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Your guide to quitting ? But I?ve failed before

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1904

I think I've really lost count, too. I like to say 10-12. There may have been 10-12 serious tries. I remember years ago when I was successful for three years (yeah, slap me), it took about two months. I was chewing nicotine gum, but every once in a while (maybe it happened three times), I slipped and smoked. However, I never relapsed into my old behaviors. I'd take a few puffs and pull my hand away, and then unwrap and put a new piece of gum in my mouth. Finally, I asked myself if I wanted to quit or smoke and I quit September 16, 1986.

Since then every failure has been an all out relapse. When I fail, I smoke again for months or years before I try again, partly because I'm tired and partly because I figure I'm not ready. I will say this, except for one or two times, every time I've used nicotine gum to quit, I've been able to stay quit for a few months. A couple of times I didn't manage for a few hours. Just shows that even if you use NRT you still have to really be motivated to quit. I usually fail at cold turkey, but I did get 42 days once.

In any case, hopefully this really is the end. Even when I crave cigarettes now. I ask myself why do I want one? I really do know that they have nothing else to offer me. Been there. Done that. Mastered it. Move on.

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 5/1/2009
Smoke-Free Days: 98
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 2,744
Amount Saved: $1,063.30
Life Gained:
Days: 10 Hrs: 16 Mins: 51 Seconds: 7

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 3875

I lost count of how many times I tried to quit, even my Doctor told me, "Just keep trying till it works!".

I think we keep trying until we find the method that works best for us, because it is such an individual journey.

Whatever it takes, this site has helped a great many people quit that I know of. Forget the past, prepare yourself here with this site, and look to a new smoke free life in the future!

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 3/5/2007
Smoke-Free Days: 885
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 22,125
Amount Saved: $9,336.75
Life Gained:
Days: 117 Hrs: 4 Mins: 10 Seconds: 41

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 363

Probably over a dozen times in my life. The last two being my most successful using this website.
My Milage:

My Quit Date: 4/2/2009
Smoke-Free Days: 126
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 5,040
Amount Saved: $1,512.00
Life Gained:
Days: 18 Hrs: 16 Mins: 45 Seconds: 40

Quit Meter

$42,983.85

Amount Saved
Quit Meter

Days: 1148 Hours: 4

Minutes: 14 Seconds: 1

Life Gained
Quit Meter

6298

Smoke Free Days
Quit Meter

188,940

Cigarettes Not Smoked

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 625

Hear, Hear MissM..............I must have Quit 100 times in my life.........various times, various lengths. But all for reasons other than truly wanting to Quit.

190 days ago I made up my mind to Quit, no plan, no help, just got mad. Luckily I found SSC and the rest is history till now. I guess I Really wanted it this time.

I can't agree more that I'm one light-up from being where I was for all those years either. I have to face each day, each morning and remind myself I'm a Quitter. I have to say N.O.P.E. and never become complacent about it. My fight, like many of the others, will go on for a while yet. Yes it does get easier but the fact still remains that I can't let up at all. My addict will have my butt back in the saddle in a heartbeat. I'll beat it.

It doesn't matter how many times THIS Quit is for you......It could be your last one. All you can do is Keep on Trying!!!

Keep the Quit

Bob

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 1/27/2009
Smoke-Free Days: 191
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 5,730
Amount Saved: $802.20
Life Gained:
Days: 39 Hrs: 23 Mins: 37 Seconds: 8

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 597

Seven times???...Puhleeese!

I'm with Q on this. I've quit numerous times since my initial quit in 2006. Some lasted days, weeks and months even. I am a match strike away from becoming a smoker again, and I must keep that in mind so I won't become complacent. The mind-set is the difference, but even so, I know that I can fall at any time if I am not prepared....

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 10/22/2008
Smoke-Free Days: 287
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 11,480
Amount Saved: $2,296.00
Life Gained:
Days: 32 Hrs: 8 Mins: 41 Seconds: 0

Quit Meter

$60,230.00

Amount Saved
Quit Meter

Days: 881 Hours: 1

Minutes: 2 Seconds: 46

Life Gained
Quit Meter

6023

Smoke Free Days
Quit Meter

240,920

Cigarettes Not Smoked

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6

Brenda...I think it's so true that you need to change your relationship to smoking. This is the first time I've quit that I don't feel like I'm missing out on something. I feel like I'm getting rid of something that's not only in my way, but making me sick. I've also been changing my lifestyle so that it is not compatable with smoking. So far, it's working.
My Milage:

My Quit Date: 7/21/2009
Smoke-Free Days: 15
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 165
Amount Saved: $82.50
Life Gained:
Days: 1 Hrs: 8 Mins: 52 Seconds: 16

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1904

Breanne, I came across this in an article a couple of days ago and wonder what others think. So I'm posting it as a discussion piece now. It does seem to be in keeping with 12-Step philosophy, because it also claims that willpower is not enough.

The answer is a response to a question about relapsing.

Answer: Every so often someone comes into the Smoking Cessation Forum who lost their quit after years of not smoking. On the surface, it IS scary for those who are working hard to beat this addiction. On the surface, it looks like smoking is a nasty monster that follows us, waiting to pounce when we're least suspecting... That's not how it works though. Relapse never happens out of the blue, even though people often think it does.

The key to lasting freedom from this addiction lies in changing your relationship to smoking. If you quit smoking by sheer will power, believing somewhere in the back of your mind that you're sacrificing something good, chances are very high that you'll eventually relapse. You might be able to abstain for years and years, but you'll find yourself missing smoking and thinking of it as a fix when times of stress or other potential triggers come along. However, if you do the work necessary to change how you think about your smoking habit, you'll find your freedom, and you won't have to struggle to maintain it.

That's all fine and well you're probably saying, but HOW to make that change? (Terry Martin, Smoking Cessation Guide)

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 5/1/2009
Smoke-Free Days: 96
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 2,688
Amount Saved: $1,075.20
Life Gained:
Days: 10 Hrs: 13 Mins: 10 Seconds: 41

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 303

I quit over 30 times. Sometimes for a day...some times for a week. Sometimes for a month...Sometimes for a few months. Keep trying. Perseverance is often a requirement although some people pull it off the first time. If your not that person don't worry it's not like playing the lottery. If you want it bad enough you'll eventually succeed. It may just take some time to realize how bad you really want it. All the best.

Mr Q

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 8/4/2008
Smoke-Free Days: 366
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 8,784
Amount Saved: $2,745.00
Life Gained:
Days: 40 Hrs: 19 Mins: 55 Seconds: 52

Quit Meter

0

Amount Saved
Quit Meter

Days: 0 Hours: 0

Minutes: 0 Seconds: 0

Life Gained
Quit Meter

0

Smoke Free Days
Quit Meter

0

Cigarettes Not Smoked

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1693

Newbies,

Many quitters whom are contemplating quitting often are discouraged by the following thought: “I tried to quit before and failed.”

Well, did you learn how to smoke in one day? How long did it take you become addicted? You surely didn’t become a full time smoker in a few hours. Just like you learned how to smoke, you need to learn how to become a non-smoker.

Research scientists have found that most people try to quit seven times before they succeed.

Members,

Tell us how many attempts you made before being successful? Let our newbies know they are not alone!

Breanne, Bilingual Health Educator

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Your guide to quitting ? But I?ve failed before