She has been a pack-a-day smoker for probably 35 years now. She is 56.

Every time I try to have a discussion with her on the topic of her quitting smoking she gets extremely offended, even though it's purely because I'm concerned for her health. She has said on numerous occasions that if she quit smoking she would "go crazy."

The thing is, she has been hacking up a lung (i.e. developed a very loud, nasty and chronic smoker's cough) for the past two years and it's only getting worse. She is coughing uncontrollably every time she goes out to smoke a cigarette, so loudly that I can hear her coughing on the other side of the house through multiple walls. Despite this she continues to smoke incessantly.

She had the flu this past week and still could not stop smoking cigarettes despite being bed-ridden. She would almost drag herself outside to continue her pack-a-day habit, coughing pretty violently every time because she had the flu.

Not only am I extremely worried for her wellbeing, but having to listen to nonstop coughing when I am home is starting to make me batshit crazy. What should I do?

I'm about 55hrs in on not smoking and so far it's been fine. I just had a stressful moment and the first craving demanding to go outside! It's been 10 or 15 minutes and I'm mostly chilling now but still a little annoyed so I came here to vent. I shared with my husband but he's not quitting so in this moment he's not the person to understand lol. So thanks for letting me vent.

In November 2023 I quit vaping (I had a hardcore nicotine addiction 4 years) and it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.

This holiday period I was seeing a lot of my friends from back home who all vape or smoke and I thought ‘just one vape won’t hurt’. It didn’t start immediately, but I’ve slowly slipped back into it. I vaped all day yesterday and today and I’m starting to feel a tightness in my chest again.

Lung issues run in my family (my dad’s dad died of lung cancer) and I CAN’T vape or I’m looking at serious health issues. Part of me started thinking ‘well the damage is done anyway’.

I’m going to write this here and leave it here as a commitment. I can do this.

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I smoked cigarettes from when I was 17 until about 29, when I switched to vapes. I’m 33 now.

So my Dad died on the last day of 2024. He was a heavy cigarette smoker for most of his life, except the last few when he started vaping instead.

I also got sick at the start of January, so during the wake I was sick and grieving and it was probably some of the most difficult days of my life. I stopped smoking due to being sick, but decided to quit fully because of my Dad.

The last thing he texted me was to thank me for the gift I sent him last Christmas, and he said that he’ll make it up to me with the gift the following year.

He didn’t make it the following year, but I think it was his gift to me that I finally gained the willpower to quit altogether.

He was only 60, and I miss him a lot. I think quitting is honoring him in a way.

1. Decide That You’re Going to Quit

Many people confuse the desire to quit with the decision to quit, but these are two very different things. Most people just want to quit, they dream about it, make plans, set a date, and in the end, either do nothing or try but give up at the first challenge.

Making a decision means firmly committing that, no matter what happens and no matter how difficult it gets, you will not smoke. Making a decision means throwing away all cigarettes, lighters, and ashtrays, because why would you keep them if you've decided not to smoke? Making a decision means that when someone offers you a cigarette, you confidently say, “I don’t smoke anymore,” and make it clear that they don’t need to offer you one again.

2. Be Patient and Persistent

The second crucial thing everyone needs is patience. Quitting smoking can be challenging. You might feel like you’re not making progress or that you’re not recovering as quickly as you’d like, and that’s exactly why patience is essential.

Often, recovery happens slowly and gradually, so you don’t even notice it. It’s like when someone you see every day gains weight, you don’t notice the change, but others who haven’t seen them in a while do. The same goes for quitting smoking, your body is healing, even if you don’t immediately see the difference.

3. There’s No Such Thing as “Just One Cigarette”

I’ve written about this many times, and I’ll keep writing about it because it’s the most important rule when quitting smoking.

You can do everything right, but if you start thinking that your addiction is gone and that now you can smoke “just one cigarette,” that will be your biggest mistake.

There is no such thing as just one cigarette. We all thought we could have just one and we were all wrong. Don’t assume you’re stronger than the rest of us, thinking that you can do it when we couldn’t, because you’ll only be disappointed when you find yourself smoking again.

Nicotine is a drug. Just one puff is enough to reactivate your addiction. I know people who were smoke-free for over 20 years, smoked just one cigarette, and now they’re struggling to quit again.

UK here. Downloaded the NHS quit smoking app. It has a day counter, money saved counter and benefit your body will have that day from staying stopped. 19 days here after 26 years. I worked out how much smoking would cost me this year, which is a nice holiday. I already know I won’t go back. Feels really empowering to break the spell. Good luck to anyone willing to give it a go. It gets easier, you’ll see! Thank you to the people that posted their stories and motivated me before.

So about two months ago I stopped weed and tobacco all together. I craved both to be honest but weed more, until one day I was outside and I just wanted one cigarette to stop the cravings, but since they're expensive where I am, and no one will spare you one cig I decided to buy a pack, then another pack, then I traveled and got myself a box from the duty free because it was really cheap. Cigarettes calm me down sometimes, but I've been doing too much lately, I smoked the whole 200 cigs box in a month and today is my last pack left and I'm not planning on buying more. The brand that I'm smoking has 6mg nic which isn't that high I guess. So I'm planning to wean myself on 4mg nic gums. I was never a big smoker, just a casual one. I started smoking and vaping in my late 20s, and managed to stop several times in the past. But it's always the damn cravings that turns into habitual smoking.

Any advice with the gums? What withdrawals should I expect aside from craving? Thanks!

I’d quit for a couple of months - with the patch - it really helped. But I started getting really painful welts where they were applied and one night I had an asthma event - haven’t had asthma since I was a kid. So I stopped the patch bc it seemed like maybe I’m allergic to it.

Amidst a few stressful circumstances I started again and two months later I’m back at a pack a day.

I cough incessantly at night - not much coming up - and my lungs are sore.

Three days ago I started the patch again. Previously Physician prescribed me Flovent and albuterol when I had the asthma event - which has now returned multiple times a day.

Maybe it IS the patch I’m allergic to. Today I’m going no patch to see if my breathing and sore lungs can clear up.

My question is: what are other modalities y’all have used to help get over the hump of internal screaming for a cigarette?

I’ve been smoke-free for 30 days now, which I’m really proud of. Overall, it’s been tough but manageable. The hardest part, though, has been drinking alcohol. I’ve had alcohol three times since quitting, and each time, the cravings hit me like a truck. It felt almost unbearable, like my brain was screaming at me to light up.

I know alcohol and smoking go hand in hand for a lot of people, but I wasn’t expecting it to be this bad. Will this get better over time? Does anyone have experience with this? I’d love to hear how others dealt with it.

ive been a heavy smoker since i am a teenager and quit about 5 weeks ago. before, i used to ALWAYS be cold, no matter what. In the past month though i noticed that i am very often uncomfortably warm. is this an actual thing that happens after you quit smoking? i tried looking it up didnt find much

I am worried about it , want to quit right now . But does 8 months of smoking can cause cancer ? 4-5 ciggerates a day on an average is something I was upto.

Hello people

I just had problems with breathing and then a panic attack. It's not the first time this happens. So now I was like " I should stop smoking now" while smoking a cigarette to calm me down.

It's not the first time I want to stop but it never worked. Last year I tried and failed. My depression and anxiety became worse. I continued to smoke 2 cigarettes a day and it slowly increased again to 6-10/day.

I am smoking since 12 years daily. I really want to stop. Atm I am on my last to days of holiday in panama.

What can I do when the cravings come and suggest "just enjoy the last cigarettes in panama, you can stop after that". Etc.

I really don't want this shit anymore but I am also afraid of triggering my depression and anxiety.

Any help or hood words would help. Thanks in advance

28M, After 10 years of smoking traditionnel cigarettes, i switched to iqos iluma (heated tobacco). I felt traditionnel Cigarettes are melting my respiratory and overall health.🫁

Its been 3 weeks since i smoke only heated tobacco, faced some withdrawl but i'm getting used to it, and i noticed the benefits of quitting traditionnel cigarettes.

I know quiting all kind of smoking is better but i can't quit nicotine at this moment.

Is there any people who switched like me to heated tobacco? I really want to listen to others experiences. 👂

We have a live discord chat running right now: https://discord.gg/3pYVykQHJG

We run 1-hour meetings at 10am and 5pm EST Mon-Fri. Can't wait to see you there!

Congratulations!

We all have something to celebrate! We will not be smoking for the next 24 hours! What are you using to cope with cravings? How many days smoke free are you? Please discuss your progress and feelings in the comments!

Discord Group: As a reminder, meetings are held on the discord group: Monday through Friday at 5-6pm EST. An additional meeting will begin at 10am EST starting 9/18/2023. Invite Link

More meetings will be added in the future to support more time zones.

Thanks to everyone on this sub for sharing your stories which is helping me along my journey

So this is not a helpful post to anyone, I'm sorry that I'm wasting anyone's time. I'm desperate for help. I read Allen Carrs book which was an attempt to stop (I became self concheous) but It's just not enough for me. I have read many posts and comments here that are motivating and I truly appreciate it. I'm also listening to hypnosis from Michael Sealey and it is so good. I managed to not smoke for only half of day and smoke 4 cigs for the last 2 days ( I use to smoke 15 a day). What happens is that I wake up and feel ok, don't have a need to smoke, and I just don't. Then just suddenly at some point in day I have a strong need to smoke, even though I don't want to. Then I do, and hate myself, I hate my breath and stinky fingers. Then I feel like i betrayed myself. I feel panic, fear, nervousness, it's so hard. I am now aware that this is drug, and that I'm a junkie. I have never in my life been addicted to anything and this is just awfull. I cry like a baby every night and just wish I have power to end this devilish addiction. This is like a battle with muself, it's like a horror. I just want to be free, and end this misery.

100 days since I last smoked.

Days 50-75 were definitely the hardest.

I had no idea that quitting smoking was like coming off antidepressants. Once I realised that was what was going on with me, I was able to forgive myself for feeling so depressed and anxious all the time.

I wanted to thank everyone for sharing their advice and experiences. It helped me so much. I feel much more like myself now.

Hello,

I do not write this post for me. I'm 16 days smoke free and going strong. Yay.

I'm just wanting to hear opinions about my bf journey to quit.

He's attempted to quit a couple times. First time he replaced nicotine with CBD. It worked for more than 3 months. Until he had to travel by high speed train, he couldn't take any with him (here CBD is legal, but they don't know the difference with THC and they'll fine you first and ask later) and he ended up smoking tobacco again.

Second attempt was much better. He was almost nicotine free for 8 months (I say almost because he also smoked some weed/hash mixed with tobacco every now and then). I spent all that time also without smoking by the eayt. He was looking so much better, healthier, fit. But then he failed.

Now, I think there are at least three reasons why he failed, and I want to hear opinions specially on the third one.

1. Quitting is damn hard. He's been a smoker for easily 40 years. Pack a day or a bit more. That's a lot. I understand that more than anyone (because even though I haven't smoked for as many years and as much, I quit and fell back many times). Just wanted to put that on the table and for context.
2. Joints smoking. He was never really nicotine free. Fortunately he's not an abuser, but still he never gave the brain the chance to go nicotine free for real. It's not the same 140 cigarettes a week than smoke 3/4 joints a week. But mixed with tobacco is still nicotine. Nicotine receptors won't switch off , etc.
3. He suffers from anxiety. So quitting for him is extra hard than for other people. We all know that smoking doesn't fix anxiety, it's actually worse, but we all also know that we still use it as a fix for anxiety. We are stupid like that.

He goes to therapy a few times a year. His therapist always told him that smoking is bad, but for him quitting is probably worse due to his mental health. In reality, he was doing so much better during these 8 months. He quit without telling his therapist. He managed his anxiety so well without nicotine. The same way he does it with nicotine. I didn't feel any difference about how he was doing, honestly. But the very last time he went to therapy and finally told his therapist he had quit, he told him that if he felt anxious, do not hesitate to smoke again. Well, that's all excuse he needed. He was smoking next day.

What do you think? I'm not a therapist or psychiatrist or whatever it's called in English, but I cannot believe that was a good advice?? I don't know if I should try and suggest him to go to another, but I feel it's not really my business. I'm sure the one he goes is a professional? I don't know.

Now I don't see him with the intention to try again any time soon. And it's a shame, he really was looking and feeling so much better, healthier, younger.. less snoring at night, more energy.. even higher libido. All was better.

That's it. I'd like to read some opinions. Plus this helped me to let off steam, so even without replies this was useful 🙏

Thank you.

Not here looking for any praise, quite the contrary. I thought being a part of this group would make it harder to quit when I'm going through my program but just wanted to say thanks to everyone and all their stories.

It's been a ton of help learning to use NHS programs (patch, gum, lozenges, spray, etc), Allen Carrs audiobook + graphic book (graphics helped so much for me to remember) and just random tidbits of information I could relate to like how the hardest periods are 3 days, 3 weeks, 3 months.

Happy to answer any questions and again thanks everyone for the help!

So I’m a m16 and started smoking at 14 and it’s coming up to to my 17th so I decided to quit before it’s too late

Anyway I went cold turkey last Wednesday and didn’t touch any tobacco or nicotine products for a week but then yesterday when I was with my friend he started smoking so I took 3 puffs of it As we were drinking and I was being stupid

I know it sounds dumb but will those 3 puffs reset my progress to my health?

I’m definitely not going to smoke again that was just a silly mistake and I regret it heavily now and don’t even feel the want to smoke again

I didn't smoked today.

Any one else quitting Monday? I'm planning to be much more active in this sub to help with the mental struggle. Currently smoke 40ish cigs a day. Nervous but excited.

I officially quit daily smoking on the 14th of December 2024.

Since then I had 3 smokes on a night out a week later. Then I had my last smoke at my dads house when we celebrated Christmas on Saturday the 28th of December 2024.

It's been 48 days since I quit daily smoking.

As of today, the 31st of January 2025, it's been 34 days since my last cigarette.

This is the longest I've gone without a smoke in over 10 years.

It feels like a great milestone, but on the flipside of this, I now vape profusely. Like all day.

So...it doesn't feel like as much of a win as I want it to...but I guess it's still a win for my health physical health

Guys I need help finding a post that was on here some time in the last few months. Could have sworn I saved it but apparently not.

Someone wrote a beautiful post from the perspective of a surviving son/daughter of someone who had died of smoking consequences. Really want to share this with someone now and can't find it at all. If anyone remembers the post and could point me to it I would be very grateful.