QUITTING SMOKING, WHAT ARE YOUR TIPS?!?

feduh86
feduh86 Posts: 790 Member
in Motivation and Support
Okay, so I myself am definitely NOT a smoker! But my parents and some relatives are and I really want them to stop! My mom and aunt want to stop too but they just dont know how. They have tried nicorette gum and patches and those did not work =(
I know some people say they did it cold turkey but .. come on now, not everyone has your guys' awesome will power!

My mom heard about this laser that can get you off the habit ... I think that anything that is going near your brain or anything like that is scary and is not worth it!

Any tips people? I would greatly appreciate some help!
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Replies

  • OliveJuice1984
    OliveJuice1984 Posts: 45
    To be completely honest, I didn't quit smoking until I was actually ready. TRULY ready. I quit cold turkey and it sucked for about two weeks and then each day after that it got easier and easier. It's been almost three months now and I will very rarely have a split second thought of wanting one but I just toss the idea out of my head and move on. Regular gum helped a lot during the first month but now I don't even need the gum (when I thought I'd be addicted to the gum for the rest of my life).

    Just like losing weight I don't think quick fixes are that successful. There are tools that one can use, i.e. Nicorette gum/ e-cigarettes/medication, but they are just tools. You (general) have to have the drive, dedication and willpower to quit. If you don't have that then you won't last long.

    I wish your family the very best of luck!
  • sunkisses
    sunkisses Posts: 2,365 Member
    http://www.radiolab.org/2011/mar/08/you-v-you/
  • liftingheavy
    liftingheavy Posts: 551 Member
    I wasn't ready to quit until about a year ago and you know what worked like a friggin charm? Electronic cigarettes which is just water vapor and nicotine.

    I couldn't give up the 4,000 chemicals (including tar) in a cigarette plus nicotine at the same time, so I went to the e-cigs with a low nicotine amount and eventually had so little in my system that I stopped buying those too.

    I'm sure there are cons to e-cigs too, but they can't possible be worse than inhaling smoke into lungs. Maybe have them try that. Don't buy the cheap ones at the gas station, order them online. I used V2. You pick your cig flavor (reg or menthol) and a starter pack is about $40 bucks.

    That's the only suggestion I have because I never tried the patch or gum.
  • natvanessa
    natvanessa Posts: 230 Member
    I quit cold turkey!! It's not as hard as you would think (and I was a VERY heavy smoker)

    My 2 things that helped are a book called "The Easy Way to Stop Smoking" by Allen Carr, and an iPhone app called "My Last Cigarette".
    They were both truly miraculous in helping me, seriously recommend those that need/want to quit. Good luck to your family!!!
  • erineddy81
    erineddy81 Posts: 43 Member
    I quit cold turkey about 3 yrs ago I had one every once in a while after that. But I haven't had one in well over a year now. I just figured how much money was being puffed into smoke and put it down and started working out :) Now a good sweat session is my drug of choice :D
  • vicky1966
    vicky1966 Posts: 32 Member
    I quit cold turkey 7 years ago ...it took around 2 years for the cravings to fully diminish ...just stick with it...don't give in, even on the darkest days..you can do it!
  • Totallydetermined
    Totallydetermined Posts: 19 Member
    The Allen Carr book is amazing. Google it, there are amazing results.
    I've bought this for a few friends and everyone who has read it has quit no problem at all.
    I just wish my parents would read it :-(
    Good luck :-)
  • kjerstenkipp
    kjerstenkipp Posts: 139 Member
    I used the gum and the Quit Now app...it's been 190 days. I didn't use the gum on a regular basis. I kind of went cold turkey and right when I would get to the point where I would have said "eff it, I'm buying a pack" i had a piece of gum instead...it got me off the ledge so to speak. Honestly, they have to WANT to do it...you can't quit for anyone but yourself.
  • sunnydale2009
    sunnydale2009 Posts: 11
    Regardless of quitting aids such as gum/patch/champix/zyban/etc, what is essential is the absolute desire to be smoke free. "Wishing" doesn't cut it, the smoker HAS TO WANT TO QUIT, and THAT want has to be strong enough to conquer the nicotine addiction. I know you mean well and that your heart is in the right place, but no one can make the decision to quit except the smoker. I'm glad to say I made that decision last June, and have never regretted it!
  • Musikelektronik
    Musikelektronik Posts: 739 Member
    You need two things:

    (1) Chantix
    (2) The will to quit.

    Worked for me.

    As sunnydale said, THEY need to make the decision to quit. You can't do it for them.
  • Francesca3162
    Francesca3162 Posts: 520 Member
    I took my usual amount of cigs per day....let's say twenty..

    20 cigs a day for 2 days
    19 cigs a day for 2 days
    18 cigs a day for 3 days
    17 cigs a day for 3 days
    16 cigs a day for 3 days
    15 cigs a day for 4 days
    14 cigs a day for 4 days
    13 cigs a day for 4 days
    12 cigs a day for 4 days
    11 cigs a day for 5 days
    10 cigs a day for 5 days
    09 cigs a day for 5 days
    08 cigs a day for 5 days
    07 cigs a day for 5 days
    06 cigs a day for 6 days
    05 cigs a day for 6 days
    04 cigs a day for 6 days
    03 cigs a day for 6 days
    02 cigs a day for 6 days
    01 cig A day for 6 days

    As you can see it was a three month process that I used to wean myself off tobacco...giving myself several days at each level, longer time as lower levels so I would not cave into cravings.... I started it and never looked back... No cheating, no excuses.... That was end of last year and I was tobacco free by November 1.... And it is a rare moment when I think about it, and if I do, I simply tell myself I am not a smoker..... I dont go to convenience stores to buy anything and it's the only place that sells cigs here....
  • i_spock
    i_spock Posts: 1
    It took me about 10 years to quit. One motivation was marrying someone who was a staunch anti-smoker but loved me enough to marry me anyway :-) I used Zyban, nicotine gum, and the patch. For a long time I continued to smoke when I was out at the bars and then used the gum when I couldn't smoke, which was mostly any other time. I also chewed tobacco so I was getting nicotine almost all of my waking hours.

    The big motivation for me was when the bars in Wisconsin stopped allowing smoking indoors, so the gradual decline of it being socially acceptable to smoke played a big factor.

    Later I was motivated by having my son and I didn't want him to ever see me smoking and think it was an OK thing to do.

    In the end I got through it by quitting the gum, using the patch, and sticking to it. I had a plan for what I was going to do when I had a craving. I also found a non-nicotine gum that approximated the nicotine gum's flavor that I had become addicted to- Dentyne Ice Spearmint. For me that was what I went to when I was on the patch and had a nicotine craving.

    Anyway it took me a long time to quit, so the point is, if you hit a rough spot and go back to smoking, don't feel bad about it, regroup and try again until you get it!
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
    I quit with an electronic cigarette. It worked instantly. http://www.volcanoecigs.com/
  • Shannonbayer
    Shannonbayer Posts: 78 Member
    You need two things:

    (1) Chantix
    (2) The will to quit.

    My easiest time ever "quitting" was this way, I definitely agree!
  • Amy_Lee_2012
    Amy_Lee_2012 Posts: 156 Member
    I quit smoking the same day I started my weight loss journey- talk about stressful! I quit cold turkey. It's only been 5 months but I don't miss smoking at all.
    I smoked 2 packs a day- so I figure it I can do it, anyone can. The first month was terrible, and exercising was so hard as I was much heavier then and my breathing was messed up from all the smoking.
    After the first month, though, it got so much easier. I am so happy I quit smoking, especially since I am focusing so much on being healthier.
    You can do it!
  • heidienglund
    heidienglund Posts: 20 Member
    Quiting was the hardest thing I did, and I am so proud I did!
    It's been twelve years, and my advice is:
    Chew gum, go for a walk, talk to other people who don't smoke, eat an apple at your worst craving time, get cinnamon altoids, or cinnamon gum, breathe deep, do different things, and hang in there. It's worth it.
    I got to sing on a hayride after I quit smoking and it felt so good to breathe.
    I wish you the best of luck, it will save your life, if you quit.:wink:
  • SteffieMark
    SteffieMark Posts: 1,719 Member
    You need two things:

    (1) Chantix
    (2) The will to quit.

    Worked for me.

    As sunnydale said, THEY need to make the decision to quit. You can't do it for them.

    I agree wholeheartedly. I started smoking at 11! I quit 3 years ago, at 51, using Chantix. I tried everything, for years, gum, patches, cold turkey, even hypnosis. Nothing worked. In all honesty, I didn't really want to quit then. I really wanted to quit when I actually did, using Chantix. Something else may have worked for me too, by that point but, I was a skeptic. I wish you a lot of luck and the best to you and your family. If they want to quit, I think they can.
  • Il_DaniD_lI
    Il_DaniD_lI Posts: 1,593 Member
    I tried cold turkey and failed miserably. Champix worked for me, it's been 1 year and 3 months :)

    ETA: Champix is the Canadian version of Chantix.
  • Marper8521
    Marper8521 Posts: 158 Member
    I recently choose not to smoke. Had been smoking for almost 25 years. You can't will someone into quiting they must want to for themselves. What will help them is your love and continue to talk to them about how much you cafe for them. Until they decide, you will just make yourself sick. I used the pill (wellbutrin) and patch.
  • kristelpoole
    kristelpoole Posts: 440 Member
    Sign up for a road race and start training to run it - the whole thing. It's been a while since I've been a true smoker, but working out and drinking less helps the most for me. It took a little while, but eventually I started to LOATHE the sluggish, tight-chested feeling I'd get when I tried to run or work out after I had smoked in the previous 24 hrs.
  • marnistill
    marnistill Posts: 8
    I quit a month ago after smoking heavily on and off for about 11 years. I used nicorette inhalers for the first week and then the patch for a week and have been fine since. I also have an ecigarette for social situations where I feel the insane urge to smoke. I've heard great things about Champix/Chantix however, being a psych student I beg people to please do the research before you go on the pill and decide if it is right for you. Some people will have NO side effects but some have been known to have major psychological breaks and even commit suicide while on it. Just make the decision based on you and your research not on whether or not it worked for someone else. Everyone is different :)

    OH! And also just from my experience exercise REALLY helps with cravings :)
  • mwaid
    mwaid Posts: 19
    I am cutting down until I quit. I am doing it with the electronic cigarette. not only is it healthier, but it's cheaper as well; well I live in WI where cigarettes are 7.00 a pack. In just three days I went from smoking twelve to fifteen cigarettes to smoking five or six. My problem is the oral fixation or socializing I want to constantly smoke. But they do put some nicotine in the cartridges so if you're addicted to nicotine you can wing off of it slowly.

    I would absolutely avoid taking chantix. My family friend had a prescription of that stuff and he got depressed (which is one of the side effects of the pill). So he had to get off of it. Tell your family good luck!
  • marnistill
    marnistill Posts: 8
    7$???? Seriously???! In Canada here in Manitoba my cigarettes were 13.80 a pack!! On a positive note, it gave me a lot of inspiration for quitting and I have save a lot of money so far :) Good luck to everyone in this chat that is quitting! We can do it!!
  • JodieElijah
    JodieElijah Posts: 136 Member
    I was paying $18 for a pack of 25 ciggies here in Australia.

    I am now 62 days smoke free :)

    I use Champix to assist and its been an absolute godsend. My tips would be to drink water every time you feel like having one. Keep healthy snacks around you to munch on such as carrot sticks, take a walk. Breath through the craving.

    Best of luck to your family members in quitting. It can be such a difficult process but you do feel so much better for it :)
  • nanliv32bm3
    nanliv32bm3 Posts: 27 Member
    thank you all for the information. I'm trying to quit smoking as well as losing weight. Can both be done at the same time? or am I just doing everything too quickly? :cry:
  • blv0267
    blv0267 Posts: 100 Member
    I quit cold turkey 3 months ago....because I was ready. So your Mom and Aunt have to be ready and really want to do it.

    I drank lots of water and cranberry juice for the first 3 days to help flush the chemicals out of my body.

    I think what really helped me was that I wanted to feel better, look better and get healthy. I also visited a site called WhyQuit to help me understand what was happening to my body for those first few days - Whenever I wanted a smoke, I would drink water and cranberry juice and read the motivational stuff on that site (I steered clear of the 'scare' stories).
  • kayl3igh88
    kayl3igh88 Posts: 428 Member
    I went from 30 a day down to about 5 by myself and I wanted to quit so badly but I have little to no willpower, so the doc's put me on champix. I haven't wanted a cigarette for around 6 weeks now, and the worst part was finding something to do with my hands. Now I feel like such a hypocrite because I choke every time someone's smoking near me :sick: :laugh:
  • AEB_WV
    AEB_WV Posts: 323 Member
    I took a class offered by the American Lung Association. We picked a quit day and met weekly to work up to that. They gave you a lot of tips on things to do like - stop smoking in certain places beforehand (like in your car and house) to make it more inconvenient. I used nitotine replacement (patches) and that did work for me. I did manage to quit and stay quit which is partly why I've gained so much weight over the lat 6 years : )
    But I wouldn't go back for anything. IMO smoking was worse for me than obesity.

    BUT unfortunately you can't make or even help your family quit. My ex husband and father of my kids died from smoking related condition. My current husband still smokes as do most of our kids, something I hate with all my being. All I can do is set a good example and hope they come to their senses before it is too late.

    and if you set store by such things, The Farmer's Almanac lists 2 best days each month to quit smoking, start a diet, etc!
  • kayl3igh88
    kayl3igh88 Posts: 428 Member
    thank you all for the information. I'm trying to quit smoking as well as losing weight. Can both be done at the same time? or am I just doing everything too quickly? :cry:

    I quit smoking before trying to lose weight as alot of people tend to eat their way out of wanting a cigarette :ohwell: But that shouldn't stop you from trying it first, you can always try a different approach if it dosn't work the way you want it to :flowerforyou:
  • JodieElijah
    JodieElijah Posts: 136 Member
    thank you all for the information. I'm trying to quit smoking as well as losing weight. Can both be done at the same time? or am I just doing everything too quickly? :cry:

    You can definitely do both at the same time :smile: I did!! But... you have to be truly dedicated. I actually ended up putting on about 5kgs during the first month. Thats something that you'd need to watch out for. But i'm fine now :smile:

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