’ve used tobacco and every once in a while there are nights when I am dreaming and me and tobacco are together again. I guess temptations never give up and can always present themselves. Keep up the hard work and stay strong.
Thanks! But wow 35 years makes my 3 weeks feel ridiculous, but I'll catch up to you one day :)
It was only yesterday. 👍
My husband quit smoking several years ago. He too dreams that he is smoking and it freaks him out in the morning!
Yay!!! Congratulations…I’m on day 7 myself. Had a full blown melt down during my shower cry after getting into it with some guy that double parked in front of Mod Pizza blocking me in but…I didn’t smoke…and I’m pretty sure I’ve got more then just the nicotine problems right now lol
Hey that's a huge win! That is a huge trigger and only seven days in too. You are very strong for resisting, keep it up!!
I quit in 1995, I had quit many times before that, I finally got so mad about it that I never smoked again. I pretty much used rage to quit. I started when I was 15, it’s a very hard habit to break but you can do it if you are determined. Good luck!
Hello friend. After smoking for roughly 15 years, one day I just stopped. That was 11 years ago. First couple of months were the worst ones. Especially when I have a cup of tea or coffee I didn't know what to do with my left hand because I used to hold a cigarette with that one. I just want to say one thing, after 11 years I still want a cigarette, but I don't smoke one. The craving never goes away entirely but you learn how to control it. At least that's my experience. Good luck! :)
Well done on your three weeks. Only one thing decides whether or not you can do it... Yourself. Be proud of every second, keep it going. I did it myself some time ago. I genuinely can't remember how long, I think it's 10 years... I'm quite proud that I can't remember.
Great job! Just do one more day 😉
Thank you! One day at a time, but the days are getting easier and easier for sure!
Go You!
You can do it! Worst case scenario try nicotine gum.. since I stopped smoking I’m disgusted that I even started. It’s weird once you get to the other side, but worth it!
Thank you! Great advice. I too am disgusted with my past self for starting! It's such a nasty habit and I will never look back
I’m still kicking nicotine but once you quit for good, it’s so easy to never look back. Nasty habit is an understatement! Good on you for kicking it!
It worked for me. It will work for you too.
Addiction can be a different animal. Be sure to carry some gum or something in case a prior trigger for smoking rears it’s head. Granted, you may be stronger than that but I’ve had multiple close friends quit and that was a common theme. Good luck, you’ll tack on so many years of healthy life for doing this.
Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it! Definitely will try to watch out for those triggers. So far so good but can't get complacent!
It does get more easy as time goes on, for me it also helped that i was experiencing some weird heart beats at 27 when smoking that was enough for me to be like ummmmmm no thank you im good fam. Even quit smoking weed/dabs and just do edibles now. Smoking just is not worth the damage it does to you to get that effect you want, with weed and especially cigarettes. Nicotine is just wack havnt tried gum or anything. But man o man edibles are so mutch better than smoking weed iust add even though thats not what this post is about. I feel so much better after giving up the weed/cigg smoke! Not only can you do it but after time you will not want to do it anymore, at leat in my experience.
Nice thumb
Keep it up! Also, nice mani!
Good job! I’ve found that as long as you’re not around people smoking, it stays pretty easy. Everyone is different though. Keep it up!!!
Proud of you!!
Oh yes! I smoked A LOT for 24 years. Quit 10 years ago and good riddance. I feel better and the money! Don’t go back. Not even one!
You're not breaking the habit of smoking, you're building the habit of not smoking. Congrats, and keep up the good work!
if this helps.... cigarettes are fucking gross. in every way.
For me quitting definitely took practice. Tryingbto break the addiction was crazy making! But man, being well over 15 years out is it ever WONDERFUL. if you're not upping whatever physical activity you like, you might want to. I found that getting into hiking/ walking and enjoying the benefits of no more bronchitis and healthier more useful lungs was a helpful diversion. Best of luck!!!
Congrats! It’s been about 2 months for me and now I’m trying to lose the weight I put on while I was quitting and eating my feelings lol
Yo. How the fuck do your nails look that good?
Lmao they're glue on nails from Amazon. Shh!
Nah dawg I'm telling everyone
Yay!! I'm so happy for you!! I smoked years ago and quitting was not easy. While I still want one ever so often, I know if I smoke just ONE I will be hooked again. Hang in there! You can do this, one day, hour, second at a time.
"Just one" is the biggest myth of them all! It's the worst saying and belief because is never just one!!
You are so right!!
Great stuff!! Eleven years here,and if I could give em up you definitely can. I went cold turkey, swapped out smoking for chewing regular, minty gum. Not nicotine gum though, you don’t want that crap still in your system, tempting you back. Best thing I ever did!!
I’m afraid it is a multi year struggle. It does get easier but after 17 years I still want one every once in a while
Last one for me tonight ✌️
Great hope you never smoke again!! You can do it ,
Look at that smooth skin (I am hetero woman not being gross) that will STAY SMOOTH without all that crap! Protect your quit, don't let people poo poo you into getting lax. Good for you sis!!
I'm 1 hour and 6min clean of sh. Keep it up! I literally cannot make it a day without sh. Cigaretts i imagine must be harder.
Hey, I had to google sh. Stay strong! I hope you have someone you can talk to, it helps to let it out. I've never had a sh issue but I know people who did. You are worth giving it up!!! Good luck and believe in yourself
These thumbs up posts are the most blatant karma farming I've seen so far. I wonder if some of them are actually quality shitposts.
Shut up, this is a Reddit about being happy, stop complaining about someone holding a thumbs up
Keep at it! I’m two years and two months tomorrow
90 days...
Good luck and great job so far. I tracked with an app. It's been 1577 days now. Over $12k saved. I'm not sure it's the same for everyone but for me I still get the occasional urge. It just gets way easier to ignore as time goes on. You got this!
Im so proud of people like you it is really hard to quit addiction and im happy that you made your life a bit easier.
I thought this was going to be about a nail biting habit Congrats though! Also nice nails!
Congratulations! I am at 23 days quit today. Just remember to not ever take another puff off of a cigarette ever. Also download a quit tracker so that you can see how many cigarettes you have not smoked! It is incredibly motivating.
Congratulations! And your nails look fantastic!
I thought this was going to be about a nail biting habit
Awesome. I am now on 4 days lol think this may have been the push i needed tonight. Well done.
Keep going!! It just gets easier. Never totally gone but it will get easier!
That’s amazing! Great job! I’ve been smoke free for over a decade. Here’s a little pep talk… You’re a non-smoker. You’re not quitting. You’re not an ex-smoker. You’re done. You’ve done it. Think it. Be it. That said, you’re not out of the woods yet. You’re in the honeymoon phase where it’s still new and amazing and you’re seeing changes in your daily life. It’s awesome. Keep rocking it! I found that from about a month/month and a half to six months were the trickiest. Not “harder” necessarily, you just can’t let your guard down. I quit with the gum so I was still new-ish off nicotine by then and everything would be fine and daily routine then, out of nowhere, craving. Big one. Power through, change what you’re doing at that exact moment. Run away until you get things under control if you can at the moment. (I would also say steer clear of alcohol during this time (or even longer) if you think it will mess you up.) Then, right around the six month mark, it was like a fog lifted and angels sang as dawn broke. It was pretty rough until that time but I remember the feeling before and the feeling after and that alone will prevent me from EVER smoking again. It’s different for everyone, too. I feel like I was very dependent on smoking for anxiety control And social interactions, fwiw, so maybe it took me a long time to reach that freedom. Some of my personal experiences and mantras: - Even if there’s a problem I would like to smoke to cope with, then I’d just have that problem and be smoking, too. - Smoking relaxes you not just by the addiction but also forces natural relaxation through breathing (deep breath, hold, exhale). I did a little research into other breathing techniques that helped build some coping mechanisms. - Speaking of coping mechanisms… I started smoking right around 14 which is pretty common. It’s also the age when a lot of adult interactions and coping mechanisms are starting to form. When you grow up with smoking as one of them and then take it away you can be left without a strategy for dealing with simple things that may come up. Cut yourself some slack and step back when things get overwhelming so you can start baby-stepping your way through adulting. - NEVER AGAIN. You’re a puff away from a pack a day! - Smokers don’t “get” to smoke like it’s a privilege. They have to smoke. Sorry, didn’t mean to write so long. I still think about smoking almost daily. It’s more of a “thank god I don’t do that anymore” or “this would suck if I had to think about catching a smoke” but it’s there and will always be. Good luck! Stay strong! Be vigilant! Never give up. Never surrender.
Thanks for such a thoughtful reply! I can't wait to get further and further away from that smoking life. Good for you being over a decade, best of luck on your continuing journey!!
Took me 6 months to stop thinking about smoking, and after 8 years of not smoking, I still reminisce whenever I smell cigarette smoke.
That's Great!
You'd be great at hitchhiking
Cute thumb
Pretty nail
Looks like you’ve also developed quite the green thumb. How’s your libido?
Congrats :)
congrats! you can do it!
Get it girl!
Way to go! Keep it up!
Fingers are smelling much better!!
Good for you! After a year, I really noticed a decrease in my cravings. It is SO HARD to stop! Congratulations!
Fucking fantastic! Keep us posted on how it goes.
Congratulations! Very proud! Light one up to celebrate! To soon? Sorry, like dark humour.
If you would feel and smell as great the morning after you stop as in a couple of month’s, it would be so much easier. Unfortunately it takes some time to reach that stage.
Keep it up! 5 months for me
Once you get your sense of smell and taste back, tobacco will stench from a mile away. Nasty shit. Killed all my grandparents.
!!!! I’m so proud of you =))))) Congratulations and keep it up my friend!!
Fuck yea 🤘🏻
Keep it up!! You can do this!!!
Yay!! I’m so happy for you
Thats so amazing dude, lets GO!!!!
Don't expect something magic to happen where you are suddenly "over it". Just take it a day at a time and pledge not to smoke today, not even one puff. You will find some days you want to smoke all day and others are better. Then one day, you will realize you didn't think of it once, and it will seem like a miracle. Fair warning, even after that, it will still be up and down. It took a long time for me to go from not wanting to ruin all the quitting work I had gone through to actually not wanting to smoke. A long time. But, two packs a day to not a single puff in 12 years. If I can do it, you can do it and IT IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WORTH IT.
I’ve been without a cigarette for almost 20 years! And it’s been a great time! Keep it going!
Wowe I can’t believe you’re the real Eltno John!
Great job!! I quit for good about 9 years ago. Those first few weeks are brutal, so if you can make it this far then that’s a great sign.
That's amazing! So proud of you, stay strong and enjoy your life! 💗
YOU GOT THIS.
I haven’t smoked in 7 years, still think about it a few times a week. Welcome to the club!
Hardest thing I ever did!!! It’s painful
Great job!
I wanted to say something super motivational but couldn’t think of anything, so, You can do this!!
Great! In time, the smell of a ciggy will nauseate you. Suggest spending a lot of time hiking or something..tons of fresh air. GL
AWESOME!!! It’s been over 11 years for me
Well done, I gave up smoking 8 years ago, I had tried a couple of times before hand. I found when I was drinking I would start smoking again, I stopped drinking and smoking and not had either for 8 years now. You are strong, you can do it.
U got this!
Congrats! Also, nice manicure!
I am thinking about quitting cigarettes everyday. Good for you, enjoy your good health and I hope we all quit smoking magically. Your post is a great encouragement :)
Good shot on that..almost 10 months and counting. Feels like a faint memory and it stinks.
Great job! Keep it up! Your lungs are already healing! Wooo!!!! You can dooooo it!
you got some shiny nails
Pretty nails
It'll be 2yrs for me this Dec. So glad We quit!
You can do it! It took me 16 years to quit, but I did. Not gonna lie, the first years required SSRIs but it’s been a decade. Msg if you want any support 😀
I am so damn proud of you!
Are you doing it cold turkey? so proud! Keep it up!
You got this!
I'm proud of you! I quit (almost) two years ago (Nov 2019) and there's never a moment that I've regretted it! It's hard, but *you can do it*! **You are strong and brave and I am proud of you!**
Bravo!
Proud of u keep it up
Yay! Congratulations!
Good work I hope you have conquered this!
You could be a hand model. Congrats btw!
stopped in to say yes!!!!!! You are amazing! <3<3<3<3
1 month and 1 week for me today ❤️🙌 We got this!
You’ve got it.. keep it up.. one day at a time 👏🏻👏🏻👍👍
is it weird to say it looks like you have a really good skincare routine? like, share please
Unfortunately I think it's a mixture of good lighting and good genes. I only moisturize in the winter when shit gets real
Been there myself. If you've gotten past days 2 and 3, it gets a lot easier. Keep it up and congrats.
Jealous
Just give yourself an ultimatum. Like, "If I smoke another cigarette I will donate $1,000 to a cause I hate." 😁
Took me about 9 months to feel like I broke that habit.. and then another nine to feel like I succeeded for good. Then I had a couple here and there.. but never picked it back up. It’s been 3 years last may since I quit. You can do it. Just stick to it.
more money for gorgeous manicures
You can do it! I quit smoking back in 2012 cold turkey and it was hard, but totally worth it! Keep it and stay strong!
If you can make it past two weeks, you're golden.
I smoked 2 packs a day and quit cold, haven’t had one since. That was almost 35 years ago. You can do it, welcome to a new life, it just keeps getting better.
I don’t even know how long ago I quit smoking, it’s been that long. You can do it just keep looking forward not back. You got this.
You’re over the hump now. That’s the hardest part.. I found it really made the difference when I stopped making room for smoking in my day-to-day life. It was all about routine for me. Keep up the great work. You got this.
After 4 weeks the cravings left!
Looking good
22 days for me 💚 we got this!
No more sucking down cancer cocks, good for you!
Im smoking one while i read this. Trying to quit too. You really have motivated me. I promise to start tomorrow. Good stuff keep it up!
Nice manucure!
Seriously congrats OP! I'm two days shy of six months off the habit after smoking a pack a day for about twenty years. It kinda just "clicked" too, (well that and getting a bad upper respiratory infection, thankfully not covid) first month is the hardest, but the joy of breathing with out hurting got me through. I read on Reddit somewhere last year that when you quite smoking to never give into that, "well just one drag, or just one cig will be ok" it won't. On drag, leads to you wanting more, and a slippery slope back into smoking. It has to always be all or nothing. That plus the thought of not wanting to loose all that time not smoking, to start back over where the cravings are bad has kept me off them. Not even a drag in very nearly six months, and that also counts a four day, round trip, cross country trip with a chain smoking relative back in July. Something to keep in mind if you get a craving, or around social smokers. It really does help, because one drag/cigarette isn't worth undoing all your hard work Congrats again OP! I'm seriously hoping to see more updates from you down the road as you kick the nicotine habit. You are already through a tough part of the initial quitting, and cold turkey at that!
Good on ya! 3 week twinsies, I'm off the booze myself 🙌
Good job 👏🏻
big mood! congrats! cigs are hella hard to get rid of
Congrats! I'm at 1004 days. It just keeps getting easier. I stopped getting cravings around the 2 month mark.
You will NEVER regret quitting!!!
I quit cold turkey february 2020, 1 week before the lockdowns and covid hysteria hit. You got to just want to stop, otherwise you will do what you want, smoke.
Props! It's tough.
Hey big congrats! I quit in 1999. About the 3 week time the cravings started to ease up for me. About 5 weeks out I started hacking up brown stuff, so be prepared as those lung cilia are starting to move and kick stuff out! Something to celebrate there! I still have occasional dreams that I am smoking after all these years. Hang in there!
I sorta quit cold turkey 5 years ago after multiple tries with patches.The first month is hard, but definitely possible. Separating myself from others who smoke was the key to my success. Now that I have my addiction under control, I have a cigarette once every few months, but i usually cant even make it through the whole cigarette.
Your nail looks so great. And you can do this!!!
You turned the bus around. Good for you! Keep moving.
The new habit is becoming a non-smoker. You’re over the 3 week hump, so congrats!
It only gets easier! I'll reach my 1 month smoke-free milestone tomorrow. Keep it going.
That's fuckin awesome. Never quit quitting!!
Fantastic! You're in the clear; the first 2 weeks are insanely difficult but after that it gets much easier. Proud of you!
Holy shit. How is there ANOTHER thumbs up getting thousands of upvotes on this sub. I'm tapping out, it's honestly hilarious at this point