Quitting
I started smoking since a very young age - when I was only 13, so now being 19 I have 7 years of nicotine abuse experience. My story of getting started may seem very familiar to you. I was raised in a country where people were heavily addicted to smoking and it was normal to have a cigarrete in a public place, around kids. And especially at that time it was kinda trendy and cool among my friends and classmates to smoke... Also, my friends and I were young and stupid and just wanted to try everything... and unfortunately we did try everything... one thing always leads to another. Looking back to those years, I am now very ashamed of all those lies to my parents in terms of taking their money so I could get another pack of cigarettes (another thing! Thanks God in Australia they place restrictions on sales of nicotine containing goods to underage kids and which has been actually enforced in practice. ..And now as I grew up I realised that to stay friends means much more than being or pretending to be cool... So here I am young and supposed to be full of energy and health but no! nicotine has eaten that all! I now regret of every inhale of smoke ... and of every cigarette bugs that I have thrown recklessly on the grounds littering badly... and most importantly my poor lungs and my body...
Well, what I am trying to say is that don't start smoking just because your friends do that ... you are more than that!
Anyway, good news I am more than 3 weeks clean! its been tough to see people smoking around and not do it myself. but then I think of how much healthier I have become ... I stopped having heart aches and breathing problems, (it came to the point that I had problems around the oral areas - I had dry mouth and other painful stuffs). Just overall it feels so much better. Although, these 3 weeks were tough for me, with all the workloads it was nearly impossible to resist the temptation of having another cig, and apperantly I found my relief by eating more so I gained a bit of weight. But now as the cravings are less intense it feels GOOD!
So for those who are trying to quit! Do it now! Respect your body! You dont need that crap:)
Share your story with me too :)
That's great you've reached 3 weeks, I also started to be cool when I was 13, it's taken me 40years to quit wish I had as much sense as you at 19.
I wish I'd thought of it at 19 as well but smoking was totally cool when I was 19, all my friends smoked and you could still smoke in pubs, clubs - even on the bus as long as you were on the upper deck and at the back (lived in London at the time). Anyway - smoking is just crap now and there are so many restrictions there's no way to enjoy it. You're so young most damage you've done will hopefully repair itself. Well done for taking the incentive and you're doing really well!