Up In Smoke

I was 16  when I had my first cigarette, I didn't think much of it even though my smoker friends told me that I was stupid to start and I'd get addicted, I didn't think I'd be like that, I was only smoking socially, and only one or two cigarettes at a time, I never expected it to become a daily habit but eventually it did.

By my early 20s I was smoking heavily and at 22 I tried to quit for the first time, it didn't work.
In the 10 years since I've tried  a number of times to quit, usually at the request of a partner or family member, I've tried cold turkey, the gum, substitution, all manner of "quitting methods" I've had varying levels of success with each method, but inevitably I always go back to the cigs.

Now I'm nearing my 33rd birthday, I have a child, and I'm still smoking, when I go outside for a cig my daughter asks me what I'm doing and why, and I feel bad when I have to explain not only that I'm addicted but also what that word means.

Mostly though I've begun to worry that she'll see both her father and I smoking and start the habit too,  maybe a lot younger than either one of us.

It really is time to quit.

This time I decided to go another way, I did a search for Smoking Cessation and started browsing.

I found, among all the information and scare tactics a very promising looking website.

Text2Quit is a web, email and SMS based program created by Voxiva, and developed with The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services.

After registering with the site, smokers are given access to a 5 step program to help prepare for and aid in quitting, the site offers a survey to determine the best cessation medication for you, once you've set up your smoker profile, the site tailors information specifically to your needs, you also get sticker stats on the site, that update on how much money you've saved, and how your health has improved since your last cigarette.
Once you've registered with the site and provided a contact number you will begin to receive helpful texts containing tips and tricks to keep you motivated to quit, you can send them a text any time requesting more tips or pep talks, and when strong cravings hit, there is even a trivia game to distract you.

You can also select a "Text Buddy" to receive motivational texts from, I picked the "buddy" who's smoker story was closest to my own.

Text2Quit is fun and surprisingly helpful and motivational, I would highly recommend it to anyone who is trying to or plans on quitting.

I'm still working on quitting, but I've cut back drastically and the Text2Quit program is definitely helping, and I'm looking forward to soon being able to say "No, I don't  smoke".