You're almost there. You want to quit. In fact, 80 percent of your brain is sure you can. But 20 percent insists that you can't. How do you make it over to the other side without falling SPLAT on your face?Do this. Make a list. Of ten reasons you should quit.
1. Smoking Made Me Sick
For real. Within a few minutes of inhaling a few cigarettes, my throat would start to tickle and my head would begin hurt. The day after a binge, I'd wake up with a nasty cold that kept me in bed when I had a million things to do.
Smoking shrinks your blood vessels, clogs up your lungs, and wears down your immune system. Your body is less able to fight off bacteria and viruses, so, yes, you get sick. And there's of course the lung cancer and increased chances of heart attack, stroke, and other serious health conditions.
2. My Husband Told Me I Smelled
He didn't issue an ultimatum: "It's either me or the lung rockets."
But he did, one night right after we had sex, say, "You smell like smoke. And it's not sexy." I could have, theoretically, told him to visit a place where there are no lemonade stands. But I knew he was just being honest with me, and that I needed to file that information in the "reasons I should quit" box.
3. I Wanted to Set a Good Example for My Kids
I got tired of hiding it from them. It was getting complicated. I rationalized that smoking in front of 11-month-old Katherine was okay because she would never remember it and she would be unable to tell on me. But three-year-old David could very well process it and file the picture (and definitely debrief the rest of the house on the white candy sticks). It was too much of a risk. One day I finally said to myself, "Self, if it's so important to hide this habit from my kids, shouldn't I quit?" And there was silence.
4. I Looked Stupid Lighting Up After a Run
You can picture it, right? Here I was working so hard on my wellness
program: eating lots of greens, loading up on Omega-3 fatty acids, trying to get adequate sleep, meditating, and of course exercising five times a week. So when I'd light up after a good run, you can imagine the stares. The snapshot was like a Sesame Street episode where you have to pick out one thing that doesn't belong in the picture. That one thing was the white stick.
Continue reading why I quit smoking.
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I wasn't trying to quit but someone made it so attractive as we were singing together. It was magical and I realized then I didn't want anything getting in the way of me feeling that good again. He said what helped him quit was the self realization to want to not be selfish in that way any more. He found info online regarding how fast your body recovers after quitting smoking. It's in my heart still to quit but I'm finding it hard. I wish to nurture what I want to see grow. All the orders of the universe tell me so... that it's time to quit! The power of choice is mine to know. A tip he told me was to tell yourself you can have a cigarette, that's not the question. The choice is just not right now. He also said if you're 4:20 friendly you might consider getting the cigarette style one hitter to keep the edge off of you. Keep your reasons written down and with you. I am worth it. All this want and desire for more of what you know to be good; all that and more! See yourself as a non smoker. Picture it! Wow! Love.
I've been smoking since I was 13, at 39 I had my first heart attack - tried quiting, at 42 second heart attack (also found out I was diabetic) tried quiting again (but didn't) at 45 had quadruple heart by-pass was determined to quit this time (still didn't happen) at age 50 had my left leg amputated (there went my golf game) 2 months ago had another heart attack and another stint (still smoking) What an idiot am I and how many more chances will I get?
I live alone and will admit to being extremely lonely, actually I've had my heart broken soooo many times I can't count that high. My first heart attack I weighted 275lbs, now I'm 183 (the leg only weighed about 5-6 lbs). I wish I had someone in my life to give me the support (not the nagging) and love I need so very badly. Who knows maybe someday I'll quit before they kill me.
I was a smoker for 25+ years smoking 2 packs a day and also smoke lots of weed, then about 3 months ago i decide to quite cold turkey with no withdraw and did not use any patch or gum of any kind. Here is how i did it, something i learn from Tony Robbins. I use to link smoking was a pleasure to me now i link smoking is painful to me. All you need to do is sit down and spent about 10 minutes and visualize yourself dieing,not able to see your kids or friends anymore, the feeling was so painful to see in my mind that after 10 minutes my brain link up that smoking was to painful for me to continue and that it was more pleasure to quit. Try it it really works!!
I had a heart attack earlier this year at the age of 45. Women be careful because I went to the hospital thinking that I was having a heart attack only to find that while I wasn't having one then, I'd had one three months earlier. I've since found that a lot of women have heart attacks and don't know it.
I was a 30 year smoker, and I did not quit initially. I felt like a complete idiot, because you couldn't have told me before it actually happened that I wouldn't have quit smoking on the spot after having a heart attack. I didn't.
I did quit on August 26, 2009 and I have been clean and smober (not a typo; that's what we smokers call it)for 71 days now (2 months, 11 days, and 13 hours). This journey has not been easy, as I did it 'cold turkey', however it's been worth it. Stopping has done wonders for my self-esteem and self-confidence. This was something that I just could not get a handle on over the years, and I finally conquered it.
Understand, though that the cravings don't just disappear; I crave cigarettes just about everyday. I just remind myself that I don't smoke, and that just makes them go away.
Also, the smoking dream is the worst! It feels SO real, and I always think I've smoked before I come to full consciousness. That helps though, because the bad, awful feeling I have when I believe I've smoked keeps me from wanting that feeling in real life.
To all my fellow smokers, keep persevering, praying and striving. It WILL happen. If I did it, BELIEVE me, anybody can.
I have been taking chantix for 11 weeks. I started this quest for those around me, bec. I couldn't take their b------ anymore. I know all the things it causes. But I'm like the ghost in "Ghost", when the cig machine gets broken" Oh, what I wouldn't give for just one more puff!" I can't stand people who go around and talk about smokers , maybe if we stopped the booze, card playing, WWF, race cars, what ever. eevery one would get a taste of how hard it is to quit smoking. To each his own.
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