Quitting smoking

[ProjectRipCity]

As I try to improve my life going to the gym and working over time...I still find my smoking to be the only negative thing I am doing with my life. I am trying to quit...I have not smoked since yesterday morning...But Im having huge withdrawls...I am chewing regular gum to keep myself in check. I smoked about half a pack a day, and I feel like I quit too abruptly. Should I start out slow and smoke one in the morning and one at night?

What is the best way that you guys have quit smoking? For me it's going to be hard, because I have a lot of stress in my life...And nothing feels better than smoking because it calms me down. I went to the gym tonight, and I was just irritated...I am extremely moody right now and I am not sure what to do. When I was a kid I never thought I would smoke, but to quit it has to be one of the mentally challenging thing I have done. Spending 2 hours in the gym to me is a lot less painful.

I need some support.... Because all my friends smoke...

[Evan_OS]

Re: Quitting smoking

I have never smoked, But quitting out of no where would be very difficult. You need to slowly quit. Smoke half a pack for a week or two. Then cut it down to a quarter and then to just a couple until you don't smoke anymore. Too contain yourself I would make sure I spend extra money on things so even if you wanted to get cigarettes, you wouldn't have the money.

[jonpt]

Re: Quitting smoking

Get the gum. It's a little expensive but cheaper than smoking. It's what I did to break about a half a pack habit 10 years ago. It definetly takes the edge off on your mood swings and after a month on the gum I was able to just quit everthing with no problem at all....good luck man. Best advice is to just take it one day at a time.

[Cusefan]

Re: Quitting smoking

Ween yourself off it,set goals for yourself. within 1 month, be down to 1/2 pack a day, in 2 months be down to 5 cigs a day. If you keep on lowering how much you smoke, you will eventually quit smoking. This at least worked for me.

[elgreazy1]

Re: Quitting smoking

Definitely ween yourself. Just remember like most things, it didn't all start in one day and it's not all going to finish in one day so don't expect the most grand expectations in one day.

Another thing I can recommend is to stay away from mental triggers that would cause you to smoke. For instance, if you always smoke after a lunch break try to find a different activity away from where you normally go to begin a new brain association. It's like dieting, etc, you just have to train yourself over time.

[ProjectRipCity]

Re: Quitting smoking

Well I started a new system...I smoked one this morning...Then I'll do one after lunch...Then one at night. Wish me luck.

[AUChase]

Re: Quitting smoking

Keep pictures nearby of people who have been smoking for 40 years. That should be some sort of motivation for wanting to quit.

Also, try to not resort to some sort of alternative such as over eating. The last thing you want to do is swap one bad habit for another.

[z Revis]

Re: Quitting smoking

One of my friends quit smoking and he said when he had withdrawal and when he wanted one really badly, he'd take a cigarette and chew it. LOL. He said it worked. Made him realize how disgusting cigarettes are. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, just a little funny system he used to quit smoking.

Just realize that cigarette cravings only last a couple minutes. If you get past those cravings everyday you'll be fine. And I've read that after 3 days of not smoking, you're physically free of smoking. After that it's all a mental thing. Be sure to keep yourself occupied as much as possible. Good luck.

[ASB37]

Re: Quitting smoking

Two words: The Patch


I went on the patch after smoking about a pack and a half a day for a year, and was able to go without a smoke for 5 months. I had a slight relapse for a few months, mainly smokign when I was drinking and had a little less self control. However I was able to rebound and ween myself slowly and now I am over a year without a cig.

Good luck, and don't give up if you relapse and have a smoke or two after a prolonged period of time without smoking.

[KingV2k3]

Re: Quitting smoking

Friends (pack a day plus) have had luck with Chantix...

Acupuncture seems to be hightly regarded...

I cut down to a few a day by temporarily switching to non filter Lucky Strike...when you NEED to smoke, fire up one of those bad boys...

Ugh...that broke the spell and facilitated the cut back, which has lasted 10 years or so...

[Chaos81]

Re: Quitting smoking

I have some friends who quit cold turkey without any outside help, and I know some people, including a 55-year-old who had been smoking for 45 years, who quit using this book.

http://www.amazon.com/Easy-Way-Stop-.../dp/1402718616

However you decide to do it, good luck.

[dickey1331]

Re: Quitting smoking

I quit cold turkey but for me it was a mind game. You have to want to quit to be able to. Just know that you can do it and be strong. One of my friends used jolly ranchers to suck on instead of smoking. Maybe you can do that or try chewing gum.

[z Revis]

Re: Quitting smoking

I have some friends who quit cold turkey without any outside help, and I know some people, including a 55-year-old who had been smoking for 45 years, who quit using this book.

http://www.amazon.com/Easy-Way-Stop-.../dp/1402718616

However you decide to do it, good luck.

He started smoking when he was 10?

[Buckeyes_Doc]

Re: Quitting smoking

Good luck man. I don't smoke but my wife did since she was 14 and stopped this summer she is 20 now. So 6 years of smoking and she stopped in 3 weeks. She didn't use any patch, chantix, nicotine gum, etc. She just flat out stopped which is amazing to me. And I'm happy she did. It's more psychological then anything I believe.

[z Revis]

Re: Quitting smoking

It's more psychological then anything I believe.

It really is. If you REALLY WANT to quit smoking and are dead serious about it, you'll be able to quit without much of a problem.