Smoking and How to Quit

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Have a helpful hint or motivating thought to share? Tell us your story. Encourage others. Share strategies for quitting smoking. This area is for you.

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I'm on day 3 of being a non smoker. I have tried to quit countless times, but never have "attacked" it until now. I'm experiencing that it's only going to be as difficult as I let it be. I'm 40 years old and started smoking when I was 19. I hate everything about smoking and am ready to live an addiction free life. When I decided to quit smoking I started crying because I was scared. I am coming up on 2 years sobriety next month and I know how hard that was, and I wasn't sure if I was ready for another fight with the cigarettes. I have learned through sobriety that one day at a time is so important. I will not smoke today. The present is all I have control over. Tomorrow will take care of itself. My mom had a stroke and died of lung cancer 7 years ago at the age of 58. I was going down the same road until 2 years ago. I'm happy that I want something more for my life and that I have the courage to make it happen. Blessings to you all.

Ruby from North Dakota

I quit smoking cold turkey. When I was a teen I smoked all the time and it didn’t bother me. In my 20’s I stay up till one in the morning smoking and I didn’t really feel it. In my early 30’s I was having shortness of breath but not really bad. When I got to my late 30’s I started really feeling the affects of it. I’m a small person; I’m not big at all. I’ll make my bed and get out of breath. Every time I talk to someone I’ll be making that clearing your throat sound - ALL THE TIME. My wind pipe would feel hot, seriously, and my lungs hurt. I went to the doctor and he said I have smoker’s lung from smoking so long. At this point there is no sign of cancer, as far as he can see. My dad died of lung cancer. So I started looking at pictures of people’s lungs with lung cancer and compared them to pictures of people’s lungs that do not smoke and are healthy. I think that’s what helped me the most. There’s nothing out there that will help you quit except yourself. It’s a mind thing and you have to make up your own mind to quit. Do what I did and hang up a picture of smokers lung printed from the internet. Hang that paper on your fridge, to look at it and your kids could see it to. It’s been almost 2 years since I smoked and every now and then I want a cigarette. But now at least I can sleep on my back, which I couldn’t do before. Wishing all of you the best of luck – it’s all in your mind!

melisa from Louisiana

Hi, I'm Darlene from Illinois. I quit smoking 64 days ago!! I have smoked since I was 16 years old!! Long time! 2 packs a day when I was bored! But ...Not anymore....I started taking a medication from my doctor to help me quit on April 1, 2009!! I had that prescription sitting on my dresser since August of 2008 and I was too afraid to take it, at least that's what my excuse was. To make a long story short, I want to learn how to snorkel!! I couldn't breathe so how can I snorkel? I made up my mind that this is it! I'm done! I Quit! Went through a few rough days, but kept myself extremely busy, when I got an urged, I cleaned or went for a long walk. After dinner I put jig saw puzzles together just to keep my mind off of smoking!! I'm not shoving food in my mouth every time I want a cigarette, which is so seldom now that I even get that urge and it passes right away! If I have a really bad urge I have blow pops on hand... can't wait to get to the gum!! You can do it! So far I have saved $576.00 since April 1st!! That’s vacation money! Good luck to all!

Darlene from Illinois

I started smoking when I was 14 and I’m 16 now and still smoking. I’ve tried quitting smoking but it’s hard. The reason I started smoking was because I’m one of those teens that is just trying to fit in. I had friends that smoked and I got mixed up in the wrong crowd. My parents found out that I smoked when they thought they were smoking too much until my mom went looking around in my room and found a pack of cigarettes. My parents are trying so hard to help me quit. I was smoking 2 packs a day but now 1 pack will last me 2-3 days, so I’m slowly quitting. I also smoked marijuana but thankfully I was able to quit.

Tamra from West Virginia

My name is John I’m 18. I recently quit smoking 2 days ago and I feel INSANE like you wouldn’t believe! Well, maybe the ones who quit already know - but I feel a lot better but at the same time I feel a little depressed. Sometimes I feel scared and I want to cry - and go have a smoke. But I’m staying strong like all of you have. So wish me luck I’m on my second day and I’m happy for all the people that quit. And if you do smoke, just ask yourself, what has cigarettes done for you...really...think about it...they’ve done NOTHING except kill you and age you faster.

John from Florida

This is my second day to quit smoking. I am 47 years old and started smoking around 20. It’s been 27 years and I can’t even figure out why I started. This is my 4th try in the past 15 years and 2nd try in the past 3 weeks and I just hope this is the last. What I learned is when you quit then don’t even play with smoking ever. Just one stick will bring you back. I decided to go cold turkey this time. Good luck to all.

Noel from California

I am 40 years old and have competed my first day smoke-free! My father died at 50, my uncles 46 and 54 respectively - all three of sudden-death heart attacks. And all three were smokers. I started smoking very young and for a 3 year period I quit, but then started again. I've smoked about a pack a day for most of that period. I've had a pretty easy day, but I know the next few days will be tough. However, for the first time in a very long time I have begun thinking about life past 45 or 50. I now know that I am in control of whether I see my now 17 year old son marry and have children. I am really happy I have chosen to take my life back.

Randy from Indiana

While I'm not a smoker, my mom was a smoker (and a school nurse) and I regularly hid her cigarettes in my closet. I was so afraid that she would get sick, or worse, get cancer. Now, many years later and as a public health professional, I have been part of a project to reach out to young girls (8-11 years old) on smoking prevention. Mothers, if you're smoking, please have your daughters visit: www.nosmokingroom.org. It’s is a fun, girl-friendly site where they can plan games and learn about the consequences of smoking. Chances are that if you're a smoker, your daughters will smoke too.

Kara from California

Its day 16 and it is better! I still cry and have little hissy fits but I can laugh at myself now. I know it’ll pass. I feel so much better. I can breathe again and I like it! Hang tough you guys! WE CAN DO THIS!

Bonnie from Michigan

I have not smoked in 24 hours and I'm really grouchy. Anyone have any help or felt this way? I can not be still. But I will not give up. I have 2 kids to think about.

Elizabeth from Indiana

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Content last updated June 10, 2009.