Stories & experiences

I am glad that you are determined to keep trying. I am sure that you have had to face other adversaries in your life. Perhaps you should look back on them and regain some of that confidence that you drew on to cope.
I sense that you are hesitant to quit smoking still. When you do relent and have that cigarette, do you do it in an uncomfortable place, standing in a corner, and taste the poison once the first couple of drags relieve the need for nicotine. Can you honestly say that you like the taste and that you enjoy having it control you? These are the questions that you need to address to

either be honest with yourself and/or to change how you think about smoking. Is your health and pride not worth fighting for? No one can make you stop smoking. I hated when doctors rhymed of a dozen reasons to quit with no constructive advice as to how to go about it. It is an addiction. You are not weak, you get defensive and feel powerless. You can learn and understand about nicotine, yourself and the process to finally fight back. I hope you will. Nicotine increased our dopamine, little jolts of pleasure that you deny yourself when first quitting smoking. Chocolate, the smell of

lavender, learning, doing things we enjoy all can emit doses of dopamine to our brains to get that "jolt" that nicotine could provide. Treat yourself and feel good about any strides taken. Regain your confidence and believe that you can do this. If you read my stories I also speak of using a ginger and turmeric lung cleanse (tea) and I learned later that ginger may curb cravings. Candied ginger anyone? A tea would be less calories of course, but candied may provide a jolt of dopamine. Perhaps pickled ginger?
You can do this Biker Girl, many have felt as you do and have succeeded!

Hi biking girl,
I was wondering how you were doing. Yes, this quit journey is hard. Full respect for going the cold turkey route.
I’m still on a slow cut down to quit program and it’s working for me. I’ve also added herbal no nicotine mix to my tobacco so I’m cutting down the number of cigarettes I smoke and the amount of nicotine in those cigarettes.
The way I see it you’re not failing if you keep trying.

Good it really nice to be non smoker
I learnt a lot in your story, you really change my mind I’m delightful.

Hi biking girl. You seem to struggle with quitting. Thats ok it’s hard. I had hypnotherapy to quit smoking and it’s worked for me. I haven’t had a cig for 13 weeks now. I still think about smoking. I still want one when I smell one. But because of the hypnotherapy I have found it pretty easy to dismiss those thoughts. It has worked really well for me. It has been a relatively stress free experience for me. It might be worth a try. I was a smoker for 50 years.