10 Great Quit Smoking Stories

There is no better teacher than the voice of experience, and when it comes to quitting tobacco, members of the About.com Smoking Cessation forum have valuable insights to share. An important resource for the new quitter, their stories are full of practical tips about what works when we quit smoking and the benefits we might expect to enjoy.

If you are still smoking, the following personal accounts may help you find the motivation to start your own journey to freedom from nicotine addiction. So, settle in and do some reading -- these real life stories are sure to inspire you.

LeslyFrom Lesly:

"Three years ago I was a desperate woman. I was desperate to quit smoking -– I was desperate to smoke. I was sick to death of smoking –- I loved to smoke. I hated how I smelled –- I loved the smell of my smokes. I hated the burn holes, fears, sickness -– I loved the rituals. I hated being told I should quit -- I knew I should quit. Most of all, I was sick and tired of being sick and tired, and I hated feeling stupid. Bottom line."

zSB(3,3)JaneFrom Jane:

"For 37 years I had one last cigarette before turning in for the night, every night. On August 5, 2006, I had one last cigarette that I hoped and prayed with all my heart would be the last cigarette of my life."

MichelleFrom Michelle:

"People invest in savings and retirement accounts and IRA's, and rightly so, but none of these will matter if a smoking-related illness claims your life before you can enjoy the benefits of your other investments. Smoking cessation is worth every minute you invest and more. The freedom that awaits you is nearly indescribable, and with each passing year, as my gratitude continues to grow, so does my hope that more and more people will decide to reclaim the lives they were meant to live."

DeeFrom Dee:

"With an almost 2-pack-a-day addiction; with a chest cold and horrible coughing that suggested that someone needed to take pity on me and make an immediate call to an ambulance service; there I was sitting on the side of the bed with a cigarette dangling from my mouth and lighter in hand trying to breath shallow little breaths so I wouldn’t cough my fool head off while lighting my first cigarette of the day. Something snapped. I took a long hard look at the cigarette and lighter and threw them across the room."

MaryFrom Mary:

"Today I'm a nonsmoker. I don't think of myself as an exsmoker, because that was a different Mary. That Mary reached for a smoke at the first sign of stress. That Mary couldn't walk up a flight of stairs without hacking up a lung. This Mary has a whole new outlook on life — a whole new life, period. This Mary is an athlete who runs five days a week and can bench press 115 pounds. This Mary can now say, I will never smoke again."

BellaFrom Bella:

"What a difference a year can make. I think back to when I rang in 2006 and I was feeling nothing less than desperation. My throat was raw day and night, my voice was weak and I was completely afraid. "You have to get a handle on this, girl," was what I thought, "or it’s over for you. There might be something wrong with you already. It’s time to make some significant changes."

LarryFrom Larry:

"One year ago today I thought I had pneumonia. It turned out to be yet another greeting by the grim reaper we nicotine addicts know intimately as "smoking-related illness." It wasn't pneumonia, only a severe case of bronchitis and undeniable worsening of the early stages of emphysema -- an inability to breathe on my own. I dreaded going to bed at night and have my wife hear me coughing, wheezing, struggling for every breath, but I was in denial. I knew what was causing my breathing problems, yet felt powerless to stop the slow, agonizing process of killing myself with cigarettes."

LeoFrom Leo:

"I recently celebrated my 2-year anniversary of quitting smoking. Well, of finally quitting. Like most smokers, I had tried to quit smoking many times and failed. But this quit attempt stuck, and I'd like to share the top 10 things that made this quit successful when the others failed."

zSB(1,2)KevinFrom Kevin:

"I hope that all smokers can one day enjoy their lungs the way they did in their smokeless childhoods. One of the ways I convinced myself to finally quit involved reminiscences of my own childhood lungs, their indefatigable prowess, how deeply I was able to breathe while rounding the bases after smashing a line drive into left/center, or the massive huffs of air I’d take every third stroke while competing in a freestyle race. My lungs, I would dream 30 years into smoking, never fought back when I was a child. And every time I dreamed of those easier times, the more I wanted those times back."

TammyFrom Tammy:

"How many times have I thought about quitting? How many times have I tried to quit? The answer is…I don’t have a clue. I really really wanted to quit smoking and I really thought that I could whenever I felt like it. I thought that it would be easy if I really wanted it bad enough. It wasn’t easy."

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Lung Cancer Treatments

Surgery may be chosen as the best course of treatment, especially if the cancer is detected in its early stages and hasn't spread to other areas of the body. There are four types of surgery used for non small cell lung cancer: Resection - This surgery removes a small part of the lung where the tumor is. The procedure is referred to as a wedge resection if a small triangular slice of tissue is taken, or a segmental resection when the tissue sample is a little larger.Sleeve Resection - A surgical procedure that removes part of the bronchus.Lobectomy - Removal of an entire lobe (section) of the lung is done with this procedure.Pneumonectomy - A pneumonectomy removes the entire lung.Surgery isn't always an option. Some tumors are inoperable, or the person may not be up to surgery for other medical reasons. Chemotherapy involves using anti-cancer drugs to kill cancer cells in the body, or to keep existing cells from dividing. Even after surgery, some cells may remain, and chemotherapy may be added to the treatment plan. Most chemotherapy is given either by injection into a vein (IV) or by catheter. A few drugs are given in pill form.Radiation Therapy treats the cancer by using high energy rays to kill cancer cells. It can be used before surgery to shrink tumors, or after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells. Sometimes it is used in combination with chemotherapy as a primary treatment plan instead of surgery. Most radiation therapy is administered by a machine (external radiation) with the rays aimed directly at the tumor. There is another form of radiation treatment(internal radiation), in which a small capsule of radioactive material is implanted near or in the tumor.Laser Therapy uses a highly accurate pinpoint of laser light to kill cancer cells.Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) - this therapy involves using a laser. A special chemical is injected into the bloodstream. This chemical travels to cells all over the body, and is absorbed by them. In normal cells, the chemical leaves quickly, but it remains for a longer time in cancer cells. A laser is then aimed at the cancer which activates the chemical. The chemical then kills the cancer cell it is in. This therapy can be used to relieve symptoms of lung cancer, such as bleeding, or blocked airways. It's also an option for treating very small tumors which may not be suitably treated in more conventional ways.Watchful Waiting - like the name implies, this treatment involves closely monitoring the patient's condition, watching for symptoms to appear or change in nature.See Also: Information for this article obtained from NCI, which is a division of The National Institutes of Health (NIH).

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Michelle's Quit Story

On the eve of my 18-months smoke-free milestone, I am feeling nostalgic and grateful and moved to share my story.

My sister and I smoked our first cigarette when we were 10 and 11 years old respectively. I can't even remember if we inhaled, but they were Marlboro's, and they were 50 cents a pack, my entire week's allowance. After a couple of months, the guilt got to my sister, and she confessed (for both of us) to our parents, and I never picked up another cigarette until the summer of my 18th year. I smoked for only that summer, and then I didn't smoke another cigarette until I was 22 and in graduate school. WHY???????? I wish I knew why. Part of it, I'm sure, was being annoyed by the 'good girl' perception that people had of me. I got good grades, respected my parents, and didn't party a lot (a little...but not a lot). Well, one night I was at one of the few parties I attended in college, and someone offered me a cigarette. I took it and never looked back. I bought a pack the next day and began my new identity as a 'not so good girl' smoker.

When I was 12 years old, my dad, my hero, quit smoking, and once told me that if he ever saw me smoking, it would be like putting a stake through his heart. I never let him see me smoke. Since I was still in school and living at home, I was a closet smoker for the next 3 years. It was exhausting, and my parents knew I smoked anyway. When I finally became a teacher and moved out, I lived with 2 roommates, and neither of them smoked, so I smoked outside or in my car. There was a smoking lounge in the school where I taught, but I didn't want my students to know I smoked so I was careful not to let them see me. By now, hiding had become quite a theme in my existence as a smoker.

That continued as I got older, and my sister made me the proud aunt of 4 beautiful children. When I visited I would cower in a corner of the garage, listening for the opening door, so that I could put the cig out before I got caught. How ridiculous, I finally realized. I am ALWAYS hiding behind a wall of smoke, half the time not enjoying my time with family and friends because I was worried about when I'd be able to get my next fix.

By this time, I also knew that my health was being affected by my addiction. I was sleeping on 3 pillows and woke up during the night coughing. Then, when I got up in the morning, I'd hack and wheeze for about 30 minutes...all the while trying to inhale on my first cigarette of the day. I wouldn't know until after I quit smoking that my smoking had also likely caused my chronic back pain, degenerative disc disease. My family history also told me I'd better seriously think about quitting. Two grandparents and an uncle died of smoking-related illnesses, 1 also with emphysema. The more I thought about it, the more resolve I mustered to get a quit plan together.

I found a Web site called "The No Smoke Cafe" hosted by Christine Rowley. I read everything I could read about the addiction and quitting: the best ways to do it, what happens after quitting, how to maintain the quit. I saturated my brain with everything I could find, and then I read post on a message board associated with the "Cafe", and I paid close attention to what people were thinking and feeling as they began their journey to freedom from nicotine. Like many about to quit, I wanted as few surprises as possible. I knew this for sure, though...I wanted to quit more than I wanted to keep smoking, and that thought kept me company during the long road to recovery from nicotine addiction.

I chose a quit date, January 13, 2002, and I decided that I would use a NRT, the patch. I researched the NRT's too, weaning off the nicotine after smoking 2 packs a day for 14 years made the best sense to me. I submitted my first post 18 hours into my quit, and I have been smoke-free ever since. I credit my success so far in large part to Christine and her efforts to provide a place for people to support each other and for gathering so much information regarding smoking cessation. I believe that support is the #1 factor in successfully quitting smoking, and I'm grateful to all those who were there for me in the beginning.

Now, after almost a year and a half, there's nothing I enjoy more than trying to help others realize their goal of freedom from nicotine. Quitting smoking isn't easy, but almost nothing in life that's worthwhile is, and it is easier when you don't have to do it alone. Thanks to all the quitters, friends, who keep me continuously inspired. It's a remarkable journey of self-discovery and one that I have never regretted.

Michelle B. (QUITWIT)
Michelle's 1 Year Milestone
Michelle's 2 Year Milestone
Michelle's 3 Year Milestone
Michelle's 4 Year Milestone
Michelle's 5 Year Milestone
Patience With the Process
A Perspective on Using NRT's
There is No Substitute for Time
Depression When You Quit Smoking
Smoking and Degenerative Disc Disease

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Cigarette Smoking and Cancer

A.D.A.M. Tobacco use, particularly cigarette smoking is the single most preventable cause of death in the United States. Cigarette smoking alone is directly responsible for approximately 30% of all cancer deaths annually in the United States(1). Cigarette smoking also contributes to lung disease, heart disease, stroke, and the development of low birth weight babies(2).Quitting smoking can significantly reduce a person's risk of developing heart disease, stroke, and diseases of the lung, and can limit adverse health effects on children.

What are the effects of cigarette smoking on cancer rates?

Cigarette smoking causes 87% of lung cancer deaths. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women(1). Smoking is also responsible for most cancers of the: larynx oral cavity esophagus bladderIn addition, it is highly associated with the development of, and deaths from, kidney, pancreatic, and cervical cancers(2,3).

Are there any health risks for nonsmokers?

The health risks caused by cigarette smoking are not limited to smokers - exposure to secondhand smoke, or environmental tobacco smoke ETS, significantly increases a nonsmoker's risk of developing lung cancer(1,2). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC), exposure to secondhand smoke causes about 3,000 lung cancer deaths among nonsmokers and is responsible for lower respiratory tract infections in an estimated 300,000 children each year(3). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) released a risk assessment report in December 1992 that classified secondhand smoke as a Group A carcinogen - a category reserved for only the most dangerous cancer-causing agents(4,5).

What harmful chemicals are found in cigarette smoke?

Cigarette smoke contains about 4000 chemical agents, including over 60 substances that are known to cause cancer in humans(carcinogens)(3). In addition, many of these substances, such as carbon monoxide, tar, arsenic, and lead, are poisonous and toxic to the human body. Nicotine is a drug that is naturally present in the tobacco plant and is primarily responsible for a person's addiction to tobacco products, including cigarettes. During smoking, nicotine is absorbed quickly into the bloodstream and travels to the brain in a matter of seconds. Nicotine causes addiction to cigarettes and other tobacco products that is similar to the addiction produced by using heroin and cocaine(6).

How does exposure to tobacco smoke affect the cigarette smoker?

The risk of developing smoking-related diseases, such as lung and other cancers, heart disease, stroke, and respiratory illnesses, is related to total lifetime exposure to cigarette smoke(7). This includes: the number of cigarettes a person smokes each day the intensity of smoking(i.e., the size and frequency of puffs) the age at which smoking began the number of years a person has smoked the smoker's exposure to secondhand smoke.

How would quitting smoking affect the risk of developing cancer and other diseases?

Smokers who quit live longer than those who continue to smoke. In addition, the earlier smokers quit, the greater the health benefit(1). Quitting smoking reduces a person's risk of dying from smoking-related cancers and other diseases(1). The extent to which this risk is reduced depends on: the number of years a person smoked the number of cigarettes smoked per day the age at which smoking began the presence or absence of illness at the time of quittingResearch has shown that people who quit before age 35 reduce their risk of developing a tobacco-related disease by 90 percent(1). Even smokers who quit before age 50 significantly reduce their risk of dying from a tobacco-related disease(1).

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Chery'ls Story Part Two

From you Guide to About.com Smoking Cessation, Terry Martin: I had the honor of meeting Cheryl in December of 2003, shortly after she'd been diagnosed with stage IV small cell lung cancer. It was her wish to do whatever she possibly could to help people quit smoking, so she wrote this article, along with another detailing her thoughts and life after diagnosis called Cheryl's Story of Courage and Caring. I think she accomplished her goal many times over. Her stories have been read by thousands of people all over the world, and many have found the inspiration they needed to stop smoking for good after reading what she had to share.

We all lost a very courageous and loving woman when Cheryl succumbed to her cancer on June 30, 2005. Please read her story, and take her words to heart. What happened to Cheryl could happen to anyone. Smoking is a deadly habit, and it will kill you, given the chance. It has nothing of value to offer you. Nothing.

I came to live here after I was diagnosed with limited small cell lung cancer and squamous cell 3rd stage B cancer on November 19, 2003.

Now, I wasn't aware of this place, nor did I realize I had already become a participating resident for about three weeks. Every time I heard a statistic, or the time, date of this or that, I closed off my hearing and speech. I let my family do the hearing for me as we traveled back and forth to doctors and meetings for days on end. It took me a bit of traveling blindly to get here, but finally the wheels came to a stop. The cigarette smoke and the clouds of denial and confusion finally lifted before my eyes, dry from radiation. I wanted to see the truth. I was raw and weary from the trip, but I was finally ready to learn what I needed to do in order to survive. I was ready to be in control of this particular cycle of my life.

I watched and observed others in my condition. The experienced ones in the treatment rooms helped me along the way. They were kind and honest. Slowly, slowly, layer by layer, my old life's needs, wants and priorities were being stripped away. Those layers were useless to me now. One day I looked in the mirror, and what I saw was me, being as open and honest as I had ever been in my life. In reality, I was bald and ill, but in my mind's eye I was beautiful and my spirit soared. One side of my being wanted to Go! Live and love for all the days that were left!

That side said, "Be greedy and don't look ahead."

The other side of me said, "Get out there. Fight! Know thine enemy, cancer. Pay attention. This one is for the BIG test!"

Ok! I get it! I am here 100 percent. Cheryl is here for her new class on Life 101.

I am up and at 'em at 4am in order to get to the big city by 7:30 a.m. I grab my meds, coffee, my nic gum, my crystals, my ACA book, and Bernie Siegal, M.D.'s book, Love, Medicine and Miracles, and head for the car. I ride through my beloved, foggy morning bayous to get to the hospital. By the time I get to the second floor of the hospital, the nurses are turning on the blinking, popping florescent lights at their stations, thereby erasing all of the darkness of yesterday. For one tiny second, we are all the same. Just people beginning their work day. Not patients, not nurses, just people. But it's just for a tiny second.As I walk into the chemo treatment room, I first look around to see who isn't there. I make a mental note to ask the nurse or others about the missing person later. Then, and only then, will I focus on the faces who are there. I find a splendid beauty in every single face I behold on these days. I think I am finally getting it. Only God could have created man. I see humanity and caring shining through the pain and fear when I see these people helping each other.

Healing Comes in Many Forms... - page 2 of The Healing World

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Just One Cigarette

When we quit smoking, most of us go through a fair amount of junkie thinking - the internal battle between our addiction and ourselves. Early on in smoking cessation, the dialogue can seem relentless. It's often persistent, annoying and exhausting. It is however, temporary, and the less attention you give to unhealthy thoughts of smoking, the better.

Thoughts of smoking just one cigarette have been the ruin of many good quitting efforts. It's important for you to realize ahead of time that these mental contortions are a normal part of the recovery process. A little preparation will keep you in the driver's seat when your mind starts to wander and smoking seems like a good option. Sometimes, distracting yourself for as little as 5 minutes is enough to snap you out of faulty thinking and get you moving forward with a better mindset.

Such is smoking cessation, and such is life. On those days when simple distractions don't work and you're feeling agitated and unhappy, have a game plan that you can turn to at a moment’s notice. You can start by making a list entitled: Put things on the list that you might reserve for those times when you need an extra boost: Take a long walk in nature, and bring the dog!Give yourself an hour to soak in a long hot bathHead to the gym for a workout and a swimSplurge on a hot fudge sundae with all the fixingsWhatever the treat, make it self-indulgent and guilt-free. You're working hard to free yourself from a tough addiction, and a little positive reinforcement goes a long way. If all else fails, put yourself on ignore and go to bed a little earlier than usual. Tomorrow will be a better day. As they say, cigarettes travel in packs. The only way to keep the beast at bay is to keep nicotine out of your system. If you decide to go ahead and smoke just one, chances are you'll be back to your old habit in short order. You may even find yourself smoking more than you used to.

There is no such thing as just one cigarette.

If you absolutely cannot get thoughts of smoking out of your mind and you fear you're about to cave in and smoke, stop everything. Grab some paper and a pen, sit down, and answer the questions below with honesty and as much detail as you can muster. How long have I been smoke-free?How long do I think it should take to be free of this habit?If I go back to smoking, will I want to quit again?How long will it be before I do? Weeks...months...years? When illness strikes? Will quitting be any easier next time around?What benefits will smoking give me?Is it worth giving up what I've worked so hard to do?Some of these questions are hard to think about, but the fact is, people who return to smoking run the risk of not quitting again for years or before a smoking related illness strikes. Keep your memory green and don't lose sight of the reasons you quit smoking. They are no less true today than they were when you quit, but if you're not careful, they can feel less critical.

Be patient with yourself and allow the healing process to take place, regardless of how long it takes. Nurture and protect your quit program because it's the path to a healthier and happier you.

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Angela's 6 Month Milestone

Smoking cessation is a gradual process of release from nicotine addiction, and for most of us, this process brings about a change in the relationship we have to smoking.

For smoking cessation forum member Angela (Forum ID: awonspirit), this change of heart is poignantly described in the poem she wrote to celebrate 6 months smoke-free. The blinders are off and the smokescreen has lifted.

Congratulations, Angela!

© Angela Moten

When I think of a cigarette,
I think of the four thousand chemicals
that would rush into my mouth and
burn their way into my once healthy lungs.
I think about that nasty taste, that nasty
ring of polluted air I would create in the
space around my body. I think of the
looks of disgust given by those close by.
I think of those who politely stepped
away from me, and those who not so
politely stepped away.

When I think of a cigarette,
I think of the forty seven years
I spent enslaved to its beck and call.
I think of the lies I told myself to ensure
it’s hold on me. How I convinced myself
that it’s treacherous act was fulfilling some
need, some longing that mysteriously
never went away. I think of the twenty
times each day I held the delusion
that it was making me feel better,
and thought I was sane in the process.

When I think of a cigarette,
I think of the lengths I would go to
to get one - Late night solitary walks
to liquor stores in dangerous neighborhoods,
taking money from the children’s piggy banks,
writing checks on an account with no funds.
I think of how I convinced myself I was normal
and not a “real” junkie. How I lied to myself
constantly. I shudder at the thought. But things
are better now. I am free. I looked the demon
in his face, and saw him for the liar that he is.

When I think of a cigarette,
I no longer lust its poisonous pinion,
my senses have returned (and improved).
I smile at the recognition that I am a winner.
My sanity has returned. I am strong. I
have garnered the lessons this addiction offered.
I have unveiled the truth – I am neither
victim nor fool. In the wake of a once
destructive force, I stand victorious -
captain at the helm – punch my fists up in the air.
Rejoice in my new found freedom.

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