How many times did I try to quit smoking before I actually did?I don't know, but I'm sure it was hundreds of times!A couple of times I was able to quit for 1 - 3 months at a time, but I always started smoking again, sometimes for no apparent reason.
The last time, my husband and I were up to three months without smoking when my brother-in-law decided to move back here from another state, and, of course, he stayed with us.
He drives me mad, and he smokes 3 - 4 packs of cigarettes a day, so between nearly going crazy and being around the cigarettes, my husband and I started smoking again.
I'm not blaming him that I smoked; that was my choice.
I told you about this to illustrate that quitting smoking truly is a matter of will and resolve.
You will either smoke, or you won't; it's as simple as that.
You may think that's cold and unsympathetic, but I've quit smoking, and it's not a walk in the park, so don't expect sunshine and roses from me.
It's an addiction that's as hard, if not harder, to kick as heroin or alcohol, and is more readily available and less expensive than either.
It's a triple addiction in that your body craves nicotine, your brain and psyche are addicted to the calming effect of the nicotine, and smoking is a coping strategy.
Smoking tobacco immediately delivers the nicotine to your bloodstream for instant gratification, so the cravings stop with that first puff; and the first thing a smoker does when faced with a crisis or any kind of stress is to light up.
In fact, a friend once told me that her car won't start until she's lit a cigarette! Quitting smoking is a matter of will, but it can be done, and support from family and friends certainly doesn't hurt.
It helps to quit on a "buddy system" where you and one or more persons in your home resolve to quit smoking.
It gives each of you extra support and strength to stick with nicotine abstinence.
Make a list of the benefits of quitting smoking.
For instance, in the first year of not smoking, my husband and I saved $6,000!I'm not exaggerating!Between us, we smoked at least 5 packs of cigarettes a day.
True, most people don't smoke that much, and the cost of a carton or pack of cigarettes varies from state to state and city to city, but even if you smoke just one pack of cigarettes a day, at $3.
50 a pack, quitting will save you at least $1,100 a year!That's a nice chunk of change! There are enormous health benefits too!Breathing and circulation improve, you sleep better, you have more energy, your risks of cancer and emphysema are reduced, your immune system works better and helps you resist colds, flu and bronchitis.
And there you go, saving money again, on reduced medical bills, and lost time at work!I don't know if everyone else experiences this or not, but after a couple of weeks of not smoking, our love life-well, let's just say there's a lot more to it since we quit smoking.
If you need help quitting, it's readily available in patches, gum, prescription aids, or through the American Cancer Society and other support groups.
It's not really easy to quit smoking, but you can do it.