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How to Quit Without Failing (Smoking That Is)

I have smoked for 24 years. I am 32 nowgo ahead I'll wait while you do the math. That's right thanks to the influence and pressure from older brothers and sisters I had my first one at 8 years-old, I was hooked by 10 and bought my first pack when I was 12. By 14 I was up to a pack a day and by last December it was 2-3 packs a day. I truly love smoking. I love the taste of a cigarette. I love the way it feels to have that after dinner cigarette or to relax on a Sunday morning with the newspaper, a cup of coffee and a ciggy.

So why did I quit? Because of my children. It was hard to see the disappointment on their faces every time I lit up. They know what smoking does to your body and health and could not believe that their own Mom just did not care. They would ask me to stop, hide my cigarettes and even try the anger angle stating that I didn't care if I died and left them without a Mom. So after some serious thought and reflection I decided to try.
My first attempt was back in October of 2006. I used the patch but I have to be honest and say that I really was not committed. After the first few days I would go out and lit a cigarette and tell myself I could only have one puff. I did stick to thatfor the first day. Then it was 2-3 puffs, then half a cigarette and within two weeks it was back to 10 a day and up from there. I actually started smoking more after I tried to quit then what I did before I tried.
So after another few months of being harassed by my children and developing a really bad cough and a small case of asthma according to my doctor, I decided it really was time. I set the date of New Year's Day. I know. How clich but I figured New Year's Eve is the last major party holiday until St. Patty's Day so I wouldn't be missing much. I bought the patches again. I can't quit cold turkey. My nicotine levels are so high that I get very ill. I read everything I could went and did mass research on the web and in the end completely ignored every bit of it.
Everything I read and every site I went to said that in order to succeed I would have to completely alter my lifestyle. First thing that they said had to go was my coffee. Try drinking tea instead they tell you. I have been drinking coffee longer than I have been smoking (Dad's a lumberjack) and you want me to give that up too? Also stay away from places that you associate with smoking. So stay away from home, office and little neighborhood pub I have gone to

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