Managed to quit smoking?

Quitting smoking (or any addiction; I've never smoked but have overcome an addiction) is like getting out of a hot shower on a cold winter day. That is, you have to quit cold turkey. When you're in that shower, you can feel it's cold outside. But you can't just lower water pressure, little by little. Nor can you turn the temperature down little by little. Some people try to just reduce the amount they smoke at first, but that will just make you crave those times you do smoke. Like the shower, it will just make things worse.

If you're in the shower on a cold day, you have to keep turning the water hotter and hotter just to feel warm. People with addictions can attest that it's the same; you need more and more of the thing you're addicted to just to feel the same as you did when you started.

But just like a shower, you have to just turn the water off completely. And for a little while, it will really suck. You'll be freezing cold. Maybe even shivering. But then you start to dry off, and it's not as bad anymore. And you get dressed, put on nice warm clothes, and eventually you barely even remember what it was like to be freezing cold, and you no longer desire the warm water.

Overcoming an addiction is like getting out of a warm shower on a cold winter day...

I quit smoking...but it wasn't cigarettes.

I guess it was cigarettes I had in mind when I started the thread, anyway.

Blessings.

Was it cold turkey or was it more gradual... lol

Cold turkey works with some people, anyway. (Not with all..)

I smoked for 18 yrs. Then one day I decided I wanted to do something good for myself, so I decided to quit smoking. Cold Turkey. I tried to smoke one about 4 yrs. later and, praise God, it made me so sick to my stomach, made me dizzy, threw it away and never had another. It feels so good not to be tied to those things.

Hi Ms mamas an: Good you succeeded and interesting that it now makes you feel sick!

Blessings.

Repent , fasting and praying thats the way i did quit

Congratulations on managing to quit! did you cut down to a lower tar before quitting altogether? some people find this helps, too.

Blessings.

I put them down for a long time and the cravings never went away. I decided I would rather die than live with the craving, so I'm not even going to attempt to quit again.

Stopped many years ago, the Lord was responsible for helping my quit and have not looked backed since!

Am a real anti-smoker now!

I received the Lord at 13. After a while I drifted with no fellowship and until I was 21. I walked away in disobedience and did my own thing. He called me back continuously and I knew it but I hardened my heart to Him again and again. Until, my mother witnessed to my roommate and she convinced me to go to church with her. During those years, I can become addicted to cigarettes with smoking up to over a pack a day.

The reconciliation of this prodigal daughter coming home that Sunday night at the alter was gut wrenching, tear filled, speaking in pray language, and absolutely amazing.

I said all that to say this. While I was repenting and crying out to the Lord on my knees, I begged Him to take cigarettes from me. Three days later I threw my pack in the trash with determination to walk in God's word that He would set me free. And set me free He did. I never had one withdraw symptom or desire for another cigarette. Later that same day I realized those facts and was quite amazed that I just didn't even care to light up anymore.

He washed my blood with His blood, cleansing me of any trace of the drug in my system.

And that is how He set me free but it was only the beginning of our Love story. To be continued...

John 8:36
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Glad you managed to quit; congrats.

Blessings.

I was a smoker for 9 months...when my mom was pregnant with me. As-a-result, I grew up with the urge to smoke. However, I did not because I saw how it destroyed my mom's lungs even though she quit when I was 8. Also, because I'm addicted from the womb, I know I would never stop if I started.

Glad you managed to avoid it for yourself.

Blessings.

I suppose that's true. I was very involved in my daughter's schooling, and it seemed to me the materials were more science based health class. My oldest would have been 4th grad-ish, so that makes sense. Either way, what was coming out of their mouths was the will of my God, and my obedience produced fruit.

I remember about the time they were nagging (oy, vey, did they nag) I saw a documentary around smoking. There was this fat cat smoking executive sitting at a big shiny desk in a shiny leather chair wearing a Rolex and an expensive looking suit. I remember thinking, "I probably bought that suit." My thinking progressed to the many good things he was able to buy his children while I, a single mom, supported my smoking habit to make that possible. I decided I didn't want to kill myself to make this man richer. That's where the ultimate decision came out of.

Sorry, who was nagging? your children or their teachers?

Teachers with an opinion can nag, too!

Glad you managed to quit, anyway, for whatever reason.

Thanks for the votes so far, folks; keep them coming.

Glad you were able to quit, Ms. Kay; so did I.

Some people find that it helps to cut down by moving down to a lower tar, as well as cutting the quantity. (Though maybe you already smoked low tar, and quit cold turkey anyway.)

Thanks for telling us about your experience.

Blessings.