Quitting a filthy habit/addiction

[Guest c**io**m7]

Hi, my name is Curiousm7 and I am a smoker:

 

I am in a position to quit, not because I want to but because I have to. It's been 4 weeks and I have faltered a couple times, today being one of them. There is a myriad of smoking cessation products out there and would like to hear from some of the members here who were successful at walking away from this addiction. What worked for you?

 

I hesitate to do too much trial and error as some of these products get quite pricey.

 

Thanks all for any input.

[IsaMassage 54318]

I have never have an addiction or anything similar..., but i have met people that had serious addiction to cigarrets... IMO the one and only thing to achieve your results is to really want it! I see people that instead of being addicted to the cigarrets.., they get addicted to the Gum or what ever product they are using to stop the craving..., to me that is just changing one for another.., yes maybe one less harmful than the other.., but yet an addiction.... My 2 cents...

Good luck with quiting smoking :-) You will see that your body will thank you for it :-)

[Boomer 33202]

I tried many ways but in the end there was only one real way, have to have a very good reason, then it's cold turkey. For me it was bringing my son home from the maternity ward. Take one after you commit and you are a smoker again.

[Sweet Emily J 172062]

Congrats! :)

 

January 17 will be 2 years smoke free for me, and I know for sure that I will never smoke again. I prepared mentally for several weeks and then just went completely cold turkey. For a while, I replaced the physical habit with a piece of fruit, which worked well, and was obviously a healthy tradeoff.

 

Everyone has their own methods that they say for work for them, and if they actually do work, that is great.. everyone is different, and if it works, great! However, I am of the belief that all nicotine replacement therapies, prescription drugs, "cutting down" methods, e-cigarettes, etc just prolong the pain and madness more than necessary (or exactly as PassionVitto said, replacing one bad habit with another). Just end it. Be a non-smoker. Nicotine is physically out of your body within 72 hours; after that it's just the mental battle. I just constantly reminded myself that I was stronger than the addiction.

 

One thing that really helped me was The Canadian Cancer Society's Smokers Helpline Online. There is lots of great info there, and it's all personalized and interactive. The best resource I found there was the online forum. It's like CERB, except for people quitting smoking. It tracks your progress in a variety of ways, and can be very motivational and helpful to talk to others in the same situation, share experiences, tips and ideas, push each other, etc.

 

I also read a few books which I found helpful. Reading a few chapters everyday, early on in my quitting journey, kept me on track, and made me want to stay a non-smoker, and not have to start all over again (remember - 72 hours is key).

 

Alan Carr - Easy Way to Stop Smoking

 

Joel Spitzer - Never Take Another Puff

 

I knew I would *feel* better physically after quitting, but what I didn't expect, and the best thing that happened, was the amazing feeling of freedom I felt. It was so good to know I wasn't tied down to the addiction anymore, and I didn't have to constantly find a place to smoke, go out in the cold, find a store to buy them, spend my hard earned money on this bullshit that was contributing to my early death, and be a slave to these disgusting multi-million dollar death corporations anymore.

[Guest D***el B***e]

I tried quitting cold turkey but that didn't work!

 

I tried the 12-weeks prescription Champix program (one pill a day). I completed the program but the side effects were horrendous on me. So I was smoke free for a month and I started smoking again.

 

Then I went for my annual physical and my blood pressured had shot up through the universe over a one year period and my doctor said it was likely the smoking, the drinking, the swearing, or the beautiful women causing the spike.

 

Seriously, I said to myself I have 4 bad habits so let's get rid of one. So I picked smoking again. I went on the over-the-counter 10-weeks patch program, and I'm cured. I haven't smoked since July 1st, 2013. My blood pressure is way down but would likely be much better if it wasn't for the 7-year old Havana Club Rum.

 

But really what worked for me was the medical scare of seeing my blood pressure so high. Something got triggered in my brain and I just stopped.

 

So there's my little story ... since then I have regained the physical endurance I had lost, my dick is suprisingly much, much harder (ever held a steel pipe in your hands! lol lol) and find that I can go longer and with more vitality under the sheets ;-)

[Meaghan McLeod 179664]

Its a bitch of a habit - I still smoke, but did manage to quit previously for 2 years.

 

I'm a believer of finding out where your problem triggers are. If you can go 4 weeks without smoking, its not the actual nicotine you are craving, so stop smoking products probably won't work.

 

If however, you can't get past a day, then use any form of products out there. I've even used the patch and the inhaler at the same time, it helped me with the withdrawals.

 

Just talk to someone who had a heart attack and nearly died. Look at the real issues that smoking causes. Get it in your head that smoking is worse then the withdrawals.

 

I'm with Emily - cold turkey is the way to go. If you need some help for the first couple of days, chew gum, eat fruit. Most of all though, stay away from other smokers and things that trigger your urges.

 

It gets easier, and remember, the monster is going to try to do anything to get you to smoke again. Think about if you were marooned on an island - what would you do then? You wouldn't be able to smoke, you won't die of not smoking - but smoking will kill you. If you slip today, stop, redirect and don't give up. Tomorrow will be a better day!

 

Good luck!

[dantan69 162]

Champix worked for me but you have to want to quit and not look back. Good luck in your quest

[Guest a**4*]

I quit nine years ago my friend had a stroke I asked him if he got up and walked I would quit month later I was at his place he got up and walked and I have not smoked since seeing a friend like this gave me movation to quit and you can give up this nasty habit Curious and you will be very happy you did and anyone else that want's to quit smoking you can do it I am happy I did

[Guest P**aq]

I quit cold turkey. The only thing I could do to get rid of the cravings (and mental insanity) was a rigid exercise schedule. I did cardio to make the lungs burn (so that the thought of a smoke was gross) and hit the weights to tire me out and avoided any form of alcohol for a month.

 

Try to reward yourself from time to time as well for getting through the week.

[renegade 11027]

I,ve quit many times over my smoking lifetime and always ended up smoking again until I finely beat the habit for good and that was 7 years ago ! with no setbacks-the reason no gimmicks no excuses and no CHEATING every other time I tried to quit I snuck a puff here bummed one there and always went back heavier than ever. Stayed at my cabin by myself away from everyone else especially other smokers no coffee no drinks one week of hell and it was over ! Smokefree a little fatter but much happier ! You can do it !!!!!!!!

[Brad 49548]

It's not a habit I've ever gotten into but one thing that worked for a relative that did quit was to keep in mind the benefits of quitting. I don't mean just the general idea of knowing that it's healthier but the specific time frame of when each benefit kicks in.

 

It gave him a milestone to aim for, where he kept telling himself if he could manage to stay off cigarettes until the next benefit he'd be doing well. Once he reached it he'd make the next milestone his goal so that he kept having something solid to shoot for. And so on and so on.

 

Below is one of the image that breaks the timeline down. Whatever you try, good luck!

 

 

[rovan47 2267]

I quit over 2 years ago. What worked for me was laser therapy. I've tried many ways but this took all physical cravings away.

[Guest c**io**m7]

This is all great stuff! Thanks folks. Pretty good community here for sure.

Today's falter was only 2 cigarettes but, alas, 2 cigarettes too many. :-(

It doesn't help that I currently share a roof with a smoker but, I will prevail!!

[LeeRichards 177238]

Fawk. Tough thing to do. :( Tried lots of things so I will keep reading.

 

At this point. When I need a puff !!!! ??? Oral sex ladies ? Only way I am gonna quit. Seriously. Keep my lips and tongue busy. I smoke Allotta ! ;)

 

Any quit shmoking volunteers ?

 

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee !

 

Keyboard stuck there

[Nicolette Vaughn 294340]

Try hypnotherapy. My Dad did this years ago and has been smoke free for 25 years. It's an unorthodox treatment but some people swear by it. As with any bad habit, maybe start off by tapering off and keep going.

[ngate 120]

Hi, Couriousm7.

 

My name is ngate. I am an alcoholic and I was a smoker.

 

Do not despair.... it can be done! if I can stop smoking you can stop smoking not to boast but here is my incredible claim to fame, I ngate quit SMOKING AND DRINKING on the SAME DAY and have not had anything to do with either of these two expensive and debilitating predators for fourteen years five months and twenty one days and that was after more than twenty years of unabashed enthusiastic indulgence.

 

For me both addictions worked together If I had one I craved the other and I was overjoyed each day when I experienced their twin delights, mind you I tried everything to quit sometimes for as long as six months or sometimes for only a week or so but it was always on my mind and when it finally happened and all desire left me I came to realize that what had happened was a miracle I just accepted it took my money and never went back so to speak. Let me wish you victory with your situation put out the fire the rewards are many. Best of luck to you, stay cool ..ngate i

[CristyCurves 169032]

Congratulations for taking the first step and for understanding you should stop.

It's been more than a decade since I smoked and unfortunately I can't give any suggestions to "products" because I just decided to stop and never bought them again.

I was tired of the stench, to vain to put up with the damage they were doing to my skin, teeth, let alone my over all health.

They were a "social activity to me and I never smoked a regular amount daily, some day's a pack, other days a couple here and there, etc. Then I woke up and never touched them again. I supplemented other things for them, green tea, water, gum, a hobby, walking and sometimes probably food. Thinking about smoking now simply grosses me out, holding that opinion of it perhaps also helped.

Best of luck to you and however you decide to do take it moment by moment and before you know it it'll be a long forgotten BAD habit.

[Ice4fun 78396]

I am very happy that smoking was not something I ever started so i have never had to battle that addiction..... i wish anyone who does the best as I have seen with others just how hard it can be to kick the habit.

[Malibu-Jack 848]

The Action in the answer is not.

 

I quit 10 years ago. Cold turkey. You have to be wilful and stick to it. The way I started was I took myself out of my trigger environments for a week. This meant leaving town. So I rented a cottage had a friend drive me and drop me off so I could not go buy a pack.

 

3 Days = Nicotine is out of your system

the rest is social addiction.

 

After the week it was still there but it was bearable.

 

But Just so you know quitting wont kill you.

[Guest Ou**or**n]

Quitting smoking is hard. If it was easy there would be very few smokers. I smoked for about 20 years before finally quitting for good over 10 years ago.

 

Check out smokefree.gov for a good plan.

 

In a nutshell:

 

1. Pick a quit day a few weeks in advance and begin mentally preparing.

2. Tell your friends - make it a public event and ask for their support.

3. Taper down your usage prior to your quit day.

4. Start having your first cigarette later and later each morning as you lead up to your quit day - it helps you understand that it won't be easy.

5. Use measures to manage nicotine withdrawal. I used the patch and it is highly recommended.

6. Use a second measure - I took one of those oral medications that are effective in reducing psychological cravings.

7. Treat smoking like alcoholism - don't let yourself have even one. Lapsing into smoking always starts with a first one.

 

However all this will only work if you are truly ready and want to quit. For me there was no way I was going to turn 40 and still be a smoker. I just wasn't willing to have the long term health problems. You need your own motivation.

 

Best of luck!

[WriteOn 3250]

Hi, my name is Curiousm7 and I am a smoker:

 

I am in a position to quit, not because I want to but because I have to.

 

You will never quit smoking unless you want to, period.

[bendover73 100]

I smoked 20 years. Tried quitting for 10 with very little to no success using many of the available tools on the market. Fact is, you must want to quit. I decided one day that enough was enough and just quit. That's it. Cold turkey. I would have never believed it possible to be honest...........that was 2 years 6 months and 7 days ago. Good luck to you. Trust me when I say......If I can do it..........so too can you.