Someone PLEASE help me quit smoking!

cband

I need you!

Smoking is hindering my future, but I can't get away from it. I'm 18 years old, and a fire fighter. I'm going to be going to attending a police academy next year as well. Here's the thing, I had a physical for the FD. They're worried I have a pulminary obstruction due to smoking. I need to quit smoking NOW.
I've been smoking for 7 years. I know my triggers. My boyfriend that I live with smokes, but I don't expect him to quit with me. There's ash trays and lighters everywhere. Everything makes me want to light up, a walk, a car ride, a shower, a meal, stress, and I feel it'll never get better. I just can't seem to stop...someone please help me with this!

maureendonahue

Talk to your doctor about possible medications (they work well) as well as investigate hypnotism. While that doesn't work as well with weight loss, it works wonderfully for quitting smoking!

Good luck!

brocantrs

I quit after 30 years. First, you have to make up your mind to quit and do it. I used Nicorette gum and it helped with the urges.

_eislek_

Just stop. Don't do it anymore. Don't let an addiction have control over you.

Saruman_w

Well, you're 18 so that's good, best to stop now before things get worse... Whoa, wait. 7 years? WTF??

Anyway, the way I understand it, you can't stop because of the nicotine addiction. Your brain for some reason feels that it needs it to function or something like that. One thing you can try are those patches, might work. Doesn't seem to work for everyone though.

Janie5605

my mother smoked for oh gosh 40 years and went on chantix (spelling?) and it worked wonders! i would recommend it. she did experience some gnarly side effects but shes been smoke free for 5 years now. no weight gain side effects, at least for her...just really detailed scary dreams

portexploit

Try an electronic cigarette the "ego" is best for beginners. It's just vapor with some nicatine. No smoke.

cband

Talk to your doctor about possible medications (they work well) as well as investigate hypnotism. While that doesn't work as well with weight loss, it works wonderfully for quitting smoking!

Good luck!

Lol hopefully it does...
Exercise usually helps. But I'm waiting for a doctor appointment about a back injury...so I haven't been able to do too much of that.

winneau

I know how you feel. I quit smoking five months ago while I was living with a smoker *and* trying to lose weight. I'm here to tell you that it is possible and doesn't have to involve a bunch of misery and suffering. You will feel SO good when you quit!!! All of the bad feelings and anxiety will be over.

Alan Carr's book "Easy Way to Stop Smoking" is what made quitting happen for me. Google him, google the book and "free download" and you can find it for free. You can get it at the library for free. Google his you tube videos. He makes it simple. He convinced me that I didn't have to feel deprived or miserable about not smoking. Instead, I feel so LIBERATED and GRATEFUL that I don't have to smoke anymore!!!!

The book is really short. Read it, please. It changed my life

millymoozie

Try an electronic cigarette the "ego" is best for beginners. It's just vapor with some nicatine. No smoke.

i second that ,,works really well & it helps to have it in your hand whenever you need it

Nanadena

I quit after 37 years of heavy smoking. In Colorado, part of the taxes on cigarettes goes to The Quitline. They provide counseling and nicotine patches free of charge. I also used Welbutrin which is a prescription know for reducing your desire to smoke. It also reduces your appetite some. I just made a commitment and prayed for the Lord to be my strength. It has been over 4 years and I am now running and walking 7 to 8 miles a day. I will also be 61 in November:flowerforyou:

cband

LOL. Yeah seven years, this is 2011, it's fairly common sadly. The patches always just fall off me. It's hot & I sweat, especially during exercise.

Chantix- I'm not sure what that is, but I'll look into it. I just got sick of going thru page after page on the internet of a bunch of pictures of cigarettes and the same info

DropsOJupiter

Hi ya and I'd love to help but I can't. It's gotta be all you. Sucks doesn't it? It took me over 30 years and $$$$$ to realize that there wasn't a magic wand to make me lose weight or to stay quit smoking (I quit a thousand times, it was the staying quit I had problems with!) Your major priority should be quitting smoking as it is impacting your health, career path...everything! If your boyfriend won't quit smoking in the home, knowing you are already identifying pulmonary issues, I'd get a place on my own. Know that is harsh, but this is your health! The main thing is you have got to decide that the cigarette isn't worth dying for, losing a job over or getting a terminal disease. For me, I was able to quit for the last time with a prescription medication that has multiple side-effects, none of which I experienced thank goodness. Sending positive quitting vibes your way! You can do this!

Ben2118

You don't need anyone else but YOU!

You can do it, get your mind right and it will happen, I was the same, most my friends smoke too, I quit 7 months ago today as it happens!! (freaky huh!!) but you need to realise that you will only quit for good once you WANT to, it's 100% possible but it's not easy.

I quit with 18 left in my pack, don't set a date or a time or a "I'll just have one more pack", tell yourself at some point in the next few weeks I will decide if I want to smoke or not and when it feels right, do it.

You have to remember whether you think you can or whether you think you can't.....you're right!!

You can stop, it is possible and it will happen <--- all you need to know!

Ben.

anubis609

I invested in an e-cig. It helps with the psychological need of physically blowing vapor from my face.

Louisemyers29

I went cold turkey over 7 years ago and never looked back. I was absolutely sick of the smell, taste, expense and the fact that I almost coughed up a lung every morning. One day I threw down a ciggie halfway through and decided that was it. All the while I lived at home with an entire family who smoked and had a boyfriend who also smoked. About 3 months after I quit my Dad had a heart attack then everyone else quit. My Dad had to quit obviously but really wanted to after a scare like that.

To help me I carried a half box around with me like a security blanket and kept an online ticker of my progress. It told me how many ciggies I hadn't smoked, how much I hadn't shaved off my life and how much money I'd saved.

I hope you find something that helps and wish you lots of luck!

Ben2118

.

MarchelleLynne

I used the quit now application on my phone....been smoke free 3 months!!! :glasses:

Postlethwaite

The keys to quitting addictions are to understand what is happening, how to support your body during the transition and dedicate yourself to your goal.

Read up on nutrition to support quitting smoking. You will mostly find information about eating good quality healthful foods, eating to keep your blood sugar stable (which helps to avoid those impulsive moments which are so easy to give into during a low) and detoxifying.

Make a list of the reasons you want to quit, and most importantly DO IT!

Use whatever tools are at your disposal if you feel they will help, but in the end, you either light up that next cigarette, or you don't.

I wish you luck. It's hard for the first three or four days.. and not easy at all for the next week, but little by little it becomes easier. They say it takes 28 days to quit a habit.. Find something to do with your hands when you are drinking coffee.. sing along with music in the car.. go for a walk to fight cravings.. drink ice water and avoid the urge to snack.

YOU CAN DO IT!!

PinkiG35

I smoked for almost 15 years and was up to a pack a day. I was hospitalized due to a MRSA outbreak and noticed I had a headache even while on Morphine and Percocet. They had to give me a nicotine patch before the headache would go away. That made me want to quit.

I used cinnamon sticks. yes sounds weird but anytime I felt like smoking I would grab a stick and "smoke" it. They are about the same size and weight of a cig but instead of making your breath stink.... it smells good.

I also used an app on my phone that showed me how much money I had saved and how many cigs I didnt smoke.

Good luck

cband

Thanks for all the advice. As far as the e-cigs, I really can't afford that right now. I only had patches cause someone got them for me.

And doing it myself, I find that kind of obvious :P, but I feel it's alot easier if I had someone to talk through it with me.

khk2010

You gotta do it. Gotta quit. Don't miss out on opportunities and your health for a smoke.

I started smoking at 16 and smoked for about 18 years. I quit 3 times but it never stuck. I finally tried hypnosis and it worked. I thought it was expensive to pay for hypnosis but looking back it may have saved my health and future.

Quitting smoking was one of the hardest and most worthwhile things I have ever done for myself.

You can do this! Do it now. Make a choice to live smoke free and healthy.

And get your partner on board with this. You can both quit and be healthy. Or at least get him to smoke outside and keep the ashtrays and lighters and cigs away from you.

Run4iiiiiit

I smoked for 20 years. I tried numerous ways, with no success. I was only able to quit when I actually WANTED to quit. I simply stopped buying them. I started running and now I chew gum all day. I am coming up on 3 yrs no smoking. It's the best decision I have ever made. Good Luck.

packbacker

July 29th will be my first year without a smoke or a chew of tobacco. I've smoked for 20 yrs. I'm a 53 year old business man and my wife smokes still. I quit cold turkey because I could not stand the thought of being a slave to tobacco. It's not easy, so tighten your belt and put the word can't out of your vocabulary. After all you want to join the fire dept. don't you? Consider it part of the training.

janetruppert

I'm 56 almost 57 and was told the other day that a neck fusion I had in Sept of 09 isn't healed yet and is causing the pain I've been having. The reason it isn't healing? I'm a smoker and I have to quit now!! My husband who is a fireman is a smoker told me he'd quit with me and support me...wrong! He's not, and I'm having a really tough time since every time I walk outside with the dogs, there he is smoking. If I go anywhere with him, he lights up. When he comes home, he lights up. When we finish a meal and take the dogs out, he lights up. It's really hard on me, so I know what you're going through. I'm down to about 4 or 5 a day from 2 packs a day, so if I can do it and I've been smoking since I was 17..you can do it too. Mind over matter!!! Trying to lose weight AND quit smoking at the same time is pure hell, but how much do you want it? We're women.....we're strong! We can do this!!!! Come on girl!!! Hang in there! Feel free to add me if you want to. I know I'm a lot older than you, but I'm here if you want to talk!
Mamma Janet

plainjoe81

Thirty years later i quit...

It was just time, lots of practice trying.

1) Set a date, in stone. Consider day of week, your appointment book, time of month whatever works for you. Plan ahead, do your research, give yourself at least a month to plan it out. Once you set your date, THAT'S YOUR DATE! No changes.

2) Ask BF to be considerate of a few things including your possible grouchiness, but don't ask him to do anything that you wouldn't.

3) Change your habits, break them in that way. You're planning ahead a month in advance for a reason. Whenever you want to light up during that 4th week b4 u quit wait 1 minute, check your phone whatever but you have to wait at least a minute... you can always just wait one minute right? If you forget to light up after you waited a minute that's fine right? Third week before you quit, require 2 minutes, it's just another minute and by now your getting at it, plus you still get your butt. Nothing to this, you got it under control stick to it so YOU know that YOU have it under control every time. VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU HAVE CONTROL< NOT THE ADDICTION, plus many times if you wait you forget the trigger and the initial need. Still with me? Second week b4 your date, change 2 minutes to 5 minutes, really need to be using a time piece of some sort. Last week before quitting you wait 10 minutes.

4) (Don't set your date before reading the plan on one of these packages, or their website) If your not going to go to a doctor (I'm not suggesting you don't, some people just won't take that route) go to Walmart (btw NY Sate has a quit smoking hotline use it, FREE stuff! Can't speak for other states) buy some of their store brand (much cheaper) of quit smoking lozenges. Read label b4 buying and definitely before using, stick with their advice. Yes, think it takes about 4 months with this program but it's a great deal less then 7 years. No excuses ("they taste like *kitten*") like butts taste good? Ad****tions (spelling intended) have their own language, listen to your head, NOT the addiction.

5) Lastly if you pull this off, and you can, reward yourself. Your not going to be able to save eevry penny that you would have smoked during this 4 month period, but in that pre-month do the math. Honestly calculate how much you would have spent if you kept smoking. save as much of that smoke $ as possible and buy yourself a present, go ahead pick it out in advance, then buy it after you pull this off, you would have just been messing yourself up with this money anyway so you've earned this gift X2. Guess what? Just for S**ts&giggles let me point out that you can do this for the rest of your life too... every 4 months!

Best wishes

vicki915

You can do it, it is hard I wont lie to you, but you CAN do it. I have been smoke free for one year now, I smoked for 25yrs. I used "Chantix". I had no problems or side effects. Lots of gum and suckers, also anything to keep your hands busy. Each craving will be less intense as time goes by. Good luck, You can do this!!!!!!!

mcdebbie

Thanks for all the advice and suggestions, I also want to quit.