This is how I quit

[nsd_user663_19288]

I actually quit almost 11 years ago (after smoking for almost 16 years!) but I recently wrote a story about how I managed to quit because I think it could help a lot of people. I probably tried to quit over a dozen times but until I spoke to a professional about how addiction affects the brain, I wasn't able to find the right way to quit for me. If you'd like to read my article, go here: suite101.com/content/learn-...

And, even if you don't read it, don't give up! It's not easy but you can quit smoking. Good luck and don't give up!!

[nsd_user663_19288]

Thanks, Michael

Thanks a lot-I'm glad you found it worth the read.

Good luck!

jenn

[nsd_user663_18145]

Hi Jenn first of all well done on being smokefree for 11 years and thanks for the link i found it a really good read and im sure others will too

best regards carol

[nsd_user663_19288]

Thanks!

Thank you, Carol. I hope so. Of all of my friends who were smokers and quit, I'm the only one who stuck with it and I really think it had to do more with understanding and weakening the triggers than willpower. If it worked for me, I know it can work for someone else.

Good luck, and thanks again!

jenn

[nsd_user663_18143]

Wow, 11 years, that's amazing!! At the moment i can't even begin to imagine getting that far, but heres hoping eh!! Tbh, at day 1 i never imagined getting to 30 days and here i am!!

So many congrats on your 11 years smoke free, serious achievement. Can i ask though, after so long do you get the same strong craving and is it difficult to think back to how you felt as a smoker. I worry that i would forget how tough it was to quit and do the usual "just one won't hurt"...!!

[nsd_user663_19288]

Hi Jennifox,

No, I don't get any cravings anymore at all (which I'm reallyl thankful for!). I think because I worked really hard to break down my cravings when I decided to quit, I didn't have to battle them for years after the fact (like I sometimes hear other people having to do) and when they did happen, I was able to step back and recognize what was happening in my brain to make the craving hit. That really helped me a lot.

Now it IS really hard to remember myself as a smoker but I know I'll never go back-not because I think it'd be easy to quit again but because I quit for a reason: I didn't want to smoke anymore. The money, the health issues, the smell - I just didn't want any of it anymore.

Congratulations on your 30 days! I have no doubt that 11 years from now you'll be sharing your success story with other people here too.

[nsd_user663_18143]

Hi Jenn,

It's a really interesting point about breaking down your cravings - i've been trying to do something similar in that i identified every possible craving i get at the start, what they are associsted to and how i felt before, during and after smoking. Some were easier than others to idetify and others i have come across on the journey (it seems i used to smoke when talking to people that were boring me to act as a distraction - not as easy to do with the smoking ban in place but still, one i didn't even know about!!)

In 11 years time (2021/2, i'll be 38 eek!!) i will hopefully be telling people about my quit and helping them just like you are

Xxxx

[nsd_user663_19288]

Jennifox -

Yeah, working on the cravings and triggers was a big thing for me because every time I'd tried quitting before that I'd be fine for a few days and then something would stress me out or put me in a situation where I was used to smoking and then WHAM, there I was with a smoke again. I needed to do something that was going to work in the long-term, not just while I was hiding from everyone not smoking!