Luna, Age 37: “I
started smoking when I was 13. I started seriously smoking
at age 15, I found it nice and it stopped me from eating
during lunchbreaks. When I was around 16/17 I swopped
food for cigarettes, even losing 3 or 4 pounds in a week
just having breakfast and dinner and nothing but ciggies
in between. I loved smoking, it made me me. Even if I
was sick, i kept smoking. Even if I was in someones smoke
free house i'd go stand outside in
the cold and smoke.
That all stopped when I was at a festival (of all
places) and lost my cigarettes in the crowd. Most people
were stingy so bumming smokes was a painfully degenerating
alternative. I bummed 2 or 3 smokes in over 8 hours
and realized that, I had smoked 1/10th of what I'd
usually have at a festival in that time span and that
i could easily quit.
The next day during my hangover I thought about it,
and that cigarettes don't do anything for you except
make you feel sick after a pack or two on a good night.
And that good nights are possible without cigs! Hangovers
are half as bad if you don't smoke!!!
I quit the next day. I had 3 packs of cigs in my room.
I went out to bars with smokers. I drank alcohol and
drank coffees. It's all in your mind. If you want to
quit, just don't pick up the cigarette. And if you
pick it up, don't light it. The 3 packs are still there.
First 3 days were not very nice, but lets be honest,
having your period or a toothache makes you feel much
worse than coldturkeying of nicotine!!!
I've been so clubs, festivals and many places where
i'd usually smoke LOADS, but havn't touched anything,
and I doubt I ever will again.
I feel clean, my cloths don't stink, I put 4 euros
in my piggiebank everyday and I feel less of a slave
to the cigarette.
Just do it. Don't imagine and make things harder than
they are. Be strong!!!”
Read other stories:
Gina, Age 35:I could
never see myself as a non smoker and I had tried to quit
many times before with all different NRT but after a
week it was back to fag in hand. I decided to ring the
nhs stop smoking service and signed up for a smoking
course.Read
More.
Paul, Age 42:Three weeks
ago I finally made a serious attempt to stop smoking
and I only regret that I didnt do it sooner. I used NRT
as a replacement for the nicotine and I have never looked
back. Smoke now smells disgusting to me and although
a large number of my friends smoke I have never once
been tempted. I think that using some sort of NRT is
definitely the best way to stop reducing my cravings
to nothing. This time I have really done it and I feel
great !!
