It's soon to be certain about it but I think I finally quit smoking for good this time. It's exactly two months since I had my last puff except for a couple of weed I had with a friend (not a weed smoker though, so that's easy for me).
I was a chainsmoker last year, basically two packs a day of Philip Morris blue, which are heavy here in Italy, kinda like Camel.
Turned to iQos June of last year because I felt I was killing myself and couldn't stop (two attempts, both of one month, which were hard as fuck), and felt great with iQos. No coughing, less smoking in general (one pack and a half kinda), it was just better.
You don't have it in USA for some strange reason but it's great for people who can't stop smoking and want something similar but less hard on the body.
Then I stopped because of one reason: money. If I had continued, I would've spent around 500 bucks in these two months.
I wanted to do it as a principle for a while, and I think it was way easier than the last time because I honestly didn't "need it". Healthwise, I wasn't accusing any problem whatsoever. Money is not an issue even if 250 bucks not spent a month are great. I just was like "Why am I still smoking?".
I read Allen Carr's book which was gifted to me by a friend. Now, honestly, I think it's so simple and barren it's kinda stupid. But that's probably why it works. Fundamentally, it has ONE, and ONLY ONE great advice for smokers: when you quit and want a cigarette, don't try to fight it. If you have to resist the urge, might as well have a cigarette, you will eventually. No, when you want a cigarette, what you need to do is stop and think how lucky you are that you were capable of stopping and many others aren't.
At least, that's what got me and my interpretation of his technique. Again, stopping from iQos is way simpler than normal cigarettes I think, but it works with every addiction.
I was surprised how better it was this time around. When I stopped from normal cigarettes, I was constantly angry and on the verge of having a breakdown for a while. This time around, I put out my last iQos stick after finishing the book and just sighed on relief. I've been drunk around friends who offered me a smoke and refused even. After sex, after a good meal, I don't even think about it.
There are very few times I would like to smoke. Mostly in the morning, because those were the good smokes. But when I want one I'm like "Wow, last time I wanted one was like a week ago. This is easy.".
Don't know what changed but I hope sharing my experience might give you some good advice. Just be positive about taking this decision and please, PLEASE, don't take it as a challenge. It's not a challenge.
I think this time I was able to do it because I didn't quit out of fear for my health or anything (the times I quit and bounced back were because I woke up coughing blood or shit like that), but because I simply decided to do it. I know it seems obvious but it's not.
