Stories and experiences by: penelopejane

I have become a non-smoker. I talked myself through the cravings and I use lozenges. I don't smoke.

I quit one year ago. I found this site most helpful when I was struggling. I didn't fight smoking thoughts. I surfed them like riding a wave. I did tai chi too. I would take the smoking thought into a ball near my chest and then push the thought into the room. then I would do something for ten minutes. I did lots of colouring-in. Then I used the coloured pictures to make origami boxes. I knit and...

I think perseverance is the key word I would like to share. This means that although I get smoking thoughts I still use basic skills. I use skills like the four D's. When I need a break I sip water, I deep breathe, I delay, I do something else. I imagine what the smell of smoke on my face would do to me. It would make me nauseous. A smoke after all this time would make me dry reach or vomit. It w...

I am happy to say I am a non-smoker. Saying this aloud to my loved ones helped me accept this. My eight month mark seemed to be the most difficult for me. I have pulled through that difficult time and now I feel a lot better. I have persevered. I don't smoke. I am content. Unfortunately all of my money is going on doctors. I am being treated privately for my mental health. I am stable and fairly ...

I weaned myself from smoking. I smoked 55 a day. It worked out that I cut down by an average of two cigarettes a day, each year. I was after a lifestyle change. It may have seemed slow, but it was solid, secure progress. Although it took decades to quit it has been achieved. I am beginning to feel comfortable in my own skin. It is too much effort to smoke. I am tired of trying to control how many...

I don't know what I am doing differently but I am still smoke free. I get up for a couple of hours most nights. I prayed about it every day. I was so determined not to smoke over sleep deprivation. I was putting myself to bed early each night. Then I would wake up in the middle of the night. I figured if I took up smoking because of lack of sleep I would never be able to stop. Lately I have slept...

I had the goal of having another smoke free holiday and being smoke free for six months. I am pleased to report I have successfully achieved both. I went to New Zealand to visit my brother. Then when I came home I just had to wait a few days to be six months smoke free. It was so worth it.

I am over 5 months clean. People said to me "never quit quitting". I took two decades to abstain. I weaned myself down to nothing. I don't sit around tables smoking anymore.

Thank you all so much for your support and also the encouragement I have received. I have quit. I say N.O.P.E. to cigarettes, Not One Puff Ever. One drag could start the whole habit over again. I quit 23 weeks ago. My hands are healing slowly. I have dry patches of skin.

I still get thoughts of smoking. I have been quit for 21 weeks. I wake in the middle of the night still. For the first two months I was sleep deprived. I was determined not to pick up though. Every day I would get up from a broken nights sleep and pray. "Thank you God for giving enough sleep for this day." That's all I had. Just enough sleep for one day, with no reserve. "Please God give me more ...