Hi Everyone,
This is my first post and I would like to tell you a little about myself and my smoking history.
My name is Sharon. I am 57 years old and have been smoking for about 42 years. .
In the beginning it was great - everyone smoked and there was no social stigma attached to it. I smoked in every situation - at school, at home, with all my friends. As I got older, I smoked at work (had an ashtray on my desk), in every room of the house including our bedroom, while I was pregnant and nursing, in the car, around my children, etc. Both my husband and I smoked but he quit about 30 years ago and never took another puff.
My first attempt at quitting was probably about 25 years ago. I felt like a madwoman at that time - was not at all prepared for the craves and how I was going to feel. I tried a few more times over the years - tried the patch - had amazing dreams but it did not keep me from going back to smoking. About 3 years ago I did stop for about a year - but I got hooked on nicotine gum. In the end - I could not give up the gum so I was smoking and chewing gum until I finally (with great difficulty) gave up the gum but kept on smoking.
I am lucky and so far - have not really felt the bad effects of smoking (although I really do not know what damage I may have done) but every night when I was falling asleep I would feel so guilty and would talk to myself about quitting but just did not feel that I had the energy to do it again but did have it on my mind all the time.
So now it has been almost three weeks since I have had any nicotine. The first few days were very difficult - cloudy head - lots of cravings but somehow found this site and as long as I was here and reading and educating myself - I was able to refrain from smoking - one hour at a time. My cravings are much less now - more manageable and do find it very comforting to read about others who have quit and now truly enjoy their lives without their cigarettes and I know if others can do it - I can too - just takes a little patience and a big commitment to never take another puff.
Regarding the "puff" - other times when I have quit - that was my downfall. I did not tell myself that I was going to go back to smoking - I was just going to take one "puff" - not even a whole cigarette - just one "puff" off someone else's cigarette but I know now that I am addicted and as long as I do not fool myself and take that puff - I will never again be a smoker. Just have to remember to NTAP.
I feel very grateful to have found this site. I find it educational and inspirational and the reading helps me so much. Thank you to all the people who put so much effort into this site. You are doing an incredible job!
Sharon - Free and Healing for Twenty Days and 50 Minutes, while extending my life expectancy 20 Hours, by avoiding the use of 240 nicotine delivery devices that would have cost me $86.62..

