I too am a smoker, and smoke far too damn much for my own good. I smoke around 40 cigarettes a day, and have been smoking for over 10 years.
I did quit smoking once, for 3 months, about 3 years ago.
I had all sorts of promlems conentrating on things, studying, and remembering things (as well as many other probs).
Anyway, even though I no longer craved cigarettes (physically or mentally), I thought that not smoking was the cause of my problems.
I deliberatly started smoking again and, lo and behold, the problems didnt go away.
After a few months, I went to the doctor, had some scans and 'stuff'... it turns out that I had epilepsy, which was triggered by Zyban, the drug I had used to stop smoking.
By this time, I was hooked again, and have decided to to quit for another year or so.
I guess for me, I know that I CAN quit, because I did it before, and stupidly CHOSE to take it take it up again (I was 'fully quit'- no cravings, completely no interest in smoking-'mentaly quit' as well as physically).
I plan to quit smoking around June next year.
Out of curiosity (for those who cant remember what it's like ), once you have quit smoking (after the withdrawals) you feel the same was as you do after you have finished a cigarette ALL the time, instead of just for 10 minutes or so.
That was one of the scaryest parts of quitting smoking for me- the withdrawals DO stop. I am glad that I know was techniques and stratagies do/dont work for me.
Cheers all,
luke