Healthy Monday Message at About.com Smoking Cessation

Our Reasons to Quit Smoking

Most people who smoke wish they didn't. They live with a hatred for the habit, and the fear of serious illness is usually there too, lurking in the background. And always that awful feeling of being powerless to quit. Addiction does that to a person.

Eventually though, there comes a time for most smokers when the "smokescreen" starts to wear thin. And when it does, smoking loses its luster; its ability to soothe. Instead, smoking becomes a fearful, anxiety-ridden activity that has little to do with pleasure or relaxation, and we find ourselves thinking about quitting with every cigarette we light.

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Ready to Quit Smoking

26 years of smoking established some powerful incentives for me to quit:

• I was fearful that a smoking-related disease would catch up with me before I found a way to quit smoking. I was worried sick, so to speak.

• I hated the smoker's cough and shortness of breath I had developed. I knew it was a sign of lung damage, and would only get worse the longer I smoked.

• I hated the smell, the embarrassment, and the need. I especially resented the need. Nicotine dependency made me feel weak and helpless.

The intensity of these feelings fueled my resolve to put my cigarettes down and finally quit smoking, once and for all. I had reached the point where the discomfort of quitting was less than the discomfort of smoking.

What are Your Reasons?

What are the driving factors behind your desire to quit smoking? Or, if you've quit, what was your last straw? Please share your reasons to quit smoking here and stop in for support and inspiration at the About.com Smoking Cessation support forum.

Take the Monday Pledge

Healthy Monday encourages us to think of every Monday as a day that we can begin work anew on goals that we have for ourselves. If you're still smoking, put your cigarettes down and get started on your quit program today.

We all have the ability to quit smoking successfully, and we all deserve a life that is free of addiction. Honor your life by choosing Monday as the day to start and reinforce your quit program.

You can quit smoking ... and we’re here to help you, one simple Monday at a time.

Related:

• I Quit Smoking Because...

• Why Did You Quit Smoking?

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