Tired of Nicotine Prison
- For the last several years I have really begun to feel the effects of smoking for thirty years. I have no energy, I am looking old, I am lazy and lifeless. I have allowed this addiction to control my life. I don't want to go out because I can't smoke anywhere. Don't want to be near people because I don't want them to judge me and frown upon me as a smoker. I am beginning to make excuses for not doing anything because I am feeling out of breath. I would like to live to see my grandchildren grow up and help to support my children throughout their lives. I just found out my mother who smoked for almost 50 years has two lesions in her mouth and they are positive it is cancer, waiting for biopsy results. I have had enough. I have three children out of four who are smoking and I want to show them I can do it. I pray it will give them the encouragement and assurance that if mom can do it so can they. We can be a smoke-free family!!!!
- —Guest loulou67
Why I Want to Quit Smoking
- At the first of September, 2010, all I was thinking about was getting a 3 day weekend...dreaming of everything that I was going to get accomplished at home and sleeping late on a Monday. That was all blown to hell with one phone call. My husband and I had just had our yearly blood work. He had been to the doctor's office on Monday to get his results. His blood pressure was down, his cholesterol was normal and the doctor said he was in better health than me. He took him off his blood pressure and cholesterol meds which he had been on for 5 years. He was 42. I was at work Wednesday afternoon of the same week, day dreaming about my 3 day weekend when my cell phone rang. It was my husband's work saying he was hurt and going to the hospital. While I was getting in my car, I kept asking which hospital he was going to be taken to. They put me on hold and then told me that they thought he had had a heart attack, but was stable and the EMS people where working on him getting ready to leave. I thought it could not get any worse, but I was wrong. After they got him to the hospital and let me see him, the nurse told me about how his heart had stopped beating, that he had to shocked 3 times and they had to do CPR on him for over 20 minutes to bring him back. The kind of heart attack he had was called a widow maker. It hits men between the age of 40 - 45. Only 5-10% of the people who have one survive and only if they get medical attention within the first 3 minutes. He was on a tow motor truck where he working when 2 co-workers saw him hit a table after he collapsed. He was blue from lack of oxygen when they got to him. They were both trained in CPR and had a machine on site that would shock. They are the reason he is alive today. After he was admitted to the CCU, he had a dye test ran on his heart. He had a 95% block in the main top artery of his heart and 3 blood clots. He smoked about 2 packs of cigarettes a day for over 20 years and was not going to stop before this happened. He no longer smokes. I have smoked for over half of my life and have been trying to stop since September. I will do pretty good for a few days then the cravings get so bad I will buy a pack. Most of the time, the pack last about 3 to 6 days. Then I'll try again. I don't smoke around my husband but I don't want to smoke at all. It is so hard to stop. Even after what happen to him. I keep telling him I haven't had any health problems from cigarettes (which is a lie) just him. But I will keep fighting this war. I will win the whole war not just a few battles.
- —raa2001
New Year Gift
- My last straw was 27th of Dec, before going to meditation : Vipassana, it was great, I recommend to everyone who finds it hard to quit. I have smoked for 15 years and with no craving, this meditation has helped me entirely. bless u all
- —Guest james lee
It Was Time!!
- It has been a week since I quit smoking. I was Scared Straight after having to check a good friend into the hospital with pneumonia on New Years Day 2011, She is a smoker, and having to see her trying to catch her breath when she coughed scared me. I quit that day...
- —jc0808
Cigarettes Owned Me
- I was a slave to cigarettes. I have been quit 7 days now. It hurts like hell but I won't give in...they won't own me anymore. The past 7 days have been hard but its going to be worth it. I feel the chains breaking each day I'm smoke free.
- —windylindy49
Unexpected Gifts
- You have probably read about many of the benefits you receive by quitting smoking. Some are really surprising. I was walking down the aisle at the grocery when I was hit with the overpowering smell of oranges. The clerk was using a machine to squeeze fresh oranges into juice. I have walked by there hundreds of times but this time was the first when I was hit with the wonderful smell. And I am just in month five of my quit.
- —Rich7
Bronchial Cough - 35 Year Smoker
- Seems like each time I would light up, I would cough until I would get half way through a cigarette. That was it for me brother!
- —Guest All of the Above
It's Time
- Christmas Day, hours before finishing preparing turkey and dressing to take to a big family dinner, I had to be rushed to the emergency room! I could not breathe. I had difficulty walking and standing. I had been here before! I had quit smoking the last time for over 3 years, then picked "them" back up 10 months ago. I could see and feel the increasing debilitating effects of smoking, but just could not put them down. In the ER it took 3 treatments and a couple of shots and I still was gasping for air. I felt like I was drowning and was panicked. I have always been a very physically active woman and now I had difficulty walking from my bedroom to the kitchen. I hit a brick wall.... I had to stop. It has been 8 days... the first 5 I was on medications that made me so sick all I could do was sleep and eat a little. The last couple of days I have felt better, and guess what. The thought of a cigarette haunts me. One day at time, one minute at a time... I can do it.!!!!
- —Marcol619
Inspiration
- Today, it is December 31st 2010. I've decided to go cold turkey. I love smoking, the first thing I do every morning before anything is have a smoke. After reading all your motivations to stop smoking I've decided to join your conquest. I hope I'll have the will power like all you to stop. Anyone trying to stop smoking, I wish you the best of luck and remember mind over matter. If they can do it so can we. God bless you all. I wish all of you the best of health. Happy New Year everyone!
- —Guest Momo
Made My Boys Proud
- My two adorable boys were always asking me to give up smoking. I tried a few times, and the look on their faces when I would cave almost killed me right there and then... So I tried one more time, just thinking that I could make them proud of me, just like they make me feel about them every single day of their little lives. And I did it, coming up to my 1 year anniversary Jan 1st 2011! YAY!
- —Guest bboys
Emotional Angst!
- When I saw "emotional angst" as a last-straw reason why people quit smoking, it really hit a cord with me. I couldn't put it better. It was the emotional angst that drove me to finally quit smoking after 25 years (and I am only 41) - something I couldn't have imagined happening the last time I tried to quit smoking: it was causing me more stress to smoke than not to smoke!!! Having become a newly-single mom, I just didn't have the resources (someone to watch my child for the 7 minutes every half hour) to step outside for a cigarette. So, I was actually white-knuckling it all day until I got a precious moment to step out and smoke. Yes, "precious." When I realized that THAT had become more precious to me than my long-held belief that the TV should never be used as a baby-sitter -- I would put on cartoons and watch my still-sitting child through the window -- I WAS DONE. I could not be the parent I wanted to be AND a smoker at the same time. I've been smoke free for 6 months now!!!
- —Guest Luna
How many reasons
- Traveling was a pain, trying to time it so you could get that last cigarette in; meetings at work where you could no longer focus on what was being said only that you wanted a cig; laying down to sleep & having a hard time breathing; not being able to walk for any distance without being out of breath; standing outside in all types of weather at work, at a restaurant, grocery store etc just to have a cigarette; the smell in my car, home on my clothes; my family hounding me to quit; the deep-seated fear that I was killing myself; the shame of feeling I was weak as nonsmokers looked past me; the cost, which was approx $2500.00 a year of after tax money; being a slave to something so disgusting; burn holes in my clothes; my skin and gums; the taste in my mouth; not being able to smell. It has been just over 2 years since I quit after 30 years of smoking and every day I say a prayer of thanks for God giving me the strength to quit. I also pray for any soul I see smoking.
- —Guest Deb
Sick of the Ball and Chain
- This will be my last day smoking I am so sick of this chain and ball hanging around my neck. It is a ridiculous habit. In my case I cannot be out of bed for more then 5 mins with out a smoke, and when I go to work where I must write is nonsmoking. I hide were I can to sneak one which makes me feel like a child. My mood is down all the time. I am angry with others about not much but moods make it seem so big. I have tried to give up so many times.
- —Guest joanne
Getting Scared
- I'm a serial quitter, but lately I've had a terrible wheezing and my arms and hands go numb so easily. I hope it's not too late....
- —thejessann
The Expense, Stink and Health Problems
- I have been a heavy smoker for 30 years. I quit yesterday, December 20th at 12:30 PM. Simply put, I am tired of the expense, the stink, and the health issues. I have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and chronic severe leg pain probably all worsened by smoking. I have just had it with the whole addiction.
- —dbonetn
