My quitting success - to date ;)

[utahxl500]

I am posting this story simply to help others to quit . It involves both my wife and i quitting some 7 years ago and the method in which we did it.

 

History:

 

I smoked for around 9 years and was smoking a pack and half a day when i quit. My wife was smoking a couple a day along with some

 'green stuff' once a week.

 

I loved smoking, so did my wife and all their engrained associations...coffee/tea/food/alcohol/sex/reward.

 

So i decided to quit because my i was smoking out of boredom, fags were increasingly becoming a burden on our budget and my 'fear' of the health consequences. I started feeling the whole excercise of smoking was becoming moronic.......but i stll loved it.

 

My wife and i agreed to quit together. The deal was that for every week that went by that we were quitting we would put away 60 pounds a into a joint account. If one of us was caught smoking then the other would get all that was saved in the joint account....to do with as they pleased.

 

It was exraordinarily difficult to quit but as the money gathered it became increasingly hard to pick up a smoke. After six months we started to put more into the account.

 

The result  after 2 years was that we had both not smoked and subsequently had enough money to put a deposit on our first apartment.

 

I relapsed about 8 months ago on a 2 week holiday to family and friends ( i had about 8 fags) however after the holiday i have continued to quit. My wife has never picked up in seven years (i hope )

 

Personally the 'wanting' of a smoke has still not gone, just the periods between wanting have become longer....maybe once a fortnight. The draw to smoke is amazing still after all these years.

 

So after reading this you may think this is a successful story, and yes it has been for the most part. However since giving up i have noticed my alcohol intake is up. My wife is still steady as a rock.

 

Hope this story helps others

[action]

Hello, thanks for sharing! What a great idea about the savings!

 

I'm sorry to hear that you smoked on your holiday, and that you still continue to want to smoke occasionally - this is not what it is supposed to be like, and hopefully if you stay and participate here, we can help you to loose those urges altogether :)

[Nicole Diver]

I agree, it definitely helps to be around likeminded people.  If you keep yourself in touch with quitters, it strengthens one's resolve.  Welcome and thanks for giving us a little bit of history.  Hope to hear more about you and your quit soon.

[yabmob]

Thanks for sharing this. 

 

I am curious, if there is a scientific reason for the urges to smoke after all the years a person has quit. Plus when you do have a puff does the body reject it in a similar way when a person smokes for the first time ever?

[Doreensfree]

Thank you for your honest post.....wow the money saved is astounding....

Another great reminder ...to always be on your guard....we are addicts.....and cannot have one puff....

Stick around here ....nothing to lose....and can gain so much.....

[Nicole Diver]

Thanks for sharing this. 

 

I am curious, if there is a scientific reason for the urges to smoke after all the years a person has quit. Plus when you do have a puff does the body reject it in a similar way when a person smokes for the first time ever?

In my opinion the urge to smoke after long period of time is due to still thinking that smoking does something for a person.

Thankfully, reading Allen Carr was what finally made me understand this addiction and help me to get past it.   I never ever wanted to quit.  I was just a smoker,  That was just who I was.  So I thought. 

If there is hope for me, there is truly hope for anyone.

[babs609]

Sticking around here and reading the posts  and watching the videos...can help you change your way of thinking that will ultimately help eradicate that desire to ever smoke again...and may also help you decrease the drinking.  You do learn that you are not giving anything up when you quit smoking...in fact, you are escaping.  People who smoke do not "get to" smoke...they "have to" in order to satisfy their addiction.  Only it never satisfies.  It's insatiable.

 

Nicotine addiction makes you believe the idea that you enjoyed smoking...that's the memory we all have when we think back to when we smoked and we relieved our withdrawal pangs.  The same thing will occur if you wear super tight shoes all day...and then you finally remove them.  Of course there will be relief and a feeling of "ahhhhhh"  But how about not having worn the tight shoes in the first place?   It's all an illusion that we enjoyed it.  Once you truly understand and believe that the cigarette does absolutely nothing for you....you achieve freedom.  You are happier...you are healthier..and not smoking becomes....well....easy.  Every day. 

 

That's the biggest battle..the mindset.