A bad habbit-

mamaDaisyJ

I have been quit for 5 months now. I called 1800quitnow and got my first box of patches for free and a coach that I could call if needed, but I never called. After the first two weeks, I just took the money I would have spent on smokes and bought the next box of patches. I want to say the program deal is just local to Oklahoma, but there could be something similiar where you are.
Some things that help me quit~ I drank, and still drink all my water through a straw.
I wore a rubber band around my wrist and snapped it each time I thought i wanted to smoke and then took a drink, got up and did something useful. Like washing dishes, folding laundry, vacuuming, something to keep my hands busy a minute. I took a walk every day after lunch for the first 2 weeks cause that was a really bad time for me and just had to change scenery to get past it.
Good luck, you know its worth it, if you can find a way to get yoruself there.

mita2161

I used the patch. I started with the highest step and followed the directions. I started smoking at 15 and stopped 3 years ago.I used to smoke before excersicing and after too. I know how you feel because you start and stop over and over again. It was crazy hard, no sugar coating it but the only time your gonna stop is when you finally decide its enough. I stopped on the 1 year anniversary of my dads death. I also went on quitnet.com. I lived on that site day and night.Its free and like this site everyone understands what your going thru. There there to cheer you in and pick you up when your down. You can vent all you want there. Also there pretty funny too. (Not soliciting it just worked for me) Good luck im sure you can do it. If you can lose the weight and eat healthfully then you can quit smoking.

Thriceshy

Why "besides all you hardcore cold turkey people?" If you're looking for an easy way to quit via drugs or magic, it's not going to happen. Your best bet for a long-term quit is cold turkey. NRTs can work, but I know way too many folks who, four years later, are still chewing the gum or wearing the patches.

I used to be afraid to quit, too. I was terrified, I would panic at the thought, so I never even tried. For years, I never even mentioned quitting because I was so afraid of it. And then I got pneumonia and realized that's what COPD feels like. After 26 years of 2-3 packs a day, I quit. Cold turkey.

Was it hard? Sure, most things worth doing are. But it was nowhere NEAR as bad as the FEAR of it had been.

You can look for easy, but as your own experience should tell you by now, there's no such thing. If you decide to brave the hard, let me know--I am always so glad to help folks who really want it.

Good luck!

Kris

kak1018

I quit almost two years ago using the nicotine gum. It really helped when I got edgy or felt the urge. I had a horrible experience with Chantix and do not recommend it on any level. The gum was an easy way to get the "fix" and change the routines that drive the habit. Best of luck to you, the hardest thing I ever did but worth every minute of it.

Kaecklund

I LOVED to smoke. At my max I was smoking about a pack and a half a day. I can't quit w/the gum (I thought the gum was gross, and I really wanted the hand to mouth/inhaling action). I'm allergic to adhesive as in bandaids and birth control patches, so the patches I never tried. I quit cold turkey. It was hard, I was mean. I quit and started again and quit and started again, until I finally quit for good - About a year and a half ago. I made sure I had cigarettes on me though to avoid the PANIC but still focus on my goal. I took my cigarette break, alone pretending the pen was my cigarette. Gum, suckers... yada yada. The last time I quit I told everyone "I'm quiting smoking", "I haven't smoked in 3 days" and so on. So as to not make myself look like a failure, I had to keep my word... This worked for me. It was hard, now I'm able to sit with my coworkers on their smoke break and not even crave a cigarette. Smoking is a gross habit, and I never realized how gross I smelled until I quit and smelled other smokers. Also, I hacked up **** ALL THE TIME. Quiting is the best thing that you can do for yourself and your children. Cancer and/or emphesyma is no joke. And if you keep smoking you WILL get it. What worked for me may not work for you, you gotta find your motivation and go with it. For all the money you save on no longer buying cigarettes, put that money towards a really nice treat for yourself! Something you want really bad - that might help too! Best of luck to you!

HangoverSquare

I've quit for good. But, don't get me wrong--I loved smoking.

What drove me to quit were two things: it exacerbated my asthma and I wanted to be healthy for my loved ones, especially my girlfriend.

Since quitting nearly 4 years ago (on Jan 1st), my asthma's been mild. I also lost the girlfriend, but that doesn't matter. :laugh:

Think about the people who care for you and the long term risks. You really don't need emphysema or cancer. Nobody does.

AudgePaudge

I know this sounds funny, but I found it easier to quit when I got sick The first I quit, I used the gum. I guess it helped a little, but it was still hard as hell!! The second time I was sick with bronchitis (something I got a lot when I smoked) and didn't want a cigarette. It was much easier the second time!!

Kaecklund

I know this sounds funny, but I found it easier to quit when I got sick The first I quit, I used the gum. I guess it helped a little, but it was still hard as hell!! The second time I was sick with bronchitis (something I got a lot when I smoked) and didn't want a cigarette. It was much easier the second time!!

This helped me quit once before too! I found it impossible to smoke without coughing up a lung!

hollybearrington

hey I quit with chantix ... its been 2 1/2 years for me. u just got it in your head that is what u want and make it happen

Skyoctober

Can't say much cause I am a cold turkey quitter...I quit in November just about when the snow started to fly...I convinced my self I didn't want to stand out in the cold. I started chewing gum and lots of it!! Well I'm still smoke free and with a pack here at $10 I will never let my self go back. You can quit just put your mind to it and set a date...do it for your kids and your health!!!

Skyoctober

FYI...the gum wasn't nicotine...just regular hubba bubba...I love blowing bubbles!!!!! :happy:

Cait_Sidhe

Today is day 23 since I last had a cigarette. I did it through the use of an electronic cigarette. I won't lie, it's not the same thing and it was NOT easy. I tried Chantix, and it didn't work for me. I've been smoking since I was a preteen. I'm hoping I never touch another cigarette. I watched my mother die of lung cancer (she never smoked) and still wasn't able to quit. I don't think I would have been able to do it without the electronic cigarette. It was also extremely important to me because of what I went through with my mother. Good luck. There is no easy answer out there. But if I can do it, literally anyone can.

Cait_Sidhe

I know this sounds funny, but I found it easier to quit when I got sick The first I quit, I used the gum. I guess it helped a little, but it was still hard as hell!! The second time I was sick with bronchitis (something I got a lot when I smoked) and didn't want a cigarette. It was much easier the second time!!

This helped me quit once before too! I found it impossible to smoke without coughing up a lung!

Before this, I did quit for 2 years once. I also quit when I was too sick to smoke. If it works, it works.

janessac

Have you tried turning smoking into a learned taste aversion? It's a nasty process but it works (almost) every time-there's always exceptions.
It's a psychological fact that if a distinct-tasting food/beverage/other makes you sick (vomit), then eating it/drinking it/smoking it afterwards will make you feel ill. IE: you have an old hot dog, but smother it with mustard. The hot dog is what makes you sick, but since mustard was the distinct flavour, you associate mustard with vomiting and consequently, eating mustard will make you feel ill again. I often find that this applies to a lot of people in terms of alcohol when a person may drink too much (beer, for example) and gets very sick, and then can no longer drink beer without feeling very sick.

Now, to complete this with cigarettes, you are going to need a few packs of cigarettes (depending on how much you smoke a day). What you have to do is smoke continuously, nonstop, taking a puff every breath. Everytime you breath in, it has to be with the cigarette, taking in smoke. You cannot stop, take a break, or take breaths of pure air. You smoke continuously, taking in smoke with every breath until you become sick...and throw up.

I know it sounds very unpleasant, but I've done this with 4 different people and each one is still cigarette-free to this day. (the longest being 4 years without smoking). Hopefully this works, and the smell/taste of cigarettes will make you feel sick and you will be able to quit.

hope this information helps, although it is just a suggestion for a more rapid, albeit extreme, measure best of luck!

chorgi

Never been a smoker, but best of luck on all your goals. You can do it!

kasmir8199

I have an aunt that tried hypnosis and it worked for her.

Kudos to you for even trying to quit...it is NOT easy! Battling any type of addiction brings about a tough physiological response that many have trouble overcoming. I believe you will triumph over it. You want it enough.

Engage yourself in a support group of some sort. Having others fighting with you helps a great deal.

Best wishes!! You CAN do it.

solflyer81

Thank you all for your kind words, ideas and motivation. I really hope I can do this. I know as soon as I have the money I am going to get the esmoker, I am going to step down starting now, I am going to try the patch and I am going to quit. (no i can not go cold turkey, it takes a certain kind of individual to be able to do it and I m not it, my mom did though). I have smoked through illness, asthma, head aches and more...I just cant walk away and stay away. If all of the above fail, I will try the extreme smoke till i m sick method- with my asthma maybe it will work.

Cait_Sidhe

For what it's worth, I bought my e-cigarette at 7eleven for $20. It was cheaper than buying it online.