Tips for quitting smoking!

I’ve been trying to quit for years now—no luck so far. I actually managed to stay clean for a few months once, but then a tragedy hit and I ended up back at square one, smoking even more than before. I'm giving it another shot, though. I've made it two days without a cigarette so far. Just trying to keep my cool.

So, look, I was never really what you’d call a hardcore smoker. My habits always fluctuated quite a bit, but I spent about four years smoking on and off with different breaks and ups and downs. For the most part, I wouldn't say I was super addicted; it just felt like either it suited my mood, or sometimes I’d just get this strange little urge to light up just for the hell of it or to find a moment of temporary calm. That’s definitely how addiction starts, I suppose, but it's been a while since I last picked up one, and I've decided that I won't 🙂 ! I know the cravings are going to hit me a few more times over the next couple of months, but I'm really hoping I don't lose my nerve or cave in when faced with all this SHIT. 😉 Cigarettes honestly just hold you back—they tie you down, and there are way more downsides than upsides, so there's really no point in it. Plus, here in the States, there seems to be more and more discrimination against smokers and whatnot these days.

On a different note, I had a question I was wondering about: roughly how long does that "cleansing cough" last after you quit? It feels like mine might pass quicker since I didn't smoke for as many years as some people, though I guess that isn't always the case. I have a feeling it might be around a two-week window, based on what I've experienced before, though it could be more or less 🙂 !

Here’s my take on it:
I smoked one brand for about four years, going through roughly two packs a day. Back when they were getting too expensive, I started rolling my own. Honestly, spitting was probably my trademark back then.
Eventually, I quit—by force, really—because I was traveling abroad and completely broke. I have to say, while I was smoking, I felt sick all the time—sinus issues, lung problems... the withdrawal process itself was brutal for me, but it passed in about three or four days.
I haven't touched a cigarette in about three years now.
But man, the cravings still hit me sometimes... I honestly don't think I'll ever truly get rid of those urges.

masterblaster said:Here is my experience:
I smoked for about four years, going through roughly two packs a day. Back when I couldn't afford them, I used to roll my own. My little spittoon was pretty much my trademark back then.
Eventually, I quit—by force, really—because I was traveling abroad and completely broke. I have to say, while I was smoking, I felt sick all the time; sinus issues, lung problems... the withdrawal process itself was absolutely brutal, though it did pass after three or four days.
I haven't touched a cigarette in about three years now.
But the cravings still hit me sometimes... I honestly don't think I'll ever truly get rid of those impulses.

You simply won't believe it—the first woman I've ever heard of who actually rolled her own... 🙂

masterblaster said:So, here’s how things have played out from my perspective:
I smoked for about four years, going through roughly two packs a day. Back when those things were getting way too expensive for me, I used to roll my own just to save some cash. And honestly, those massive clouds of smoke? I guess that was pretty much my trademark back then.
And then I just had to quit—cold turkey, really—because I was traveling abroad and completely broke. I have to admit, though, while I was still smoking, I felt like I was constantly under the weather, dealing with everything from sinus issues to lung problems. Honestly, the withdrawal process was pretty brutal for me, but it only took about three or four days to finally get through it.
I haven't touched a cigarette in about three years now.
But honestly, it happens so often that I’m starting to feel like I’ll never actually get rid of these cravings.

And how long were you coughing after you finally quit? Or did you even deal with that kind of coughing in the first place?

I wasn't coughing at all.

Well, I guess I’m just getting started, though I wouldn't say I'm a heavy smoker anymore—just a little bit here and there. Honestly, it all feels tied together with my seasonal allergic bronchitis and those other respiratory issues, so I suppose that's just one more solid reason for me to finally quit smoking 😉 !

I smoked for about 10 or 11 years, but I’ve been clean for 5 or 6 months now. The biggest motivator was getting pregnant, so I quit both smoking and drinking at the same time.😢
It was tough back then, and honestly, it still is sometimes—but it feels more like a mental battle than an actual physical craving.
Wishing everyone the absolute best if you've decided to take on this brutal, uphill climb of breaking the habit!👋
👍

I’ll manage to hold out for maybe fifteen or twenty days—just when I feel like I’m finally gaining some ground—and then, predictably, I completely blow it... I'll tell myself, "Oh, just one cigarette with my coffee," and of course, here we go again.

Well, there we go... 👋 👋It’s already been six months

As for me, I'm looking at 9 days, one year, and 4 months left...👋

Amy Smith said:As for me, it's been 9 days, a year, and 4 months.👋

Blav 👍 👍

Michael Fox46 said:It’s been six months now...👋 👋

I hit my nine-month mark today without smoking. It’s good. Bravo me, I guess...🙂
The downside is that I still really miss my spit. 😢 .
Some people tell me this can go on for years. For those of you who quit, when did you first realize the spitting was gone, but you actually stopped missing it?

analogwolf26 said:I’ve officially hit nine months smoke-free today, which is a huge win—Bravo to me. 🙂

The only downside is that I still really miss that damn phlegm clearing out. 😢.
Some people tell me this stage can drag on for years. For those of you who quit, when was the first time you realized the phlegm was gone and you didn't actually need it anymore?

I still find myself missing 😢, but it isn't a physical craving; it's more just those moments where I'd honestly love nothing more than to light up...

The last time I lit up was April 23rd—man...😉
That was about a month ago; I had one single cigarette because my friends talked me into it, but honestly, it wasn't even a big deal... just a mindless thing... I didn't even take many deep drags...
Since my graduation is coming up in about a month, I expect I might end up lighting one there. But I can promise myself I won't let it spiral back into heavy smoking again. I mean, look—previously I was only having a few cigarettes a day, except for the weekends when I’d go through at least half a pack.

The Premier of Tasmania, Jim Bacon, was 54 years old when he stepped down this past January due to lung issues. He had been a smoker for 35 years and openly admitted he knew the smoking would likely lead to cancer, but he just couldn't quit. Honestly, why bother? He felt his end was near. Everyone kept telling him that staying positive would help him heal, but unfortunately, he lost his battle with lung cancer and passed away very shortly after last month.

One whole week without a single cigarette. 🙂

Tobacco use claims 660,000 lives across Europe every year.

Roughly 15 percent—that's about 660,000 people within the European Union—die every
single year due to smoking. Tackling tobacco use remains one of the biggest hurdles in global health policy, according to US health official Michel Martin.
Over the next two decades, the number of people worldwide suffering from or dying due to smoking-related illnesses is expected to double, potentially hitting 9.8 million, warned Dr. Catherine Le Gales-Camus, an assistant director at the World Health Organization.
Currently, various governments are passing laws to ban smoking in public spaces, including restaurants, cafes, and even cars. In the US, increasing cigarette taxes might be another way to drive those numbers down.

🙂 😎

Jamie Clark74 said:Tobacco use claims 660,000 lives across Europe every single year.

In fact, about 15 percent—that’s roughly 660,000 people within the European Union—pass away every
year due to the consequences of smoking. Tackling tobacco use remains one of the most massive hurdles in global health policy, according to Irish Health Minister Michel Martin.
Looking ahead at the next two decades, the number of people suffering from or dying because of smoking-related illnesses is expected to double globally, potentially hitting 9.8 million, warned Dr. Catherine Le Gales-Camus, an assistant director at the World Health Organization.
Currently, various European governments are passing laws to ban smoking in public spaces, including restaurants, cafes, and even inside cars, while in America, perhaps hiking up cigarette prices could help drive those numbers down...

🙂 😎

arrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhhhhh 😁

You've posted this in the wrong thread; basically, everyone here is either trying to quit or has already kicked the habit...