Anyone ever quit smoking??

I quit in '07 and it was the hardest thing I've ever done. I'd tried several times before. However, I was able to do it because I used one of my character flaws against myself.

Lemme 'splain...

I went to one of those behavior change/quit smoking classes provided by my HMO. They gave the option of a "happy pill" to help, and I took it, but after three weks thought I had it beat and could do it on my own. BIG MISTAKE. The cravings were unbearable!! And on top of that, I was doing a large project with teak which, when cut, gives off an aroma similar to cigars and tobacco, and that just made the cravings worse.
Unfortunately, one of my big character defects is an inability to withstand the shame or humiliation of failure, and the torture of telling my behavior coach- and the rest of the class- that I had failed and smoked again was worse than the torture of not smoking.
On the upside, I found ways to deal with it that the coach adopted into her program: I would just sing out as loud as possible to everyone around "GEE I REALLY WANT A F****** CI-GA-REEEEETTE!!!" This did three things:
1- invoked the breathing pattern that is part of the smoking habit and relieved that part
2- Re-acknowleged to myself that yes, I have a craving, but I have a program to stick to
3- Alerted everyone around me that I was having trouble and invited their reassurances and support.

It worked so well that two other of my associates at work quit also. They thought, 'hey, if THIS GUY can do it...'

I'll never forget that Fourth of July in '08 when I was walking down to the Lahaina waterfront to see fireworks and I subconsciously walked out in a wide semicircle into the street to avoid a couple of smokers...at that moment it occurred to me that I was a non-smoker.

 

I actually quit January 1st, 2012 and haven't smoked one since.

The best advice I can give you is to not put yourself in a position to smoke. Ever. I had to completely cut ties to my social life for a month. All of my friends smoke and we hang out in smokey dives all over town. Give yourself some time to find something new and you'll be alright. Good luck!

 

The best advice I can give is to be strong, it's very difficult to just stop but that's the best way to kick it.

For me, I had to really put it all into perspective. Is smoking this here cigarette worth more to me than a few more years of my life? Will just one smoke really make me happy in the long run? Is it worth getting stuck with emphysema and then having to quit? Quit now that you choose to rather than wait until you have to.

 

Can't offer any advice on this topic, but I'm pulling for you, good luck!