If that's what it takes to stay away from those awful cancer sticks, then do it. One lozenge every once in awhile is much better than the thousands of cigarettes that follow the 1.    

Look at it this way - if you smoke, the cigarettes WON.  One is not one, it is WON.  The smokes WON.  Don't go there.  Do not even allow yourself to think about it.  Relish your achievement. You are a non-smoker.  You have WON the battle for your healthy lifestyle.  Maybe the thought of smoking will haunt you from time to time for the rest of your life.  Consider it a reminder of your VICTORY.   

Well done.  You are a champion.  You are the master of your domain.

Anne I thank you for this post - it is exactly what I needed to read and get in my brain! Yesterday marked 6 months quit for me -- and I had the strongest craving/struggle since I quit. My brother is in town visiting, and he smokes only a few cigarettes a day. We were sitting on my deck (my favorite smoking place) enjoying beautiful weather, and he lit up. I couldn't stop thinking about smoking after that. The "nicodemon" told me that if my brother can smoke a few a day, so can I. And it told me I will spend the rest of my life struggling with the anguish of cravings. And it reminded me of how lovely it would be to enjoy a cigarette.  Well -- it is now the morning after yesterday, and I am on my nice deck feeling extremely grateful that I did not succomb to the lies of the addiction.  I really, really love the idea of knowing I won a life and death battle ... and challenging the "you'll never stop having cravings" threat with the knowledge that if I do have a craving, I can think of it as evidence of victory! Yes.  Thanks Anne.

Good for you Martha!  You have every reason to feel victorious!

Right On Martha - I love the smell of fresh air in the morning - smells like - VICTORY  

WELL SAID

thank you!!!

yes!!!

Martha -

Thanks for your post. It makes me think of my wife, much like your brother. I loved sitting with her on the porch, talking about life and smoking one after the other. You see I was a chain smoker, 2 packs a day. 

She, on the hand can sit for hours without lighting up a single smoke. I wished I could show such restraint no way, I was hopelessly addicted and could not help myself or so I thought. 

Three weeks and 3 days and I am doing quite well. This will be probably the 4th time this year that I have tried to quit. I've tried everything from cold turkey, Allen Carr's book and seminar. Chantix, Wellbutrin, lozenges, the patch and recently nicotine pouches.

Yesterday, after complaining to my wife about the cravings, she suggested that I might smoke one or two to take the edge off. That was all I needed to justify getting a cigarette, but my thoughts were as folks on the Delphi site say "N.O.P.E" to that first one. I know that I would be setting myself up for a lifetime of continued smoking. 

I believe the addiction will be with me for the rest of my life, but I need to find a way to arrest the compulsion to smoke. I have been a slave to nicotine for most of my adult life and today I am fed up with whole thing. I deserve better than that and you, Martha, do too. 

I hope this post finds you well and smoke-free.

Good day,

Andrew

Candrew,

It is like saying to an alcoholic, to just drink on or two shots to 'take off the edge'. Your wife, like other addicts including yours truly, feel uncomfortable losing our smoking buddy, because it forces us to confront the facts that we are not ready to hear. Every smokers knows it's bad to smoke but when we have smoking company it's easier not to think about it. Make no mistake, your wife is no less of an addict than you are. It's just that her body needs less nicotine replenishing to feel the addiction. It will not be easier for her to quit the fewer cigarettes she smokes.

Yes we are addicts for life. No way around it. But as along as you adhere to the simple and hard rule, don't smoke. you can be an addict free of the poison he is addicted to, and have a much better life.

Have you read this free ebook?

https://whyquit.com/ffn/

or watched this 3 part documentary?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iplzsMazQz4&t=1s&ab_channel=AndyBerndt

Changing the way you view and feel about cigarettes in my opinion is the key. If you feel like you are losing something good, and just hold on to dear life trying not to smoke, it will either not work or make you miserable. Let me know how you progress, and don'y light up.

wow.

I think its alright when our friends smoke to smell cigarette smoke, as long as we dont have to suck it down our lungs. we can go socialize with them while they smoke, but if you look at them after they smoke they look strange, like their self esteem is down, 

I hope you do what is right for you. My uncle passed away from lung cancer this past December, it was real sad, the cancer had spread all over his body, but he had quit for passed 16 years..

Hi Andrew - long delay in writing back to you - I've been on vacation in the beautiful state of Vermont in the northeastern USA.  How I enjoyed deeply breathing in the fresh air that smells like pine! And I enjoyed hiking without worrying that my lungs would catch on fire. But ... I still had to work through some cravings. Vacation was always an especially enjoyable time to sit with my husband and smoke. Fortunately for me, he quit shortly after I did! Frankly I don't know that I could have done it if he hadn't. His motivation was losing his job (he was close to retirement so decided to just retire) - and the cost of cigarettes has become outrageous. Actually I'm glad they are so expensive, if it helps anyone to quit or to not start.  Like all the other addicts who check in to this forum, I am pulling for you. It's awesome that you keep trying.  Yes indeed, we do deserve better than being a slave to nicotine! 

Tuesday marks 7 months for me. It is getting better, no doubt....

Martha