I don’t smoke anymore; I gave up 9, 10 years ago. I never think about it, and I will never smoke again.
I (like a fool) started smoking behind the garage with my brother when I was 7 or 8(ish), hey, we only had 3 TV channels back then (and then they were part-time). I don’t know why I smoked, I just did. I was a kid. Both my parents smoked, so obtaining the odd cigarette was always easy. I smoked through primary school, middle school and some of high school. I stopped when I was about 15 and stupidly started again when I was 18 (during the rebellious, ‘I’m as hard as hell’ years). I didn’t stop smoking until I was 25 when both I and my wife asked each other why we smoked. We didn’t know, so we both decided to quit there and then. It’s strange because I remember it like it was yesterday (although it was actually a Thursday evening). We made a pact with each other; if either of us started again, we would be letting each other down.
The first week was tough, the second not so bad, the third quite easy. Months passed, which led to years, and now a decade. I think the real, real truth to quitting is you must mentally and physically want to give up! If you can’t figure why you smoke, it’s a good step to helping you quit. Don’t keep smoking because you have convinced yourself they taste good, because we really know they taste like crap! And do you enjoy them?
I never used a patch; I just stopped and left half a pack under the bath. Out of site and out of mind, but still some subliminal security that they were there.
One thing that really helped was when someone offered me a cigarette; I never used to say, ‘no thanks, I am trying to give up’. I was more positive, ‘No thanks, I don’t smoke’. You either smoke or you don’t, there is no giving up.
Good luck!
I (like a fool) started smoking behind the garage with my brother when I was 7 or 8(ish), hey, we only had 3 TV channels back then (and then they were part-time). I don’t know why I smoked, I just did. I was a kid. Both my parents smoked, so obtaining the odd cigarette was always easy. I smoked through primary school, middle school and some of high school. I stopped when I was about 15 and stupidly started again when I was 18 (during the rebellious, ‘I’m as hard as hell’ years). I didn’t stop smoking until I was 25 when both I and my wife asked each other why we smoked. We didn’t know, so we both decided to quit there and then. It’s strange because I remember it like it was yesterday (although it was actually a Thursday evening). We made a pact with each other; if either of us started again, we would be letting each other down.
The first week was tough, the second not so bad, the third quite easy. Months passed, which led to years, and now a decade. I think the real, real truth to quitting is you must mentally and physically want to give up! If you can’t figure why you smoke, it’s a good step to helping you quit. Don’t keep smoking because you have convinced yourself they taste good, because we really know they taste like crap! And do you enjoy them?
I never used a patch; I just stopped and left half a pack under the bath. Out of site and out of mind, but still some subliminal security that they were there.
One thing that really helped was when someone offered me a cigarette; I never used to say, ‘no thanks, I am trying to give up’. I was more positive, ‘No thanks, I don’t smoke’. You either smoke or you don’t, there is no giving up.
Good luck!