Stories & experiences

Dak
4: Stories
22/02/2014: Joined

View smoking with the disgust it deserves

Posted in Staying quit 24 Feb 2015

7 Comments

Well I have just reached a milestone of being smoke free for one year, an achievement I thought I would never make.

Strangely though I have recently experienced a craving for cigarettes that I have not had since I quit and cannot readily explain the reason. The craving lasts for no more than 20 seconds before I reconcile the thought with the disgust I now have for smoking (not toward others, just me).

One thing I do know is, that if I slip, I will undoubtedly succumb to the addiction and all my hard work will be wasted.

I also think of the doubters who would say "knew he wouldn't last" and this acts as real inspiration to keep going.

The other day I bumped into a colleague who I have not seen since I quit and was complimented on how well I look and how the smell of tobacco was no longer my background smell.

So if you are struggling and need any more motivation, then I am a good example, smoked for over 30 years, willpower of a gnat and yet here I am....GO ON DO IT......

7 Comments

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cindymg February 24, 2015 | 10:20

job well done.....day 6 here but I am determined this time I will continue to be a non smoker....
Dak February 25, 2015 | 7:03

Great Cindymg,
Determination is key and whenever you get a craving just think about the reasons why you wanted to stop in the first place and by then the craving will have gone.
We both know that we can make excuses for justifying having a cigarette but also know those excuses are a complete folly.
Keep up the good work👍
pravi February 25, 2015 | 19:20

nice work dak. we all must remember after hard work of quitting, one smocking will again make it to regular smocking. so don't and never go for "just one puf"
pranayama February 27, 2015 | 22:52

Dak, well done you, that is fabulous. Each time i have succumbed to desire and returned to the habit i feel SO defeated, i feel like a complete flop and it's depressing.

It's such a triumph this liberation, i look forward to saying it's been a year, only 51 weeks to go :)
Dak February 28, 2015 | 4:47

Pranayama,
I had been there in the past, numerous times having tried to give up and succumbed, so I now how it feels. This time I really wanted to prove all the doubters wrong and I have now reached a stage where I know I will never smoke again. Please keep up the good work, focus on the reasons why you have to stop smoking and use your previous weakness as inspiration this time round. Good luck.
GiveItUp March 23, 2015 | 15:07

Dak - great insight. I am just like you one slip and all my hard work will be wasted after 84 days so I will not let this addition beat me. Keep up the great work - you are an inspiration.
Dak March 23, 2015 | 20:04

Thanks GiveItUp,
After 84 days you are clearly on the right path to becoming smoke free. It's funny how quickly those old habits fade. I have recently been travelling to work on the train and can remember how previously my journeys were book ended by a cigarette. I would then take a short walk to work and, irrespective of the weather, stand outside and have another cigarette when I didn't really need one. I now know that this ork was pure habit and nothing really to do with the addiction of nicotine. I am so glad that those days are behind me and every person I see huddled in the rain smoking a cigarette before getting on the train serves as a gentle reminder as to why I gave up in the first place.
GiveItUp... Please keep up the good work and post on your updates.
Dak

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