Paul723

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.

Nice to see you again Petra and congratulations! Hopefully upside-down Pippa will pop in tomorrow.

Nicotine is losing its hold on you and your subconscious knows it. Hang in there and keep going. You can put this addiction to sleep for good.

The summer quitters of 2013 were a great group and you were a large part of that. You helped to remind us all to celebrate each and every victory over smoking and led by example. I am proud and happy for you. I hope your summer is filled with sweet corn and tomatoes.

Overcome is starting to look more like Overcame. Congratulations on your first year free from smoking. Celebrate!

Log on here and post NOPE. Then you can tell yourself that you're committed not to smoke for today so don't bother thinking about it. Repeat.

Cocktail time for sharonsiff! Ten Years!

Congratulations to Colleen on 10 years! She used to be good at counting.

I bet you thought quitting was really hard, nearly impossible. Yet here you have simplified it to its purest essence and it's not too complicated. You will have challenges as time goes on, we all do, but if you hold this close, you will put smoking behind you. Keep going, you're doing great.

All of us have been helped by others. Giving good advice and sharing our experiences is our way of paying it forward. In a few months, you will tell other new quitters how you preserved and were the example that helped your husband to quit.

Still one of my favorites. Be stubborn in keeping your quit. It belongs to you; never give it away.

All the strength you need is already inside you. You can take care of yourself in your situation.