My life as a smoker
I started smoking when I was 15. I was hooked from the very first cigarette. A friend of mine had offered it to me and I remember bugging her the rest of the day for another cigarette.
I didn't smoke because I thought it was cool, in fact, I hid it from most of my friends. I was addicted from the first drag.
I smoked for 25 years. I just recently quit on March 10, 2011. I had quit smoking a couple times over the years, but not for any length of time. One month was the longest time I ever stopped smoking.
The past few months were concerning. I was developing the classic smoker's cough, a cough that took years to develop.
Why and how I quit smoking
I had in the back of my mind that I needed to quit. I hated the shame I felt smoking around my daughter. I hated the constant coughing. I was living in fear of dying of heart failure or cancer. Yet with all of these emotions, I had not seriously considered quitting and thought that I was just one of those people who would always smoke.
On March 9, 2011, I went to the dentist because of a severe toothache. Well, it turns out that a molar had to be pulled because of bone loss. I remember reading the instructions he gave me that listed how to care for a pulled tooth. At the bottom of the page in bold type was - Do not smoke for 2 - 3 days. WHAT! I looked at him and asked if he was serious and said I can't go that long and asked how long I really had to wait.
I tried smoking a couple hours later and I got so sick! I thought I was going to pass out and/or vomit. Once the novocaine wore off and the pain set in, I didn't think about smoking again until the next night. I took 2 puffs and threw the cigarette out.
On Friday morning I thought, wow, I should try to quit! I spent Friday night on this site and I am blessed with what I stumbled upon. I figured I just went through the two hardest days distracted by pain of loosing a tooth and that I would be a fool to continue smoking now. I am so proud of myself that I can't imagine smoking again. Yes, I have cravings, but I refuse to give in.
I am turning 40 very soon and I know that this is a life-changing event and the best gift I can give myself on a milestone birthday. I don't cough anymore. I can't believe how quickly the coughing stopped. I have more energy, and my self-esteem is through the roof now!
Advice
- Take it one day at a time. Don't worry if you will be quit a month or year from now - just worry about today.
- Don't compare how you quit to someone else. Some can do it cold turkey, others need a quit aid (or mouth surgery). The goal is quitting, not how we quit.
- Visit this site often - what a motivator and confidence booster it is!
- Most importantly - believe in yourself. Believe that you can quit, believe that you will quit, just believe in yourself!
