Paul723

You have to push the idea of smoking out of your head. The quicker you dismiss these thoughts, the easier it will be. I used to tell myself "move on, I not going to smoke". A positive attitude will ease the struggle. You don't have to smoke, you are free. Keep going.

Sazerac suggested that instead of thinking about a cigarette, quitters should look for: This is good advice for all of us.

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LAISSEZ LES BON TEMPS ROULER! Sazerac has ten years of freedom!

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Eight years of NOPE for you! G'day indeed!

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Good job Bakon!

Embrace the change. You can do it.

It matters to us; it's why we are here. No one deserves the damage smoking does. It's not always easy to quit but it is always worth it.

Did smoking fix any of your problems? Remind yourself that the addiction to nicotine resides in a primitive part of the brain and that this part of the brain does not always make good decisions. Until it's been free of nicotine and regains its normal functioning, your rational mind will have to control your actions. You can succeed; we all want this for you.

This might help. You can't unlearn all you know about smoking at this point. We hid behind a lot of lies when we smoked, we don't need to after we quit.

Beacon and Melanie might stop by tomorrow.

Jenglesnew1 coming up next.

Great to see you Gemzee! How's the kid?

Past you had a lot of good insights for current you. If you get in trouble, you can follow the breadcrumb trail you left to safety.

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andrew66 is coming up next. I again wonder about your Google search history Doreen; I bet it is hysterical.

Are brats acceptable for TEN YEARS? Congratulations my friend!

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Health Benefits of Quitting Smoking Over Time Over time, people who quit smoking see many benefits to their health. After you smoke your last cigarette, your body begins a series of positive changes that continue for years. Reduced risks refer to cessation in comparison to continued smoking. Time after quitting Health benefits Minutes Heart rate drops 24 hours Nicotine level in the blood drops to zero Several days Carbon monoxide level in the blood drops to level of someone who does not smoke 1 to 12 months Coughing and shortness of breath decrease 1 to 2 years Risk of heart attack drops sharply 3 to 6 years Added risk of coronary heart disease drops by half 5 to 10 years Added risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, and voice box drops by half Risk of stroke decreases 10 years Added risk of lung cancer drops by half after 10-15 years Risk of cancers of the bladder, esophagus, and kidney decreases 15 years Risk of coronary heart disease drops to close to that of someone who does not smoke 20 years Risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, and voice box drops to close to that of someone who does not smoke Risk of pancreatic cancer drops to close to that of someone who does not smoke Added risk of cervical cancer drops by about half Source: CDC When I first quit I remember seeing a table of benefits like this and couldn't imagine the long term benefits. I was only really wanting to lose the morning hacking cough. I am still amazed by the body's ability to heal itself from the damage we inflict on it and this should give us all hope. I celebrated by making a pizza with ham, artichokes and mushrooms. I am proud to join the quitters that have reached a decade and would like to see everyone reach this milestone.