I’ve smoked a pack a day for 15 years. I’ve tried seriously to quit smoking a few times but have never really felt confident that I could ever make it. Each time my friend would say, “Keep going, learn from the setbacks.” Easy for him to say. He really cares for me and I respect him for quitting 4 years ago, but I feel different, more vulnerable.

Then one day about 7 months ago he mentioned that there are more treatment options now available than ever before to help me stop smoking “What have you got to lose?”

So I went to see my doctor. I have always been scared that she looked down on me because I smoked, so I had a hard time getting around to the real reason I was there. Finally she said that if I wanted to try stopping smoking she could start me on a treatment program to help me. She wanted me to come back to see her regularly so we could monitor my progress.

It was hard but not nearly as hard as I thought it would be. Talking to my doctor has helped me a lot. The cravings are manageable and my anger is far less than before. Now with 9 weeks under my belt I’ve developed some confidence that maybe, just maybe I can become free of tobacco for the first time since I was 11.