2 and a half packs a day for almost 40 years. Tried to quit in every way possible......none worked. Even after 3 major heart surgeries and an unrepairable dissected aorta, I continued to smoke. My last "near death" experience brought me again to the edge and I had to quit......but how? Everything in my life I did with a cigarette somehow attached to it. I smoked in the shower ferchrissakes!

I'd go for periods of time on various methods and somehow always failed, generally thinking I could just have one or two. I couldn't. Gums, patches, lozenges, shots, hypnotism, acupunture, a wacky group of "natural" substances guaranteed to work, an even wackier thing that punched holes in cigarettes...........nothing worked. Over the years I think I must have tried them all.

Then following my last near death "funtime," I read a single line, only two words.....and it was those two simple words that did the trick for me. Frankly, it was something I had never before considered exactly. Two words.........URGES PASS.

Yep, that they do. Did you know that? I didn't! I thought the way to pass the urge was to "just have a quick drag" or some gum or something to replace the urge or satisfy it. I didn't substitute anything or try to knit or crochet. I didn't try to think better thoughts or consider how smoking had ruined my body, killed my Dad, or anything else. When a craving hit I thought of only those two words and kept right on doing or not doing whatever I was up to at the time.

I know it sounds stupid and you can tell me all the reasons it won't work for you and all, but I'd ask you to simply consider that urges DO pass.....no shit. Even that incredible nicotine addiction that has you locked up. Urges pass. Yeah......they do. Over two years and never even a puff. The coldest of cold turkeys. I'm prouder of that fact (not even a puff) than of the actual quitting. I have never cheated. One morning I woke up and felt guilty because I dreamed I had a cigarette. I had to go look where they were in my dream to be sure it wasn't real! It wasn't. Over two years and I say again...... nary a puff.

Urges pass.........if you just let them. Don't give in. Urges pass.

Spaw