Hi all.. been quit now 1494 days. I quit in January 2009. I had smoked for 37 years. I was a huge nicotine junkie! Smoked my last one as I laid my head to my pillow at night and my first before my feet hit the floor in the morning. I couldn't imagine my life without a cigarette. Well I am here telling you that it is possible to live your life without a cigarette at the tips of your fingers and If I did it, anyone who truly WANTS to quit can do it. You do it one minute at a time. And before long you are quitting one hour at a time, and then one day at a time. But the thing is, you have to want it. You have to look at yourself in the mirror and know that you want to change this bad habit! Because while there is the addiction, the habit is harder to break than the addiction. I still occassionally "reach" for a pack and there isn't one there. I am married to a smoker. I am here to tell you he stinks. I tell him he stinks. He doesn't care.. he cares that he smells sure, but not enough to quit. He says he going to quit, and lasts a few hours. I know he isn't ready, he doesn't truly want it. He is addicted.. but he also has alot of habit smokes! Stress is huge to a smoker, I know.. you get stressed you reach for that smoke. Well let me tell you about stress.. I went for a mammogram in 2011 and left with a cancer diagnosis.. I was STRESSSSSSSED!!!!! I didn't smoke. I cried like hell.. but I didn't smoke. I had my breasts removed.. I was stressed... I didn't smoke. So I get it, been there.. stress sucks.. but it isn't a deal breaker with your quit. Once you commit, you follow through. I am not saying I wouldn't have loved to reach for a cigarette when I was really in the despaired moments since I did quit.. but I didn't want to ever ever have to quit again. ANd if I were to have even one puff now, it would be all over with. I would be back to a pack and half by this time tomorrow. I watch my hubby standing in the freezing cold, the pouring down rain, sometimes both, sucking on a cigarette and I thank God for the blessing of being an EX. When I was in the hospital so much last year, I could not imagine how worse I would have felt if I was craving a smoke! I am so thankful today for this group right here that helped me along in my struggle. And I struggled!!! I did... it almost got me some days.. but they got me through. So I want you to know it can be done and this is the group to help you through.
Good Luck to each of you! But it isn't luck that will get you through....
Sandy
