Help!! I need to stop smoking...
Chilipeppers9
Posts: 3
Hi everyone! I really need and want to quit smoking. However, if you have ever been addicted to cigs then you know how hard it is to quit. I am looking for tips and advice on how to quit. If you ever smoked, how did you quit?
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Replies
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i quit them 3mth ago and have been smoking 25yrs! i started with the patchs and have to say they worked, u have good days and bad. Set a day to give them up, and try ur best, but if it dont work dont beat urself up about it, try again i did. Good luck0
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I quit cold turkey almost two years ago. I started by just cutting back. Once I got down to a few a day they made me dizzy and I was just tired of the struggle and I stopped. It took almost two weeks. I'm the kind of person that would panic if I didn't have any, so it worked for me to have some on hand because then I felt in control. I was choosing not to, instead of not being able to, if that makes sense. Some people have to get them all out of the house. I was actually surprised that in some ways it was easier than I thought it would be.
My big tip is just take it one cigarette at a time. If you have one don't let it completely derail you for the whole day. You can do it!0 -
I know people that have had great success with the patches, some with the gum, and my dad used Chantix to quit. But, regardless of the method, you have to truly want to quit, otherwise you'll just pick them back up.
Chantix was our last resort for my dad, but it really did help. He had tried everything from the patches, to gum, to quitting cold turkey, hypnotism, the works. He finally asked our doctor about Chantix (sorry for sounding like an advertisement) and he got it. He quit a week before my 16th birthday. Best birthday gift ever.
Perhaps incentive, such as a new tattoo, earrings, something will help as well. Good luck!0 -
I just had my 5 year stop smoking anniversary on August 8. I quit with Chantix. I'd smoked for 15-20 years or so. This was probably my 5-6 serious attempt to quit. Chantix helped but I think the website helped more. Sorta like a MFP for smokers. I did the silly activities. I listed why I wanted to quit. Wrote a break up letter with my cigarettes. You log in every day and it will tell you how many days you've been smoke free and how much you've saved based on how much you smoked (past tense) and how much they cost per pack. Every time I had "saved" enough, I bought new shoes.
It was hard, no doubt. I still felt myself looking for a cigarette case on the seat next to me as I was driving even weeks and months later. I got up from the couch occasionally looking for something and couldn't remember what. Cig case again. Muscle memory and habit I guess.
I treated it like the addiction it was. One day at a time. Logging in. Finding other things to do with my hands. Tried to develop new habits.
It's nice not to worry if I stink or if i have to stop at the store to buy cigs. It's nice not to have to freeze or bake to smoke outside. Good luck.0 -
I personally find that just going cold turkey is the best, first few days suck, but after awhile you start to hate the smell and the whole breathing better thing is nice.0
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Just do it! *this message was sponsored by Nike*0
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I probably quit and started back 30+ times before I was able to quit for good (fingers still crossed). I quit in January FINALLY after 13 years!! So, this is what I did: Forced myself to do cardio and get insanely out of breath so I really got mad at myself for smoking; I bought an E-cigarette with vanilla flavored cartridges and used it constantly; I also used the Nicotine patch; I had the Nicotine lozenges on hand for emergency cravings (the gum works too but I hated the gum). Another thing that ensured my success is that I moved during that time, so my new apartment was not associated with smoking. YOU CAN DO THIS!!!
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After 30+ years of smoking, I just quit May 27th. I did use e-cigs (blu brand bought online thru their website) to help break the hand to mouth habits. Was rough, but easier than I thought. Did have eating issues & gained 18lbs first 3 months but really buckeled down & lost it in a month. Still have the e-cig but can say haven't been using it at all.
Good luck & let me know if you have any questions......0 -
I quit the day I started MFP. My husband was afraid he was going to have to live in the RV for awhile with me starting a diet and quitting smoking at the same time. I had smoked for 33 years and have tried several times in the past to quit, but only lasted a couple of weeks at the most each time. This time, I made up my mind and was ready to quit for good. I bought one of those E-Cigs and have been using it. I bought one that has step down filters and started with the extra high mg, then stepped down to the high and at present I am on the medium. After that I go down to the low and then extra low. It has been almost 4 months now and I still get urges all the time to pick up a cig, but I remember all the reasons I wanted to quit in the first place and I have gone to long this time to start over again. I got to where I was out of breath walking up steps or walking long distances. I feel so much better now and can walk long distances or up steps without getting winded. I take 4000 mg Vitamin C everyday to clean my lungs. You have to want to quit. Don't do it for anyone else but yourself. If I can do it, you can do it. Friend me and I will give you support and encouragment along the way. It is a hard habit to quit. Good luck.0
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Cold Turkey is the best way if you have the will power and actually are motivated enough to do it. Otherwise you can taper off but that is a slipper slope for most. Changing hangout places and avoiding spots where you are expected to smoke with others also is a big one, social pressure seem to break a lot of weak willed people.0
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I stopped smoking almost 4 months ago, by first, the use of e-cigs, and then i got a good PV (personal vaporizer.) I get all the benefits of smoking, with none of the dangers. I vape everyday. Check it out.. you pay maybe 30.00 for a good vaper and some juice, once, and then 20 a month for juice, forever. You can also step downyour nicotine level in as many stages as you like, until you are nic addiction free, and then just stop! either way its great. I vape at o nic right now, because i justy love to vape. :-)
Google vaping, or watch some videos from GrimmGreen or Pbusardo on youtube.
I always loved smoking. And i still love the smell.
but now ill live longer. 0 -
Just know that the first week is not going to be fun, but it will pass. The first couple days you will have anxiety and be a total grouch. I was biting everyone's head off and I couldn't sit still. I was even shaking! I also had insomnia pretty bad for a week. Then comes the flu symptoms. Don't panic, it's your body trying to detox
Your body will heal itself from the damage the cigarettes have done, then you will get over the cravings. Just know that your clothes smell fresh, your breath isn't dreadful, and you are saving money! 0 -
I know people that have had great success with the patches, some with the gum, and my dad used Chantix to quit. But, regardless of the method, you have to truly want to quit, otherwise you'll just pick them back up.
I think it's good to write out a list of all the reasons you want to quit (to save money, to live a long healthy life, etc.) and keep the list on you at all times.
It's also a good idea to write out some activities on it that you can do to relax or distract you from cravings. Patches, gums and pills are just tools that help you do something you really want to do.
Go into it with a plan and remember that there's no such thing as one cigarette but if you do have a setback, don't give up!0 -
Go talk to your Dr first. There are several meds that help. Chantix and Wellbutrin are just two of them. My Dr gave me Wellbutrin. It is weird when you first start it. I was on that for several months. I finally set a hard date to quit. I bought the first stage patches and on the day I quit, I started them. I had no cravings to smoke at all. After 2 weeks on the patches, I went off them. I have had some food cravings, but no cravings to smoke. So far I have been smoke free for 19 days. This is my story, YMMV. When you are certain you are ready then do it.0
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I quit smoking 3 1/2 years ago, and haven't looked back. About a year before I quit, I got a really bad cough. Everytime I would inhale, I coughed my lungs out (not literally). LOL I has never tried to quit before, but my husband was given a prescription for nicotine inhalers. I was going to use these till my cough went away. The directions said not to inhale. Just let the nicotine absorb through your cheeks. OK, but I hated the taste - I smoked a menthol and these were non menthol. Then I had the bright idea to no inhale my cigarettes, just hold the smoke in my mouth and blow out. It worked! After a few weeks my cough went away. Then I thought "Smoking is such a hassle and so bad for you, maybe I will not suck the smoke into my lungs anymore!" I didn't intend to quit, just to stop inhaling. After a year of not inhaling, I was smoking about 3 cigarettes a day. You tend to lose the addiction. Or I did. Then my Dr. found water around my heart. Scared me enough to throw away the 3 a day even. Ended up being a virus - water went away and I have had no problems with my heart since. I am not going to lie, it took a lot to not suck that smoke down my throat. But I didn't. Then i kept wanting a cigarette when I threw the 3 a day away. Not much, just sometimes. Now, I don't even want to smell them. My house and car is totally smoke free. My husband never quit - wish he would for his health. Every now and then, I will be looking for something - it turns out I'm looking for a cigarette that I don't even want! LOL Some of the smoking habit stays. Luckily its just the hunting part! Hope this helps and I wish you the best of luck with you quitting. BTW I never gained a pound from quitting this way. Of course I was already overweight! But I'm half way to my weight goal. You will not regret quitting.0
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The best method? Cold turkey. I tried nicotine patches a few years prior, but found it SO pleasurable to smoke while wearing them, so that kind of defeated the purpose...)
What to expect?
The bad first: tiredness, depression and maybe feeling a little dumb (you spike your serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine with every cig, so in that absence, your brain has to adjust and balance out--takes about 4-6 weeks for anybody), increased mucus and cough, sometimes panic attacks (adrenalin surges) if you're prone to them, cravings, and fear that I would cave in around friends who still smoked or from watching my favorite movies that featured really "cool" smokers (damn you, Phillip Morris and your embedded advertising!) (lol)
The good: Skin looks so much better after a short period of time (supplement with a lot of Vitamin C to help repair), sense of smell comes back to the point that you'll be able to smell what comes out of your skin and it will gross you out after a while, lungs start to repair almost immediately, teeth get whiter, healthy food tastes better (but work out if you start to take in more than you need to avoid the weight gain--one mistake that led me here to MFP years later), exercise feels incredible, insurance rates lower and more employment opportunities (many employers now screen and don't hire smokers).
***Note the potential pitfalls:***
The brain is wonderfully designed to help talk you out of quitting at many stages, so here are some red flags that you're actually slipping back into smoking. These are the critical junctures that you'll need to overcome in order to stay a non-smoker:
The brains says...
-God, I'm so stressed out. I don't know if it was the right time to get started with my quitting. Maybe if I waited until I had less stress in my life, then it would go better. (Translation: I want to smoke. Nothing more, nothing less. It's just withdrawal. Say no.)
-You know, I've gone almost a month and therefore have proven on some level that I can quit if I want to, but I just don't want to right now because it's my personal choice, and like I said, I can quit anytime I want to. (Translation: Slip ahead. Don't buy into your own B.S., because if you were out of the woods, you wouldn't even have that thought, trust me.)
-This moment would be so perfect with a cigarette, and one or two can't hurt, right? Maybe you're on the beach, or staring over a mountain pass, or have had a few too many at the bar, or are in your car with the window down and the weather's perfect--doesn't matter. (Translation: Give it a name. You're experiencing withdrawal. You want to smoke. Nothing more, nothing less. Your mind's playing tricks on you. Just say no.)
-I don't feel like I'm part of the crew (at work, with family, or with friends outside of work--basically, whoever you smoked with previously to quitting). Addictions seem like shared endeavors, but really they're singular occupations that seek like-minded company. Your friends, family, and coworkers will still love you (lol). What you may feel at first is the opposite: you may not be sure that you like their company as much as before. (Hint: It's only because you're not bombing yourself with a shot of feel-good chemicals while smoking--they're still the same great folks, and no, you're not drifting away from them. It's all an illusion designed for you to cave in and get your fix.) (Translation: Don't give in. Find new smoke-free activities that are fun for a while until you can safely handle the ones you're used to that included smoking. Maybe even make some new healthy smoke-free friends for workout classes, hiking, etc. to give you some perspective.)
The truth is, if you have truly quit you will have ZERO desire to have one, and that's how you know you were successful. Admittedly, it took me several years of not smoking at all to iron out all of the environmental and emotional associations I had with smoking (you know, the with coffee, alcohol, and soda thing, with friends, with strangers, after food, in place of food, in car, in nature, in city, while working, last cigarette before I go to bed, etc. Every person has their own ritual with it). It's been 7.5 years smoke-free for me, with the exception of three individual incidents where I broke down; all of which I regretted either immediately or within 24 hours. Long story made short, there will be unexpected situations that arise after Year 1 (not MONTH 1--lol--that's simply not quitting), but you'll regret each one for the most part.
A good friend of mine from long ago upon me happily telling her that I had gone a whole month without smoking and that I was finally free, blah, blah, blah said to me, while laughing I might add, "A month is nothing. Talk to me in a year. Until then, I don't want to hear about it. You think you've done the hardest part because it's mostly physical that you've overcome until now, but the real hard work starts now in convincing your mind." At first, I didn't know how I felt about what she was telling me, but after a year, I looked back, and you know, she was totally right.
So to sum up: Cold turkey. Don't believe your own B.S. Stay the course. YOU CAN DO IT!!!
[edit: Sorry for the novel--didn't realize how long it was until I submitted] 0 -
I quit cold turkey almost two years ago. I started by just cutting back. Once I got down to a few a day they made me dizzy and I was just tired of the struggle and I stopped. It took almost two weeks. I'm the kind of person that would panic if I didn't have any, so it worked for me to have some on hand because then I felt in control. I was choosing not to, instead of not being able to, if that makes sense. Some people have to get them all out of the house. I was actually surprised that in some ways it was easier than I thought it would be.
My big tip is just take it one cigarette at a time. If you have one don't let it completely derail you for the whole day. You can do it!
Thi was me EXACTLY except i never cut down.. i just put the horrible things down and that was it. I had to have them on hand also. I finally let hubby throw them out on my one year anniversary of quitting. lol. I smoked for 23 years.0 -
The best method? Cold turkey.
What to expect?
The bad first: tiredness, depression and maybe feeling a little dumb (you spike your serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine with every cig, so in that absence, your brain has to adjust and balance out--takes about 4-6 weeks for anybody), increased mucus and cough, sometimes panic attacks (adrenalin surges) if you're prone to them, cravings, and fear that I would cave in around friends who still smoked or from watching my favorite movies that featured really "cool" smokers (damn you, Phillip Morris and your embedded advertising!) (lol)
The good: Skin looks so much better after a short period of time (supplement with a lot of Vitamin C to help repair), sense of smell comes back to the point that you'll be able to smell what comes out of your skin and it will gross you out after a while, lungs start to repair almost immediately, teeth get whiter, healthy food tastes better (but work out if you start to take in more than you need to avoid the weight gain--one mistake that led me here to MFP years later), exercise feels incredible, insurance rates lower and more employment opportunities (many employers now screen and don't hire smokers).
***Note the potential pitfalls:***
The brain is wonderfully designed to help talk you out of quitting at many stages, so here are some red flags that you're actually slipping back into smoking. These are the critical junctures that you'll need to overcome in order to stay a non-smoker:
The brains says...
-God, I'm so stressed out. I don't know if it was the right time to get started with my quitting. Maybe if I waited until I had less stress in my life, then it would go better. (Translation: I want to smoke. Nothing more, nothing less. It's just withdrawal. Say no.)
-You know, I've gone almost a month and therefore have proven on some level that I can quit if I want to, but I just don't want to right now because it's my personal choice, and like I said, I can quit anytime I want to. (Translation: Slip ahead. Don't buy into your own B.S., because if you were out of the woods, you wouldn't even have that thought, trust me.)
-This moment would be so perfect with a cigarette, and one or two can't hurt, right? Maybe you're on the beach, or staring over a mountain pass, or have had a few too many at the bar, or are in your car with the window down and the weather's perfect--doesn't matter. (Translation: Give it a name. You're experiencing withdrawal. You want to smoke. Nothing more, nothing less. Your mind's playing tricks on you. Just say no.)
-I don't feel like I'm part of the crew (at work, with family, or with friends outside of work--basically, whoever you smoked with previously to quitting). Addictions seem like shared endeavors, but really they're singular occupations that seek like-minded company. Your friends, family, and coworkers will still love you (lol). What you may feel at first is the opposite: you may not be sure that you like their company as much as before. (Hint: It's only because you're not bombing yourself with a shot of feel-good chemicals while smoking--they're still the same great folks, and no, you're not drifting away from them. It's all an illusion designed for you to cave in and get your fix.) (Translation: Don't give in. Find new smoke-free activities that are fun for a while until you can safely handle the ones you're used to that included smoking. Maybe even make some new healthy smoke-free friends for workout classes, hiking, etc. to give you some perspective.)
The truth is, if you have truly quit you will have ZERO desire to have one, and that's how you know you were successful. Admittedly, it took me several years of not smoking at all to iron out all of the environmental and emotional associations I had with smoking (you know, the with coffee, alcohol, and soda thing, with friends, with strangers, after food, in place of food, in car, in nature, in city, while working, last cigarette before I go to bed, etc. Every person has their own ritual with it). It's been 7.5 years smoke-free for me, with the exception of three individual incidents where I broke down; all of which I regretted either immediately or within 24 hours. Long story made short, there will be unexpected situations that arise after Year 1 (not MONTH 1--lol--that's simply not quitting), but you'll regret each one for the most part.
A good friend of mine from long ago upon me happily telling her that I had gone a whole month without smoking and that I was finally free, blah, blah, blah said to me, while laughing I might add, "A month is nothing. Talk to me in a year. Until then, I don't want to hear about it. You think you've done the hardest part because it's mostly physical that you've overcome until now, but the real hard work starts now in convincing your mind." At first, I didn't know how I felt about what she was telling me, but after a year, I looked back, and you know, she was totally right.
So to sum up: Cold turkey. Don't believe your own B.S. Stay the course. You can do it!
[edit: Sorry for the novel--didn't realize how long it was until I submitted]
She nailed it.0 -
if u want to quit ..then quit..it is as hard or easy as you make it... yes you will have cravings and dreams...but its only going to bother you if you let it. forget bout all the stupid gums patches and other gimmicks... cold turkey and stick to it.. only takes a couple weeks for the worst to be over. if u play with the gimmicks they keep it in ur system and tell ur body it still wants it.
i decided enough was enough quit and no relapses.... ocationally i want one..but not that often.... u just have to cut the bull and excuses and do it... done.0 -
I've not had a cigarette for three weeks now and WOW the difference, I don't know if everyone gets this when they quit but I feel like I can 'breathe again'. Sounds like such a cliche but I didn't realise how much of an effect they were having on my lungs and breathing (so much coughing and chest ache etc.) Your health will really thank you for it.
Also it's not as difficult as you think it will be if you don't make it to be... if that makes any sense. I started only smoking half a cigarette and then throwing the rest away. Teaching myself to say no to half of it was difficult but proved that I could and it got easier to say no to the whole cigarette. For me it wasn't not smoking that was the hard part, it was breaking the routine (eg bedtime cigarette) but you don't need them in your life, you can manage without them (:
Think of the money too.... in the three weeks i've not been smoking i've saved £50 odd quid, so i'm using that to go to the hairdressers! Think of the treats/rewards you can buy yourself if you quit. And smoke free clothes/hair/a smoke free house!
Feel free to message for support 0 -
I smoked for 30 odd years and quit
I quit through a 12 week quitting programme. I just choose a day to stop and used patches and inhalor, after four weeks I just stopped using the patches and carried on with the inhalour after six weeks that was it i was off the programme early i have never looked back once.
Its the very best thing I have done in my life and it was the hardest thing to do. I now Own a herd of ponies for the money i used to smoke every week. I know every day I see the results of quitting wandering around in my paddocks if I had never started smoking I would now own the land they graze on!!!!!! thats how much money I have wasted in my life....
Just think of every cigarette you smoke as an unneccesary EXTRA TAX to your government
You really can do this for lots of reasons but the first reason has to be for you.... I have been smoke free almost 21/2 year now 0 -
My manager just stopped smoking using the patches. She says its hard to do and you have to STAY BUSY. but the downfall is you will be snacking ALOT. I want to quit but i need to be done moving and other stresses done in my life. Good luck0
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The best method? Cold turkey.
What to expect?
The bad first: tiredness, depression and maybe feeling a little dumb (you spike your serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine with every cig, so in that absence, your brain has to adjust and balance out--takes about 4-6 weeks for anybody), increased mucus and cough, sometimes panic attacks (adrenalin surges) if you're prone to them, cravings, and fear that I would cave in around friends who still smoked or from watching my favorite movies that featured really "cool" smokers (damn you, Phillip Morris and your embedded advertising!) (lol)
The good: Skin looks so much better after a short period of time (supplement with a lot of Vitamin C to help repair), sense of smell comes back to the point that you'll be able to smell what comes out of your skin and it will gross you out after a while, lungs start to repair almost immediately, teeth get whiter, healthy food tastes better (but work out if you start to take in more than you need to avoid the weight gain--one mistake that led me here to MFP years later), exercise feels incredible, insurance rates lower and more employment opportunities (many employers now screen and don't hire smokers).
***Note the potential pitfalls:***
The brain is wonderfully designed to help talk you out of quitting at many stages, so here are some red flags that you're actually slipping back into smoking. These are the critical junctures that you'll need to overcome in order to stay a non-smoker:
The brains says...
-God, I'm so stressed out. I don't know if it was the right time to get started with my quitting. Maybe if I waited until I had less stress in my life, then it would go better. (Translation: I want to smoke. Nothing more, nothing less. It's just withdrawal. Say no.)
-You know, I've gone almost a month and therefore have proven on some level that I can quit if I want to, but I just don't want to right now because it's my personal choice, and like I said, I can quit anytime I want to. (Translation: Slip ahead. Don't buy into your own B.S., because if you were out of the woods, you wouldn't even have that thought, trust me.)
-This moment would be so perfect with a cigarette, and one or two can't hurt, right? Maybe you're on the beach, or staring over a mountain pass, or have had a few too many at the bar, or are in your car with the window down and the weather's perfect--doesn't matter. (Translation: Give it a name. You're experiencing withdrawal. You want to smoke. Nothing more, nothing less. Your mind's playing tricks on you. Just say no.)
-I don't feel like I'm part of the crew (at work, with family, or with friends outside of work--basically, whoever you smoked with previously to quitting). Addictions seem like shared endeavors, but really they're singular occupations that seek like-minded company. Your friends, family, and coworkers will still love you (lol). What you may feel at first is the opposite: you may not be sure that you like their company as much as before. (Hint: It's only because you're not bombing yourself with a shot of feel-good chemicals while smoking--they're still the same great folks, and no, you're not drifting away from them. It's all an illusion designed for you to cave in and get your fix.) (Translation: Don't give in. Find new smoke-free activities that are fun for a while until you can safely handle the ones you're used to that included smoking. Maybe even make some new healthy smoke-free friends for workout classes, hiking, etc. to give you some perspective.)
The truth is, if you have truly quit you will have ZERO desire to have one, and that's how you know you were successful. Admittedly, it took me several years of not smoking at all to iron out all of the environmental and emotional associations I had with smoking (you know, the with coffee, alcohol, and soda thing, with friends, with strangers, after food, in place of food, in car, in nature, in city, while working, last cigarette before I go to bed, etc. Every person has their own ritual with it). It's been 7.5 years smoke-free for me, with the exception of three individual incidents where I broke down; all of which I regretted either immediately or within 24 hours. Long story made short, there will be unexpected situations that arise after Year 1 (not MONTH 1--lol--that's simply not quitting), but you'll regret each one for the most part.
A good friend of mine from long ago upon me happily telling her that I had gone a whole month without smoking and that I was finally free, blah, blah, blah said to me, while laughing I might add, "A month is nothing. Talk to me in a year. Until then, I don't want to hear about it. You think you've done the hardest part because it's mostly physical that you've overcome until now, but the real hard work starts now in convincing your mind." At first, I didn't know how I felt about what she was telling me, but after a year, I looked back, and you know, she was totally right.
So to sum up: Cold turkey. Don't believe your own B.S. Stay the course. You can do it!
[edit: Sorry for the novel--didn't realize how long it was until I submitted]
She nailed it.
yup this is a great summation .... I am 11 years smoke free... I did use the patch for 2 weeks to help with the jitters, but after that just kept my hands and mind busy.0 -
I had my last one last Saturday night, Sunday I went for a run as a non smoker and I have not looked back - I have nibbled on grapes, which has helped but have not gone over calories all week - Good Luck0
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I quit cold turkey, a month ago. Physiologicaly speaking, it's the best way to go and has the least amount of people who relapse. Consider this, even one puff from a cigarette is addictive and it's 10x as addictive in a former smoker. Using a patch, gum, etc. continually puts nicotine into your system, so even though the nicotine decreases, it's still going to your brain and the nicotine receptors are still functioning, therefore your body craves nicotine longer and longer. If you quit cold turkey, you instantly stop any nicotine coming in, therefore the nicotine receptors start dieing out right away. In 24 hours there's no more receptors, and in 3 days, there's no more nicotine in your body period. Less time if you drink more water and exercise to sweat out the nicotine quicker. Most people don't know this, but the "withdraw headaches," don't come from lack of nicotine, but rather from lack of sugar entering your bloodstream, since each puff off of a cigarette tells your body to release fat and sugar into your blood, and this excess fat builds up over time, and that's what causes most heart attacks in smokers. As for irritability, again, try exercise or meditation. The worst fear among smokers is thinking they won't be able to cope with the stress without having a cigarette. Contrary to what most people think, nicotine is a stimulant, not a relaxant, and so smoking actually makes stress worse.0
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One final note, if you consume caffeine, QUIT. Quit the caffeine for the first three days you quit smoking, and there's a very good reason why. Nicotine and caffeine are both addictive drugs, and both feed the pleasure center of your brain, they also both stimulate endorphins and well, they basically both do the same thing. Quitting both at the same time, allows your body to basically go on a hunger strinke, and after three days, both drugs will be completely wiped from your body. On the fourth day, add the caffeine, coffee, pills, whatever you want. The caffeine starts feeding those pleasure receptors, and your body starts releasing those endorphins again, and your brain registers that a "feel good" chemical has entered back into your body, and only you know that it's caffeine and not nicotine.0
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I smoked for 10 years and quit dec 2 2007. I used chantix. twice. Talk to you doc, see if it's right for you. If you have insurance you're good to go b/c chantix is expensive. This first round I decided I didn't need the pills anymore cause i felt good enough so I stopped taking them too soon and had "just one cig" and all went downhill from there. Month later I made an apt and confessed to my doc that I had started smoking again and wanted to try another round of chantix, doc agreeded. This time I just stopped smoking when I felt ready. I started being annoyed at stopping everything I was doing to go find my smokes and a lighter, go outside and smoke. Also it started tasting really bad. LIke the way your felt about it when you were a kid. Nasty. I started smoking halfies and found I only wanted about 1/2 a smoke a day. Then one day I didn't really even enjoy the halfie and I never bought another pack again. I waited until a month after the last smoke to stop taking the chantix.
I have never smoked a cig, not even a puff since dec 2, 2007.
I don't have to worry about how many cigarettes I have left.
I don't have to worry about if the good gas station is on the way so I can buy more.
I don't have to hunt for lighters.
I don't have to stand outside in the cold winter and shiver.
I don't have to worry about where I can smoke and when I can go get one again.
I don't have to find money everyday to buy them.
I don't smell bad. Not my clothes, not my hair, not my car.
I don't get dirty looks from passerby's
I don't miss it anymore.0 -
I quit for good just over a year ago. I read The Easy Way to Stop Smoking by Alan Carr. It worked great for me and everyone else I know that read it. Changed my life. I don't think it works if you aren't ready to quit, but if you are, it will work for you. I looked into the pills, but after reading about the horrible side-effects I decided there was no way I would risk my mental health (what little I have of it LOL) to help me quit smoking.0
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I quit cold turkey in 98. Just tossed them out with the lighter and that was the end of it. I had been smoking for 15 years before that.0
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I've smoked a cigarette in my life, but I've never been a smoker.
My friend has quit successfully for a year now, he swears by the e-cigarette and the gum. He told me it was more than just the nicotine addiction but the actually lighting and smoking of a cigarette that was addicting. That is wear the e-cig came in and really helped.0
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