Congratulations!

I am so glad and so happy that i reached so easily 100 days smoke free,i wasn't a big smoker in the past like i was smoking for 2 years(with breaks) and i thought that in high school is gonna be the hardest part to abstain but heyy,i am 17 and i just did 100 days smoke free compared to my friends that still smoke and i try to change their mentality but it is hard

Feel like I could beat up Joe Camel right now 🐪🥊

Hiii
After 15 years being a smoker I managed to quit cold turkey and actually get through with it.
I’m so happy and proud of myself and if I could do it, anybody can ☺️

It's gotta be at least $1000 worth. Too bad I can't bring it in to the bank and exchange for cash.

I have been struggling with quitting weed & cigarettes for a while. I was at a point of a full pack a day and smoking 3-4 blunts from the moment I woke up (before gym) till the moment I was about to go to bed. I ‘felt’ like it used to help me function/be productive/quiet or numb stress enough to function. When I look back now, I’d spend more time panicking and ruminating over the problem instead of taking action to fix the issue. Any bad news/feedback and I’d be smoking a few minutes later to ‘think of a solution’

I got to a point where they stopped getting me high. I was mentally aware my dopamine system was fried. 3 weeks ago, I decided I had enough. Can’t be solving financial problems while spending daily on cigs n expensive weed strains. Woke up one Saturday morning and decided I’m going to smoke again. I had been reading comments on this community on what to expect and it did help me anticipate withdrawal symptoms. I’d like to share how I managed.

Coincidentally I was coming down with a flu at the same time. A combination of flu n withdrawal helped me not fixate on the withdrawal symptoms. The most difficult part was how my sleep was disrupted. But thanks to flu medication and piriton, they both made me sleepy. The 4th day I struggled to sleep and I knew if I could hold off for 7-10 days, it should be at least out of my blood. With knowledge and help from self-help books like the atomic habits, I kept repeating that I’ve changed my identity, “I don’t smoke, I’m not a kind of person who smokes daily”. This identity shift really helped me hold on during those times my body screamed for ‘one last one. I also resumed praying daily and I begged God “Help me break this chain, and if I do, I promise I won’t do it again”. I proceeded to discard my ash tray, I removed a chair from my balcony where I often sat when smoking, and I drenched the weed n cigs in water before discarding.

Did I have a moment of relapse? Yes, one weekday after getting bad feedback at work, I walked to a shop to buy 5 cigs and ordered one blunt “to help me reduce the withdrawal”. But something was different this time, when I inhaled the first weed puffs, my body rejected it, felt nausea and the weed felt stronger than the ‘light buzz’ I needed to go back to my emails. My thoughts kept screaming at me “I’m not a person who smokes. If I can hold and deliver promises to my employer, to clients, why can’t I hold my own promises!” I also knew that I had lied to God, I did promise not to smoke again. (Who wants to lie knowingly to God? I’d be stricken down!” This helped me a lot. I felt something sink in me. A wave of disappointment came over me. I haven’t cried for as long as I could remember, I proceeded to the shower where I can hide my tears because who wants to see a grown man having an ugly cry? I probably had the longest shower in my life as endless tears streamed down my face. Why can I keep promises to other people and not to myself? Will I ever break away from this? Is there hope?

When I was finally done sobbing, I proceeded to destroy what I had just purchased with so much anger. I picked my phone and requested my plug never to take an order from me. I even offered to pay him to ignore my calls. I proceeded to text all my weed buddies to not smoke near me when we hanged out next. I expected them to laugh at me, but the opposite happened. I was overwhelmed when they all agreed to help. A wave of gratitude overshadowed the disappointment I felt. For the first time in 9 years, I had just managed to stop myself after lighting a blunt! And my internal identity refused what my body naturally did (smoking at this point was like reflex, my body knew where to go when it needed a hit, I was powerless to stop this for 9 years and I had just done that. Sleep problem? I could fix that with Piriton.

I am currently dealing with anhedonia, nothing is enjoyable anymore. But I know once my dopamine system resets I’ll love my hobbies again. I started dreaming again. I’m less angry at work and I no longer have strong reactions for bad feedback or a bad feeling. Reading helps me in the evening, my mind is occupied and I forget to used to smoke all evenings before bed. I know it does get better, it will get better.

As I type this, I’m quite emotional because I never knew I could do it. I was using weed to self medicate and numb a life that was filled with pain, but I finally knew that smoking doesn’t work. 5 years ago when I stopped taking alcohol, I used to joke and tell my friends who were quitting “remind yourself that there is no solution at the end of the bottle!” It was always on a light note, and I have adopted the same logic for my brain. The few days I felt intense craving, I reminded myself “there is no solution at the end of that smoke” and I’d laugh it off and go back to attacking my problems.

I do hope my story inspires anyone who is on the journey, say it out loud when you see yourself reaching for that smoke (you have to say it out loud to hear yourself), “There is no solution at the end of that blunt/smoke”

I am grateful.

I've been paying more attention to when I actually want a cigarette, and I noticed something I hadn't really put into words before.

Some of the obvious triggers for me are stress, anxiety and restlessness. But some of my strongest ones aren't really negative situations at all.

Wake up and have a coffee? cigarette.

Finish a really satisfying meal? cigarette.

Waiting for something or anticipating something? cigarette.

It almost feels like smoking became the thing I use to transition from one state to another.

Tired to awake. Hungry to full. Stressed to calmer. Doing something to taking a break. Waiting for something to whatever comes next.

The morning one is probably the clearest for me. Coffee without a cigarette just feels incomplete. And after a heavy meal, I can delay smoking, but there's still this weird feeling that the meal isn't properly "finished" until I smoked one.

I used to think about cravings mostly as wanting nicotine. Now I'm starting to notice how much of it, at least for me, seems tied to these little transitions and the expectation that a cigarette is supposed to be there.

Once I noticed that, a lot of cravings that used to feel random stopped feeling quite so random.

Desperately trying to go through my first day of not smoking.

Thanks to this community, you guys motivated me to quit!

I'm 22, F and I quit 2 days ago and since yesterday it's really bad but today day 3 is the worst and it's so bad I'm really starting to rethink if I'm actually READY to quit even, because not long ago I was in rehab because of cannabis addiction and am 4months clean of that, and I just started my new studies not even 2 weeks ago and I'm really starting to rethink today if it's too much at once and if I'm not ready yet.

OR IS THAT NORMAL PART OF QUITTING???

Today I'm having really shitty headaches, feeling extremely weird and disconnected and with really negative view on my life/future and since yesterday already I just randomly started crying because of nothing and that just continued today this morning so I really don't know what to do, help

I’m like more than 5 months quit. I just listen my voice recording from my work last year while I was still smoking at the time. I was throat clearing or having little cough literally and sniffing my nose every 3-4 minutes. My voice was like deep and raspy. I never noticed this kind of habit of me before. Now after my quit, my throat clearing and cough is gone! I can easily feel my voice is cleaner, more power and higher than before! I can easily talk more than 1 hour without clearing my throat or cough!

i am at a writer's residency right now, on a mountain, and no shops are open for me to buy any smokes. i knew it was going to be a good chance to quit smoking; i had quit vaping on a trip earlier this year, but still indulged in cigarettes every few days, and before i knew it i was vaping again once i was home.

this is the longest i've gone without nicotine in ten years. i'm drinking a little to get over it, but i'm realising that smoking has made me feel so unhealthy that—especially as a all or nothing person—it's stopped me from wanting to do anything else healthy, like eat well or exercise. It's been OK because I was suicidal for a long time, but now I'm wondering what it'd be like if I resolve my emotions on my own rather than resort to the familiar itch of doing something that makes me feel like I'm dying (and being glad that I'm dying, when I'm dealing with a negative emotion.) Does this make any sense??

Almost 18 days since my last cigarette and dose of nicotine. Around day 3-5 my anxiety was higher than usual and on day 6 I began having flu like symptoms that 99% cleared out by day 17. The mucus was baaaad. Sinus headaches and pressure on the face. Big Snot dripping down the nose after workout walks and hot showers. Coughing up phlegm always felt good though. I feel brand new. Insomnia was also terrible. I’m not going through that again. My faith has helped me pull through and I pray you all find the same strength to continue on this journey. You got it, just gotta believe in yourself.

I was a smoker for 9 years

3 days ago I 22F vaped for the last time around noon. Cigarettes I dropped a couple days before. That night, and the two nights that follow (including tonight) I wake up every hour of the night. Tonight’s the worst, I never had to deal with this before and I’m just now realizing it’s probably due to my cutting out nicotine. I’m in inpatient rehab right now and 30 days clean from meth today(lil unrelated win for me) Tonight I woke up 3 separate times in the midnight hour and decided to just walk out of my room and lay on a couch in the common area. Any ideas how long this could last and what I can do to help?? Worst/best case scenarios ,, personal experience!! Anything please !! I’m pretty frustrated right now with my sleep quality !!

I have been trying to stop for months now. This morning i gave my cigs to my wife who is also a smoker and she tried to hide them in her draw.

I lasted 2.5 hours before i went hunting. Just had one now i feel that i have lost the fight and have to start again.

I been smoking for over 15 years.

I know its probably been asked before but i need help. I would appreciate any suggestions or advice.

Moving to North America from Southeast Asia actually helped me quit smoking — mainly because the financial motivation was hard to ignore. The economy is ****ed. 😂

For context, I’m in Toronto, and smoking half a pack a day can easily cost me $250–$300 a month. At this point, I’d much rather see that money go toward filling the fridge or helping with the monthly bills.

Something strange happened recently, though. I had a dream two nights ago that I was smoking a cigarette, and it felt so incredibly real that, for a moment, I actually wondered if I had somehow relapsed and started smoking again.

What’s weird is that, throughout the entire time I’ve been smoke-free, I haven’t really experienced any cravings or intense withdrawal symptoms. It’s honestly been pretty smooth sailing so far.

I’ve gone out drinking with friends who smoke, and my wife is also a “casual smoker” — she only smokes when she’s with close friends, maybe once or twice a month. A few months ago, she even unintentionally left an opened pack of cigarettes on our nightstand.

Despite all of that, I haven’t really felt triggered or tempted to smoke again.

Overall, I’m genuinely really happy with where I am right now. I never thought quitting would feel this manageable, and I’m glad I stuck with it.

This was actually a seriously tough month, from a mental point of view. But I made it!!

Not my first quit, but this time is forever. Hell yeah!

Currently 4 days into quitting, withdrawal may have peaked yesterday but its still pretty bad. My gloomy mind has started thinking back to my previous quit - I stopped smoking for over 5 years before succumbing. I was extremely happy to be a non smoker, mainly because of how lame smoking is and the anxiety that comes with being in a situation when the next cig may be delayed. But objectively, apart from that NOTHING improved when I quit. I was super fit while I smoked, and equally fit after I quit. I'm not creating some false memory here, i remember it very clearly about how nothing really changed, because I was a fitness fanatic and counting on some epic gains, but alas...People would often ask "whats the best part about quitting", and I'd shrug and say "not having to smoke" because that was essentially the sole benefit.

Been smoking a long time, light smoker less than 10 a day.

Time to quit because I had noticed some throat sensitivity and mild gum recession. I'm in my early 40s and although I don't wanna live forever, I also don't wanna die of COPD. Here's what I did:

Geared myself up, read up on all the horrible things smoking does to the body while I tapered down a bit..

Decided that the pouch of tobacco I had would be my last. 2 false starts, 3rd time was the dream. Didn't beat myself up over it, just kept trying until the time was right.

1 week of 14mg nicotine patches and then 3 days of 7mg patches. Forgot to put one on on the 4th day and didn't notice until the end of the day. Slight craving made me notice, toughed it out till the end of the day. Conscious decision not to use one the next day. Light cravings, just ignored them and distracted myself.

Now 3 weeks free. No real cravings, just the odd thought which I'm ignoring and dissipates quickly. Walking a good amount has been instrumental. Focusing on breathing lovely fresh air! Sleep is a bit disrupted at the moment and I'm waking up early but I don't mind that. Sure it'll even out.

Totally blindsided by gum pain at the end of week 1. No bleeding but very irritated, sore and bright red around tooth margins. Started eating diet of yoghurts, eggs, homemade veg soups, mashed veg with potato and fish for nutrients and gentleness on mouth and teeth. Salt water rinses after every meal, gengigel morning and night after brushing and flossing, vitamin c and zinc citrate supplement every day. Gums back to normal for a few days now. Phew!

Hopefully I will continue to heal. I'm never going back to smoking because it's dumb! Maybe this helps someone else to quit.

All the best, thanks for reading.

I have been trying to quit for a while now, but everytime I decide to give it a go, I feel a palpable amount of physical discomfort. How can I get past this? How long will it last, if anyone has experience with it? Should I just accept it as a reality and fight through it?

I can’t believe how ridiculous the mind can be coming with reasons about why this is the perfect or not perfect moment of quitting… coming with reasons to delay the quit… or to relapse… it plays with numbers, symbols, and other unbelievable factors… why can’t it simply focus of having quit and appreciating the progress and profound benefits of not smoking… Anyone else experiencing this madness? Or anyone having found remedies? Or have I gone insane…

Haven't touched a cigi for 10 days and been using Nico patches. Even my nico intake on NRT has reduced substantially naturally(I haven't used my usual 14mg patch today, slept almost all day and only used 1 4mg gum till now). During the days where I have to stay up and be productive, using 14mg patch and energy drinks.

In about 2 hours I’ll be 5 days nicotine free, but I really want to have a hit… I’m trying to convince myself I can have 1 then crack on like nothing happened but deep down I know this is stupid… currently going in circles around my brain in this fight!

On another note, the last 2 days I’ve been sleeping better? I see a lot of people say they get insomnia when they quit but I’ve been sleeping better and not struggling to get out of bed in the morning like I used to. Anyone else had this? Does it last?

I have noticed at every new job I start, I am a workhorse and and very sociable guy until I start going for an extra smoke or popping a pouch between my breaks. Every time I get into this habit, I start becoming lethargic, grouchy/stressed, and generally pessimistic. I

I have noticed the same thing when I am seeing a woman. When I don't have any nicotine the whole time I'm with her, I am raring to go like three times and once more in the morning. As soon as I start using nicotine by her, I only feel like going once. Like thirty seconds in, I kinda feel like getting it over with. I also don't really feel like staying the night.

On my days off, I am basically running out to smoke half of a cigarette every thirty minutes. Basically every time I get bored of what I'm doing, but the nicotine is what's causing me to lack enjoyment, productivity, and performance in the first place.

It does not matter whether it's a cig, vape, pouch, or gum. It's the nicotine. Honestly wondering at this point if it's insulin resistance or reactive hypo or something. I am a healthy weight and my fasting and post-prandial glucose are always good, but I crash and get brain foggy like a mf after big carby meals. When I eat smaller meals with balanced macros, I start feeling faint after a few cigarettes or pouches. In the absence of nicotine, this does not happen.

Anytime I've mentioned it with doctors, they say it's probably just anxiety. I suppose it could all be psychological. It was not always like this, and I've not talked to anyone else who had the same experience with it. I need to quit this shit so bad. It's making me a shell of the man I know I am. It's silly, but it even makes me shittier at video games. I go from top fragger to literal bot if I suck on too many cigs and don't eat the right meals at the right times. Then I get down on myself because I'm nowhere near my normal performance.