One year and counting!!!
So I've reached a big milestone. In the back of my mind I didn't think I could say NO to my "best friend" who was me through thick and thin. It was cool to be a smoker when I started in 1976 and as a teenager I wanted to be cool. But after "cool" factor had worn out I just couldn't get rid of my nico-devil "friend". However, one year and one day ago I said to myself enough is enough. The next few weeks were very painful physically and mentally but a year later physical pain and mental addiction are pretty much gone. Whenever I get a rare desire to for a cig I chew gum instead and it kills the need to smoke. I essence, to those who are short or medium quit timers do believe that it gets better and easier with each passing day, week, month. Don't give into temptation. Starting over is more difficult than continuing on your quit path. No matter how long you've been quit you must remain vigilant because there are and will be social situation, stress and all sorts of other unforeseen circumstances when you'll be tempted. Happened to me and I am sure you can relate.
Just yesterday I reached into my pocket pulled out a smoke, lit it up and took a big drag but it tasted like air. Immediately I stuffed it out because I quit but the pack was almost full so I decided to keep it just in case. And then I woke up. The fact that in my dream I decided to keep the the pack tells me that I am still a smoker in my mind. But I was relieved that it was only a dream.
I won't go into all the benefits of quitting because if you are on this site you already know them all. However, two quick stories:
1) Recently, after a meal in a restaurant my wife and I were getting into our car. There was a gentleman not far from us who was smoking and we could smell the smoke from his cig. At that point my wife (who never smoked in her life) thanked me for quitting because, according to her, the smell out of my lungs right after having a cig was just making her nauseous which ruined hers and everyone else's dining experience.
2) On my way home from overseas, at Istanbul airport there are outdoor lounges that serve as smoking areas. I wanted some fresh are so I went there. With all the smoke the air wasn't fresh at all but seeing people running in there, lighting up nervously and with one drag finish a large portion of a cig reminded me that I was finally free. A little over a year ago it was I who was addicted and couldn't wait to have another smoke.
I want to thank all of you for sharing your experiences on this site because you validate my belief that I did the right thing when I quit. Good luck to you all and thanks for your support.
Hi Safe,
I agree with your wife when she said the dining experience would be ruined from the smoke in your lungs right after a cigarette. As a smoker, I had no idea how bad the smell was and how it lingers in the air. Now, after being quit for over 15 months, I cannot stand the smell of smoke. I sometimes have to be a passenger in a car where the driver smokes. Although I have mentioned that the smoke stays in the car for 3 to 5 minutes after they finish smoking and makes it very difficult for me as a passenger, they continue to smoke in the car. Experiencing these occurrences reminds me how reliant smokers are to get that "fix" every half hour or so. I now tend to avoid friends that continue to smoke as I cannot stand the smell. Its sad to think that the act of smoking becomes more important to smokers than relationships.