How did you know this was it? How long into your quit did it take you to realize it? Were you ever wrong in believing this was your final quit?
How did you know this was it? How long into your quit did it take you to realize it? Were you ever wrong in believing this was your final quit?
Thanks Nancy! So you knew from the beginning, you think?
After the first week, pretty much - yes. I just made up my mind I was not going to smoke again NO MATTER WHAT and held myself to it.
Nancy
Devil's advocate here as opposed to Youngatheart.7.4.12 . I really didn't know for months and months into this one. I had tried and failed so many times prior to this. And even though this quit was in response to a nurse telling me prior to a surgery "so you know you've had a heart attack at some point, don't you?". A test showed that I had, but that didn't stop me from going about business as usual. Anyhow, I'm not sure when I knew, it was a gradual process of gaining information from coming here and learning from those who went before me. And sticking to the commitment of NOPE, even when you are doubting the advice of others. Eventually, you come to understand the true nature of the addiction, and also to accept what harm smoking does to your body. Just give it time. This really is a journey, not a race.
I only quit one time before and it lasted 5 years. I knew this would be my final quit before I quit because I had come to realize I didn't want to EVER do this again! I read and read and read prior to quitting which helped me realize this fact. I happened to stumble onto this site the day of my quit when looking for support online!
I keep focusing on the positives of quitting and keep reading and re-reading Alan Carr's The Easy Way to Quit Smoking. It has helped a lot in addition to the supposed everyone provides here.
So far, I am not wrong about this being my final quit. Life is better. I am free. I don't worry about when, where, or how I will be able to smoke. I have more time (because I am not isolated and having a cigarette).
I have come to realize to keep this quit precious and respect it.
It is hard to put into words as it is a feeling that I have. A sense of being. I am an EX-smoker. I feel being an EX-smoker is way better than a NON-smoker because NON-smokers have no clue what is entailed in quitting. Quitting is hard and I am currently accomplishing something very hard. THAT is truly something to be proud of and something I don't ever want to give up!
Love this. Our stories seem very similar
I quit one time too.
I knew for sure on day 126
I was driving to a job I had smoked on and reached for a ghost pack on my truck seat and it made me laugh. I knew I was done.
I smoked for 52 years. I had tried to quit multiple times. The longest quit was 3 months. I had wanted them all to be my final quit. After about 2 weeks I thought maybe I can do this forever. I was not entirely certain for awhile. I just kept coming here. This site and the constant loving support made all the difference. It will soon be 4 years and I love it.
I wasn't 100% convinced until I had surpassed my longest previous "quit." That was One Year. I felt entirely different at one Year this quit because I knew that I would feel compelled from time to time throughout my lifetime but also that I had the tools and skills to overcome the relapse traps and protect my Quit Journey for LIFE!
When the roller coaster ride of the beginning finally slowed down and evened out - I told myself that I never have to go thru that again. That is when I knew.
I have been quit for over 11 years now. I have never said "this is my final quit." Why? Because I've seen too many quitters with more years than that - relapse. Only when I die smoke free will I know this is my forever quit. lol For me there's a bit of presumption and a bit of arrogance in the statement. I know myself pretty well and thus I know my vulnerability to this addiction. And I can't assume nor presume anything. As long as any desire for a cigarette exists - the simplest of a passing "gee it would be nice to have one right now" I can't say for a fact "this is my final quit." For if we still want one, we're still vulnerable. And thus we must protect the jewel of our freedom.
I feel the same way Giulia - Once I went 1-1/2 yrs. and then back to smoking. Final Quit - I must remember it is the 1st. one that will get me.
Thanks for your posting.
Lillian (vanlil)
JessicaF I quit for every pregnancy and I had some short term quits that I lost other than those. This time, I got really sick and I knew it was my last chance. My doc wanted to admit me to ICU and I said no...I wanted to at least try to take care of myself at home. It was a dangerous decision but I still wanted to try. I had two antibiotics, three inhalers, a nebulizer, gallons of orange juice, and a vaporizer. It was really terrifying...I could not get enough breath IN to cough effectively, I could not speak without gasping for breath. I saw the looks on the faces of my husband and my son and they were completely terrified and helpless. I had been sick before, had pneumonia more than once but this was different. I really was not sure I would get better. I knew that if I kept smoking, there was no chance that I would recover completely or be able to breathe like a "normal" person. I have COPD, I am sure I had it for quite some time before that fateful exacerbation, the only way I can describe how I felt is to say that it felt like I had a plastic bag tied over my head. I know that I am likely to die from some smoking related damage I have done but I choose not to do MORE and I choose not to expedite my departure. I do not want to smoke, I do not want to feel like a pariah, I do not want others to see me flaunting my ignorance. I was an RN for many years, I flaunted it that entire time by thinking I was immune to what I was seeing. COPD, lung cancer, premature heart attacks, strokes, mouth cancer, throat cancer...the list goes on. I had a couple of huge challenges after I quit...the first one was on my ten month anniversary when my house burned down and along with all of the things we lost, our three beloved cats died of smoke inhalation in the upstairs bedroom where they were trapped. Even NOW, I cry when I think of that. I LOVED them with all of my heart...I had NO desire to smoke. The people on this site held me up and got me through it. I knew I could not bring them back by smoking. A year later...I had to have both of my upper lobes removed because of the damage smoking had done. It was a horrendous surgery, my surgeon told me that a large percentage of patients who have that surgery go back to smoking afterwards because it is easier for them to breathe. I told her that I would NOT be one of them...I know she didn't quite believe me but I know I won't do that to my family again. I say it all the time, smoking does nothing FOR you, it does lots TO you. I have the scars to prove it. I am also short of breath with the least bit of exertion. I work out, I eat better than I ever have, and I do what I can to build my lung capacity...I hope it's enough to keep me around for a while. If not, I hope someone learns something from MY experience.
Best,
Ellen
If you get up every day and promise yourself and us that you won't smoke today it will be physically impossible to relapse. One day at a time, everyday, just pledge to not smoke. I smoked almost 50 years and this is really the only full blown attempt I made to quit. I am on day 408. I think the people who have real long term success are those who are deeply committed and determined and stubborn in a way... stubborn in that they won't give in to the nicodemon no matter what.
Excellent question, and fascinating discussion! I can't imagine the circumstances that would cause me to smoke again. But as Giulia says, I suppose you never know for sure.
I had tried numerous times to quit so it has taken awhile for me to believe it is my final and what some here call their "forever Quits " I have 907 DOF ....2 1/2 years and Most days I believe this is it but then another day hits me that is more difficult and I have doubts . I have always thought of my quit as One Day At A Time and I am almost afraid of Jinxing myself if I were to call it my final or forever quit .
I think it is wise in the beginning to take it a day at a time unless like Nancy you just " Know "! The first time I ever quit I quit cold turkey and thought It was for good because it was the hardest thing I had ever been through but 3 months later I relapsed by taking that one puff then 2 and you how that story goes !
One day at a time I am 907 days an Ex-Smoker !
Damn that one puff!
I'm like Nancy, I have never tried to quit voluntarily prior to this. When I was in the hospital for 30 days for a suicide attempt I was forced to not smoke, but took it back up shortly after discharge. Oh had I have known then what I knew now, but I wasn't in a good mental place to tackle it probably.
I don't think in terms of "forever quit"; more like "I smoked, and now I don't". I am also like Nancy in that I am not confident that I could do this again without the events that led up to my quit. I am determined to not test that theory and protect my quit. I want to be a happy, healthy whole person again and part of that has to be not smoking. No other choice.
The nurse at the Dr's office changed my smoking status from current to former yesterday. I almost argued as I don't consider myself a former smoker just yet. It will be interesting to see when I will feel like an ex or former smoker.
Great question!
Dian
I knew it was my one day at a time quit when I kept accepting my quit in spite of feeling extremely weird. Perhaps I should look at it as a forever quit, but I feel more bound to dealing with my quit as a one day at a time thing. Someday, should I live long enough, I will not remember smoking much at all, if at all. At that point I will no longer be connected. Today, I stay smober. I smoked an awful lot, and I am willing to keep walking away one day at a time.
Thanks for the question. And how are you doing, how's your quit going?
Thanks so much for asking, Mary! Tomorrow is day 12 for me. I still get cravings throughout the day, but they come & go pretty quickly. The morning is the hardest time for me...& Ive recently put on a couple pounds, which I'm not too happy about, but have expected.
If anything will be a threat to my quit, it will be drinking. However it's something I only do at home these days & only once a week with my never-smoked-a-day hubby.
Im feeling very confident, but worried that it's a false sense of confidence. I feel its too early in my quit maybe to feel this confident? Or maybe I am just one of the lucky ones that can beat it on the first try.
"Bound to deal with my quit one day at a time." This is very very similar to describe what I'm feeling right now.
I'm glad you took the time to talk about your quit. Confidence is good-- back up plan for worst case scenario is not a bad thing...even if you never use it. Way to go JessicaF!!!!!!!
Thank you! I just love all the support here!
I smoked for 40 yrs with several failed attempts at quitting smoking and I hadn't even tried the last 20 yrs that I smoked, this quit was for me and my health and family and I found this site and read everything I could which really strengthened my resolve to be successful so the night before quitting I promised myself that I'd never pick up another cigarette as long as I live and that was over 3 yrs ago, I think I was somewhere around the 30 day mark and with the help of everyone here got through some pretty horrid cravings and knew that this quit was it but I am and will always remain vigilant because I won't take this quit for granted it's too precious to become complacent. thanks for the great question..JessicaF
I hit a point of truly being sick and tired of being sick and tired. In all my other quits, even though my health was part of the reason I quit, I don't think I really believed something bad was going to happen to me. The commercial with the woman who held her finger over the hole in her throat and with her mechanical, labored voice she said, "Let me give you some advice." That, was my 'ah ha' moment. You see, I knew that the inside of my body was showing wear and tear from more than 30 pack years of smoking but watching this woman with all her illness on the outside of her body for all the world to see was something I couldn't fanthom. That dirty little secret that has never been a dirty little secret. My distorted addicted self tried to say that no one could see my black lungs. But after watching this women talk, I started to think about how everyone would be able to see my deformed face, or neck, etc. I pictured me looking in the mirror and seeing the scars and holes and other deformities caused from smoking just because I couldn't walk away from my addiction. My potential future was staring me in the face. This could be me. This really could be me! I didn't want that to happen to me. Not now, not ever. I didn't want to live or die like this!
I transferred that panicked feeling into the power I needed to change my future. The rest is history. Never a regret. Hit 5 years a couple months ago. I made a commitment back then and decided no matter what, I would honor that commitment. No matter what I face in life, I will never let addiction rule my life again. This is my FOREVER QUIT.
Unlike most, this was my first and only quit. The first days were so difficult, I knew I had to MAKE it my final quit because, knowing how lousy it was, I was pretty sure I would never be able to make myself do it again if I failed.
I don't think I will be in the majority on this - but it is what it is!!!
Nancy