I swear that since covid ive had more people ask and automatically expect me to give them a smoke than ever in my life. I occasionally will and its usually if someone had offered to buy one. But I even stopped that after the last two people I did that too openly admitted they "bum smokes" because they don't want to pay for them. That bothered me because they just called me a suckered. I doubt this will be enough motivation to quit though

Hey, I started smoking a few months ago very occasionally, usually once a month, but I live the ritual of it. It's obviously not a habit I want to start, which is why I'm asking for help sooner rather than later. I got into cigarettes due to cigars being too expensive. I love smoking a cigar by a fire, or by a lake, or even on a park bench, because it gives me a moment to appreciate my surroundings. The issue with the is that they take so long to smoke and I don't always have an hour and a half to go sit on a park bench.

I don't want to become a chainsmoker or anything, but I just love the ritual of it. Smoking has gotten me to do things that I used to think were just a waste of time. Now I'll go out of my way to drive to my favourite spots to watch the sunset and smoke a cigarette in the back of my truck and just watch the sun go down. Or I'll go to a park in my town and sit on a bench and smoke while looking into the pond. It's just so relaxing. I've tried cigarillos but they just don't have the same convenience as a cigarette. I can't smoke them in 10 minutes, I can't keep them in my truck because they'll dry out, I can't just spontaneously go to the park and light one up. I'm also not interested at all in vaping or anything like that. I keep telling myself the day I start vaping is the day I know I'm addicted. Vaping is a bit too convenient. Just pull it out of your pocket and puff away. There's no light up ritual, there's no watching the cigarette slowly burn, and there's no time frame where you just have to wait with a vape.

I don't know where to go from here. It's not the nicotine that I like or even the taste, it's just the break from my life that I get to take to just light one up. I don't want to get addicted though, and I don't want to screw up my lungs being so young already. I know they have stuff like the füm and fake prop cigarettes, but it's just not the same idea. Weed as well, I like that with a cigarette I can just drive or go anywhere after without getting pulled over or driving impaired. Help me all you non smokers

I am at an inpatient program for recovering addicts where I cannot vape. I can smoke cigarettes and they do provide you with cigarettes here but I am 20 weeks pregnant so that's a no go and I wanted to stop smoking altogether eventually anyways.

They can provide patches (which doesn't do shit for me) or 10 nicotine gums daily... But I find myself popping 2-3 in at one time throughout the day. Yes it works, and I don't even think about touching a cigarette when I do this, but that's 8-12mg nicotine at one given time all day.

My question is - is this WORSE than smoking a few cigarettes daily? what is better for baby's health?

I do feel like it will be much easier cutting down on gum than it would be cigarettes and I haven't smoked cigs in years anyways.... It's just the only option here at the facility besides gum or patches which is ass backwards imo, especially cuz this is a program FOR pregnant females and women with children.

I quit smoking on April 1st & I still get a lot more urges than I thought I would. But, last night, for the first time I had vivid dreams that I was smoking. This morning I woke up with such an urge for a cigarette. I feel like I am going backwards.

40y male , smoking since 18 , smoking 30 cigarettes aday , finally cold turkey quit last year thanks to Reddit and success stories and motivation i took the step and keep go forward and never look back, to be honest alot of depression and hard sleep and lack of dopamine, but i choose to think about to keep going

Now after one year , i have better breathing and saved money and the most important aroll modle to my kids not to see me smoking and know that smoking is very bad happit need to stay away,

For the last couple of weeks have that bad feeling to smoke again, its very strong its mental fight not just craving , i know with this one cigarette the beast will take the control back and feal guilty,

Wonder if any one have the same experience and could help with the advise it will be appreciated and thanks in advance.

Mum was a passionate smoker for 40 years.
Diagnosed & dead within 8 months, small cell lung cancer. She was very stoic throughout, but when she was first given a time frame she cried and apologised saying that it was her fault for smoking.
I started smoking at 17, turn 30 next month and I’m quitting so I don’t end up like Mum. What a horrible way to die, and for what.
Have had a few false starts since she died, but currently on day 8 no smoking and feeling pretty good about this attempt.

It’s been about 1.5years no vape. You guys have been super helpful! Hopefully, i stay vape free. If I can survive current events without vaping, hopefully, it never appeals to me again!
Thanks for the support!
Hugs!!!

I’m six months without cigarettes now, and honestly, quitting was fairly easy compared with what I’d imagined. The biggest difference was changing how I thought about smoking. But still, I feel very very proud of myself for the achievement!

A few things that helped:

1. I stopped seeing cigarettes as something I was missing.

Whenever I saw someone smoking, I consciously changed my reaction. Instead of thinking “I wish I could have one,” I reminded myself that I didn’t want to need cigarettes anymore.

I started feeling sorry that they were still stuck with that need. I knew the feeling myself. At first, I had to keep reminding myself; eventually, it became how I actually felt. Smoking stopped looking appealing.

2. When I felt down, I learned more.

Watching videos and reading about smoking, addiction and recovery helped me remember why I wanted to quit. Having something useful to watch or read gave me somewhere to turn when my motivation dipped.

3. I kept taking breaks.

You can still go outside, take a walk, sit quietly or have five minutes to yourself. Giving up smoking doesn’t mean giving up the time you used to take for yourself. Keep the break; change what you do during it.

4. I kept my progress somewhere I could see it.

Try any app that tracks your days without smoking. Seeing what you’ve already achieved can help when your confidence drops.

There are tons out there, find the one you like. I used RespiraLibre because I liked seeing the lung recovery milestones as the days added up, along with the health rings and alarm button for difficult moments. I also have Smoke Free downloaded. Try a few, having more than one can be useful when you need a boost.

5. I treated myself.

Have small things to look forward to. Enjoy a treat, give yourself some downtime and celebrate the milestones. Quitting doesn’t have to feel like a punishment.

6. Think about the person I wanted to be

We all have different dreams to achieve in live. For me it was the perfect time to think about the person I wanted to be. I pictured that person, and obviously it was a none smoker. And I repeted the persion I wanted to be often.

For me, repeatedly changing how I saw cigarettes made the biggest difference. Over time, I stopped feeling like I was giving something up.

What helps you when you need a reminder to keep going?

Ive realy struggled today with not smoking. No reason that I could put a finger on. Just the strong desire for a cigarette multiple times in my day. I thought i was past the worst of my cravings but it seems not. Just here to vent, without a cigarette .

I started on August 31 with nicotine patches. I was on 21mg patches, and went down to 14mg this week. I'm following the regimen, and it's working well. I feel like a fraud though, because I haven't really fully quit, still getting my nicotine fix with the patches.

I'm confident I won't relapse because I now only associate cigarettes with a sore throat, feeling shame every time I bought a pack, sleeping like crap, and not being able to afford the things I do want. But still, it doesn't feel like I've "earned" it because of the patches.

Just venting.

I just weened myself down from 12 mg pouches for a few years to 3 mg pouches and as of today I'm just not using them at all. I don't know if I'm supposed to feeling okay or suffering even the tiniest but of withdrawal but I think I'm fine?

Tough as fuck today. Cant deny it

I recently asked my doctor for resources to help me quit smoking. I've been a smoker for nearly 30 years now and it's way past time to quit. I have gum, patches, and chantix arriving today.

This feels impossible but I know it's not. 😬

100 Days!!! Celebrating these milestones here are my new drug.

I still use a nicotine-free vape when I go out on weekends. I think it's time to focus on that issue.

See you in the fourth month! 🎂🎈🎉😍❤️

I just did something really stressful and was just full of anxiety. My partner is home, so I snuck a cigarette and a lighter and said I was going for a walk. I turned the corner and got it out and stood there for a long time without lighting it. It was really hard, but I ended up tossing it in the trash and coming home, without taking even a puff. I'm still stressed and anxious, and still want that smoke, but I'm trying to hang tough.

Here’s to another 24. Wish me luck guys

I (18M) have been smoking cigarettes regularly for abt 2 years. I really want to get off it. Im doing a thing where i only smoke on the weekends and not more than 3 a day. Is this okay or what more could I be doing? pls help.

I’ve been smoking for almost 5 years, and lately, I’ve been feeling really unhealthy. I wake up struggling to breathe, I’ve lost a lot of weight, and I barely eat once a day.

There was a time when I used to go running, play guitar, and work out regularly. Now I don’t feel motivated to do any of those things anymore.
Something has to change. Today, I smoked my last cigarette and threw away the pack.

I’m also starting my PhD tomorrow, and I don’t want to spend this new chapter of my life putting things off anymore. I want to get back to feeling like myself again, to being active, and most importantly, to being able to breathe freely.

If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading. I’d really appreciate any tips, advice, or personal experiences that might help me get through this. ❤️

25F, been smoking for 3 years now. Gave a good look at myself in the mirror and was heartbroken.

My skin is dry, rough and looks weird, almost gray?

All my clothes smell like smoke, no matter how much perfume I use.

My teeth have a subtle, almost yellow tint, that was not there before I started smoking.

I've not been smoking for long, but I can already see so many changes. I decided to throw my pack in the trashcan, buy a shit ton of gum, and stop this nonsense. Wish me strength!

Hey guys 😊
I was mainly what they call a “social smoker” I only used to smoke with friends or in parties. Unfortunately, I had a burnout and started smoking because it felt the only moment that I could really breathe and be calm. I’m struggling a lot to quit because I have a lot of alone time, and for my husband smoking is also a great deal breaker.

Any tips?

Thank you!

I’m 27 and after 13 years of smoking last thursday i just decided to stop. i’ve never tried to quit before and was getting through 30g of tobacco every 4 days. I started vaping slightly and have been listening to the easy way. last night while out having some drinks my vape died and I had one cigarette. Didn’t really enjoy it that much and don’t really feel like I need to beat myself up over it. Is this something people would consider a failure, or is this an understandable slip up to have in a longer process to quitting?

Anybody preparing for competitive exams and feel quittin smoking will hamper your productivity

My last time (2024) i relapsed because my productivity was being hampered after like 2 months due to sudden emptiness I felt in my daily schedule

So need advise from lads here how they dealt with it

Thanks

Hey all!

I finally made the conscious decision to quit smoking cold turkey but after reading the Allan Carr book. The book really helped me after 16 years of smoking 1+ pack a day but it's definately not an 'easy way'. In these 9 days i smoked three cigs from a friend which is better than the 180 i would have smoked otherwise and i don't kick myself for smoking those.

I've had the smokers flu, or actual flu but that would be a big coincidence and occasional cravings but those are quite easy to handle because i now know what harm smoking brings. What is crazy though is the depression! I am feeling SO dark and down, i feel like i want to just jump of a rooftop and i feel an immense sense of grief like my parents have just died. Sometimes random memories of my past come back which didn't happen when smoking.

Is this my brain rewiring because of all the constant little dopamine hits? What other psychological effects could i expect in the future? I'd love to see some experiences and anecdotes from you fellow quitters :)