I guess you could say that I was an extremely incessant smoker. I could easily light up while having a heart to heart about someone dying of cancer, scrumptiously inhale, exhale and nod my head in agreement at how heartless the disease is. At first word that my grandfather died of heart failure, directly related to smoking, I immediately ran and lit up for comfort. You may ramble off a million reasons for me to quit and I’ll come back with a million and one reasons not to. Sadly, this is very typical of a nicotine addict, whose fear of a slow looming death is oddly fleeting and whose want and will to quit seem powerless over the desire to smoke.

I’ve smoked for 23 years, which is just shy of two thirds of my entire life. I fear the damage that can’t be undone that will most inevitably pay me a visit in the coming years.
Unless you are one of those very fortunate people who wake up one day with an epiphany and quit cold turkey, you WILL need help.

I was approached by Jenny, a member of Commune, to join a smoker’s cessation group. She lured a small crew of us in with the appeal of meeting at a local hangout spot, generous incentives for positive progress and basically a new approach to quitting. As someone who tried anything and everything already, why not? It was social, it was fun and it was geared towards positive change. Our weekly progress was tested through an accurate, innovative method, tracked and we were rewarded the more we cut down. The people in the group, all habitual smokers, began to compare their progress on a weekly basis, pat their neighbors on the back for success and it became a group effort. People were really trying. It was not a structured circle where we would stand up and say, “Hello…My name is Dawn and I’m a nicotine addict”…nor was there any berating and looking down upon. Commune was there to sincerely help, supplying us with informative materials and tools to understand our individual smoking habits, in addition to its effect on the world around us. It was the first time in my entire life that I quit smoking for more than three days. Ever. Once I had that head start, which I think was the missing link to quitting, I knew that when I was truly ready, that I could do it.

I am two months SMOKE FREE and sincerely believe that the help from the Commune cessation group was exactly what I needed. I wasn’t answering only to myself. I had my group peers and Jenny aware of my progress, and for the first time I wanted to do a good job. I truly believe that the weekly positive affirmation when I did well was exactly what I needed. The group experience set the foundation and from that point on, I knew I could quit if I really wanted to…and if I, the biggest lover of ciggies ever known to man, and the longest smoker of the worst caliber can do it, so can you! I urge you to try Commune’s approach. It was a truly effective concept, cleverly disguised as fun.

Thank you so much for helping me!

Dawnie