I Quit Smoking

I quit smoking at the beginning of this year, 2009, around the same time as President Obama is said to have quit smoking. I checked today to see how he was doing and from what I read, like me he has been successful in his quit. It is said that he has used Nicotine gum.

I have in fact quit smoking many many times, but this is different, it is the most successful attempt so far, I feel sure this time I will never have another cigarette, something is different about this quit and I think is because I did it purely for myself, there were no other influences in my decision not to smoke anymore, only my own mind telling me that I did not want to.

I think that has made the difference, as in the past, I have been told by others not to smoke, so I do as I am told, but then once that influence or reason is gone, I reverted to smoking. Also this is the longest time I have stayed quit, ever and I rarely even think about cigarettes anymore.

I am still using the nicotine replacement therapy, I use the nasal spray and gum and have followed instructions to the letter. It seems that whilst using the NRT you overcome the psychological aspects of smoking, so that when you come to stopping all nicotine, after several months, you are already in the habit of being a non smoker. It is the habit that was hardest to break, the thing I always used to miss and feel that there was something missing when I did not smoke, but now I am quite used to doing everything I need to do without a cigarette.

Concentration and feeling blue was a big difficulty for me at first. I found it harder to do my work and felt kind of like there was something missing all the time, I used to enjoy fag breaks, standing in the sunshine, but now I enjoy going for walks and runs when I need a break, and I do not feel blue at all. My concentration seems to have returned to as good as it was when I was smoking, so I guess there is a transition period for a few months while your body gets used to being minus the 1000s of harmful chemicals contained in the cigs.

I am sure I will never smoke again, I do not want to, it is not an effort, it is just a choice now and I feel I have gained alot, in terms of health, less stress (as being a heavy smoker is stressful, always having to make sure you have an ample supply and somewhere to smoke) and of course financially.

It is the Budget Day today in England and smokers always get hit hard, with a pack already at over £5 ($10), I dread to think how much they will go up again today, but I do not need to worry about it anymore, the budget will have no effect on me this year.

Ahhh, clean fresh air, I love it!