quit smoking,for good!

[oilpan49]

Well I've comed to the conclusion that after 6 years of smoking reds, it's time to put them down. It's costing too much and to be honest, I'd rather have $3.00 more fuel in my tank rather than cigs. Funny thing is I've said to myself in the past that "I am going to quit this time" well that lasted usually for about 12 hours then I had enough and went out to get a pack.

My usual is Reds so I've revised a plan for myself to see if it helps. Tonight I went out to get a pack of Ultra Lights and while yes they are lighter will see if they help control the craving. I'll smoke a couple packs of these then just quit and by that time my cravings won't be as harsh. I've known some people have smoked for 10 years or even more and just quit cold turkey. I tried that and it just wasn't for me. For some it works, for others I guess it just doens't help. Then again depends on your will power and how bad you want to quit. Me, I think just stepping down gradually works for me and that I'm not so much of a jerk if I just step down slowly. If any of you other smokers or know people who do smoke and have some tips or suggestions, I'm open to them. Thanks,,,,,AR

 

[Drew99GT]

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!! Before this last semester of school, I hadn't smoked for about 1 year (first semester back from a 2 year slacker period

). The first day of class, I couldn't hold it and the first thing I did after class was go get a pack

Been smoking more this semester then ever before it seems. I guess I really don't have any tips for yea, just support from one fellow smoker to another

I'm weird: I can go for like 6 months without having a smoke, but the frist hint of severe anxiety/heavy stress, and get a cravin like a crack addict must

Dumbest thing I ever did was smoke my first cig; I'm a really addictive person. Best of luck bud

 

[Shannow]

I've seen 4 people really give up smoking.

I'll relay their experiences, and after seeing them, I am so thankful that I never started in the first place.

My Dad gave up 5 or 6 times. Still states that every time he smells a cigarette, he wants to go and buy a pack and start again. He's gone 20 years now on willpower, and I'm proud as h3ll of him.

Father in law. Small business owner who believes in keeping his customers happy. Had one guy come in every week for brand X cigarettes, and no other customers for that brand. He'd get to two packets left, and order another carton. Cigarette company failed to deliver (but billed him anyway) for two consecutive weeks. He realised that he had no commercial power over the company, other than to quit buying (personally) their brands. He buys his customer's single packet reatil at a supermarket, and has stayed smoke free for nearly a decade.

Mother in Law. Tracheotomy from throat cancer.

A friend who had three left in his packet, and stated that if he could get them to last to the end of the week, he was on the way. A friend and I offered a $60 bottle of Congac if he still had three left at the end of the week. He did.

Terry was a thinker. He bought 3 packs a week. So he put the equivalent money into the back of his wallet three times a week. He could see exactly how much money that he hadn't spent on smokes.

A month later, he took us (the two friends with the Congac) out to dinner.

5 years later, he paid the airfares for his family to Italy.

 

[Shannow]

Sorry, I forgot to add... I wish you all the best in this battle.

 

[Bob Woods]

I smoked for 35 years and finally quit, it got to where they didn't taste good, I would buy a pack and throw it away half used and buy a different brand. Finally just quit cold turkey, it was hard but worth it. Going to light smokes don't do any good as the **** things have all sorts of chemicals added to make them taste good. Good luck to anyone that decides to quit.

 

[427Z06]

Here's a tip from the last time I quit. If the last pack you intend to buy turns out not to be the last one, keep switching brands. You'll never get use to the taste of any one brand so they all taste crappy until you quit.

Good Luck.

 

[Asteroid]

First if you want give up, You must really from the Heart & Soul WANT to other wise it just wont happen when you make up your mind go Cold Turkey. Give up COFFEE go for walks give up the old favourite chair! as soon as you sit down you will want to lite up. CHEERS.Its up to you over & out. If that dont work, when you get throat CANCER i bet you will give em up...

 

[John K]

I do think the way to quit varies with the individual. I have never smoked but knew lots of people who did. My parents smoked quite a bit. Dad died at 65 of a stroke, mom died at 64 of lung cancer. Terrible way to go. She gave up smoking
the last year of her life.
I hope you can find a way to quit, good luck.
John

 

[mikep]

I'm not exactly the worlds best example when it comes to quitting smokes since I've smoked on and off for 23 years now. The longest I've gone was 5 years smoke free...cold turkey. Went on an overnight tuna fishing trip with some buddies, when we pulled in the marina the next night I was smoking again. Quit 2-3 times since then each time a year or less. So you see, I've got no problem quitting, staying quit is where I have trouble.

Each time I've gone back to smoking there has been beer involved. For some reason beer makes me really want to smoke. When I did the 5 year quit I also gave up all alcohol for the first year so if you can stay away from the brews that will certainly help. Main thing is keep busy! Idle time will have you thinking of smokes! Watch out for coffee brreaks....a goo dcup of java is another huge trigger for most people...myself included. Drink lots and lots of water, keep hard candies in your pockets all the time....lemon drops and those Halls Vitamin C drops are great.

Right now I'm almost 2 months into my latest quit and aside from a slip or two at a Halloween party, I'm doing OK. What Shannow's dad said about smelling a cig and wanting to light up is sooooooooooooo true for many smokers...again myself included. Even when I was smoke free for 5 years there wasn't a day that went by when I didn't have the urge to light up. It is terribly addictive and extremely hard to give up for many people. Trick is you gotta really want to . Right now the things keeping me from lighting back up skating with my son's ice-hockey team every week as an assistant coach and also the fact that I just turned 40. It's amazing how much wind you lose from smoking.....skating around with 20 9-10 year olds for an hour or two will open your eyes real quick!!!! And now at 40 I can't keep saying to myself that I'm still young enough to where I don't need to worry. I'm at the age now where I do need to start worrying. I could kick myself in the arse for ever starting to smoke. Easily, by far the stupidest, dumbest, most assinine thing I have ever done!!!

Good luck Ranger! It is tough but stay focused and stay clean! The monetary aspect is one reason...a quite a good one I might add, but the health reasons are HUGE!

 

[salesrep]

Smoke away. It works. Combination of herbs and vitamins etc. that are designed to flush out the nicotine and curb urges.

 

[Pablo]

Hang in there. I firmly believe smoking (anything) - ie purposely drawing combustion (by) products into one's lungs is about the worst thing one can regular and willingly do to oneself for a fee.

My pa quit 25 years ago. He still has some lingering effects, but if he hadn't quit he'd be dead.

We will support you. PS Try green tea and find a book on traditional Chinese medicine and balancing foods to fit your body type.

 

[novadude]

My wife and I have been talking about quitting for the past few weeks, but niether one of us has taken that first step to actually do something about it.

She has smoked since she was in high school, and has been a smoker (non-stop) for about 17 years. I started smoking in college, and have been smoking on-and-off for the past 12 years. I have quit several times in those 12 years, but it seems I start up again after a few months.

I am 32, and she recently turned 33, and we were talking about how we are at the age where the likelyhood of long term damage is gonna increase if we do not stop soon.

It is terribly addictive, and I am sorry I ever started smoking. Best of luck, and be sure to post of your progress. Maybe you can inspire the rest of us.

 

[Pablo]

OK I'm going to be canon fodder after this post.

The absolute worst thing smoking does?

It ruins the faces of otherwise beautiful women. I'm serious. Smoking ruins female beauty. Not the act of smoking, but the actual effects on the skin and tissue. I can easily tell a girl that smokes at a long distance. I'm sorry if this offends and sounds petty or selfish. But IMHO, it's true.

 

[TheLoneRanger]

To stick with quitting, you really have to WANT to quit. Seeing my dad undergo surgery for throat cancer made me want to quit. They're not called "coffin nails" for nothing.....

Funny thing, for about 5 years after quitting, I craved cigarettes, but now just getting a whiff of smoke almost makes me ill.....

 

[TheLoneRanger]

quote:

---

It ruins the faces of otherwise beautiful women.

---

I've noticed this too, Pablo. Their faces get wrinkled prematurely. Or at least it seems that way.....

 

[integrare]

A problem a lot of people have are associating smoking with a relaxation period or good times. Take a break and have a smoke, forget about your problems for 5 minutes and get back to what you were doing. This is bad. The strategy I found to be successful is to make smoking more of a chore than relaxing. Wake up at odd hours of the morning and force yourself to have a cigarette. Right in the middle of enjoying your meal have a cigarette. At the most inconvienent time where your are enjoying something, force yourself to have a cigarette. Do not have one if you need to take a break or after a good meal - this is important. I haven't had a smoke in over 2 years after this and I smoked a pack and a half a day.

 

[oilpan49]

Thanks for the words of encouragement everyone

Yea, everytime I smell it or see someone sparking one up, I do the same. Even if I just had one like 5mins prior too, I spark one myself.

One period of time I went 9 months cold turkey until one day at a Labor Day family get together. I know this sounds stupid but the combination of the grill smoking away on the chicken, everyone else smokes seems like in my family so I just could not take it, went out to get a pack and smoke up.

These ultra lights taste like crapola compared to my usual. I'm doing pretty well with them, I've only smoked 4 of them in the last 5 hours. To other fellow smokers on your way to quitting, yes it's harder than anything on this earth and I wish you luck,,,,,,AR

 

[JAYCEE]

I quit in Feb 2001 after 10+ years of smoking and haven't gone back. Here is how I did it:

Goto Walmart and by a REFILL pack of the nicotine gum. The full kits are a waste of money. I bought the mint flavor in the strongest concentration that they have. (4mg?) I just cut the gum in half.

All the starter kit tells you is this: Don't "chew" it like normal gum. Chew it up a little, then put it between your check and gum like a dip of snuff. Every few minutes, chew it up a little and put it back in the "snuff" position.

Don't wait until you have a craving. Pop the gum in whenever you normally smoke: after eating, driving to work, whatever.

You will need to ween yourself off of the gum. If the cravings come back, chew more gum. You should have it licked pretty quick. Experiment by spitting the gum out after progressively shorter durations. Try 1/4 instead of 1/2. Wait longer and longer for the first-thing-in-the-morning chew. Just don't torture yourself. Time is on your side with the nic gum.

My advice: Stay out of bars and don't drink alcohol. No beer. I quit smoking without quitting coffee. You may be different.

Drink lots of water.

Go for a good run every day. (Or walk, if that's all you can do.)

This gum is non-presciption and it is extremely powerful. (It's expensive, but effective.) As I recall, the psycological addiction was broken in approx 3 days. The chemical addiction is just a matter of weening yourself off the gum, then adding more gum when the cravings come back.

It was so effective, I didn't even use the whole box of gum. I threw away just under half of the package.

Good stuff!

 

[JAYCEE]

Oh, yeah. Big detail:

The night before your day zero, smoke up all of your cigarettes. Or wet them down with water. Do not leave any laying around for the next day, even butts. If you smoke even 1, that day is lost.

When you wake up next morning, chomp a piece of gum first thing. This will keep the cravings at bay. The fact that there are no smokes laying around will make it inconvenient for you to go back.

If the craving gets too bad the first morning, spit out the old and grab a fresh piece.

It takes very little will-power on the gum. Personally, I would never have been able to quit cold-turkey.

Nic gum makes it easy.

 

[medic]

One method I haven't seen discussed is acupuncture. I know that many of you are rolling your eyes as you read this, but I can assure, it works.

I found that I didn't even think of cigarettes when doing things I always associated with smoking. When driving, it seems like I smoked at least one cigarette every 20 miles or less. After the accupunture, I didn't even think about it. I never had one craving while driving. The only bad time was as my body began the withdrawl process. The doctor suggested that I could use a medium or low dose patch if these cravings really got to me. The combination of the acupuncture and the patch required very little will power from me. By far, this is the easiest and most effective way I found to quit smoking, and I have tried many different methods and products.