Quitting Smoking, The Habit Has Been Kicked!!!

[Skinypete]

I just decided today to quit smoking and I'm looking for any help/suggestions that you guys may have on whats the best way to do it.

DJMIII

[Silver R/T]

Chew gum, etc.... Don't really know, I never started to smoke myself.

[Todd Wilson]

Father in Law has smoked for 45 years. He got an electronic cigarette and its cut him down to maybe real 4 cigs a day at the most. It has a LED on the tip and glows when you puff on it. It puts out water vapor smoke and in the beginning you can get nicotine inserts for it and fill with water. As you go along you can lighten up the nicotine and eventually have no nicotine. He has found that the physical motion of smoking was more of the habit then the actually nicotine.


Todd

[A383Wing]

I quit cold turkey back in 2002....can't stand the smell of cigs anymore...

If ya truly want to quit, you can do it if ya want to on yer own

[BrianShaughnessy]

Get sick with bronchitis and quit cold turkey.   Over 6 years ago.  I can't say whether it works for everybody but it worked for me.


If you're successful,  you'll probably have to change your screen name to something like Fatass Pete...  Good luck!   

[Bobs69]

I like that electric cig idea.


Keep a new pack in your sunvisor, don't take that foil off of it!  Just have it there and the longer it's there the more of a shame it will be to open it.  Eventually give it away.

[The70RT]

A buddy of mine quite on the electronic as well, he smoked for over 30 years. My wife quit on Chantix. Both quite fairly easy. My dad quit cold turkey after 50 years, doctor said do you want to live or die? Good luck with which ever way you choose to go.

[68X426]

Volunteer for a day at a hospice with lung cancer or emphysema patients.  

Seriously.

Also, check with your health insurer and your employer. It very likely that one or both will pay for some, or all, of a professional threapy/medication/program to help you break the cycle of addiction. It is a physical and mental addiction. It's ok to get help to break that cycle.

If you have no insurance/job, I've heard people say that they chewed gum as well as exercised (walking or cycling to start) in order to break those cycles. I hope you are successful.

[Bobs69]

Volunteer for a day at a hospice with lung cancer or emphysema patients. 

Seriously.

Also, check with your health insurer and your employer. It very likely that one or both will pay for some, or all, of a professional threapy/medication/program to help you break the cycle of addiction. It is a physical and mental addiction. It's ok to get help to break that cycle.

If you have no insurance/job, I've heard people say that they chewed gum as well as exercised (walking or cycling to start) in order to break those cycles. I hope you are successful.

I remember seeing an old movie with Dick VanDyke in it, the whole town was trying to quit and having sex to do it!

[Back N Black]

I quit on the nicotine patch 7 years ago.

[mikesbbody]

I have never smoked but, my Mother did for many years she quit twice (this time for good I hope so anyway) but she did it cold turkey try it before you spend any $ on patches etc.

[Charger-Bodie]

 I quit cold turkey about a month ago. Its mind over matter.

[Darkman]

If you really want to quit, then cold turkey is the best way. Nicotine is out of the system between 3 to 7 days and the cravings subside from there. As someone said it is the action of smoking that is the biggest habit to break. I quit cold turkey 4 years ago, I hate the smell and the look of it, but every now and then want to light up just for something to do at the time. Once you talk yourself out of it, then the battle is won!

I have seen a lot of people try and quit, but fail. The excuses were: it wasn't the right time to quite, or I had a stressful day and needed one etc....These people when asked truthfully said they didn't really want to quit!

[Charger RT]

I have quit 3 times all 3 were cold turkey. 5 years 2 years and as of last tuesday 2 years. Both times I started back up was because I thought 1 smoke won't hurt and both times I had a pack in my pocket within 2 days.

I once failed with a patch but found I was using the patch and smoking and was so full of nicotine I was high on it.

The first time I quit I heard a guy speak on quitting and he said it takes 4 days for the nicotine to get out of the body. And like already posted after that point it gets much easier to resist to smoke. much much easier. If you go cold turkey just remember having just one will start the clock over. I take a few days off from work stay up late smoke my last one get rid of any more smokes and the lighter and go to bed and sleep as long as possible. Keep yourself busy but be warned you will be an ass at times for those 4 days but if your family cares about you quitting and know you will be that way at times during the 4 days they won't argue back and it will get better.

After restarting twice I now know I can never have even one. Other peoples smoke does not bother me. My wifes entire family is weak and none of them can quit even after my father in-law passed away from cancer 8 years ago and he smoked right up until he was to sick to smoke. But that didn't stop any of them that lived with him or took care of him while sick.

Good luck
Tim

[Alaskan_TA]

I quit on my 24th birthday, almost 20 years ago.

I chain smoked & drank booze for hours 'til I hurled. Friends got me home, I was sick for days.

I never wanted another smoke or any hard liquor after that though, so I guess it worked.

[chargergirl]

I asked a lady how she quit smoking and she said cold turkey...how long 20 years...when did the cravings stop...she said any day now. It is the hand to mouth thing as well as the boost to your metabolism. I know for me to quit I have to find something that makes me not fall asleep during that second week. Been smoking a LONG time! The best way to quit is to never smoke...Kiddo your young...put them down, never look back...dang I GIVE good advice.

[Darkman]

I remember seeing an old movie with Dick VanDyke in it, the whole town was trying to quit and having sex to do it!

If you smoke after sex, you're doing it too fast!

[bull]

I know 3 or 4 guys who quit using Chantix. Kinda spendy though and I hear it gives you crazy dreams.

[The70RT]

I know 3 or 4 guys who quit using Chantix. Kinda spendy though and I hear it gives you crazy dreams.

Yeah my wife was having some crazy dreams and saying crazy stuff in her sleep.

[twodko]

I quit 11 years ago the day after my wedding. I was just tired of it and done with it after smoking for 30 years.
I bought the 3 strength's of over the counter Nico patches. used each for 1 week and that was it. The cravings remain for a while and it is a hand to mouth thing for sure. Amazing though after 2-3 days you can taste everything, sleep like the dead and can actually breath. First couple days are a bitch....they just are, then you get your life back. You can do it..........you've got a huge support group here bro.

[ACUDANUT]

 Nobody likes a quitter. 

[Brock Lee]

I did it cold turkey. You need to find something to do that takes your mind off it and will not remind you of smoking (so that means a new activity/hobby). You may want avoid things that really make you want to smoke...for me that was drinking alcohol.

[ACUDANUT]

I remember seeing an old movie with Dick VanDyke in it, the whole town was trying to quit and having sex to do it!

If you smoke after sex, you're doing it too fast!

If you smoking during sex, you might be doing my X. 

[6pkrunner]

I smoked for over 30 years and got up to around a pack and a half a day. Quit a thousand times. Did cold turkey once for around 6 months. The thing that finally stuck was using Zyban. Heard all the pros and cons, but for me it worked. Been over ten years now and never looked back.

But much like there's no such thing as an ex alcoholic, there's no such thing as an ex smoker. To smell one being smoked is close to nirvana. But to smell the stink on someone's clothes almost makes me gag. While there are many I know that smoke only while drinking and turn it off the next morning, I know I'd be back at it hard, if I did that.

However 10 years plus - and no regrets. And don't count on having all this spare money floating around. Other things just absorb it.

[Darkman]

Apparently after 7 years, your lungs "clean up" and it is as if you have never smoked!