And you also know its not easy to quit.
If youve tried in the past, it might feel discouraging to give it another shotbut theres hope!
You might just need to go about quitting differently the next time around.
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Figuring out exactlyhowto stop smoking can be tricky.
A quitting method that works for one person may not be the answer for another.
Some just go cold turkey!
Here, six former longtime smokers share what ultimately helped them permanently kick the habit.
Youll see that no two are exactly alikeand we hope you find something that might helpyou, specifically.
I addressed mental health issues Id suppressed while smoking.
She started smoking again when she went to college and ultimately smoked from age 18 to 25.
Smoking was such a comfort.
When I couldnt get out of bed, a cigarette would lure me out.
Nolan eventually quit in solidarity with her husband, who was also a longtime smoker.
Between prioritizing her mental health treatment and rereading Carrs book, Nolan was able to quit again.
I leaned on my workplace smoking-cessation program.
Id started going to the gym and enjoyed exercise, but I felt like crap, Cherington tells SELF.
She tried to quit on her own, but found the withdrawals difficult to deal with.
Cherington learned about a smoking-cessation group program offered by her workplace.
The program also provided subsidized nicotine patches and prescription medications if a physician determined someone needed them.
I strongly recommend that anybody trying to quit to find a program, Cherington says.
[Quitting smoking] was empowering.
I owned the reasons why I wanted to quitand that I was quitting just for me.
April Cargill, 58, started smoking as a teenager in junior high school and continued for decades.
When she began her career in the fashion industry, she found that virtually everyone around her also smoked.
I tried to quit a few times throughout those years, but nothing serious, Cargill tells SELF.
I personally didnt think there was anything wrong with it, and I really enjoyed it.
Cargill quit smoking about a decade ago, when she was in her mid-40s.
I worried about getting wrinkles and my skin turning gray, she says.
But I would see that my boss had lines on her lips and a raspy voice.
And I was like,Ooh, I dont want to get like that.
Cargill emphasizes that this worked for her because she decided to quit on her own.
When she did quit, she didnt tell anyone at all.
She simply went cold turkey and replaced her workday smoke breaks with cups of tea.
I didnt want to tell anybody, just in case I wasnt able to do it.
It was my decision and my battle.
I dont know how you’re able to encourage someone to quit.
Youre not going to be like, Oh, okay.
It was such a personal, individual habit, and quitting was a personal, individual journey.
It was just me against myself.
Cargill was also motivated not to smoke by taking up long-distance running.
The person has to really want to quit.
I wanted to be there for my family.
It became a daily habit that lasted for 10 to 15 years.
Lopez quit smoking cold turkey on a family trip.
He took up running, participating in races ranging in distance from 5K to the half-marathon.
He still sometimes struggled with smoking, occasionally lighting up.
He hasnt smoked in nearly a decade.
Running has been a big part of my transformation from a habit standpoint, he says.
My family is my biggest motivation in all I do.
I used an app and was motivated by the numbers.
Katie Meeker, 37, started smoking at age 18 shortly after starting college.
It wasnt necessarily that I wanted to quit smoking by the time I got married, Meeker says.
But it was one of those milestones of, All right, Im an adult.
Im growing up, getting my life together.
This is the year that I quit smoking.
That was definitely the catalyst for quitting, that I got sick and couldnt smoke.
A friend turned Meeker on to theQuitNow app, which she downloaded to stay on track.
It also estimates the potential health benefits you continue to reap the longer you stay smoke-free.
Meeker also appreciated the camaraderie and accountability that came with quitting at the same time as two loved ones.
The community [aspect of saying], All right, this isnt actually that cool anymore.
Even though its been nearly a decade since Meeker quit, she keeps the QuitNow app on her phone.
Shes grounded by seeing her stats and how far shes come, especially when a stray craving strikes.
But quitting showed me that I can accomplish whatever I want, if I put my mind to it.
I changed my habits and environment.
It wasnt until she discovered the sport of triathlon that she was truly able to quit for good.
I knew it was impeding my ability to get fitter, Kiley tells SELF.
After six weeks, Kiley stopped altogether.
I had to avoid drinking for a few months because I didnt trust myself in social prefs withalcoholinvolved.
[Competing] was also a form of habit replacement.
I became busier working out, which meant I had less time to think about smoking, she says.
It also meant my circle of friends changed to predominantly nonsmokers.
Just likeconquering any addiction, you are capable of more than you think.
