How did you quit smoking?

[JKelley]

As bad as smoking is for the body- which is no secret- its equally as enjoyable for the mind and senses- otherwise who would do it? That enjoyability is what made it difficult for me to stop...and there was certainly a chemical addiction that I was constantly reminded of for the first 3 weeks or so of being smoke free. I smoked for about 10 yrs, at times upwards of 2 packs a day but when I quit I'd whittled it down to about 2 packs a week as I was preparing myself to stop. I tried pills and patches in the past to no avail, certainly gald to read about those methods working for other folks...for me the best method was to just stop.

Two things I'd have to say were the most difficult: being a non smoker who's closest friends all smoke, and the first 3 weeks. I combatted these issues by keeping a pack in the house and my logic was this: if I'm serious about quitting, I should be able to drink with my friends without asking to bum a smoke AND I should be able to look that pack in the eye and choose not to have one- since after all- I chose quit. I've heard people say that its as difficult as quitting heroin and having worked with heroin addicts I think that's a load of bulls**t...but it's a very difficult thing to quit, kudos & more power to all who wish to and have done so. I've been a quitter for a little over a year now.

 

[beergears]

Don't think I'll go the hypnotist route, they kinda freak me out. I don't want to end up barking like a chicken every time someone says bullwinkle

See a trained professional.

I did, some years ago, 20 minute session. Not a freaky thing at all, you are always in control and vividly "present" and actively involved, actually.

Afterwards, it is recommended to NOT touch objects related to smoking for a while (clean up house, car, work desk beforehand!)

Typical two-three weeks of withdrawal time from the addiction. The session was expensive, BTW, but worth it.

 

[Kevin Dean]

I have to mostly agree with kornkob. I was smoking about 2.5 packs a day and enjoyed it, the buzz and all that.

A little over a year ago now, I began feeling the effects of smoking. It got so bad I decided I'd quit, I bought a box of patches and slapped them on.

Two hours in I realized I had smokers habits... My hand would drift to the left where I kept my smokes so I replaced that with sugar free (cause I wanted my teeth if I had a candy as often as a smoke) life savers just to reassociate the habit.

A week into it I wasn't reaching for the pack, I couldn't tell time by my urge to get out of my chair at work and I took the patch off after day 7 and was done.

Quitting smoking step 1: Want to quit. This doesn't mean "want to save money" or "want not to piss off my wife". It means wanting to NOT smoke MORE than wanting to smoke. Drugs, patches, hynotism, meditation or shock therapy will fail outright if you don't want that.

Step 2: Be aware of your habits. Breaking smoking triggers is much more important than stopping the nicotine.

 

[niquejim]

30 years( hard to believe it's that long) just quit 5 weeks ago.

 

[Demon]

30 years( hard to believe it's that long) just quit 5 weeks ago.

Congrats, for me the first couple weeks were the hardest.

 

[RCannin]

If you snore (like i did) or still have your tonsils, you could do like I did and go in for surgery! haha, I had my tonsils removed and my sinuses "drilled" out to stop snoring and not get so many colds, etc. Anyways, during the recovery time you will want anything but a smoke, trust me. Its been 2 weeks, no withdrawl whatsoever (and I withdrawl baddd when I quit.) Kill a couple birds with the same stone right?

 

[JohnnyO]

I would venture to guess that many of the people that originally posted in this thread have picked up since this was first posted.

I quit over two years ago on 6/15/07. I don't have many urges though, but I get tested from time to time.

I quit using the patch and the gum over three months. I think one of the biggest helps for me was that I was not around smokers much at all anymore, socially or at work.

 

[Joos]

Also I think a big key is you have to want to quit. I mean if you don't want to quit and just go into it reluctantly you will find excuses and start up again.

When I quit ready. I was tired of all the money I spent, tired of the stained fingers, tired of hacking up half a lung in morning, tired of being a slave to cigarettes.

One of the best things I ever did for myself.

+1million I have tried because in MA they are $8 + a pack now.I just love smoking so I don't really want to quit.I'll go a while without it and then(like most people here) I drink 1 too many and just say F it I want one.

 

[zman]

This is what I used. It took a few tries though. Working out also helps.


The Easy Way To Quit Smoking Allen Carr .pdf Ebook Download

 

[Joos]

thats the second time someone mentioned the book.So whats the secret?

 

[zman]

thats the second time someone mentioned the book.So whats the secret?

The Brittish have this uncanny way of making you feel like an ass for doing something wrong. It is in subtle intellectual re assuring kinda way

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Quitting smoking step 1: Want to quit. This doesn't mean "want to save money" or "want not to piss off my wife". It means wanting to NOT smoke MORE than wanting to smoke. Drugs, patches, hynotism, meditation or shock therapy will fail outright if you don't want that.

This is the hardest part for me and the reason I've never really tried to quit. I like smoking.

And I'm not sure if I could quit without also quitting beer.

If/when I do quit I think the only way that will work for me is to just quit cold-turkey. I'm pretty sure I could do it...IF I really wanted to quit. But I don't.

 

[Dwain]

Man, let me tell you. I am a nicotine freak. I could smoke a cigar, chew Levi Garrett, and dip Skoal all at the same time and loved it. I did all forms of tobacco for 15 years (started about 15), motly smoked, quit cold turkey for about 5 years, started again when I started paying child support. This time I smoked for about 3 years. I quit using Zyban. I started taking it and after 30 days hadn't cut down from 1 - 2 packs a day. After about 34 days, I realized I hadn't smoked all day, so I did. Didn't think about it and didn't smoke another one. Until about 5 years later, just picked one up. Smoked for about 2 years. Took Zyban again and it didn't do anything after 4 months. So I quit cold turkey again. This time, it's been about 3 years. I almost never have any problems around smokers or even in bars. I don't get retarded drunk anymore so it's not like I'm going to wake up with a pack in my pocket. If I'm out and I feel the urge, I leave the setting. If I'm in my shop, and some one wants to smoke, they ask me. Normally, I'm OK, but every now and then. All of my smoking friends know I have bad days and are very supportive. Another friendly little off shoot of this is the fact that at about 45, it got really hard to lose weight. So now, it's a daily struggle to work out. I lost my Mother to lung cancer about 9 years ago, heavy smoker. So that has been an incentive. I've heard heroin addicts say that it was harder to quit smoking than heroin. I wrote this for you Red. If someone else gets a start out of it, great. It has been harder to stay off of cigarettes than anything else I've ever done, except forgive myself when I would slip. If you are truly addicted, it is a battle. Just like people that have an occasional drink can't understand someone losing everything for a bottle, most can't understand this addiction. A final note, go have your lungs checked. If you don't have any problems that can't be corrected, do whatever you have to do to quit. If you're already headed down the other road, get your affairs in order as a favor to your family. Good Luck - Dwain

P.S. Any updates?

 

[phillc]

Cold turkey. Willpower. I tried all of the other gimmicks and found them to be BS crutches. If you don't really want to quit, you won't.

Over two years since my last one. The cravings get less and less as time passes. After the first year for me, I had about 1 craving a month. Now, probably about every 6 months. They pass in moments.

Good luck!