Articles Index

Three Months Without Nicotine

Kay recently celebrated three months smoke free and has been good enough to share her perspectives on early smoking cessation with readers.

Paul's Quit Smoking Story

As a smoker of nearly 30 years, approx 2 packs a day had weakened blood vessels, ‘furred’ the actual surfaces; reducing blood-flow and causing said veins & arteries to contract. The poisons in the cigs, together with a party lifestyle, alcohol and soft drug use like marijuana had put me at risk for having a stroke, I was later told.

Nicotine Withdrawal and Junkie Thinking

Nicotine withdrawal can put unhealthy thoughts of smoking into your head from time to time. Prepare yourself with knowledge of what to expect and how to beat junkie thinking down.

Introducing Gaylene - Courageous Lung Cancer Survivor

After 36 years of smoking and a diagnosis of emphysema, Gaylene learns that she has contracted small cell lung cancer.

Sally Quit Smoking

This article spans the first three years of About.com Smoking Cessation forum member Sally's smoke-free journey. Read from start to finish, this personal quit story is a powerful testament to the healing that we can all hope to achieve when we quit smoking.

When I Think of a Cigarette...

For ex-smoker Angela, healing from nicotine addiction has given her a birds eye view of how dangerous and deadly cigarettes really are. The blinders are off and the smokescreen has lifted.

Cigarette Smoking and Degenerative Disc Disease

Ex-smoker Michelle Boisvert suffers from degenerative disc disease. Diagnosed at the age of 33, she has since learned that cigarette smoking and degenerative disc disease can go hand-in-hand, as smoking is a risk factor for DDD.

Chemicals in Cigarettes: What They Are and How They Harm Us

The chemicals in cigarettes and cigarette smoke contain poisons, carcinogens and heavy, toxic metals.

My Smoke Free Garden

"What makes you feel fortunate, alive, happy...what makes you smile at the sky? For me it is many things, but mostly it is the contrast between the last few summers of my life and this summer."

Healthy Monday and Smoking Cessation

The Healthy Monday concept provides a great framework for smoking cessation. By choosing Monday as the day you quit smoking, you are building 52 opportunities to succeed in to your year.

Healthy Monday at About.com Smoking Cessation

Started by the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, the Healthy Monday campaign puts focus on bringing organizations together with the common goal of helping us achieve and sustain a healthy lifestyle. Healthy Monday encourages us to think of [i]every[/i] Monday as a day that we can begin work anew on goals that we have for ourselves.

Debbi Quit Smoking One Year Ago

A personal quit smoking story from About.com Smoking Cessation forum member Debbi, who quit smoking one year ago.

Susie's Quit Smoking Story

Personal quit smoking stories are powerful motivators to help us finally shed nicotine addiction, once and for all. Read Susie's quit smoking story and let it inspire success for you too.

Jacki's Quit Story - A Study in Courage

Compiled and narrated by About.com Smoking Cessation forum member, Catherine (forum ID: Catherine2007), this quit story serves as a tribute to the very special woman this account is about -- Jacki (forum ID: PrettyMomma5).

The Benefits of Smoking Cessation

I hope to encourage new quitters by listing some of the benefits I’ve derived from not smoking these past 3 months. I smoked for 27 years, 20 of those years a pack a day or more. For the last 3 or 4 years, I’d been chewing 5-6 pieces of nicotine gum a day on top of 20 cigarettes, so I had ungodly amounts of nicotine coursing through my bloodstream.

Freedom After 40 Years - Nenejune's Quit Smoking Story

Nenejune's quit smoking story will be familiar to anyone who has been a closet smoker. Lonely and isolating, closet smokers often carry more guilt than most smokers.

Mind Games Go Both Ways When You Quit Smoking

I'd like to introduce you to About.com Smoking Cessation forum member, Beth (Nyniane). In the article that follows, Beth helps us learn how to recognize thoughts that don't serve us as we move through recovery from nicotine addiction and reprogram our minds with thoughts that do.

Chantix FAQs

Varenicline tartrate, brand name Chantix™ is a smoking cessation medication that was developed by Pfizer, Inc. In May of 2006, Chantix was approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration(FDA). In the years since however, a number of serious concerns involving changes in mood and behavior for people taking using Chantix have surfaced.

SmokerDave's Journey to Stop Smoking

I'd like to introduce you to Dave, a man who found the will to stop smoking over 29 years ago. Today, at the age of 83, Dave still reaches out to help others in their quest to stop smoking

Myssi's Journey to a Smoke Free Life

On the road to a smoke free life, Myssi learned an important lesson - there is never a good reason to smoke. There are only excuses to smoke. With 8 smoke free months behind her, Myssi will have a year smoke free before long.

Kerri Quit Smoking 2 Years Ago

"You don’t just quit smoking and you are done. There’s a lot of soul searching and relearning to do."

"One year ago, on July 10, 2004 at 10:32PM I quit."

"Try. It’s a word we use a lot. For many things, trying is all that counts. For this terrible addiction of cigarette smoking, trying just doesn’t cut it."

Quit Smoking While You're Young

From Kerri: "We have the choice to make for ourselves. This is not a dress rehearsal, this is the only YOU you will ever get. Do you want to purposefully risk cutting it short or live a long life full of excitement, freedom and loved ones?"

Replacement Therapy

Find something you love. Make a list of your interests; it can even be things you wanted to do when you were a child. Anything goes, just rediscover what it was that brought you happiness and find ways to implement it into your life. Take the time you have and spend it on yourself.

The Dangers of Cigar Smoking

Cigar smoking is dangerous. Any tobacco product will have risks associated with its use, and cigars are no different. In some ways, cigar smoking puts its user at an even greater risk.