This one is for the Smokers!

OK, soooooo, being as outdoorsy as I am, i used to smoke. It all started when I was 18. I was driving back home from a nearby residential town with my best friend. She smoked every once in awhile, she was 19 so she could buy them (19 is the legal age up here). She handed me one while we cruised on the highway and lit it in between my lips as i focused on the road. I inhaled the cool menthol smoke and felt a euphoric high come over me. I almost ran off the road, it had affected me so much. I immediately loved it. At the time i was working with a wild land firefighting/special projects group, just about everyone chewed tobacco. My boyfriend was working a wildland firefighting job as well in, a city about four hours away. We both worked on location, and rarely got two consistent R&R (resting days) days. We would drive two hours each and meet in the middle of the highway and camp on the side of the road, and then have to leave early the next day to go back to work. It was rough, and i missed him often, i used the occasional cig to calm me down. At this point i rarely smoked, i still relied on my best friend to purchase them for me and it was inconsistent.

Fast forward a three years later, I first attempted to quit. Niko (the boyfriend) had been pressuring me constantly to quit. So i finally gave it a try.I tried with the patch, it was awful. When i first placed it on i felt sweaty and anxious. Then it would wear off in a couple hours and i would be left craving a cig. more than i had before i put it on. The patch last about 2.5 weeks. Then it was back to smoking.

After a few more months i decided to try again, this time with my other best friend, Allan. She had been smoking since she was around 13. So we decided to try cold turkey. That lasted two days.

The next attempt was a year later, i used the gum. Nicorette, was the best one thus far, i made it three weeks (while i was still craving the entire time) and then i had a bad day and it was all over. I gave in to temptation.

Now here we are my final attempt. THE FINAL PROBLEM (as Sherlock might say...)  I am still with Niko... he had been pressuring me for years, and finally stopped. I have always told him i would quit for good once i was ready. Once the stars aligned, i joked.SIDE STORY*** Two years ago i had accompanied him to his brothers wedding. As i walked outside to smoke, or leave the group to smoke, i knew what they were thinking. His cousin in particular voiced her opinion about me while i was not present. This gossip i felt was unnecessary, why should someone be judged by their actions that did not affect them. I did not judge them for drinking soda or eating microwaved cheese, or any unhealthy choice they had each made. Why was my unhealthy choice on the table? His brothers though were perfect gentleman, and i beleive they would have stood up for me. SO DO NOT JUDGE SOMEONE FOR SMOKING...Anyways...i am getting off track here.****

So after the depression faze which i spoke about earlier on this blog, Niko broked his ankle and his whole attitude changed. He became the perfect boyfriend that he is today. I noticed there wasnt anything to smoke for (my reason for smoking was stress) and i realized smoking was the only stressful thing in my life. I was stressed to sneak out during breaks, or wanting to smoke during a movie, or smoking while i drank a beer. So i researched everything. I read something about smoking aids every day for just about two months. I could not beleive it took me that long to find this book:

This book was my last method....I didnt think it could work. I read reviews for it on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, on its online website. I saw a huge positive feedback. So i spent the few dollars it cost for my Nook, and read it in four days. I spaced it out slightly so i didnt just drone read.

The day i finished the book, i smoked my last cigarette. The initial two days i felt sweaty and i moved constantly around rolling over and over again trying to sleep, but it felt good i knew i was detoxing.

Today it has been 4 months, and i have not craved a cigarette since then. This is your best investment if you are a smoker. Its cheap, and if it doesnt work for you then it cost the same as a pack of cigs. Invest in it.

For all of you non-smokers do not judge smokers, its not your job to judge, you will make them feel worse that way and they will help themselves to another dose of "anti-stress smoke". If your loved one is a smoker encourage them to read this...do not pressure them too. Like i mentioned, Niko finally quit pressuring me and that is when i finally quit for good!