I'm celebrating today

Just thought I'd "boast" that today is my 4th anniversery of no cigarettes. I gave up "cold turkey" with no patches/pills, hypnosis etc altho I did use a dummy cigarette thingy for a couple of weeks. Funnily enough for me and possibly most smokers it wasn't the Nicotine that was so difficult to give up, it was the habit of what to do with your hands! Know this sounds stupid but it's true. I had all sorts of triggers for cigarettes, driving, using the computer and speaking on the telephne were 3 of MANY.

If I can give up anybody can if they REALLY want to.

I had smoked since I was about 13 (both parents and 2 older brothers smoked so sort of inevitable).

I became addicted to Nicotine pretty quickly and acquired a serious habit by the time I was about 18. I smoked heavily for years despite being a prefessional tennis player (might have got on better at Wimbledon if I hadn't been a puffing jenny!) and not only did I eventually have a good going cough I was spending a fotune on fags.

I sort of tried a few times but my heart wasn't really in it. I went to counselling which didn't work for me where I was told there is a sort of 3 rule, hence why I thought I'd really celebrate today as passed all the horror 3s. The 3 rule is that it's deemed by the professionals that the danger times for people trying to stop smoking are 3 hours, 3 days, 3 weeks, 3 months, and I presume 3 years? certainly a couple of times I managed to stop for 3 weeks and then started again.

I reckon if I hadn't stopped when I did I would be possibly looking at having my legs amputated as I was getting quite bad cramps in them and probably Emphyasema as well.

There is no doubt I feel much more healthy having stopped, can't believe how dreadful the smell of cigarette smoke is on people who do and I have saved approximately £23,000. With the saved money I have bought myself a 20x8 ft Rhino greenhouse (very very pleased with it) and funded 8 short holidays with my daughter. By specifically putting the saved money towards other much more pleasureable things helps me to remind myself I'd be a complete ....... idiot to start again .

I do not have a halo over my head or vilify those who still smoke (there are so many worse things to do than smoke) I just wish I could let every smoker know how worthwhile it is to stop, BUT you have to decide to do it yourself. If any of you smoke and would like to have a chat about trying to stop I'd be happy to try and help in any way I can.

 

I have just completed 15 years without a cigarette , like you I found the habit side of nicotine the most difficult . I never smoked at work but would have one as soon as I got home . You seem to have a left hand floating around with nothing to do ! I reckon I have saved £16000 since quitting , not a clue where it is though

 

Bravo @silu and @HarryS

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I tryed it many years ago, didn't like it and haven't smoked since but i do like fires

 

Many thanks all for your kind acknowledgement of my little achievement. Well done @Harry and @shiney you are both head and shoulders ahead of me but hey.
Just polished off a rather nice bottle of fizz to celebrate, certainly not given up the booze as well but that's different as I am in no way addicted to alcohol like I was the ciggies, just enjoy the odd glass or 3. Could well have a wee for the afternoon. Now that is a treat as usually flat out doing whetever. Daughter is cooking me a celebration supper so all in all a lovely day for me. Only thing which would make it perfect would be if the bl..dy garage would phone to let me know my car is ready. The spare part needed to fix it arrived at the garage last Monday and yet I'm still waiting.

 

Well done Silu

I've been known not to smoke for a few hours while i'm asleep

 

I've not smoked tobacco for about 30 years.

 

I've cut down to 25 grams per year, over Christmas.

 

Well done Silu! And everyone else

 

Except me

 

Yeah except you @Zigs, naughty boy

(....I'm still smoking and planning a tobacco farm in my garden)

 

Well done @silu . At 38 I gave up after 18 years the day I was told I had cancer (my mother died from it aged 35). No regrets.

I bought a property in Portugal ... certainly no regrets!

 

I gave up 20 years ago. I found that, when I stopped taking sugar in my tea, I lost the urge to smoke. I just stopped with no withdrawal symptoms.

 

I smoked from about 1969 till 1994 and I was pretty addicted to cigars at one point, but managed to give it up because it was costing too much.

Never used patches or chewing gum, just told myself I was a non smoker, sounds stupid, but it worked, after loads of attempts when I never made it past a couple of weeks.

Determination and actually wanting to do it is the answer, although I do remember being not the best person to be around at times during the first year.

I have a feeling that I could start again tomorrow if the price was to come down.