How do you stop smoking?

[HgaleK]

Good lucking quitting. The cravings have finally stopped for me, 3 months quit. Doing sprints every evening helped me quit. Another thing that helped was when I hit that point where I'd been quit for a couple of weeks and finally couldn't stand being without a cigarette, I smoked and smoked and smoke until I was sick, and then smoked some more. I hated the thought of cigarettes for a while after that.

 

[Sancho Panzo Christ]

Originally Posted by FStyles

I've been smoking for 12 years, and probably at my current rate of 1-1.5 pack/day for the past 7 yrs.

I've tried everything from nicorette to nicoderm to wellbutrin to cold turkey. Nothign even remotely worked.

Few years ago a co-worker of mine got on this drug called Chantix and raved about how he was able to stop all cravings withing a few weeks.

He was all about it until his wife checked him into the ER for trying to kill himself.

really sad. great guy, went back to smoking after a few months of mental rehavb.

I've heard of success stories too but am too afraid to rty it.

The lawyer commercials about

"have you or your loved one suffered depression from chantix? If so call the law offices of Ronnie Douche for your free consultation" doesn't really motivate me eitehr.
yes, taking the drug chantix has been linked to suicide in the past. i believe it was made illegal in the u.k. and ireland because of this. so, i'd definitely do some research on it before trying it out (for example, is it primarily people with histories of depression that have been driven to suicide because of the drug?). but, the people who've taken it without offing themselves have raved about the drug, as some posters have in this thread.

if you're worried about this, i'd give allen carr a shot dude.

 

[kidkorea]

Quit for 14 months and counting

Smoked for 4 years about a half pack-pack a day. Was heavily heavily addicted( smoked cigarette butts from my ashtray a couple times when it was snowing out and was too lazy to go out and get a pack.) True story

I've tried quitting like 20 times before by "cutting down" but that method does not work at all. Switching to "light" cigarettes did not work at all either. The only way is to quit cold turkey, based on my experiences at least.

Last time I had a cigarette was on New Years 14 months ago, I had gotten completely wasted and smoked tons and tons of cigarettes and woke up feeling the most sick I had in my entire life. I slept at around 5am and had to wake up at 8am to see my grandparents and it was THE worst day of my life. My mind has somehow associated me smoking with that horrible sickness feeling along with that horrible day with my grandparents and have prevented me from touching a cigarette since.

Good luck man, it's definitely one of the hardest things to do. Even know when I do have a bit too much to drink it is still tempting but it just has gotten easier to say "No" to each cigarette offered as time goes by.

 

[CDFS]

Originally Posted by CDFS

I never smoked one cigarette, ever. Just quit dude. It's easy.

+1

 

[Cravate_Noire]

You dont.

 

[Godot]

This is what I did

a.) picked a target date-like 3 weeks away or whatever

b.) during this time smoke as usual, but resist having the first cigarette of the day until I really had to. If I had to have a cigarette at 10am or hit someone with a brick, then I had a smoke. If I could hold off till 1:30 pm so much the better.

c.) Whenever i did smoke, I jotted down the time and a 1-3 word reason for smoking.

d.) Plan the target day to be as stress free as possible. When the target day arrives, I start with nicotine patches-gum-whatever. At this point I no longer smoke, but bike-go for long walks-whatever. During the first 3 days, I allow myself a sleeping pill at night. After about a week, I'm pretty free, but expect the odd nicotine fit for the fist month.

e.) What keeps me smoke free is knowing that I don't want to have to go through the same damned thing again.

good luck

 

[Matt]

Originally Posted by javyn

People who have never smoked or have never been addicted commenting with "just quit" doesn't help.
I have never smoked a full cigarette in my life and my advice is 'just quit'. Sorry. Thinking however of my best friend when I write this. French dude, 2 pack a day guy, who quite literally put out the last cigarette from his pack, looked up at me three years ago and said 'I am quitting smoking now'. And did. He hasn't had a cigarette, a drag of a cigarette, anything, since. I can tell you that the boys really tested him on it too (we are not a supportive bunch), blowing smoke at him, holding them under his nose ('you want this don't yooooou'), and he never yielded. Doubly impressive because we live in a country where cigarettes are less than a dollar a pack, available everywhere (little kids buy them, put them in trays, and walk around the streets selling them at a markup) and you can smoke absolutely everywhere here. Hell, even inside hospitals! As someone said above, I think it is just a matter of how bad you want it, he was determined and resolute, and I have no doubt sometimes he must have just been dying for a smoke, but never gave in.

 

[milosz]

Physical withdrawal from nicotine will only last ~72 hours (and isn't exactly quitting heroin cold turkey). After that it's all psychological - you have to 'just quit' and continually say no. That's why it's easiest to take up smoking again while drinking - your inhibitions are lower, you're in a position to make bad decisions.

 

[NoStyle14]

Maybe thinking of the effects smoking has on your appearance will help you quit. We live in the most superficial times in modern history. As we all know the better looking males will always be slaying more chicks than there "uglier" counterparts. Smoking robs you of your good looks. It quite literally steals that healthy glow from your face, gives you pre-mature wrinkles and puts a guantness in your face that you don't want. Look up "Smokers Face". One of our sole duties on this Earth is to reproduce and in modern times the better you look the greater your quality of life is. Think about this next time you want a ciggerate and I'm sure it'll make you think twice.

 

[JesterM]

Here's how I did it:

1) Got the nic gum and followed the instructions

2) Bought a massive amount of candy and used that to deal with the cravings (and wean myself off the gum)


Whatever method you choose, good luck. It's completely worth it.

 

[javyn]

Thanks all. Going to give Allen Carr a shot, then the gum. I tried patches years ago and they made me feel really ill.

 

[Dedalus]

Originally Posted by javyn

I tried patches years ago and they made me feel really ill.

Me too, but the fucked up dreams were worth it.

 

[javyn]

Originally Posted by Dedalus

Me too, but the fucked up dreams were worth it.

The best dreams are peanut dreams. Trust me on this. Eat a few handfulls of Planters before bed and enjoy the ride!

 

[Cleav]

When I packed up it was difficult but my resolve (discipline) was strengthened when the kids I was teaching told me I didn't smell like ****. As a reformed smoker of 22 years I can tell you the stench of cigarette smoke on others is repulsive. That said, I could still pick one up in certain situations...

Beach bar, sun, sea...

After dinner with friends...

After a good round of golf with a long cool drink...

 

[Dedalus]

Originally Posted by javyn

The best dreams are peanut dreams. Trust me on this. Eat a few handfulls of Planters before bed and enjoy the ride!

No ****? I have to try this...