Quitting smoking....

J_Tweedy

J_Tweedy

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Pretty straightfoward.....or not.
Any tried and true methods for any of you out there? It's a disgusting habit i want to get rid of. I'm finding it hard.
Tips? Strategies? Advice?
Thanks.
 
Da patch.

It's expensive, but it helped me a whoooooole lot.
 
Ive heard it's not the nicotine craving that's the worst part (that goes in a couple of weeks....?) it's the getting off the habit of actually lighting up when you normally would.
 
The best way to give up smoking?

STOP.
Go cold turkey if you have to.
Find something to replace the displacement activity that you associate with cigarettes (sweets, chewing gum etc)
After 2-3 weeks, you won't want to smoke again.
 
One reason is the money thing, so cold turkey will have to do- cant really afford substitutes. 2-3 weeks you say? I can do that.
 
My friend cut himself until he stopped. I'm still debating wether that's a healthy alternative.

My dad quit when my mom was pregnant by going cold turkey. I guess if you have a lot of will-power and a good reason, it shouldn't be too hard.
 
Quitting smoking is v.hard, good luck with it. I haven't managed it myself yet, so let me know how you get on and clue me in on any decent hints n tips.

Good luck man
 
cheers guys, im determined as i was last time...haha. But this is it.
 
I stopped smoking on the 15th of September 2003 after smoking for about 10 years. Best way to stop is cold turkey imo. Patches are shit, gum is shit and those inhalers are shit. Unless you're really determined to stop I'd probably not bother too.

One thing I did find that helped was getting a photo of my Grandad and putting it on my desk (he was a guy who smoked for 50 years and died of throat cancer) and everytime I got the urge I looked at this piccie and thought to myself "i'm doing this for you pops". It takes 72 hours for your body to clean all the nicotine out that's running through your blood steam so at 72 hours you basically hit rock bottom. If you can stick it out till then trust me it does get better. The worst part probably is changing your habits... I mean for example on the walk to University I'd have a cigarette at a specific point on the journey every day and changing that habbit sucked. If you do find yourself getting a craving too I find that it's always good to go and do something like get a drink.. (drinking lots of water during your downtime is good).

Anyway, if you're determined, Good Luck! :)
 
cheers man, that's a cool story bout your grandad (how he helped you after he died i mean).
 
Gosh...I smoked for a few years..so it wasn't anything like your guys's 10 years. But the funny thing is..I just decided to stop smoking..threw my stolen pack o' cigarettes away...and that was that. I was shocked when people were like "OMG I CANT QUIT!" cause I thought it was rather ez. Oh well, I got off lucky *whew*
 
Next time you get sick use it to your advantage and quit cold turkey, be ready to gain weight though.
 
Snort coke? Um, I have never been addicted to the stuff but I have several friends that quit it using the patch.
 
I've been smoking for about four years now and I've also started to think about quitting. The good cigarettes have become too few and far between, and my coughing has become an unpleasantry I'm sick of at this point.

Problem is I don't think I'm going to be quitting for a while. And since I lack willpower, I'm probably gonna get the patch. Thing is, it's really not an issue with physical craving. As has been said before, it's the habit. There places where I always have a cigarette, like on certain long stretches of road or right when I get off the tram.
 
Don't start in the first place.

If that fails, find other ways to occupy your mind from the smoking, eg get a new bad habit like chewing gum :)

Remember it takes a conscience effort to goto the shop to buy cigarettes, so just don't do it. Tell your friends not to offer you any cigarettes.
 
All so true. KIDDIES DONT EVEN START SMOKING! Im not doubting you kirovman, you're completely right about the conscience effort thing, and i don't know if you were or are a smoker, but although it sounds simple, it just isn't. I remember looking at smokers as a kid, thinking, 'how could they do that knowing the damage it causes, not to mention that ther's a message telling you it'l kill you on the pack and in your face!' but i dont know, it's wierd how your perception changes I guess.
 
I personally started when I was drunk. I don't regret it, because it actually allowed me to make some friends through simple actions such as smoking together or lending a cigarette. If I had never started, I don't think I really would have gotten to know them.

As for warnings on the pack, I think Denis Leary said it best.

"Like the problem is we just haven't noticed yet. Right? Like he's going to get his way and all of the sudden smokers around the world are going to be going, "Yeah, Bill, I've got some cigarettes.. HOLY SHIT! These things are bad for you! Shit, I thought they were good for you! I thought they had Vitamin C in them and stuff!" You ****ing dolt! Doesn't matter how big the warnings are. You could have cigarettes that were called the warnings. You could have cigarrets that come in a black pack, with a skull and a cross bone on the front, called tumors and smokers would be lined up around the block going, "I can't wait to get my hands on these ****ing things! I bet you get a tumor as soon as you light up! Numm Numm Numm Numm Numm" Doesn't matter how big the warnings are or how much they cost. Keep raising the prices, we'll break into your houses to get the ****ing cigarettes, ok!? They're a drug, we're addicted, ok!? Numm Numm Numm Numm Numm *wheeze*"

Frankly, I their impact on me is minimal because of the stupid mixed messages they give off. Smoke Parisienne! Taste the flavor of the world! Life starts now! Enjoy the great taste (insert image of attractive people on the beach having a good time). WARNING: SMOKING WILL DEVOUR YOUR LUNGS AND EAT YOUR CHILDREN.
 
It's funny I tred to give up probably 10 times over a few years and 9 of those times I was saying outwardly to people "yeah, I've had enough, I'm gonna quit" and inwardly I was totally doubting myself making 'back up plans' just incase I failed and needed a cigarette quickly.

The one time I suceeded in giving up it was almost effortless. I mean sure it took a bit of thought and making sure I was reminding myself of all the reasons I was giving up, but cold turkey I found it pretty easy and after a week I was feeling really proud telling people how long it'd been since I last had a smoke.

Even now I still think back to smoking and have 'happy memories' i.e. those cigarettes you'd have after a Sunday meal, which felt like a 'treat', but I also think about all the money I've saved, the fact that my house doesn't stink, the fact that my roof isn't yellow, the fact that I've been able to buy a new PC and go on holiday since I gave up smoking at no extra cost, etc.

The _only_ negative that I can think of regarding giving up is the fact that I was 13.5 stone when I gave up and now I'm 15.5 stone, but I am 6" 1' so I do hide it pretty well.
 
Craig raises a good point. When you quit you have to be aware that inside your mind you will be trying to convince yourself that it is ok to "cheat". You will constantly find yourself saying things like "I'll just have one more and then I am done". As long as you can fight this you should be ok.

In my opinion the third day is the worst as you have not only the mental addiction, but the physical nicotine addiction to deal with as well. Personally I got thru this time by drinking heavily until I passed out, but that strategy is not for everybody. The nice thing is that after 72 hours it does start to get (slightly) easier each day until eventually you don't even stress over it anymore.
 
friends. I would try to avoid their occasions of smoking at least initially. Tell them not to let you have a cigarette no matter what. no matter what. I would also take up some physical activity that you probably couldn't do as a smoker. like running or biking or swimming. exercise i think really helps. you feel good about being healthy and are less likely to pollute your body.
 
Adidajs said:
friends. I would try to avoid their occasions of smoking at least initially. Tell them not to let you have a cigarette no matter what. no matter what. I would also take up some physical activity that you probably couldn't do as a smoker. like running or biking or swimming. exercise i think really helps. you feel good about being healthy and are less likely to pollute your body.
Click to expand...

Absolutley essential. I think this is probably one of the major things that means people who quit ultimatley fail. I might add if it wasn't for my friends support while giving up I would probably be a smoker again, because when I got pissed initially after giving up (when my concience was at an all time low) I usually started pestering people for a pull on their cigs and my mates always stoped me.
 
yeah I quit last november, and cold turkey is the only way to go... But you have to want to do it for yourself otherwise you won't make it. Thats just how it is, you have to really want to quit.
 
you could make a pro/con list of the implications of quitting. If you really want to quit your pro reasons will be longer than the con. It's just another way to determine if you really want to quit and it's not some outer pressure. You have to ask yourself, "is it really worth it?" personally, i think it's a no brainer. Sure you don't look as cool with a cigarette in your hand, or can really hang outside of the lecture hall puffing on a fag, but hey it's your health, and your clothes don't smell as bad, you have better breath, food tastes better(apparently smoking hinders the taste buds), etc. See, i made a list for myself. you can do it.
 
Cold turkey did it for me!



mm... turkey... sandwiches...
/me drools.
 
If you cant stop smoking you are weak and diserve to die. Not only because you are weak but because you hurt other people/animals/probably plants by smoking near them.
 
GoJan said:
If you cant stop smoking you are weak and diserve to die. Not only because you are weak but because you hurt other people/animals/probably plants by smoking near them.
Click to expand...

Somebody didn't catch the short bus on time.
 
Yeah, sh*t that was a heads-up for sure! lol.
Ok, thanks for all the constructive advice guys- really helped.
 
Hmmmm, need tips to stop smoking? Linky.

I haven't tried it myself, but I've heard it works.











I'm sorry.
 
Well, my Dad quit right before I was born. The secret: tootsie rolls.

From my perspective (since my Mom, Dad, step Mom, Grandpa, friends, family all smoke), the nicotene ins't the only addiction. It's the habit of having something in your mouth/between your lips. You're used to having that thing in your mouth for a good part of the day.

It's like me and the computer... there may NOTHING to do on here, but I am anyways because I so used to being on the PC.

...

Is there a PC patch I can take?
 
I smoked for 3 years, pack a day maybe more. My record was I smoked a pack under 3 hours.

I used that nicorette gum because I never got a craving when I had candy or gum in my mouth. I only used it for around 2 weeks but it worked. I gave the leftover gum to my friend who wants to quit but most likely won't.

I only gained a few pounds but soon lost that after joining the local gym.

Now the ironic thing is that I work for a Cigarette Wholesaler/Retailer.
 
Too late you already are going to hell from smoking ;p

But seriously cold turkey is the best way
 
J_Tweedy said:
Pretty straightfoward.....or not.
Any tried and true methods for any of you out there? It's a disgusting habit i want to get rid of. I'm finding it hard.
Tips? Strategies? Advice?
Thanks.
Click to expand...

I quit. it was hard.

Tips.

Patches.
Always brush your teeth after a meal. It is habit forming to spark up after a meal, break this habit.
Reduce the strength of your gigs, i.e. from medium to low.
Commit yourself to smoking when it is least comfortable, i.e. outside, in the cold.
Stop having a cig with your coffee (brush your teeth).

The biggest tip I can pass on to you was how I watched my old man die from lung cancer 3 years ago. It will hopefully not happen to me, if you wish to suffer the same agonising death ....just carry on
.
 
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