Seventy-five days. That’s how long it’s been since I last had nicotine. And the best part? I don’t miss it. I don’t need it. I don’t even think about it the way I used to. The grip that addiction once had on me is completely gone. What once felt impossible now feels like the most natural thing in the world—because I am finally free.
It still amazes me how effortless this quit has been. In the past, quitting felt like deprivation, like I was giving up something I loved. But this time, it was different. This time, I understood that I wasn’t giving up anything—I was escaping something that had been holding me captive for years.
How I Quit for Good
My turning point came when I read The Easy Way to Quit Vaping by Allen Carr and John Dicey. I had heard of The Easy Way to Stop Smoking before, but when I saw that there was a book specifically about quitting vaping, I decided to give it a try. I went into it with an open mind, but I wasn’t fully convinced it would work.
Then I started reading.
That book dismantled every single lie I had believed about nicotine. It made me realize that addiction isn’t about willpower—it’s about understanding. The moment I truly understood what nicotine was doing to me, I knew I was done with it. No struggle, no cravings, no feeling like I was missing out. Just freedom.
Nicotine Addiction Is a Trap
For years, I had convinced myself that nicotine was helping me. I thought it relieved stress, helped me focus, and gave me something to look forward to. But the reality is that nicotine doesn’t relieve stress—it causes it. The only thing nicotine does is create withdrawal symptoms, then temporarily relieve them when you take another hit. It’s a cycle, and I was stuck in it for years without even realizing it.
I started smoking cigarettes at 14. When I got pregnant with my son, I quit, but I didn’t really see myself as “free.” Later, I picked up vaping, thinking it was a better alternative. When I was pregnant with my daughter, I quit again. But after she was born, I went back to it. Every time I quit, it was for someone else. I never truly quit for me.
This time, I quit for me. And that made all the difference.
What 75 Days Free Feels Like
When I first quit, I counted the days. The first day. The second day. The first week. But at some point, the numbers stopped mattering because nicotine stopped feeling relevant to my life. I’m no longer fighting cravings or resisting temptation. There’s no battle happening in my mind. Nicotine is simply… gone.
And you know what’s replaced it?
- Mental clarity. My brain feels sharper. The fog is gone.
- Real relaxation. I don’t need a vape to calm down—because I was never actually calming down in the first place.
- Freedom. I don’t have to plan my day around nicotine anymore. I don’t have to make sure my vape is charged, or worry about running out of pods, or sneak outside for a hit. I can just live.
A Heartfelt Apology
As I move forward, I want to acknowledge and apologize to those closest to me. To my mom, my best friend, and past relationships: I’m sorry for the times I introduced nicotine into our shared moments. I regret normalizing my addiction and letting it impact our connections. You deserved better, and I’m committed to being better—not just for you, but for myself and my children.
If You’re Thinking About Quitting—Do It.
If you’re still caught in the cycle of nicotine addiction, know this: you don’t need it. You were never truly getting anything from it. The moment you let go of the illusion, you’ll realize just how much freedom you’ve been missing.
Start today. Don’t wait for the “right” time—there isn’t one. Your freedom is waiting for you, just like it was waiting for me. And trust me, it’s so much better on the other side.
Leave a Reply