I just wanted to check in to say that I have made it one whole year without smoking!!!! It has been a very challenging year but when I compare it to other years, probably not any worse.
There is a bit of irony relating to why I didn't post this on my one year anniversary. My auntie, brilliant, dramatic, glamourous, individual and heaps of fun, died on my one year anniversary. She was a chain-smoking alcoholic and in the end the drink killed her at age 63. I was angry at first that she had done this to herself, causing us all so much pain. But now I am able to say, "She lived the life she wanted to and enjoyed it". I do not feel bitter towards her. Neither does this realisation make me want to smoke. The difference between auntie and anyone who has ventured onto this website, is that she never wanted to or tried to quit. I believe that if you have ever tried to or thought about quitting, you will never be a happy smoker.
My saviour was the Allen Carr book, (he actually believes that there is no such thing as a happy smoker because if you say you would like to turn back time and not start smoking, then you would - that means you would rather not be a smoker) It sounds silly but it led me to understand that as I wanted to be a non-smoker that would mean I could never ever smoke at all ever again[b]Text[/b]Up until this point I was kidding myself that I could still smoke occaisionally, and that I would break my addiction so I could smoke when I wanted to without getting addicted. (How silly does that sound?) This creates an emotional attachment making it very difficult to move on.
It has been extremely challenging for me living with a "smoker who wants to quit but can't quite manage it" My boyfriend's most recent quit date was my one-year anniversary. He is more serious about this one cos he is letting me support him a bit more. He said he always felt pressurised into quitting by me before, but this time he's doing it for himself. He does not ever enjoy smoking anymore but the cravings have always got the better of him. The challenge for me has been that when you quit you have to change your perception of smokers from something you have always identified with, to something you do not want to be "They waste their money on destroying their health and have to cons
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Quit Meter
$100,491.60
Amount Saved
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Quit Meter
Days: 4836
Hours: 13
Minutes: 48
Seconds: 14
Life Gained
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Quit Meter
45678
Smoke Free Days
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Quit Meter
182,712
Cigarettes Not Smoked