Semi-anniversary

[MKG]

Today it is six months since I last had a cigarette (or, indeed, any form of nicotine).

I'm feeling smug and proud.

Mike

[niknik]

congratulations!

trying to quit myself at the moment so maybe in 6 months time we can celebrate together!

[Odsox]

Well done you

I smoked for 40 years and tried to give it up many times. The last time (about 10 years ago) I found it incredibly easy for some reason, no patches, no substitutes, no trauma, just stopped.
Pity I didn't discover the secret sooner.

[Green Aura]

Yes, we had multiple attempts, all resulting in failure. If I had a pound for every friend who stopped smoking (successfully) because they thought if I could do it anyone can, I'd be quite well off.

Then two years ago (nearly) we just stopped with minimal discussion and not much effort other than making sure we had nothing left in the house and clearing away all traces.

I think we were both just ready at the same time where previous attempts had one driving it more than the other. And not working with other smokers is an enormous help too.

(I must confess to having 3 fags the day OH had his heart attack though and yes, I inhaled - very deeply).

[Odsox]

And not working with other smokers is an enormous help too.

Or even not working at all.
One of my failed attempts, I had stopped for over a week, so getting through the worst of it when I was given a very difficult job to do and I somehow convinced myself that the only way I could successfully do it would be to have a smoke.
So that was the end of that.

[Green Aura]

Aye, the rationalising that goes into not quitting is quite amazing.

The worst bit for me was that my job was to help people stop using illegal street drugs and I was quite good at it, but could never quite manage to apply it personally.

[John Headstrong]

Well done you

I smoked for 40 years and tried to give it up many times. The last time (about 10 years ago) I found it incredibly easy for some reason, no patches, no substitutes, no trauma, just stopped.
Pity I didn't discover the secret sooner.

wow, I done exactly that myself around 10 years ago! no hassles once I (in fact we, the wife gave up at the same time) decided to stop.

[Odsox]

Weird isn't it ?
I do remember just before quitting I saw Robin Williams in a film, no idea what film, but he said something like "In this world there are smokers and non-smokers, you have decide which one you are"
I have no idea if it helped, but seeing as he had a bit of a bashing last week I'll publicly thank him for getting me to stop

[ina]

I smoked my last cigarette 27 years ago - no problems, either. Except that my then boyfriend was supposed to stop, too - actually, I mainly stopped because he had to, for health reasons - and he never made it. Never forgave me, either, for being able to do what he couldn't.

[RunnerBean]

Well done! I quit 6 1/2 years ago, the day I found out I was pregnant. It was hard but I think the chronic morning sickness helped! Smoking must be one of the hardest habits to kick.

[ina]

Well done! I quit 6 1/2 years ago, the day I found out I was pregnant. It was hard but I think the chronic morning sickness helped! Smoking must be one of the hardest habits to kick.

Giving up eating is much harder...

[littlemissrose]

congrats on your aniversary!! I don't know anything about quiting with smoking but I do know what quitting an addiction is like. Quiting any addiction is very hard. I know it. Quit my gaming addiction a couple of weeks ago. Still having weak moments of feeling the need to escape into the games. And don't fall for this time I will beable tocontrol it. Because you won't be able too. (Learned that one the hard way.)

Giving up eating is much harder...

I agree about foodaddiction being harder. You 'll never be completely able to kick the addiction. You simply can't stop eating completely so temptation will always be there. Because I am kicking my other addiction, my eating is starting to spiral out of control a little. I have binges every evening. But oh well I will get that under control eventually...

[MuddyWitch]

Well done MKG! It is hard, but it is trully worth it. (Another 'the-time-was-just-right quitter, 13 years on)

MW