Stories and experiences by: Aniruddha

Everyone's quit is different in some ways and in others we all have the same battles to fight. As I reflect on 1000 days quit, I was lucky that my quit itself was unplanned which is not the norm. However when I did decide to stay off cigarettes after returning to familiar routines, the cravings flooded in but I had a streak to protect as a motivation. I still get distressing dreams that I h...

Read the full story about 1000 days quit! - Always be on your guard

You can always savor being ahead in your fight against cigarettes but what I remind myself is to never start taking a victory lap. Today is my 2 year anniversary of staying quit and I have added running and regular gym sessions as a way to savor my control over cigarettes 2 years on after an initial weight gain, I have since lost a bunch of weight and I feel healthier, look better and ge...

Read the full story about 2 years quit (Never take a victory lap)

The cravings do eventually die down and in my case even the dreadful dreams about me having smoked have stopped. I have also added regular exercise to my lifestyle and since lost 25lbs. I had gained quite a in the 6 months following my quit but now all of that gain is gone and then some more. Now that I am home, I do think about how I would have spent my day smoking had this virus spread ...

Read the full story about 600 days!

Do I miss smoking? There are certainly times when I wish I could smoke without the side effects that I am well aware of. The cravings do appar from time to time but I am in control of my cravings. I also know not to be complacent. The one side effect of quitting that I was not thrilled about was my weight gain. That too has become a non issue as I have started losing the lbs. At 10lbs now and...

Read the full story about 500+ Days

Its troubling that even after being smoke free for over 400 days now and rarely if ever getting the craving to smoke, I have been having vivid dreams of me having smoked. Recently the frequency of such dreams has increased and each dream seems more realistic than others. Its bothering me that while my conscious mind rarely thinks to smoke, when I am sleeping the desire to smoke is alive. ...

Read the full story about Dreams

Its been a year today and I start my first day of another year of staying smoke free. What I have learnt in this year is to mantain a healthy balance between obsessing about not smoking and not getting complacent. Obsess just enough that you don't think its easy to stay quit but don't fret about not smoking so much that it consumes your days with it This forum has been helpful; just to get ...

Read the full story about One Year Quit Anniversary

Yesterday night, I had the most vivid dream that I am smoking. And even in my dream I knew I would have to reset my quit clock. Got up startled in the middle of the night and the rest of the night I spent tossing and turning unsure if I had really smoked or it was just a dream. I am 8 months quit and it was humbling to know how much the habit messes with you.

Read the full story about Dream

Can't believe, but immensely happy, that my unplanned and forced quit is on its 200th day. There is one thing I have realized while staying quit and that is.... stay humble to your quit. Don't assume you have found a mantra to stay quit. Different things work for different folks and what works for me is to keep telling myself that I haven't won anything yet. To me the struggle keeps me going ...

Read the full story about 200 not out !

It definitely gets easier. I am now at a point where its easier just to stay quit. I have put on some serious weight but on the bright side I almost never consume alcohol. Used to be a 3 to 4 times a week alcohol drinker. What I want to share is that cravings do completely recede Good luck all !

Read the full story about 150 days quit

My forced break from smoking for 7 days has ballooned to 100. Around the week 4 mark was my one and only real moment when I was close to slipping. To avoid any more such moments, I have also limited my alcohol consumption. I have put on almost 10 to 15 lbs but I know I can get them off once I start exercising

Read the full story about 100 days quit!