I just joined this group as I have realized support from others can help immensely. My quit date was Oct 23, 2005 so I have just celebrated 6 months cigarette free. (I don't know how to change the Glove Box info though) I smoked for 25 years and tried to quit 8 times seriously and numerous times half-heartedly. For a long time, it was something I would do "one day." I knew all the benefits and knew I was slowly killing myself but I really enjoyed it. The last few years I have seen how socially unacceptable it is and how I was even choosing my friends by whether they smoked or not!
When my teen daughter came to me in tears saying that her clothes smelled like smoke and others thought SHE smoked, something broke inside and I knew the day had come. But I had smoked so long and tried so many times to quit that I was really afraid I couldn't do it. I didn't tell anyone that I was going to quit because I didn't want the disappointment if I couldn't do it. I didn't tell my family until I had quit for 2 weeks and even then I was afraid because now I would be "watched."
First, I kept smelling ashtrays and my hair to remind myself how much it just STUNK. I looked at my yellowish teeth and the faint lines showing around my mouth. Each time I was in a non-smoking situation, I thought about how nice it would be if I didn't have to worry about smoking. Freedom! To go where I wanted and to do things I avoided because of cigarettes.
I had tried patches and the lozenges before and they didn't work for me. I didn't want medication so I decided on the gum. I bought the starter pack but kept a pack of cigarettes just in case. The next morning I threw away the pack, all ashtrays and lighters. I told myself I could buy more if I needed to then told myself I wouldn't have to, then told myself it was still an option. Not exactly very confident.
The first few days were easier than I expected and I was a bit smug. Then Whammo! I wanted a cigarette so bad! Instead I drove to the store and bought a teeth whitener kit. Then I started washing walls and shampooing furniture and carpets. That got me through that difficult day. I found that every week for about 8 weeks, I would have one very bad day where I wanted a cigarette desperately. I would run to t