Want to quit smoking

[phyzik]

I have had my quit date set for my 30th birthday, which is the 10th of March. I had this date set in my mind since sometime back in September.

The time is almost upon me.

I have gone cold turkey once, lasted 6 months. I have used the patch once for also about 6 months. I want it to be permanent this time. Has anyone used any products or methods that have worked for them?

I'm thinking about trying the patch again since I have cut back on my drinking considerably. Its hard to drink a beer without a cigarette.

[blkroadrunners]

I heard exercising is good and drinking lots of water helps. Good luck to you.

[TDMVPDPOY]

shift ur addiction to something else thats not harmful....

[atlfan25]

Please consider heroin and/or lsd.

Thank you for your time.

[Höfner]

Dude, why would you wanna give up the health benefits of smoking?

[koriwhat]

stop being a pussy and just quit already!

[benefactor]

You are exactly two years younger than me. I've only met one other person in my lifetime with my same birthday.

[sonic21]

go cold turkey, drink a lot of water and do a lot of sport.

3 months without smoking for me. It didn't work when i was using the patch.

[exstatic]

If you've already done both, I'd recommend another shot at cold turkey. Most people don't know it, but you are no longer a nicotine addict after two weeks. It's all in your head after that point.

Don't be discouraged. I quit once for 4.5 YEARS and went back. I'm coming up on 10 years clean, and don't even think about it anymore.

[Rogue]

try marijuana and cigarette won't ever be something attractive to you afterward.

[HighLowLobForBig-50]

If you've already done both, I'd recommend another shot at cold turkey. Most people don't know it, but you are no longer a nicotine addict after two weeks. It's all in your head after that point.

Don't be discouraged. I quit once for 4.5 YEARS and went back. I'm coming up on 10 years clean, and don't even think about it anymore.

+1 i quit months ago after smoking for 12 yrs. after 2 weeks its all in your head coupled with the oral addiction. i strongly recommend spending the next 3 weeks building a resentment for the cigs. even though your still gonna be smoking for 3 weeks, just start thinking alot about how bad they are for you and the money you waste ect.. also i know when i was smoking not every single cig tasted good. when you smoke too much one day, let that bad taste really sink in, and even if you have to fake it for a while, just start telling yourself that you dont like it. this is what i did accidentally and by the time i smoked my last one i knew it was over. best of luck to ya

[JamStone]

Pavlovian technique. From now until March 10, anytime you do have an urge to smoke, light one up but at the same time, stab a fork in your thigh. Do it every time you smoke, without fail. That will learn ya.

[I. Hustle]

We all have them. Whether it’s minor or life-changing, everyone has bad habits they could do without. Some might come with physical addictions, while others are simple social habits which make us look foolish or tick people off. Some bad habits might have long term health effects.

Whether you bite your nails or yell at your children, there are certain ways to help yourself face your bad habits and try to mend your ways.

Before self-improvement happens, you have to focus on your actions. Figure out the costs of your bad habits and the reasons you started the habit in the first place. Self-analysis helps you begin to cope when you are faced with the habit the next time.

Once you know why the bad habit is a part of your life, you can start to deal with the habit itself.

1. Keep a journal of your habit.
This forces you to face your actions every day. Every time your habitual behavior "takes over", you’ll have a record of it and force yourself to remember.

Note what your thoughts and emotions were as you were involved in the habit. This allows analysis of why you are performing this habit. This kind of self-evaluation is healthy for you.

2. Ask yourself why you enjoy the habit or why you started it in the first place.
Analyse the thought process which started the habit. Were you looking for acceptance from your peers? Was it an escape from some life condition?

Whatever the case, once you start to reason out your actions, you’ll probably find those actions don’t make logical sense. This will prepare you to change your behavior.

3. Focus on the negative repercussions of your habit.

Write these down if it helps you. What is your bad habit costing you?

Once your start to understand that you are losing out on many things do to this bad habit, this will motivate you to modify your behavior.

4. Understand the obvious benefits of dropping your habit.
There are always alternatives, and curtailing one action gives you more time for other ones.

Think about what you could be doing instead of your bad habit. Figure out positive ways to meet the same needs which were originally filled by your bad habit. Then start to practice these new habits.

5. Focus on your behavior.
Figure out how serious you are about changing the habit. Do you want to avoid the negatives of the habit or do you want to continue the habit?

6. Practice discipline in the moment.
It’s easy to tell yourself you can change your bad habit. This doesn’t matter much if you wilt in the moment of truth.

A lot of bad habits have to do with instant gratification. You know that some action isn’t good for you in the big picture or in the long term, but you want to live in the moment. You want to gratify your momentary needs. It’s hard to stay disciplined, because giving into your impulses is just so easy. Most of the time, it’s pleasurable. But when you start to perform some action you know is bad for you, you have to catch yourself. Nobody else will.

7. Getting rid of a bad habit is learning good habits.
You’ll probably replace your bad actions with something else. This may take a little getting used to, but your new life will eventually become comfortable to you and feel right.

Remember to practice patience with yourself. If you fall back into the old habit, don’t kick yourself around for it. Don’t fall into self-pity and decide you can’t beat the habit. Just get back to your healthy behavior. One time doesn’t have to turn into two and three and then a habit.

8. Don’t be afraid to ask for support from friends, family or fellow sufferers.
We are social creatures. People coping with the consequences of their actions draw strength from each other. It isn’t a weakness to ask for help or simply to vent about how difficult your self-improvement is.

Get comfortable talking about the habit. When you talk to others, they might be able to provide advice or encouragement that you normally wouldn’t get from yourself.

9. One final note on this subject. If your bad habit has an addictive quality to it, this is going to be a lot harder.
You might need professional help, because an addiction has a medical component to it.

[koriwhat]

We all have them. Whether it’s minor or life-changing, everyone has bad habits they could do without. Some might come with physical addictions, while others are simple social habits which make us look foolish or tick people off. Some bad habits might have long term health effects.

Whether you bite your nails or yell at your children, there are certain ways to help yourself face your bad habits and try to mend your ways.

Before self-improvement happens, you have to focus on your actions. Figure out the costs of your bad habits and the reasons you started the habit in the first place. Self-analysis helps you begin to cope when you are faced with the habit the next time.

Once you know why the bad habit is a part of your life, you can start to deal with the habit itself.

1. Keep a journal of your habit.
This forces you to face your actions every day. Every time your habitual behavior "takes over", you’ll have a record of it and force yourself to remember.

Note what your thoughts and emotions were as you were involved in the habit. This allows analysis of why you are performing this habit. This kind of self-evaluation is healthy for you.

2. Ask yourself why you enjoy the habit or why you started it in the first place.
Analyse the thought process which started the habit. Were you looking for acceptance from your peers? Was it an escape from some life condition?

Whatever the case, once you start to reason out your actions, you’ll probably find those actions don’t make logical sense. This will prepare you to change your behavior.

3. Focus on the negative repercussions of your habit.

Write these down if it helps you. What is your bad habit costing you?

Once your start to understand that you are losing out on many things do to this bad habit, this will motivate you to modify your behavior.

4. Understand the obvious benefits of dropping your habit.
There are always alternatives, and curtailing one action gives you more time for other ones.

Think about what you could be doing instead of your bad habit. Figure out positive ways to meet the same needs which were originally filled by your bad habit. Then start to practice these new habits.

5. Focus on your behavior.
Figure out how serious you are about changing the habit. Do you want to avoid the negatives of the habit or do you want to continue the habit?

6. Practice discipline in the moment.
It’s easy to tell yourself you can change your bad habit. This doesn’t matter much if you wilt in the moment of truth.

A lot of bad habits have to do with instant gratification. You know that some action isn’t good for you in the big picture or in the long term, but you want to live in the moment. You want to gratify your momentary needs. It’s hard to stay disciplined, because giving into your impulses is just so easy. Most of the time, it’s pleasurable. But when you start to perform some action you know is bad for you, you have to catch yourself. Nobody else will.

7. Getting rid of a bad habit is learning good habits.
You’ll probably replace your bad actions with something else. This may take a little getting used to, but your new life will eventually become comfortable to you and feel right.

Remember to practice patience with yourself. If you fall back into the old habit, don’t kick yourself around for it. Don’t fall into self-pity and decide you can’t beat the habit. Just get back to your healthy behavior. One time doesn’t have to turn into two and three and then a habit.

8. Don’t be afraid to ask for support from friends, family or fellow sufferers.
We are social creatures. People coping with the consequences of their actions draw strength from each other. It isn’t a weakness to ask for help or simply to vent about how difficult your self-improvement is.

Get comfortable talking about the habit. When you talk to others, they might be able to provide advice or encouragement that you normally wouldn’t get from yourself.

9. One final note on this subject. If your bad habit has an addictive quality to it, this is going to be a lot harder.
You might need professional help, because an addiction has a medical component to it.

so uh... where's your source?

what website did you pull this mumbojumbo from?

[I. Hustle]

so uh... where's your source?

what website did you pull this mumbojumbo from?

random site and don't quote me.

[Evil Angel]

Do it! Been 9 months for me. As others stated, exercise/sport helps with lots of water.
I recommend the nicotine lozenges over patch too. Gum is crap.
It's all mental after a couple of weeks.
Good luck!

[MB20]

Champix (varenicline)

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/100005109.html

[tsb2000]

I used the patch and read this. I haven't had a smoke in almost 6 years.

http://www.quitsmoking.com/images/books/allencarr/allencarrlarge.gif

[Viva Las Espuelas]

What made me start to quit smoking was smoking when I got sick. It was the most disgusting tasting cigarette I'd ever had. It wasn't too terribly long after that I gave it up all together. Then again I wasn't a heavy smoker to begin with.

[Heath Ledger]

My dad was a 3 pack a day smoker and used chantix and has been smoke free for over a year now.

[Bukefal]

You shouldnt use anything. If you want to quit, you just quit. Its all about your mind. If you really want to, then its possible. You dont need products, gum or patches or something, it isnt working anyway, its just a mind thing.

You should smoke your last cigarette in the evening, before going to bed. Next morning its over. Than, start with a good healthy breakfast, when you wake up. Of course you will feel pretty shitty in the beginning. But when you do, just grab some nuts or gum or chips or something to chew on.

Just so you are doing something. Because missing smoking is also about that now you miss doing something all the time.

After a week or two, you will feel more comfortable and then when you smell other people smoking, you will eventually find it disgusting and your need to smoke will decrease.

[MB20]

Sometimes you need help. Champix works.

[Destro]

you gotta replace the smoking trigger habit with something...and it may be different things at different times. For example, i use to smoke at work when i was frustrated or needed a break, I replaced the cig with pushups. When driving to and from work i use to smoke now i keep a pack of cherry sours in my car and i pop those to and from work.

You have to think of all the triggers you have for smoking and be prepared to initially replace smoking with something else. You are altering years of behavior, you've conditioned yourself to smoke and now you have to condition yourself not to. It is all in your head, don't be a pussy

[Sapphire]

I used Wellbutrin for a few weeks.....makes cigarettes taste like Shaq's ass. I didn't like my moods on Wellbutrin, so I quit taking it and quit the cigarettes the same day. I have been smoke-free since 3/12/04. I agree--it's mental. I really WANTED to quit that time and just stuck with it. Every time I would think about a smoke, I would say to myself "You COULD have one, but you don't smoke anymore, remember?" Got me through every time. Now, the smell makes me sick and I would never start back up.

My hubby just quit about 3 weeks ago after receiving an e-cigarette as a gift at work. He's been totally without cigarettes for that time and he really only uses the e-cig very little every day. It really helped him--when he's used the patch before he would get really irritated, and the dreams would freak him out.

So, good luck....I know it's hard, but it is really worth it. And damn, they're like $6 a pack now, aren't they? That's a lot, IMO.

[marini martini]

:lmao @ Sapphire
I used Wellbutrin for a few weeks.....makes cigarettes taste like Shaq's ass.

Spoken like a true Spurs fan!!!:toast

How's that E-cigarette work??

[Sapphire]

It's water vapor--when you take a hit, you actually inhale and exhale what looks and feels like cigarette smoke, but it's actually water vapor. The "cherry" end actually lights up so it gives the effect of a burning cigarette. It's really working for him, so I'm happy--we have only spent $50 (which is less than a carton of cigs) on a bottle of drops which contain nicotine, and some replacement "filters" for his e-cig.

There is a kiosk at La Cantera (by the food court), and Ingram and I think they are in some other malls in town.

www.smokingeverywhere.com

[spursncowboys]

What worked for me was the fake cigarrettes with nicotine filters. I started up again, last year after WLC for a week, and tried to get them and was unabled to. Good luck. I heard from everyone I know who quite- did so in the middle of a pack. Everytime they said they would quite after the end of a pack never did.

[balli]

^ For the record- the moron above, the guy quoting me in his sig as if he had any business doing so, can't spell 'quit' and is 'unabled' to spell or use 'unable' correctly.

Edit: Perhaps he should've described himself as disabled and left it at that.

[Cyrano]

I tried the patch once. They were easy to roll, but I couldn't keep the goddamn things lit.

[marini martini]

It's water vapor--when you take a hit, you actually inhale and exhale what looks and feels like cigarette smoke, but it's actually water vapor. The "cherry" end actually lights up so it gives the effect of a burning cigarette. It's really working for him, so I'm happy--we have only spent $50 (which is less than a carton of cigs) on a bottle of drops which contain nicotine, and some replacement "filters" for his e-cig.

There is a kiosk at La Cantera (by the food court), and Ingram and I think they are in some other malls in town.

www.smokingeverywhere.com (http://www.smokingeverywhere.com)

Thanks Sapph!:toast

Now my dilema is to decide if I want the kit with the poker set, porno chick DVD, 22mg nico. or 16 mg. nico. Dayum, ain't nothin' easy!!!:lol

[Vinnie_Johnson]

My dad was a 3 pack a day smoker and used chantix and has been smoke free for over a year now.

Damn 60 a day that is non stop.

[SpursWoman]

You shouldnt use anything. If you want to quit, you just quit. Its all about your mind. If you really want to, then its possible. You dont need products, gum or patches or something, it isnt working anyway, its just a mind thing.

You should smoke your last cigarette in the evening, before going to bed. Next morning its over. Than, start with a good healthy breakfast, when you wake up. Of course you will feel pretty shitty in the beginning. But when you do, just grab some nuts or gum or chips or something to chew on.

Just so you are doing something. Because missing smoking is also about that now you miss doing something all the time.

After a week or two, you will feel more comfortable and then when you smell other people smoking, you will eventually find it disgusting and your need to smoke will decrease.


There's nothing wrong with using something to help ... not everyone's personality and the way they deal with their own issues are the same. Cold turkey works great for some people, but not everyone. I quit cold turkey about 500 times, at least.

I smoked for 25 years, have been quit for over 2 1/2 years and STILL crave a cigarette everyday, regardless of how much the smell makes me want to vomit.

I've mentioned several times already that I used Chantix, and it helped me quit like nothing else I'd ever tried. There's apparently a lot of risks involved with the drug, but for me it was worth it.

[boutons_deux]

"Its all about your mind."

absolutely wrong.
The addiction is physiological, like with any drug, not ALL psychological. The physiological addiction recruits the psychological participation.

[koriwhat]

I heard from everyone I know who quite- did so in the middle of a pack.

that's what i did. flushed the other 1/2 down the toilet and regretted it... but 8 yrs later it's all good and i would do it all over again in a heartbeat! fuck cigs!

[phyzik]

Thanks for all the great replies and show of support.

The first time I tried to quit was when that famous news anchorman announced he had cancer a few years ago (cant think of his name right now). As far as an oral distractant, I turned to sunflower seeds at the time and it worked great! The problem was I was getting ALOT of salt intake because of it.

I might go that route again but go with the unsalted seeds.

believe it or not, even though I smoke, I am into kayaking and hiking so the sports thing is covered (I hiked 18 miles at Government Canyon just a few days ago). I used to mountain bike (I used to have a ~$2500.00 Specialized Stump Jumper but got rid of it :depressed) and my goal is to get back to doing that.

I think my main problem is going to be drinking a beer without smoking a cigarette. I can go all day without a smoke at work, but once I get home and have a beer, I just need a cigarette. beer just doesnt taste the same without a smoke.

Thats going to be my biggest challenge I think. I need to cut back on the drinking.

Again, thanks for the replies.

[Bukefal]

I think my main problem is going to be drinking a beer without smoking a cigarette. I can go all day without a smoke at work, but once I get home and have a beer, I just need a cigarette. beer just doesnt taste the same without a smoke.

Thats going to be my biggest challenge I think. I need to cut back on the drinking.

Again, thanks for the replies.

Yeah, I thought the same way when I left cigarettes. I thought damn, alcohol wont taste anymore. But that's not true at all. It's also just in your head, the thought.

After a while I stopped smoking and then I drank again, it was nice, the same as before. It's just you've lost a habit which you are conditioned to do parallel with the drinking and when one is left behind, in your head you think the other thing isn't good anymore. But it will, you just need to get used to it and its probably even better, because without the tobacco the drinks also taste better.

[Leetonidas]

Smoke weed instead