For people who just stopped or want to quit, there is nothing more powerful than reading stories from others who have successfully quit smoking. They know exactly how it is to stop and tell in their stories what the reason for stopping and how they went about the withdrawal symptoms.

It's never too late to stop - Marieke's amazing story

Marieke has stopped cold turkey, she has not used nicotine substitutes and is determined to never touch the cigarettes again.

The Story of Marieke

This is the story of Marieke, an ex-rookster who recently stopped. After six months of smoking, Marieke has a lot of insights and hopeful tips.

Van Marieke:

Throughout my life, I've been smoking, so far. I was born in the 1960s when there was no real connection between smoking and health problems. Not only was smoking just acceptable, it was even in fashion. Everybody was smoking. And not only the movie and television stars, no, doctors also smoked. Smoking was permitted aboard a plane, in public buildings, even in a hospital. Smoking was a lifestyle.
My mother was a benign and amazing woman. I had a nice childhood. We were very normal and in no way do I blame my mother for my smoking addiction. My mother was a nurse who was smoking. However, again in the 1960s, medical science was not as far as now. If she knew the dangers, I'm sure my mother would never have smoked during her pregnancy, let alone around me and my brother.
I started smoking when I was raised. In my womb, I was smoking during my mother's pregnancy and during my childhood through smoke. So I was destined to go to smoke. I've always had nicotine in my body.
I never fully admitted my desire to smoke until I started studying. I was not really a heavy smoker and could always stop easily. In 1985, I became a real smoker and could / did not want to stop.
For a while, I stopped my two children's pregnancy (they are fifteen months old and are now 17 and 18 years old). But after a difficult moment in my life, I went on with that annoying habit: cigarettes. I always thought that cigarettes were good for stress. I also thought that cigarettes were good after eating and that alcohol tasted better. I thought I'd look cool, but that was not the case.
No slave more of the cigarette ...
I have become 55 years old and decided that it has been enough. Time to finish the chains so that I can be free again. I have drawn up a plan, interviewed my GP, and on December 31 at 4 pm, I smoked my last cigarette. My journey to freedom had begun.
I'm not going to make it more beautiful than it is: it was not easy at first. But I promise you that I have not ever wanted back.

Marieke,

No hassle anymore ...

Caroline has stopped for almost a month and feels very free. She no longer has to smoke and feel better. As a tool, she uses nicotine chewing gum.

Caroline's Story

I'm Caroline and like most smokers, I started smoking in my teen time (about 15 i was). Together with friends, I smuggled cigarettes when I went out. I wanted to hear that. Time passed and I kept smoking all my teens. I was caught a few times by my non-smoking boyfriend, who always caused many problems, but I did not like it. I kept smoking smoking during the six years that we had something to do with each other.
When I was 22, I married my husband, a heavy smoker. My own smoking behavior worsened from that moment on. We smoked after breakfast, after lunch and after dinner, and when we sat in the garden in the evening we stopped one by one. It became the cornerstone of our marriage. It was what we had in common with each other.
We tried to get pregnant and I still remembered that I was driving home with the pregnancy test on the passenger seat. Since I was pretty sure I was pregnant, I smoked my last cigarette for that year. After the birth of my son, I started smoking again right away.
We were divorced three years ago and when we were divorced, I relieved my stress with my daily dose of cigarettes. It helped me relax, made me feel bored and it was a reward for cleaning the house, sports, cleaning the groceries, and so forth. It was the first thing I did in the morning and the last before I went to bed, as a sleepover.
After a while, I noticed that no one was smoking me more. At parties I was the only one to demolish to get out of the car. And at work I was the only one standing outside in the flowing rain under an umbrella.
Looking back on my habits, I can not believe how smoking has taken control of my life. Here are some examples of how smoking made my life certain:

1. Instead of important things, like bread or milk, I tried to save it so that I had enough money for cigarettes.
2. I never offered colleagues a lift to the center for lunch together. I always had an excuse why I could not drive (fearing that they smell the smoke odor in my car).
3. I never left the house through the garage (where I was smoking). Certainly during the holidays or if we had arranged a nice time (although sometimes they had their hands full of food and the garage was actually the easiest way to get in.)
4. I made sure I always had matches and cigarettes ... even if the weatherman said it was snowing in winter. Instead of making sure I had milk and food at home, my first priority was: how many cigarettes do I have left and are there enough for the snow?
5. I had to have mint, hand cream, mouth spray and a bottle of water in the car, if I did not, I panicked.
6. I was smoking during the flu and even when I was seriously cold and had pneumonia.
7. I did not hug my mother when she unexpectedly visited me (fearing she smelled the cigarette smell).
8. I always told my son why I had to go outside or to the garage for a while. I said he had to watch TV for a few minutes as I glided out (smoking).
   That's how I can go further, but you get such an image I think.
   After my divorce I went back to dates. I never kissed anyone too intimately because I was afraid that they discovered that tobacco came from my lungs in my mouth. I always gave a quick kiss on the cheek.
   A while ago I bought a box of nicotine chewing gum as I promised myself to stop for my fortieth. The box was on my chest for weeks. I was sure I was ready to take the next step. One evening I went out with a friend and we smoked and smoked all evening. The next morning I woke up and felt totally sick of it. I took a piece of chewing gum and it's now FIVE THENTY days ago that I smoked my last cigarette. Never, except when I was pregnant from my son, I had not smoked in the past ten years.
   In the first week, I held my old habits (guests had to be forced through the front door, sure that I had mint) ... and only later I realized that it was no longer necessary. It was such a liberating experience. I could hugely hug my mother and I was passionate and kissed with my date at the end of a nice evening.
   I stopped scratching my throat, my teeth seemed to get whiter and I did not get a gramme. I feel like I'm free from a demon inside me, and only now I realize how strong my sense of smell has become. I know when someone has smoked and that they have done their best to hide the smell, just like me. That makes me think how many people knew I was smoking but did not say anything about it.
   I just came back from a long weekend at the campsite and remembered how I dropped out behind the caravan to pick up one while my son was busy with something else. I constantly needed a strategic plan: "How can I smuggle in one" and "where can I hide this cigarette?" Last weekend, it was just about planning fun things without worrying about my addiction.
   I feel so FREE! Nothing can do it! That chewing gum really works. I have friends telling me that they should try. They have nothing to lose!

Caroline,

Source: Info

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