Quiting Today!

[Ryan83]

Hello fellow addicts and those already free,

I smoked from from ages 16 to 29. I was a pack a day smoker. I quit for 10 years, until about two and a half years ago when my marriage fell apart. I started smoking again and got heavily back into it. It wasn't long until I switched to vaping. The discreetness with vaping appealed to me greatly over cigarettes and my addiction was stronger than ever through the accessibility vaping offers.

I hate that I'm a nicotine addict. I know this drug comes with a slew of cons and not one pro. I started smoking again to help me cope with the stress of a failed marriage and broken home, but of course, the reality is, nicotine doesn't help you solve any problems, in fact it just adds it's own to your existing ones.

I fully realize the foolishness of smoking and beat myself up for it daily. Alone the lethargy that comes with it is causes me shame. I've quit several times, twice for months on end, but can't seem to keep myself free of it. I allow myself to be triggered by unpleasant experiences. When things aren't going well between my girlfriend and I, for example, I relapse.

Well, I'm here now to say, I'm ready to leave this destructive, expensive, unpleasant addiction behind and free myself from the self-inflicted nicotine prison once and for all.

My will is strong, and now I have the support of this community for encouragement and aid.

Thanks for reading my story and for any kind words you have to offer.

And with that I draw my last breaths of nicotine.

[Reciprocity]

Congratulations @Ryan83 for taking the leaf forward to begin a new life for yourself free of nicotine and welcome aboard the Quit Train! Based on reading your initial post it appears you are well grounded in terms of understanding that nicotine, either in the form of cigs or vaping, offers you nothing positive and only deepens the slavery to nicotine that you are currently trapped in.

 

The good news is that you can end all that today by maintaining the determination you've indicated you now have. Unwavering commitment is key to quitting long term! I can also confirm, as someone who's been quit for years now, that the best thing about quitting is that sesnse of freedom we get after kicking nicotine to the curb. That to me is better than improved health and improved wealth.

 

There's lots of resources here on the forum and all the support you could possibly hope for so I would encourage you to participate often. Read past threads, ask questions, share your accomplishments and challenges. We've all been there so we get it!

Edited Monday at 06:15 PM by Reciprocity

[johnny5]

Welcome @Ryan83  Sorry to hear about your relapse but you are right when you said that smoking will not help any of your problems, it just is another big problem.

 

You are doing the right thing in quitting again.  Stick around, read up on information in the quit smoking section and feel free to pledge NOPE (Not One Puff Ever) in the daily NOPE section on the site 

 

You can do it.

[jillar]

Welcome Ryan, glad you found us! We can absolutely support you in getting your forever quit Check out all our various forums, lots of good info. The pinned threads at the top of each forum is a good place to start

[Doreensfree]

Welcome aboard 

Take your seat and buckle up , the road may get a bit bumpy , 

Stay seated until you reach your Freedom . 
Your amongst friends here 

You can do it

[despair not]

Welcome congratulations on quitting now all you need to do is stay quit. 

Good luck. 

[DenaliBlues]

Hi, Ryan.

On 3/31/2025 at 1:06 PM, Ryan83 said:

nicotine doesn't help you solve any problems, in fact it just adds it's own to your existing ones

 

With this insight you are equipped to succeed! Say goodbye to the shame, the bondage, and the waste of your life force. Withdrawal may be tough but sweet freedom awaits on the other side! Keep us posted on how things go.

[QuittingGirl]

Hi @Ryan83 Welcome to Quit Train! I too am on my 2nd time quitting (first time was for 6 years), but this time it's my forever quit.  Who wants to go through withdrawal a third time? Definitely not me!! You have definitely come to the right place for support!  We are a really great bunch of people and many are quit more than ten years, but no matter how long we have been quit, we have all been newbies at one time or another.  There is a lot of really good information on this site so please check it out.  A couple of things really helped me get through those terrible early days and months of quitting.  What I did in the beginning is I would take cinnamon sticks and pretend they were cigarettes, sucking in the air and pretending to blow it out.  It did help and plus they tasted really good.  If you don't like cinnamon, you can use cut up straws.  What also helped me was coming on here every day.  In the beginning I vented and complained a lot, but everyone was so helpful and nice. I would do the daily NOPE pledge everyday because I believe that is a big help. Even after almost 2 years of not smoking, I still do it.  So that's my advice and Best of Luck to you! 

Edited yesterday at 05:22 PM by QuittingGirl

[Doreensfree]

Great post QG 

Quitting is easier when you’re doing it with friends … 

Stay close