I started smoking when I was 16, thinking I was hot stuff! Flash forward 5 years later, and I'm older, smarter, and more aware, I want to quit. I have just turned 21 so I am drinking a lot more than I ever have, and for me alcohol is a biiig trigger. Along with driving and social settings. Plus my mother smokes, and all my friends. I just figured I was screwed and just kept right on smoking. I was defeated before I had even began. I just knew that I didn't want to smoke anymore. So I tried cold turkey, obviously it didn't work as well as Chantix. I decided I wanted to try the drug because at the time I worked at a pharmacy, and was able to ask customers if they liked this new stop smoking aid. I got really positive feed back from almost everyone. I went to the doctor a short while later and saw my family doctor. He wrote me a RX, and gave me some really great advice. The Doctor told me that if I could go cold turkey for at least 2-3 days before starting the RX the % of me quitting would raise. I knew I could hold out for at least 3 days, anymore than that I would start all over again. The directions tell you to start in the morning, and I missed the 1st couple of days so 2 or 3 days turned into 4 days. I held out though and began the 2 month routine. Within days I would have cravings and 5 minutes later they would be gone! It was great, I would be sitting at work, and have a craving, but if I was in the middle of something I would forget I even had one. Plus the cravings only happened every few hours! I actually stopped taking it after the first pack, and I had another RX waiting for me. But alas, I began smoking again a few months later, and felt so guilty. I said to myself "It was easy to stop the first time, but now I have to just get over it, and leave this horrible habit behind!". There was something about me this second time, I knew I was going to do it for good. So I just began taking the pills again and it was just as easy the second time as the first, and even when I stopped taking the pills again I won't smoke. I have been 8 months strong, and still going! Now, I still have cravings but I can identify them and then ignore them, and they are gone just as fast! Driving was the weirdest feeling, but maybe a mere 3 months after I quit, I didn't even notice anymore. I can go and drink in a smoke filled room, and it doesn'y even faze me. I realized , smoke is the nastiest, smelling stuff of all time! Its gotten better though, I dont notice the smell as much. Anyone can quit smoking, no matter what it only gets easier. I use to smoke when I was stressed or life got hard, but sometimes I just have a good cry, and feel just the same w/o the harmful effects. Not everyone will cry lol but try and find a new outlet for your stress. Good luck everyone! I hope my story can give you something 🙂
