Quitting Smoking

DBiggs23

Hello Everyone,

I am attempting to quit smoking but every time I try I give in to the addiction so quickly and buy another pack. Does anybody have experience with quitting smoking, any ideas. Thank you in advance for your help.

: )
Desiree Biggs

lindalou0703

I am a smoker. I did quit once and lasted 10 years. I know that was dumb to start again. Anyway the biggest thing is that you have to really want to quit. When I did I quit cold turkey. Wanting to is the biggest thing

looking4au

Yes, I have quit smoking. I have to agree it was and still is the single most difficult thing I have done. I quit cold turkey. I know for some people this is not effective or helpful advice, but it is how I did it and havent pick up a smoke in 3 years. This is not to say that I still don't crave a smoke now and then because I do. I am not sure I will ever get over that feeling. I have known smokers who have quit in excess of 20 to 30 yrs and they report still getting a craving now and again.

I have heard Chantix (sp) really works for people. If your medical insurance covers it you might want to consider trying it.

Good luck and just like any other addiction you must take it one day at a time.

JJLive

I quit smoking 18 months ago after smoking for 7 years. I honestly never thought I would quit. It is such an amazing feeling to finally be free of those evil coffin nails.
I owe it all to my smoking cessation support group:
http://quitsmoking.about.com
It is very important to educate yourself, read all of the articles and join a quit group, keep in touch with them regularly! Every day! Take the NOPE pledge (Not One Puff Ever) every single day.
Good info also at:
http://www.whyquit.com
The hardest times are: 3 days, 3 weeks, 3 months. Expect to feel severely tempted. I had my last big temptation 6 months in and then I was free. Usually people feel more free at 6 months, but it takes a year to truly stop thinking of it. But don't look at it as "I have to stay quit for EVER". Take it one day at a time, try to focus on not smoking for that day, hour, minute. One thing I told myself when I started was "If I still want a cigarette tomorrow I will get one, let me just finish this day" or "I smoked for 7 years, now I have to stay quit for 7 years".
Combat cravings: ICE WATER. It helps 99% of quitters! Feel a craving? Drink lots of ice water, and remember, the craving will pass in 5 minutes or so, whether or not you decide to smoke. Don't view quitting as a sacrifice, smoking is silly and you shouldn't view it as giving up a pleasure.
I could go on for hours about this! Read those sites and join a support group, I highly recommend it!

sandyberres

I used Chantix with great success. Talk to your doctor about it, it does not work for everyone. If doc agrees to prescribe, give yourself a full 2-3 weeks after starting to quit smoking. I tried everything under the sun and this was the only thing that worked for me and it was soooo easy. Good luck!

cobblers88

I quit after my third attempt. Because of each of the attempts the amount of cigs I smoked reduced. For example, I quit smoking for maybe a week, started again but kept it down to 5, quit again, restarted but only on three. Then I made the effort to reduce that to 2, then 1, then none. I still slip up from time to time, maybe once or twice a month I'll have a cigarette with wine. But other than that I've been smoke free for over 6 months. It's a slower process, but it worked for me!

steve240

i also quit smoking took a long time to get over it but i finally kicked it for good now cant smoke one now if i tried makes me feel sick which is a good thing I smoked a pack a day for 5 to 10 years i used the nicotene gum everytime i wanted a cigg. just kept buying the gum even a year after i quit smoking then finally gave that up with just regular gum cant go a day without regular gum so i think lol anyway just keep trying then dont forget to excercise also thats where i went wrong and put on the weight . steve

ninerbuff

Hello Everyone,

I am attempting to quit smoking but every time I try I give in to the addiction so quickly and buy another pack. Does anybody have experience with quitting smoking, any ideas. Thank you in advance for your help.

: )
Desiree Biggs

The first step is that you REALLY REALLY REALLY want to quit for the right reasons. If you have ANY hesitation or excuse, then you won't quit. From there it's easier.
I made a vow to my wife that when she got pregnant I would quit. When she told me we were, she gave me a month to get it out of my system. That gave me time to mentally prep for it. A set day made it seem important. Then when it came, I quit cold turkey. Haven't touched one since.

butterflimom

*Bump* for later

I feel your struggle. I have stopped twice since last year only to allow something to upset me and the cycle repeats.

thirtyandthriving

How about if every time you crave a cigarette you do something else instead, like go for a walk or run. I have heard this works for some people. I quit smoking when I was 25, and I am not going to lie it was hard. Sometimes I still have cravings, it is so addictive. But it can be done and tons of people do it all the time. You can too! I tried wellbutrin, but I don't think that really had an impact. The social aspect was what made it even harder for me to quit. Going outside on smoke breaks at school with my friends, or the smoking break room at work (Before it was illegal lol). It was a very social activity for me. Try changing your routine. If you are used to having a cigarette at a certain time or after a certain activity, try filling it in with something else....

surabhit

Allan Carr's Easyway to stop smoking - he will MAKE you WANT to stop. I won't waste words - it works!

SMarie10

I don't smoke, but I believe smoking is like other addictions (Alcohol, Narcotics, Food), you have to decide that your life is better without the addiction before you can stop. No one can make you stop if you don't have the will. Good luck - I hope you make the best decision and follow through.

MelissaGraham7

I quit almost 2 years ago, same day I started my weight loss.. Previously, I was stupidly smoking to supposedly avoid eating. BUt, I would need to eat something after a cigarette because I didn't really like the taste, and then I would have a cigarette after I ate. Nasty vicious circle. I used Tootsie Roll pops when I was in the car (it lasts about the same time as a cigarette) and lots of gum. THen, I began drinking water every time I wanted a cigarette. THen, to help lose weight, I took up running and I already struggled with breathing right so I was able to stay off cigarettes. As someone else said, though, you have to want it. Just like losing weight, you can't quit smoking for anyone else. Over eating and cigarettes are 2 addictions you have to give up for yourself. However, the main way we give up one habit is simply by replacing it with another. So, replace it with being active. Or drinking water. Or cross stitch works to keep my hands busy and my mind off food or smokes. You can do it . You are worth it!

debydeb57

i tried the chantix way and it does help BUT i am in that group that should not use chantix ...sure i quit smoking but one week i was moody the next week i was grumpy at everyone and by months end i was really quite hostile.... if you take any kind of depression meds do not take this drug... it does worsen everything... im walking proof of that.. sure i quit smoking but it was at a cost... as the insurance didnt cover it and i almost drove my husband crazy with my crazy way of thinking while taking the drug....

i am now smoking about a cigarette or two a day and just cutting down from that.... good luck

iaho1976

Try reading this http://www.amazon.com/Easy-Way-Stop-Smoking-Non-smokers/dp/1402771630/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1318172672&sr=8-1 it has worked for lots of people, I have nearly finished the book and hopefully nearly finished my life as a smoker !

Good Luck

suz155

Hi there,

I smoked for 30 years and quitting was the hardest thing I ever did. I tried, truthfully hundreds of times. 7 1/2 years ago, I did the same thing, quit for the who knows how manyeth time. This time, I found a website called Quitnet. Its similar to this website, but, its for people who want to quit smoking. That site, literally saved my life. Ive been cigarette and nicotine free for 7 years. I had tried other quit smoking websites, some who scorned nicotine replacement, but, the gum, the patch and Quitnet and the people were the major things that worked, for me. Also, drank lots of water (no ice water, made me feel too cold) , with lemon, and a straw (chewed on that too) . Also found in the spice section of the grocery store some cinnamon sticks also chewed on them (calorie free)

Check them out., lots of good information and the best, thing lots of good people.

www.quitnet.com

Good luck

mandylooo

Hi,

I gave up nicotine at the beginning of this year. I hadn't been a full time smoker for a long time before that, but was chewing nicotine gum continually.

I'd tried cutting down before, to no avail. I finally decided that enough was enough. I read Alan Carr's "The Easy Way to Give Up Smoking" and it really worked. No will power or anything. I think the differene between it working or failing is whether you believe that you enjoy smoking or recognise that it is just an addiction.

littlemisskitty24

I completely agree, you have to WANT to give up!! I decided last November that I was giving up on the 4th January 2011 and replaced smoking with a beginners running group. I haven't touched a cigarette since. You need to want to give up and have something in place to be a new beginning. I hope you find something that helps you.

DBiggs23

Thank you for of all of your advice. I want to quit, but on the other hand I like to smoke. I gave in a smoked today, I just need to get it in my head that I need to quit and all of the bad feelings will pass and the cravings. I hope that I can do it next time.

susan2913

I quit smoking after 30 YEARS ---12 years ago. It was the hardest thing I've ever done. I used the patch and gum at the same time, as well as hypnosis, relaxation breathing

---

all at once.

If you take a deep breath----blow it out--a few times--it will help the urge pass.

JamesBurkes

Allan Carr's Easyway to stop smoking - he will MAKE you WANT to stop. I won't waste words - it works!

This. It changes the way you view smoking and why you do it. Chantix has had some some very bad press re: nasty, nasty side-effects.

Lucylaser

I have quit more times than I care to think about! I took wellbutrin (same as chantix pretty much) and it did AMAZING things for me. It just like cut the string in my head that pulls every time something would usually trigger a craving. I also took a month off from drinking which was so important since that is my #1 trigger. I went cold turkey this time. I quit in February and slipped up a bit when I was in Europe (maybe had 5 cigs in 2 weeks) but haven't had any since. Best part is I actually dropped a LOT of weight when I quit. Smoking kills more people than obesity. I wish you the best of luck!!

mslh84

First of all...you aren't going to quit, unless you actually WANT to quit and are READY to resist temptation. I quit last year for 5 months, cold turkey. I haven't smoked for 3 weeks now. The first 3 days are the hardest because of withdraw...you just have to find something to take your mind off of it...like for me, going to the gym...I tried the gum, it made me sick to my stomach. I quit cold turkey every time, and just had to motivate myself NOT to smoke. I've even been around other people who did smoke since...It was tough, but I didn't ask for a smoke...Just be brave, and stay away from the store...find something else to do, and don't let it take you over.

coltonsmumma

I quit the day I got pregnant. I hate smoke now. HATE it.

I did crave it and dream about it while I was pregnant though. Now and again I will get really stressed and think "Man, I could smoke one" then I remember that if I do it ONCE I will be right back where I am.

Edited to add... I found out I was pregnant on Columbus Day 2008!! So I guess it's been 3 years exactly. Not that I pay much attention or even really think about it all that much. It's mostly just something I did that I don't do anymore.