Quitting Smoking???

So, I know I have to quit smoking... Don't we all already know that?? I hate hearing over and over again. It's the same thing, "Don't you want to see you kids grow up? Do you know what your doing to your body?"

No, I don't - Why don't you tell me about it and then I'll simply throw my cigarettes away..  Ahhhh, if only it were that easy..

I feel trapped by smoking, almost like I have some sort of handicap if I quit. I've tried almost every method out there and here are the results:

1. Cold Turkey - I quit for 30 days cold turkey, no smokes. It was hell. I almost felt like my head would explode. Then I sold my house, went to work the following day and was laid off.... Give me a smoke!!!!
2. The Patch - The patch was OK. It did take the edge off but I found it very difficult to curb the "hand to mouth" addiction... Failed again.
3. Zyban - I quit for approx. 36 days with Zyban. Worked great but man oh man did it give me some freaky dreams. I'd spend the whole day at work thinking about the alligator under my bed that tried to eat me last night.. I stopped taking the Zyban thinking I was strong enough to keep it together... Failed.
4. Celebrex - I was told Celebrex will stop the nicotine from attaching to the brain and hence stop the "happy" feeling you get from smoking. It did, in fact, do that. I felt like I had stuck my head in a camp fire and breathed deeply. Smoking sucked. Unfortunately, it made me sick and dizzy. I couldn't perform my job anymore...So... Failed.
5. Hypnosis - Very expensive form of quitting smoking and they guaranteed I'd be a non-smoker. Never happened... I did what they said but maybe I wasn't being hypnotized.. I don't know but I still smoked.
6. Nicorette Inhaler - This was my most recent attempt. I liked it. It tasted very similar to a cigarette and you are able to still "pretend" your smoking. I was a little concerned that the inhaler itself may be addictive but in the end, it still wasn't a cigarette and I failed. This one, I think, was partially my fault. I don't think I tried very hard.

Anyway, my quest continues... I would really like to be a non-smoker but I do not have the will power to conquer it. It's a defeating feeling that I'm sure I share with millions of people around the world.

Don't get me wrong, I know plenty of people who have successfully quit using the above methods. They just didn't work for me. I admire all those who have quit smoking and joined the "non-smoking" club. I'd like to be a member and one day I will be. I will continue to try...... But to all those ex-smokers out there who found it easy to quit and think it's all in your head, throw those cigarettes away, it's that easy..... Please try to take it easy on us cancer seekers.

Next step.... Laser treatment.