[nfusion770]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1967cutlass I'm not going to stop smoking! Sorry. I don't think you should stop smoking cold turkey. I'll explain. Most of the reason it's a problem is because you're smoking cigarettes. Cigarettes have a high nicotine content, tons of chemicals, are expensive, &c... They are the FAST FOOD of tobacco. There are plenty of other forms of tobacco that are more enjoyable to smoke and aren't as bad for you. Mostly what I have in mind is pipe tobacco. Pipe tobacco is very natural and isn't full of chemicals, it smells and tastes good, is inexpensive, and you DO NOT inhale pipe tobacco. You will get your nicotine so you don't get cranky or irritated, but you won't have the issue of poison being sucked into your lungs. Sure, it's not "good" for you, but it's certainly better than cigarettes, and it's only marginally addictive since you don't generally chain-smoke bowls of pipe tobacco. A well packed bowl of pipe tobacco will last 45+ minutes, that's long enough to sit and relax and have your fix. Just try that a few times a day. It'll make the loss of cigarettes significantly easier to deal with, then eventually you can just quit pipe tobacco, which I guaruntee is easy. I smoked consistently for a whole summer, then once I got to school, just dropped it like that. You can also consider cigars, which are more expensive, or even a hookah, which is too exotic for most people, but it does give an AMAZING smoking exprience. Feel free to agree or disagree with me.

I disagree- cold turkey is the only way to go IMO. Its not something you need-like food- its something that many people live perfectly happy lives without. The key to Allan Carrs book (I am not trying to sell it, but after 4 years (without smokes) and many rides on the rollercoaster before that, I am still amazed that something so simple works), is that he basically makes you despise cigarettes for making you need them. After this simple rationalization is programmed into your brain (you already know it, you just never thought of it quite like this before) your desire for a cigarette actually reinforces your resolve to not have one. It is really pretty amazing that you use your traditional weak moments as fuel to "kill" the addiction in your life.

In any case- I dont think prolonging your intake of nicotine helps you at all, it just protracts the period of actual addiction. Protracting that period just gives you a longer time to hold off a weak moment.

Anyway, I know about 10 people who quit after reading this book- not the wife, though- she is too stubborn to read it- thus the latest drug.

She is doing great today, by the way, she claims she is calm and doesnt really think about it, other than the "finishing dinner and feeling something is missing" kind of stuff.

Sincere good luck to all of you have decided to quit.

 

[grandenigma1]

Chantix would be the said new drug. It is pretty cool... binds to the receptors in the brain that get pleasure from nicotine.

My brother-in-laws mom quit cold turkey. She never smoked in bed... so when she got the urge to smoke she just got in bed

 

[cosmopragma]

Sorry, Mike, I can't join your team next Monday since I've already smoked my last cigarette five days ago.

This is my third time and therefore I'm a somewhat experienced.
The first time I've tried the nicotine patches route and in the end it was successful (lasted only a few months though).
From hindsight the nicotine patches didn't work that well for me since their effect prolonged the process,and standing lots of pain for a short period of time (10 days) fits better to my mind than less pain for a longer period (30 days).YMMW.

The second time I've tried the cold turkey route.Actually it was quite easy.
I mean, ten days of pain, that's it.
To me it feels like a mixture of starving and (don't laugh) lovesickness.At least similar.
Knowing that it will be over within ten days does make it relatively easy for me.

What I originally didn't realize was that nicotinism is similar to other addictions in one way: it is never over.You are a nicotinist for lifetime.
My last attempt failed after 7 months.Two joints at a party and I was hooked again.

Today I'm at day five of my current attempt.
There are moments when I feel that I can't stand it anymore and relief is so easy to get, but all I have to do is to focus my mind on the idea that it's easy and will be over soon, and it becomes easy.

Generally being active helps.Fill your days with lots of activity from early in the morning to late at night.Sitting down in order to relax is no good idea since you won't relax anyway.

I guess you are the type of guy that will succeed.
It's nothing compared to the toothaches you are familar with
and never forget
the hard part of it will be over within 10 days (a few more probably with your patches).

After these hard 10 days it's quite easy.
Once or twice a day there's a strong desire, but you just have to focus onto something else.
After six weeks there's no craving anymore.

 

[AuroraProject]

Good choice, I quit 25 months ago, I don't miss it in the least. Cold turkey is the way to go, but most important, you have to want to quit. If you can honestly say to yourself "I want to quit smoking, I'm tired of this habit" then you can succeed. Best of luck to you Mike, I'm sure you can do it.

 

[mrarroyo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AuroraProject Good choice, I quit 25 months ago, I don't miss it in the least. Cold turkey is the way to go, but most important, you have to want to quit. If you can honestly say to yourself "I want to quit smoking, I'm tired of this habit then you can succeed. Best of luck to you Mike, I'm sure you can do it.

I agree totaly, I will add to make a piggy bank and all the money that would have gone to tobaco products you put it there. In 3 or 6 months you could take a nice vacation with the money you saved. Good luck.

Miguel (I quit in 2/28/1982).

 

[bahamaman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AuroraProject Good choice, I quit 25 months ago, I don't miss it in the least.

Oh how I wish I could say this. I quit in March of '05, and have been chewing Nicorette gum ever since

At least I'm to the point of dividing a normal piece into quarters.

It is the hardest thing I've ever done, and it doesn't seem to be getting easier with the passage of time. But, I guess the good news is that I'm not smoking.

Good luck, Mike!

 

[nfusion770]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grandenigma1 Chantix would be the said new drug. It is pretty cool... binds to the receptors in the brain that get pleasure from nicotine. My brother-in-laws mom quit cold turkey. She never smoked in bed... so when she got the urge to smoke she just got in bed

Thats the one- thanks.

 

[Geoff Rymer]

Good luck Mike! It's a great thing to do.

If I am totally honest, I actually do smoke once in a while (special occasions only)- but maybe 10 cigarettes a year now, and a cigar if my Dad and I are in the pub. Given we live in different hemispheres, this doesn't happen too often. I didn't have it quite so bad though I guess- having the odd smoke with a beer didn't put the monkey on my back again, I didn't get the desire to start up properly again. FWIW I smoked between 5 and 20 a day for five years, probably more when I was at university. Quit a few times but last time was around March 2005.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cosmopragma What I originally didn't realize was that nicotinism is similar to other addictions in one way: it is never over.You are a nicotinist for lifetime.

Not to contradict myself, but agreed. Generally speaking, my wife refers to me as a non-smoking smoker, because I still have the mentality. By this I mean I'm generally pissed off with smoking restrictions that force my mates to go outside at a pub, and have no sympathy for people who whinge about smokers on the street.

Please nobody have a go at me for that opinion, it's just the way I am.

I also frequently think that if by some miracle I could smoke without serious impact on my health throughout my life, I would be back on em in a trice. Ahh well...

 

[helix]

i quit about 3 months ago. i watched thank you for smoking but that didn't do it, i downloaded a bbc film on smoking and they showed a heart surgeon pulling a worm looking peice of fat from this guys artery.

 

[gmoffatt]

When they say you have to want to quit, that's true. I scared myself into quitting by thinking about the health impacts. I did not want to be in a hospital bed with inoperable lung cancer in my 40's. I did not want to let down my family and loved ones. I freaked myself out thinking about it.

My actual moment of quitting just came out of the blue. I finished the last dart from a pack on the back step just before bed. Told myself that the next morning I would not buy smokes, but would instead buy the patch. It's important to not have any smokes around you. Don't buy them, don't bum them. It's all about willpower, and remember that it only gets easier -- you just gotta get through it moment by moment at first, then hour by hour, day by day, week by week.

I think the patch is a good way to go, since it weans you slowly off the nicotine and gives you a little time to get used to not having the physical action of smoking, and to get over the non-nicotine habit smokes (e.g. after coffee, meals). The patch is also good because it's pretty expensive, and there's incentive to get off it. The key is to not cheat at all.

You might want to buy a nice amp or something as a reward to yourself too; it adds a bit of a guilt-factor to keep you from cheating.

You will be proud that you did it. You'll feel sorry for smokers stuck in the habit. Yes, you'll still crave cigarettes for a long time (some say it never goes away), but it becomes really easy to resist after a while; takes only a little distraction. 10 months from now, you'll be on here offering encouragement to the next guy that says he's gonna give it a go.

Forget the line about how most people take several tries to quit. I'm sure it's true, but you should just quit smoking and consider it permanent, and you'll get used to the idea of being smoke-free.

It seems hard at first, but looking back, it wasn't so bad. Feels good.

Good luck to all of you!

 

[devin_mm]

I've never smoked a cig but I do smoke the occasional cigar (cuban only of course). From what I've heard the key is not to get down on yourself if you start again, relapse is part of the recovery process. Just keep trying eventually it will stick.

 

[gmoffatt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by devin_mm I've never smoked a cig but I do smoke the occasional cigar (cuban only of course). From what I've heard the key is not to get down on yourself if you start again, relapse is part of the recovery process. Just keep trying eventually it will stick.

Yep, but try again right away -- don't get back into it.

 

[Torm]

I quit Oct 2nd - 3 weeks and a few days ago - and still going strong!
This was my first time without cigarettes for 18 years.

From smoking 25 cigs a day i cut down to 5 cigs on friday, 4 on saturday, 3 on sunday and since then i havent touched a cig.

Then i used nicotine gum for 1 week - and after that i have sucked a lot of Ricola. =)
The gum tastes terrible but really helps to take that edge of the craving.

Motivation for quitting was primarilly economic - cigs costs over USD 9,- for a pack of 20 here. My GF also smokes so 2x9 USD a day every day year round adds up to a lot of cash (or headphones)! We both quit - but my GF had a relapse - i caught her with a pack of Marlboro. I got real angry and i dont think she will try again.

Overall it was far easier to quit than i thought it would be.

 

[Edwood]

Congratulations and good luck, Mike.

I quit smoking about 7 years ago.

-Ed

 

[WhatMACHI]

PinkFloyd im a couple weeaks ahead of u buddy

About three weeks ago i came down with Glandular Fever, and obviously that stopped me smoking. Also i had been cutting down a few weeks before i got sick. Just the other day i had a ciggie with my friends and i felt like ****.

I duno, i just feel so crap now when i smoke, just thinking about how badly im just killin myself.

In the end Smoking is really not worth it.

Gud luck with keeping away from the cancer sticks