Who has quit (or wants to) quit smoking?

I was behind a car in traffic today that had a "Save the Tata's" breast cancer awareness sticker and the driver had her hand out the window with a cigarette in it. I thought 'Wow, that's pretty lame and smoking is so disgusting." I then realized how different my thought process has become in a little over a year and a half.

I quit on what would have been my Grandfather's 86th birthday; October 19,2009. I had watched cancer consume him that year and that was enough for me. His cancer was not smoking related but at the end of the day, does it make a difference? Cancer is cancer.

My wife and I both smoked at the time I decided to quit. On October 16, 2009 I told her I was quitting in 2 days. With or without her. The night of October 18th, we were both in the garage having a smoke, I took my last drag and said I was done. I crinkled up the rest of my pack, threw them in the trash and walked inside. I haven't touched one since. My wife quit a day later. She has not smoked since.

I quit a 20+ year tobacco habit just like that. I look back and wonder why in the hell I didn't stop long before. I don't miss it one bit. In fact it's just the opposite. I absolutely hate it and can't stand the smell! At the same time, I don't preach to those that choose to smoke. It's their choice. I just don't want their choice to affect me.

Anyone else a proud member of the ex smoker's club or looking to be?

Can you explain what it was like going cold turkey like that?
Were you going crazy for a few days wanting a smoke, or was it relatively painless for you?

It was pretty rough for me that first week. I don't mean to make it sound like it was easy. It wasn't. But once you get over that 'hump', everyday gets easier and easier. It just becomes a mental game at that point. What caught me off guard were the random cravings I would still get months after quitting. I kept thinking "how long are these going to last?!?". The strange thing was, I was still getting them even after the smell of cigarettes disgusted me. But they eventually subsided and I don't get them anymore. Well, I should say I haven't got them in a while. Who knows if they'll randomly show up again. Either way, I'm always prepared to deal with them and will never give in.

Ugh...that brings back memories. I quit smoking cigs, pot, and drinking all at the same time after pretty much playing that fiddle for 12 years. I think I remember hubs saying that PMS made it look like a walk in the park.

My father quit the day I was born cold turkey. Says he can still smell a Marlboro red from a mile away and could pick it back up tomorrow if he wanted to.

My roommate quick a couple years ago, cold turkey as well, stopped drinking too. To get over cigarettes he started eating lolipops which helped break the habit. Instead of a smoke break he'd have a candy break, etc.

Most habits are condition stimulus response behaviors.

Drink-smoke, after eating - smoke, coffee - smoke, sex - smoke.

Once I disassociated the stimulus with the response it was easy.

I could smoke one, two, a pack, all weekend or whatever andwhenever I wanted and never have a craving.

It's all between the ears. I think...

I can definitely agree with the repulsiveness reaction I have now to being in a smokey environment. I hate it ! * Gag *

...but me smoking, in the desert, by a fire, a glass of whiskey, a full-moon rising and the stereo playing. Bring it on (...at least for a night ! ...or three.).

Otherwise * GAG *

I found quiting to be easy, I quit at least 10 times!

Once I got it through my head that I was not going to "try", I planned ahead a few weeks and prepared myself for it and before that day I was convinced I was done and it went fairly easy
I used a hypnotist at the same time and just convinced myself he was legit and didn't over think it

Before that I couldn't get it done

I always say you cannot attempt to quit because that leaves a door open

hardest thing I've ever done... patches, meds, counseling, whatever... I made it in 1993. I consoled myself by saying, if I made it to 65 I could smoke again. I made it and did not start smoking again but I still want to... oh well. It's too expensive now and I'd have to go outside... even at home, LOL.

I quit cold turkey at 30 after smoking for 10 years. It wasn't easy. I still had occasional cravings after a year, as one poster also mentioned.

Stayed tobacco-free for 10 more years and then discovered premium cigars. Been enjoying them ever since. I suppose they're not as bad as cigarettes as long as you don't inhale them, which I don't, but there's still a chance of other types of the "C" word happening.

George Burns is my role model. Smoked several cigars every day and had as many martinis. Lived to be just shy of 100. When asked by a much younger interviewer if he could interview him again in a few years, George replied, "Sure, if you're still around!".

been trying to figure out how to tackle this myself............

I'm 29 now and quit 6 years ago. I was in Yorktown, VA for military training when I woke up with really bad chest pains. I drove myself to the ER and called my wife, and family to tell them I loved them at 0200. By the time I got to the ER I was panting as any deeper of an inhale caused a sharp pain in my chest. Long story short, I had pleurisy in my left lung. Every time I breathed deep, my lung would rub on the inside of my rib cage, causing the sharp pain. I normally smoked Marboro Menthol lights, but for some reason picked up Newports that day.

It wasn't easy to quit cold turkey, but I decided that it wasn't worth chancing that pain again. I remember my father telling me that whenever I had a nicotine craving, just to sit and count to 1 minute. Normally before that minute the craving went away. I'm glad I did it. Only downside is that I gained 20lbs. I got married 6 months before that, so I just blame it on her!

Quitting was easy for me too...like others I quit about 10 times....The hard part was staying quit. Smoking was not only a disaster for my health but a disgusting filthy habit. The last time I quit was 8 years ago at the age of 63....after smoking sometimes 2 packs a day for 45 years......I have never had the courage to look at my chest x-ray! My first grandchild was born on that day and I could not subject the little tyke to the disgust of my stinky smelly body...YUCK!!!