Quitting Smoking

[vharrison]

For the first time in my life, I am going to try and quit smoking. I have never tried before because I did not think I could do it. The new tax (10$ per carton) has given me the push I have needed. I still have 4 cartons that I plan on fishing then I will try and quit. Any suggestions?

 

[OTGBOSTON]

Just do it. I tried the gum a few times, finally I just had to say fug it and quit cold turkey.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Just remember, it's easy as hell to quit "not smoking," so don't be too apprehensive. The price alone is enough to make someone quit, usless they're RICH. Use the patch AND the gum, but someone as small as you might get by using the patch only. Buy the brand name, not the generics. Cut a straw 2 or 3 inches and chew on it. Make an appointment to have your teeth cleaned.

Good luck! You're gonna LOVE not smoking!!!

I still have 4 cartons that I plan on fishing

And I bet you don't catch a damn thing!

 

[SkwerI]

It's not the physical addiction so much as the mental addiction. It's a habit and changing habits is hard. You need to figure out something to replace the habit of picking up a cigarette and placing it in your mouth. Just sitting there trying to hold your hands at your sides doesn't work. I used Jolly Rancher hard candies. It gave me something to put in my mouth instead of the cigarette. I ate those things until I was sick of them, but wouldn't go anywhere without a pocket full.

3 days to break the physical addiction
3 weeks to break the mental obsession
3 months to break the occasional cravings

 

[NeTree]

So Brian, ya gonna give her the same advice as me? You know, draw something on the pack...

 

[vharrison]

3 days to break the physical addiction
3 weeks to break the mental obsession
3 months to break the occasional cravings

I was wondering about that.

 

[MasterBlaster]

There is NO hard or fast rule. EVERYBODY reacts differently.

 

[Tree Reb]

One thing will help you with anything, Willpower. You can do just about anything if you really want to.

"Willpower is the ability to exert one's will over one's actions. It manifests as inner firmness, decisiveness, determination, resolution and persistence"

 

[Mrs.B]

Best of luck with that, V.

 

[Old Monkey]

Think about all the time you'll spend with your grandkids. Good luck Gigi.

 

[darkstar]

I had to quit chewing or dippig as it was called nothing worked , i have no will power.
So i settled on this approach , i said hey im not quitting but what i am gonna do it wait till later in the day each day to have my first dip . Also im gonna use way less at a time and go father between.
It helped me alot because i never actually quit.
Now , i still havent actually quit but its been at least three years since i even smelled the stuff and a good 15 years since i had any.
What happened is that waiting longer for that first fix of the day , i suddenly realized one day it was after lunch, then it was three oclock .
I just forgot about it.
Took me about a year with many many re laspes but eventually the day came when i simply didnt remember to even have one.

 

[sawinredneck]

Good luck, you can do it!

The irritability goes away in a week, just try to avoid confrontations for that time
I was using two patches chewing the gum and still smoking. Cold turkey was the ticket for me. I went to Life savers candy, same as the jolly ranchers just pick your poison. I went through bags of them until me teeth hurt so bad I thought they would fall out!
Start to exercise more once you quit. Ride a bick, go for walks etc. to help keep your mind off of it.
Change your routines, instead of sitting on the porch drinking your morning coffee and having a cig, start watching Today or something while having the coffee. Put yourself in a position where you cannot go out and have a cig. after lunch or dinner. Just be too busy, make a phone call instead etc. It's 10% addiction and 90% mental. The more and sooner you can change the habits you associate with smoking, the faster and easier it will go.

GREAT LUCK

 

[rumination]

Best of luck Gigi!

 

[stehansen]

Good luck V. If you get in a mood and want to yell at someone, you can yell at me.

 

[Paul B]

luck to ya V, dont 'try to quit', thats your brain giving you the invisible option of not follwoing through, 'quit'. For me it was cold turkey, after about 10 years I woke up to a single death stick left in a pack, I said, fug it, I am done smoking. Ended up smoking the last one after supper that day (I didnt want to waste it) lol, tried a few pieces of gum which I didnt find appetizing and I havent smoked a cigarette since.
once in a while I get a craving still, its been about 8 or 10 years, I have lost count.
One thing I do remember, I had the odd dream at night for a few years where I would be doing whatever and I would light a smoke (in my dream) and I would wake with a start, pissed off at myself.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Good luck V I know I feel better for it having quit.

 

[TheTreeWiseMen]

Giving up is easy..........it's staying 'gived up' that is the tricky part. I just quit cold turkey, no patches, no gum. I'm sure you'll love being an ex-smoker V........positive vibes coming your way.

 

[OTGBOSTON]

I'm sure you'll love being an ex-smoker V.

X2 I found myself giving a group of smokers a dirty look on my way into a building downtown today.....fuggin slackers

 

[Husky385]

I gave up last October for the second and last time, my trick was to tell every smoker I knew that I'd quit, I liked the look on there faces each time they asked me are you back smoking again, and I answered NO!

Tell yourself you're going to quit and do it, its all mind over matter imo..

 

[MasterBlaster]

I would be doing whatever and I would light a smoke (in my dream) and I would wake with a start, pissed off at myself.

I've done the same thing!!!

I was using two patches chewing the gum and still smoking.

Your mind wasn't right and you were just wasting your money.

Now , i still havent actually quit but its been at least three years since i even smelled the stuff and a good 15 years since i had any.

I dunno - that sounds like you've "actually quit" to me. Congrats!

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I definitely had to have the right mind set... Then I was definitely DONE!

 

[SkwerI]

Florida is raising the taxes on cigarettes $10 per carton/ $1 per pack starting tomorrow. I feel sorry for the poor folks who still smoke. They can't outlaw smoking but they are taxing it out of existence.

 

[Che]

Good luck, Gigi! It will go nicely with your new 'fit' body.

Does John smoke?

 

[stehansen]

How did it go today V.?

 

[chucky]

Best of luck to you, HiVee. Everybody quits sooner or later, better the former than the latter. It's mostly a mind thing, they say, and easier on the body than caffeine to give up!