I finally quit 11 years ago after smoking some of my pre-teen and all of my teen years and beyond. I was up to at least two packs a day when I quit. Three or more if I was drinking, too. I tried the patches and gum multiple times to no avail as they made me feel jittery, made my scalp crawl, and made me feel sick to my stomach. I ended up doing it cold turkey after setting a date. May 1, 2007. I smoked my last one that morning with my usual coffee fix. I was not a pleasure to be around, at all, for at least the first 2 months. I went out the night I quit and bought a pack of the strongest menthols I could find (hated menthol) and put them on top of my fridge, as I felt it necessary to have an emergency pack on hand just in case, but wanted to make sure I wouldn't enjoy the taste and such.
However, I couldn't sleep knowing they were there....so I got up, grabbed the pack, opened them, took one out and started smelling it from one end to the other, grabbed my lighter, and a-l-m-o-s-t lit it up....but then decided hell no....I wasn't going to let the cigs kick my ass so I took them out to the dumpster, crushed the pack, and tossed them in. I was determined not to go dumpster diving for a smoke. It was a real bitch living close to a convenience store.
The whole time leading up to my quit date and while I was still trying to fight the urges, I kept looking at graphic photos of what long-term smoking does to my innards and such, as well as a list of all the chemicals in the typical cigs....as that stuff had always been out of sight, out of mind...and ended up making those kinds of things my screensaver/background pics so I'd see it every time I logged onto the internet. I also read horror stories of smokers who didn't quit in time to prevent severe and irreversible illness.
I'd make notes on post-its that said, "Breathing....is not overrated." "You are worth the effort." "Your lungs, and everyone else's, will thank you." etc. It was also nice not to have to miss significant chunks of social things due to having to go outside for a smoke break, or for fear of smelling too strongly of the smoke to be welcomed by non-smokers, or being given the evil eye by those who didn't want to smell my smoke as they passed by me. I always hated that, but was convinced I HAD to have my smoke, more for everyone else's benefit as my moods would be unbearable otherwise.
I also kept lots of gum/mints/candy/celery sticks/carrot sticks/bell pepper sticks/cucumber slices/etc. handy at all times to keep my hands and mouth busy. I gained some weight then, too, as the candy seemed to be my favorite addiction replacement....especially Hershey bars, as I'd eat one little square of it at a time when I was craving a smoke....on a good day....other days, I'd buy the family size bar and eat it like someone was trying to take it away from me.
Stress balls, or stress balloons made with sand, pens, pencils, string, silly putty, a ring that spins that I'd wear on my thumb, coloring books, audio books, books that taught me something new and cool, crafty shit that I enjoyed doing, more nature time to appreciate the little things I so often overlooked, kept up with how much money I was saving each week, then "treating" myself, and I don't remember what all else it took to keep my brain off the cigs, but the combinations of all my choices worked and have kept me cig free, so far. Many folks, especially at work where I had to be immersed with the heavy smokers, were offering to buy me cartons if I'd only start again since I was pretty much a royal moody bitch for a while...but glad i didn't take them up on it.
I was still employed at the voc. rehab at the time and had to walk through many smoking sections during all my shifts each day, lived in an apartment complex full of smokers where the smoke would come into my apt. from all angles, and felt like giving up every single day I caught a whiff of the smoke.....but once I cleaned my entire apartment and saw the gross yellow film that was left on everydamnthing, and having to wash the clothes/curtains/etc. multiple times to get the stink out, I was determined not to start again.
I was also convinced giving up the cigs was the absolute hardest thing I'd ever attempted and managed to accomplish until I drastically changed all of my consumption habits 3ish years ago. I didn't have to consume tobacco products multiple times a day to stay alive or use them to clean with, bathe with, and such....talk about a whole new challenge that had more levels than I cared to imagine. All big changes are difficult, most especially when trying to kick addictions. Wishing you the best in whatever choices you decide to roll with.
