Stop Smoking: Secrets of Successful Quitters

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I smoked for 30 years. I started to quit smoking 12 years ago. My motivation was strong social disapproval from fellow parents at my daughter's school. I don't think I would have quit without that social pressure. I fell off the wagon many times but persevered.
After all these years, I am only tempted in a social setting when around another smoker. The few times I've fallen off the wagon in recent years have only reinforced for me the nastiness of the habit. If I can quit smoking, anyone can. It is a horrible habit.

Rufus of KS 2:06PM December 18, 2008

I was a smoker for over two years, yes I know thats not long but I stopped, like Jacky of xx, I quit because my girlfriend hated it, she hated it because she grew up with the smell. I told her I would stop and I did, We are no longer together, and when we broke up I did pick one up again, but only once and than I realized I was not going to get in a slump from broken heart I was going to remain strong and fight, I continue to run 3 to 5 times a day at the local gym, I have done three 5k runs this year and plan on continuing running next year. I still get the craving from time to time but than I must remember that I am better off now than I have ever been not just healthier but I have saved so much money and I have showed to myself that I do not need anything to keep me going.

Loche of UT 1:31PM December 18, 2008

I quit smoking for about 5 months and I didn't feel to touch any cigarette at the time. Before to quit I started to run and do my workouts in the gym and than I quit smoking because I needed more breath.I was very happy. But suddenly I felt broken hearted and I started to smoke again. Now I smoke even more than before.

luca of 9:48AM December 18, 2008

I'm just 21 and have smoked for 2 years.My families don't that and I dare not to tell them.I need 20-30 cigarattes per day,which mean almost 1 in less an hour.I always got schocked my addiction,but simply cannot find a good to get rid of it.
Before breaking up with my ex-girl,I didn't smoke in front of her while she would be mad about that.But after our breaking up,I picked it up again.Perhaps as a excuse to cure my broken heart.I don't konw.
So there would be a very effective way to quite smoke.That is,find a girlfirend!!I'm not kidding.And surely,you've to find someone you love or care about,or you won't care her feeling when you're smoking in front of her.
I'm always very afraid of some cancer or death things..but what worse is that,I find myself falling into this endless hole gradually,without even little hope of climbing up..I don't wanna be like this and what good is that,I am not a lush.I don't drink..
There is the problem,I have no girlfriend and donnot wanna find one either.But I still wanna quit smoking ,so anyone could offer me some advice?Thanks a lot!

Jacky 7:20AM December 18, 2008

I quit smoking on January 1st, 2008 cold turkey after 30 years. My husband didn't quit, so the task was much more difficult.

Cheryl of IL 2:02PM December 17, 2008

Good Afternoon Wesley,
Congratulations and thank you for sharing your story. We were so excited to see this article today and continue to celebrate your smokefree success.
Warm holiday wishes from all of us here at the American Lung Association.
Best,
Heather

Heather Grzelka of VA 11:54AM December 17, 2008

I realized that the need for carbon monoxide was greater than the need for nicotine. Hemoglobin has twenty times the affinity for CO than for Oxygen. That is what makes CO so deadly. It replaces the oxygen in your system. Stop smoking and the CO clears out replaced by sweet oxygen. You start to heal but your body screams for more CO - what your blood and organs need to feel "normal". Recognize that withdrawal symptoms are the healing of the damage you have done with CO. In my case I replace nicotine from cigarettes with snuff. Not a lot - it did not take much to get nicotine in my system. Once the CO was out of my body, I eliminated the snuff. 24 hours of a kind of buzzing in my ears was the consequence. This was just before I sat for the Professional Engineering Registration Exam. Imagine the stress of that day. I simply did not need to reach for a cigarette. During the 8 hour exam, I could not. At the end of the exam, I did not. Passed thee exam on the first try. Never allowed smoke to enter my lungs again. All the while, my wife smoked right in front of me. My trigger to quit was reading a newspaper article about a smoker with inoperable throat cancer.

Hank of VA 9:56PM December 16, 2008