Motivational! 1 year cigarette free! If I can do it, you can as well :)

[Starwulf]

So I realized 2 days ago that I've been officially smoke free for a little over a year now(May 6th was my 1 year anniversary). Gotta say it's great knowing I no longer have an addiction to those annoying things. No more "I need a cig because I finished eating" or "I'm in the car, I need a smoke", or the million other excuses I had to smoke.

It was odd how I decided to quit too. I mean, I've tried to quit quite a few times before, even went 3 months once without any, but every time, something or another would draw me back in. But around Mid March of last year, I woke up, walked out to the livingroom, looked at my wife and said "I'm done. I want to quit smoking for good. I want to be alive in our old age, and to be able to walk our daughters down the aisle if/when they get married. I want to breathe without needing my inhaler every 30 minutes(Yeah, I have Asthma, and not because of the smoking, which makes me really dumb, I know). I want to go on long car rides with the all of you and not get fidgety because I can't smoke".

Naturally, my wife was a bit skeptical, as again, I've tried before, and it just never stuck, but at the same time(as she says), she knew something was a little different this time. Maybe it was the look of determination, or the speech I gave, or the fact that I called my doctor immediately after delivering said speech, but she was hopeful.

So, I went to the doctor a few days later, explained what I wanted to do, and asked if there was something I could be prescribed to help me. He put me on Chantrix immediately. With it's help I slowly weaned myself off cigarettes, and May 6th was the first day of no smokes, and now it's been 1 year!!

To put in perspective how difficult this was for me, I've been smoking since I was 12 years old, buying my own packs since I was 14 or 15. I was 34 last year, so 22 years of consistent smoking, with me being at one point in time(not when I quit though), at a pack and a half a day. So for all of you out there who are looking at your cigarettes going "I need to get rid of these, but it's so hard", yeah, it's rough at first, but you can do it, and just think of how much better your life will be once you've quit, and how much happier those around you who care about will be :)

[BWR]

Congratulations.

It's always inspiring to know that there are people who can make such changes to lifestyle and mentality stick.

[2D8HP]

Quiting cigarettes is easy.

My Dad has quit hundreds of times!

[FreddyNoNose]

I am 57 and never smoked a cigarette.

[BaronOfHell]

When I'd first began at uni and got back home for a visit my mom proudly told me how she and my dad had quit smoking.. having heard how tough an addiction that is to kick and it had only been 1 day so far, I was very skeptical.

Anyway some years later we were at a family dinner and the topic came up and my dad told that is was now more than 3 years ago he had quit smoking, at first I was like.. that can't be right.. but then I thought about it some more and realized it was actually true.

[Winter_Wolf]

Welcome to the club, Starwulf! Feels good to be free of addiction.

My story of kicking the habit was simply a case of cold fear and cold turkey. Took a deep drag one day, felt pain in my left lung, and said, "Nope. Nope nope nope. I'm done now." Happily I didn't develop lung cancer and I'm now quite pleased to not be sucking on cigs anymore. Fear of lingering and painful death was a powerful motivator, I tell you! From 30 or more a day to zero.

[Lentrax]

Phew, smoking is probably the one thing I am glad I gave up. Never even realized just how much I was smoking until I left the Air Force and had to actually consider just how much they cost outside the BX.

I recall one month, I realized I had to choose between paying rent (or probably something else, but rent sounds waaay more dramatic) or buying cigarettes. So I said to the wife, "I am going to quit smoking." Went to the doctor that week, got prescribed Chantix, never looked back.

In perhaps a stroke of extreme irony, that same month, my friend decided to practice at being a gentleman and started having cigars and brandy. (I am not exactly sure which of us started our individual things first, but it was more or less simultaneous.)

[Starwulf]

Welcome to the club, Starwulf! Feels good to be free of addiction.

My story of kicking the habit was simply a case of cold fear and cold turkey. Took a deep drag one day, felt pain in my left lung, and said, "Nope. Nope nope nope. I'm done now." Happily I didn't develop lung cancer and I'm now quite pleased to not be sucking on cigs anymore. Fear of lingering and painful death was a powerful motivator, I tell you! From 30 or more a day to zero.

Sadly I wasn't that smart when I had a warning sign like that. When I was younger, I smoked menthol's exclusivey(Kools or Newports), and I remember one day having a nasty coughing fit in the shower and spitting up blood. I did stop with the menthol's, but kept on smoking.

I'd have never been able to quit cold turkey(or should I say, I tried a few times, and got nowhere with it), so much props for having that much willpower!! How long are you smoke free now?

I downloaded this nifty app on my tablet the day I quit, and it shows me all the health benefits I've accrued from being smoke free, how much time I've gained not smoking, how many cigarettes I've not smoked, and how much money I've saved. Current stats are: $977.78 saved(holy hell, that's a fair chunk of money!), 3008 cigarettes not smoked, and 12 full days not spent smoking. That honestly just boggles my mind to be honest.

Phew, smoking is probably the one thing I am glad I gave up. Never even realized just how much I was smoking until I left the Air Force and had to actually consider just how much they cost outside the BX.

I recall one month, I realized I had to choose between paying rent (or probably something else, but rent sounds waaay more dramatic) or buying cigarettes. So I said to the wife, "I am going to quit smoking." Went to the doctor that week, got prescribed Chantix, never looked back.

In perhaps a stroke of extreme irony, that same month, my friend decided to practice at being a gentleman and started having cigars and brandy. (I am not exactly sure which of us started our individual things first, but it was more or less simultaneous.)

Yeah, while I was only in the military for a short period of time(roughly 8 months, it's a long story), I remember how much cheaper they were on base compared to when I got out. I remember wishing I had tried to smuggle a few cartons out with me when I got out, LOL!.

[Winter_Wolf]

Nine years and going strong. I'm prone to addiction so it's surprising to me that I just dropped smoking so completely and so quickly. Also it's been long enough that I don't specifically remember whether I had strong craving a for that first month, it is possible that the any time the craving popped up a wave of cold dread quashed it.

I've nearly drowned at least three or four times, and I can't imagine ending up feeling like that all the time. I know my dad did, right up to the end. My genetics just aren't wired to be a chain smoking drunkard who lives to 72. Our neighbor growing up was, and tough as nails.

[Peelee]

Congrats! I always feel like kind of a poser in the Quitter's Club, since it wasn't nearly as hard for me as with most other people, so I don't know how hard it is.... but I know how hard it is, know what I mean? It's great that you've gone a full year, keep it up!

[paddyfool]

Congratulations, Starwulf!

[tielemans]

It's very impressive! Keep it up!