Tips for quitting?

[veg*nfrog]

Anyone out there quit smoking? I'm trying to quit (cutting back). I've tried many times before, even once going 10 wks without and stupidly starting again. I'm very healthy other than this disgusting habit but I just cannot seem to quit once and for all. Any suggestions?

[orangutan]

i'm trying to quit right now as well... again... for about the tenth time. i'm not any help, but i'd love some advice as well.

[AuroraLily]

I've heard that looking at the times of day and reasons that you are smoking can help. Then substitute or rearrange your schedule so you are not in situations were you usually smoke. Also, think about how much money you'll save if you are not buying cigarettes. Decide to put that money towards something you really want.
Some people work with positive reinforcements, others with negative such as looking at pictures of dirty lungs or imagining having lung cancer.

If you want to brake a habit, you have to replace it with another one. Think about it. Think about why you smoke, when you smoke, with whom you smoke, etc.

[808veggie]

You know it's been 2 years since I quit smoking and what finally did it for me (don't yell) was my asthma finally getting so flared up over smoking that I ended up in the hospital a week before my bday for 3 days. I decided that that was it-I was destroying my body and luckily I quit in Nov and found out in Feb I was pregnant, so it was a blessing in disguise! But each person has their own struggle-i want a cig almost everyday literally, but I won't let myself do it.

[Bankruptor]

Quitting smoking is a piece of cake, I've done it MANY times . . . :D

Ok, I'm going to quit AGAIN Jan 1, this time for good. I dare say that I'm as addicted to nicotine as anyone here, having smoked off and on for 30 years, and presently I'm at 2 packs a day. The last time I quit I lasted for over 2 years, but succombed in a weak and drunken moment, which won't happen this time.

Here's some advice, if you care to hear it from someone who presently smokes like a train. This is the best advice I've found over the years and it's what I plan to use when I quit again.

1. This "I'm cutting back" stuff doesn't get it. You are as bad an addict as any junkie or alcoholic and you can't "just cut back". You either smoke or you don't. Period. When you quit, QUIT. Don't ever pick up the first one, for it shall not be your last.

2. Before you quit, clean out all the ashtrays, get rid of all tobacco in your home (ALL of it, the primo Cuban cigars, butts in ashtrays, even dad's old pipe tobacco pouch). Be sure to not forget your car, there will likely be a cigarette or two fallen down in between the seats or some butts in your ashtray.

3. Get the patches, the strong ones. Put one on when you wake up on your first smoke free day and keep it on all day until you get ready for bed. The patches say to wear them to sleep but I can't do it, they give me nightmares. I take them off before I go to bed and slap on a new one when I wake up. They DO help. Also, my Doc says to try Zyban, but I don't think I'm going to myself. You might want to consider it, but I've never tried it so I can't say.

4. Get some Sudafed or other sinus medication. When the cilia in your lungs starts coming back to life your body will start to kick all sorts of trash out of your system and you'll likely get a headcold from the congestion that could last for a couple of weeks. Also you'll likely get a cough, but it's normal, it's your lungs coming back to life and cleansing themselves.

5. Don't smoke pot. It's got more nicotine than tobacco and you'll quickly become reliant on pot for your nicotine, resulting in staying stoned all the time. I know that some of you do that anyway, and quitting pot might be tougher than tobacco, but you've got to do it if you plan to succeed with ceasing tobacco use. After a few months if you decide to smoke a little pot be careful because you'll find that your FIRST craving isn't for food but a cigarette, and you'll be pretty weak and vulnerable while buzzed.

6. Don't hang around smokers. They will be your undoing, even if they don't mean to be. It will be pure torture. If you can't quit hanging out in bars, try to sit in a nonsmoking area. Keep in mind that drinking also reduces your willpower, and when you combine that with being around smokers you're a failure looking for somewhere to land. Stay home and drink if you need to drink, where you can't get access to any tobacco (see #2 above).

7. I've found that the worst cravings will pass after about 30 days, but even after 2 years mine didn't go completely away, and even strong ones came in spurts, especially when I was around other smokers while drinking. Be prepared for that, and don't give in, EVER.

I know I've said it but it bears repeating. You either smoke or you don't. No ifs, ands or butts :D . Don't even smoke the first one. Ever again.

Good luck!

[Gracie]

Great advice, Bankruptor! I quit 6 years ago, after smoking heavily for 20 years. The patches made a huge difference for me.

One of the things that I hated about smoking was that I knew it made me smell terrible. So I promised myself I could buy anything I wanted that smelled good--perfume, incense, bath salts--absolutely anything!

There was something else I did that really helped me, although everybody makes fun of me for it. I thought of quitting as "breaking up" with my cigs, and wrote them breakup letters--stuff like, "Dear cigs, I used to love you, but you're just not good for me," or "Cigs, you've always been there for me, but I have to move on."

Yeah, it sounds silly, but it really helped me break the dependence I felt.

It's hard, but you can do it, and it will be the best thing you've ever done. Good luck!

[Artichoke47]

Bankruptor covered many things, but I have a few more:

Do not drink any alcohol IF you will be tempted to light up when you drink.

Exercise regularly. Being out of breath after 5 minutes on the treadmill is enough to convince me to take care of myself.

Eat well. When you feel that you overall are taking care of your body, it makes it that much easier to take care of the internal parts, too.

Spend the money you're saving on something you love, or "allow" yourself to spend $1,000 on whatever you want for every year since you quit. I had a nice little shopping spree last year... (woo-hoo)

Good luck. Your body will thank you!

[irongrl]

Gracie,
I don't think that's silly at all. When I quit I felt the same way. I felt I was losing my best
friend when I quit smoking (10 years ago). One phrase I used to tell myself, when I was
struggling was that cigarettes were not my friends. The other phrase/mantra I would say to myself was something like "I'm not going to let a cigarette tell me what to do!"
I also chewed on cinammon sticks and started running. Running is what really healed me
of my addiction to cigs.



There was something else I did that really helped me, although everybody makes fun of me for it. I thought of quitting as "breaking up" with my cigs, and wrote them breakup letters--stuff like, "Dear cigs, I used to love you, but you're just not good for me," or "Cigs, you've always been there for me, but I have to move on."

Yeah, it sounds silly, but it really helped me break the dependence I felt.

[Pixelle]

5. Don't smoke pot. It's got more nicotine than tobacco and you'll quickly become reliant on pot for your nicotine, resulting in staying stoned all the time. I know that some of you do that anyway, and quitting pot might be tougher than tobacco, but you've got to do it if you plan to succeed with ceasing tobacco use. After a few months if you decide to smoke a little pot be careful because you'll find that your FIRST craving isn't for food but a cigarette, and you'll be pretty weak and vulnerable while buzzed.

Sorry to have to correct you on this Bankruptor but it's important to point out that marijhuana does NOT contain any nicotine. It does contain tar though.


I gave up smoking 11 years ago on my first attempt which was lucky. Actually I don't think luck had much to do with it...more like a lot of willpower!

I had 3 pieces of nicotine chewing gum which someone gave me for the first day but the rest of it was basically cold turkey. It wasn't easy for sure, but it also wasn't as bad as I was expecting. Summoning up the willpower is probably the hardest part.

After about 2 weeks it was completely out of my system with no problems. My alcohol consumption went up slightly as a substitute for smoking but that levelled out again after a short while. I don't think I could've got through it though if it wasn't for chewing gum (ordinary...not nicotine). I went through a truck load of it! It really helped me when I had cravings and stopped me hoeing into food in a big way. Maybe it could work for you.

The other things I had to watch out for, like the others have mentioned, were being around other smokers and giving into cravings whilst drinking alcohol. I found both of those the hardest.

Goog luck to you Veg*n frog.....you can do it!! :yes:

[Bankruptor]

Sorry to have to correct you on this Bankruptor but it's important to point out that marijhuana does NOT contain any nicotine. It does contain tar though.


Wow, really? I had always heard the opposite. I'll have to do some checking on this, thanks! :)

[veg*nfrog]

Thanks for all your suggestions!! I'm cutting back in preparation to stop althogether. Getting down to 5 cigs a day then stopping sounds better than 20-30 a day and stopping. Lowering nic addiction.

My downfall in ALL the attempts I've made has been hanging out with smokers. I'll do well for weeks even (nic is supposed to be out of your system in 72 hrs?). Then hang out with a friend who smokes, have a drink or two, and become convinced that I can have "just one". Which is utter BS, I know. It's difficult to stay away from friends that smoke (I have several) for a long period though. I guess it would be better just to meet at a nonsmoking restraunt and part after that. Stop the temptation.

I've been a runner for several years. 6.5 miles, 4 days a week. Smoking makes it more labored though. Need to clear out lungs!! It disappoints me that over the last few months I've been unable to increase my distance and even some days have had to walk for short distances (never been an issue before).

Also, a big problem with me quitting has been the extremely sore throat that I get within hours of not having a cig. That area in your throat between your nose and mouth--burning. What cold meds. are vegan? I looked at some of the liquids today, they had glycerine (unknown where animal or vege). Also many pills have gelatin. Finding something to ease the pain ( herbal tea and water just don't do it) would certainly help. THanks.

I've tried the patch before but it makes me feel nauseated. Nicotine is supposted to be out of your system in three days, so if I can hold on for that long I feel it's better than prolonging the dependency for weeks. The problem after that is an issue of habit, oral fixation.

I don't smoke pot....anymore (2 yrs). It was much easier to stop, for me anyway, than cigarettes.

So Wednesday is my quit date. I can do this. Water. Cold med. Relaxation. Stay AWAY from smokers. Run. Rest. I can do this. Tea. I do not want to die of lung cancer. I am healthy. I can do this. I can deal with stress in a more productive way.

[Gracie]

I forgot to mention something else I read when I was quitting. Every "failed" effort to quit just increases the chances that you will be successful in later attempts. So, don't be too hard on yourself about those other times you've tried to quit. Those tries will help make you successful this time!

[spud]

Oh my karma caught up with me in this thread. I smoked all my life, gave up for 14 months, then started again 3 weeks ago. Because I was hanging out with smokers in the summer at work, I used to have one puff occasionally for fun[sick I know] Then the crunch came, my dear husband came in and said "hey look - I found a packet of tobacco under the seat in the van" I snatched it out of his hand like a heroin addict might and I'm down the pan now. Arggh. I hate myself. I'm going to quit this week.
Everything Bank said is right, the thing about dope [for anyone else reading this]is that it's usually mixed in with tobacco and when the dope/grass whatever dries up the tobacco craving remains. It did for me when I was in my 20's, I'd quit for 4 years that time.

Also helpful, for me anyway, 1) if I'm going really crazy, I clap my hands, make music, it sort of loses that hand fiddling around lost feeling.
2) if someone thinks you 'can't' do it, well, that winds me up something chronic and makes me think I bloody well will do it to prove them wrong.

3) remembering that my next door neighbour and friend died of lung cancer last May, aged 52. I saw her up until the last days of her life and it was a piteous sight watching her body failing as the cancer spread.

[ninypants1]

My bf and I are quitting too...well planning on it :p We both quit last year for like 2 months. We went cold turkey. Ate a lot of candy and Halls. It really wasn't that hard at first...but then we were at a party and bla bla bla.

One thing that makes it easier is to start the day w/out a cig. And try to sleep as late as possible. That way, a lot of the hard part of the nic. getting out of your system is done while you're sleeping.

I think I will try some of the other suggestions too. Cold meds, water, exercise...great tips!! Thanks!

Good luck to you and anyone else quitting! :)

[MsRuthieB]

Go look up some pictures of different types of cancers..the ones that are clearly visible from the outside. Like lip, toungue, general cancer of the mouth. Then look at what the animals are forced to endure in the testing process. Then look at how much profit is made vs. how many people are dieing directly from smoking. Don't forget to look at cancer rates of non smokers who live with smokers then look over at your child, spouse whoever lives with you an apologize to them for helping to make them sick. I know, it may be over the top, but sugar coating it ain't helping. Do all of this before you quit in an attempt to get your mind right. That is the key to staying off.

I started at about 12 or 13. Quit in November of 2002 after about 7 or so trys. I smoked for about 7400 days of my life, at an average of say $2 a pack. I've spent almost $15000 on cigs. What do I have to show for it? A very small lump in my breast that's being monitored every three months while the docs contemplate whether it would be more beneficial to leave it or remove it. A few years ago I went through a total hysterectomy due to ovarian tumors and tumors in my fallopian tubes. The cancer scare that prompted the hysterectomy wasn't enough to get me to quit. The scare of the breast cancer was.

Do yourself a favor and really get your mind settled on the fact that you are a non smoker before you even quit.

Repeat after me: "I AM A NON SMOKER. I AM A NON SMOKER. I AM A NON SMOKER." Feel your brain being reprogrammed??

[WonderRandy]

I quit on New Year's 2000 after 14 years of smoking. I'm coming up on 4 years Smoke Free!!

A lot of the tips here worked for me. heres how I did it.

*be gentle with yourself. forgive yourself for all the times you tried to quit. remember why you want to do this. You are about to attempt knocking one of the strongest addictions known. they say it's worse than heroin to kick.

*Cut back first. at least 2 weeks before your actual quit date start cutting back gradually. I started by increasing the interval between cigs. 'I just had a cigarette, I can have another in 45 minutes" ".... 1 hour" "...1 1/2 hour". I found that I couldn't break the 3 hour mark tho... I needed a dose of nicotine. So I started smoking just half a cig, then a third of a cig. by the end, 2-3 cigs would get me thru the day.

*Nicotine replacement therapy. I used the gum. there are other options. yes, the nicotine leaves your system after 72 hours, but your body's need (or supposed need) for the nicotine takes weeks to overcome. Your body's chemistry has been seriously altered by prolonged nicotine abuse, and it will take some time to re-adjust. about a week into my 'cut-back phase' I started replacing the occasional cigarette with nicotine gum, the lowest strength available. I needed to get my brain used to getting nicotine from another source. after i quit, i ended up being hooked on the gum. no prob! it's not a cigarette, so it's okay! and I just started cutting back on the gum and replacing it with non-nicotine gum. I would cut the nic gum into tiny pieces and chew those with a stick of regular gum. that process went on for about a month. If I needed a piece of gum I would chew it. no questions asked.

*Nutritional support. Take your vitamins! your system is gonna be so outa whack, that you wont be able to think straight. Make sure you are eating well, and taking LOTS of supplements. your body will need them to do the hard work of detoxifying. there are specific vitamins involved, but I dont remember what they are. just take lots. And drink detox teas to help flush the stuff out. Drink LOTS of water, way more than usual.

*Mood elevators. Take St John's Wort. drink chamomile tea. smoke pot. (I know, it's controversial, but I found that smoking SOMETHING, ANYTHING was helpful. ) exercise. Breathe. remind yourself how good it feels to breathe.

*dont get hung up on FOREVER. it's so absolute that people freak out and give up way too early. I promised myself that on any New Year's Eve for the rest of my life, I'm allowed to have ONE cigarette. Haven't wanted one yet, doubt that I ever will. But I can if I want, no guilt.

*Craving resources. Have several different tactics available to work thru a craving. Breathe. run. candy. gum. video games. reading. writing. eating. cooking. whatever works for YOU. the breathing trick isnt' gonna work every time. fine, try something else. I like to borrow someones unlit cigarette and smell the tobacco. mmmmmmmm..... still do that.

*stay away from bars, especially at first. nuf said

*Be prepared. about 3-4 months into it, I developed a pretty severe chemical depression. my brain chemistry was still adjusting, and I went thru a bad phase. remind yourself, that this too will pass. it's only a part of the chemical process in your brain. it's not you, its your chemistry.

*Emotional support. You need your friends and family behind you on this. you're gonna get bitchy, and they need to know whats going on, and not give you any grief. you're gonna need lots of hugs.

*online support. there are lots of resources online to help you out. support groups, medical advice, etc. start with www.quitnet.com is a GREAT place to start

Good luck to you!!! I hope this helps!! You can do this! Quitting smoking was the HARDEST thing I've ever done! getting thru that made me realize just how incredibly strong and powerful I really am!!! you can do this!!

peace love and many groovies
Randy

[spud]

I am a non smoker I quit two hours ago... I hope.

[WonderRandy]

I am non-smoker I am a non smoker iamanonsmoker

someone offers you a cigarette?

"nope! I don't smoke!" :D

what a good feeling!!!!

[dawngirl]

:up: Spud.

I've been trying to quit AGAIN for a long time. My last successful attempt was 4+ years ago and I managed to stop for 2 years, but started again when I began dating a smoker. My last unsuccessful attempt was back in August, I even made a public declaration here on the boards. I made it three days without a cig until I went out one night with some friends and well, the rest is history.

I've been considering giving quitting a go again, mostly because of how I feel at this very moment. I went out last night and I realized when I got up this morning that it wasn't so much the dozen beers I drank that is hurting me this morning, it's the oxygen deprivation from the two packs of cigarettes my friend and I smoked. A cigarette hangover is the worst.

Also, I took a shower this morning, scrubbed my body from head to toe, put on clean clothes, and all I can smell is cigarette smoke. EWWW ICK.....I just discovered where it's coming from. My jacket is hanging out in the hall and I just walked by PU!!! It smells like someone used it for an ashtray. EWWW, is that how I smell after I smoke....GROSS. No wonder my shirt smells like I wore it to the bar last night.

Thanks to all of you that have shared success stories. You give me a new inspiration, so does my stinkin' jacket.

[gentlemoose]

Gracie,
I don't think that's silly at all. When I quit I felt the same way. I felt I was losing my best
friend when I quit smoking (10 years ago). One phrase I used to tell myself, when I was
struggling was that cigarettes were not my friends. The other phrase/mantra I would say to myself was something like "I'm not going to let a cigarette tell me what to do!"
I also chewed on cinammon sticks and started running. Running is what really healed me
of my addiction to cigs.

Running helped me a great deal, too. I went from a pack a day of cloves to nothing overnight, started running a month later, and a month after that, completed a 10 mile run :) Nice and slow-like, mind you.

[Strix]

Veg*nFrog, good luck to you. My dad tried hypnosis and it did work, but it took a few attempts. It was only when he truly wanted to stop that it worked. It's been 20 years and he will rarely get a craving, but it still comes once in a while -- amazing. It's usually when he's around smoke. But, for the most part, the cravings are not major and it's a breeze get over. But he *knows* if he ever takes a puff, it's all over.
Good luck!

[spud]

I'm still a non smoker so far- going to the pub is a definate nono tonight

[orangutan]

I am a non smoker I quit two hours ago... I hope.

lol. i just quit about an hour ago. i'm completely out of cigarettes now, and all i have to do is throw out all of the old butts... i'd probably be tempted to pick up a half-done cig and smoke it. i'm a non-smoker, i'm a non-smoker, i'm a non-smoker...

[Peebs]

5. Don't smoke pot. It's got more nicotine than tobacco and you'll quickly become reliant on pot for your nicotine, resulting in staying stoned all the time. I know that some of you do that anyway, and quitting pot might be tougher than tobacco, but you've got to do it if you plan to succeed with ceasing tobacco use. After a few months if you decide to smoke a little pot be careful because you'll find that your FIRST craving isn't for food but a cigarette, and you'll be pretty weak and vulnerable while buzzed.


This is completely untrue. Marijuana has no nicotine in it. Its effects on the brain are completely different from that of tobacco.

Some people may have trouble quitting tobacco if they smoke marijuana because many people smoke tobacco after using marijuana, so there is a mental association between the two.

[4EverGrounded]

Ok, here's my method for quitting smoking. Granted, it may not be for everyone, but it certainlly worked for me. Understand that I was one of those people that loved to smoke. I loved every cig I lit, I loved every drag I took and I loved every blowout I did. Smoking was pure enjoyment for me but it was also killing me slowly.

The first thing I did was I figured out how long I could last between cigs which was about 3 hours. If I met that 3 hour mark without lighting up, I would say to myself "ok, you've lasted 3 hours. Let's see if you can go for 4" and so on. Once I made 12+, I knew I was very nearly to my non-smoking goal. That took several days to get to, because I kept falling back and lighting up.

The other thing I did is that if one of my friends lit up in my presence, I wouldn't move or tell them to put it out, I would stay there, acting like nothing was happening and would remain as calm as I could through my nik-fittings. On the outside, I looked like nothing was bothering me, but on the inside, I was screaming bluddy mad murder and wanting to chew up the walls. I wouldn't allow myself to even tense up; I had to remain calm, cool, and collected or I had to start from the beginning which was my 3 hours mark. I also did this when I was alone and nik-fitting badly. I would make my breathing relax and I would keep repeating in my mind "I'm a non-smoker. I'm a non-smoker". If friends noticed that I wasn't lighting up, I would say something like "oh, I don't want one right now." which was true; I didn't want one because I didn't want to have to go back to that beginning square of 3 hours between cigs and I would never allow myself to say "I'm quitting smoking" because I wanted to share my news after the fact and after I beat this thing, head-on not during the fact of my non-smoking hood happening.

Also, since the lungs tend to clear out that old nicotine in the way of coughing up phlem, I would let myself cough up and spit out whatever came up. It wasn't pretty and I was sure that it wasn't normal to produce that many colors but each time something came up, I got rid of it immediately because that was old cr@p that my lungs needed to rid itself of. I also drank tons of water because it not only helped me combat that "hand to mouth" problem, it also helped me re-hydrate because it seems that I've read cigs dehydrates a person.

I told myself that if I could last 3 days without a cig (and without having to go back to the beginning), then, I was on my way to being a true non-smoker. If I lasted 3 weeks without going back to start, then I told myself that my habit was broken for good and if I went a whole month without lighting up, then, I could truthfully say "I've kicked the habit" and that was the moment I told my family and friends that I'm truely a non-smoker and have been for a while (incidentally, I didn't tell anyone until I was almost 6 months into my new non-smoker ways). :D

It's been 4 years now and I have to say that even though quitting was the hardest thing I've ever done (even though I made it look rediculously easy), it was also the best thing I've ever done for myself.

Best of luck to you and remember, we're here for you so don't be afraid to ask for support if you need it. :yes: