Grit your teeth and grin
Quick precis' of my journey so far ( for what it's worth ). Started smoking at 14 after being violently sick with the first one. Smoked for 53 years or so and in that time all I lasted was about three weeks quit. Ended up with three stents and regular bouts of bronchitis plus spending around £200000 in today's money. Benefits. None other than quelling the addiction at thirty cigarettes a day.
Decided to give up on 6 th Sept 2015. It really hurt and mood swings were roller coaster ( understanding wife ). Drank copious amounts of strong black coffee and ate chocolate eclairs. Lost two teeth through gum disease. Found icanquit and found quit buddies which were brilliant. Bought a Gibson 335 guitar as a present for myself. Still hurting a bit after a year but found that if I didn't dwell on cravings they only lasted a few minutes. Cravings now rare after two years plus. I am fully aware that one puff of a cigarette will set the addiction off again. Will not list all the benefits as too many. Main benefit is the freedom from the bondage and nasty habits associated with smoking.
Hi Dobbin. Congrats on your efforts. My story was similar 55yrs a smoker and quit about 5 years ago. The benefits are too many to mention but I love to state that I am a non smoker. I went on a cruise earlier this year and there was only one smoker on board and I felt so sorry for him and the way he was treated and spoken about. It could easily have been me or you a few years ago. So grateful.
Hi again Dobbin. Yes mate when we were young we thought we were bullet proof and smoked and carried on like we were in a rodeo show. Falling and getting up again was never a problem. What i am trying to say is that when we have smoked for many years (52 in my case) we cannot handle the pressure on our bodies like we used to. So, even though we may still get urges i for one quickly disperse of the urge as i know what i would have to go through again if i smoked. I do not want that awful churning in my stomach and short breaths again. So,we should thank God Dobbin and live our life in enjoyment outside of smoking.Cheers.
My sentiments exactly Johnnie and looking back to those days it seems rediculous that smoking was so common. I can remember my doctor when I was in my twenties telling me I should give up and she had a full ashtray in her desk.
Hi Warts. The guy on the cruise must have been desperate. We when we smoked became social outcasts. I remember standing outside my office and coughed up some phlegm. A passing woman told me I was disgusting. This hit me hard and Helped me to consider quitting seriously.