Someone PLEASE help me quit smoking.

[jwz]

I decided (again) that I was smoking my LAST cigarette today.
I haven't smoked again, but I know that I will be having a hard time for 2 weeks or so.

January this year, I quit smoking successfully, but stupidly started again 3 months later.

I've attempting to quit again, but it seems much harder now. It pretty much goes this way: When I'm not needy for a smoke, I feel like I'm ready to give it up. Never smoke again. Hate it.

Times come when I get the cravings. When they come, It seems that smoking is GOOD. I LOVE smoking. I MISS it. etc etc. (It really does seem that way during a craving).

Now that I've decided to quit for good, I'm politely asking if any of you could guide me abit during my first 2/3 weeks as a non-smoker. Maybe that could help me through the tough period of detoxing.

This will take some discipline. :-)

-Jan

[silicon toad2000]

I still smoke socially, I have a few friends who smoke and when I see them I enjoy a smoke over a nice coffee. But the good thing is I broke the addiction.

I cut down gradually. I identified my triggers and I quit smoking at places. I first quit smoking at work, that was hard. Then I quit smoking at home. Now I only smoke once every other week when I visit certain friends.

[jwz]

Thanks for your reply.
But I think that if I want to break my addiction, I would have to never ever smoke again.
I consider myself a smoke-o-holic. All it takes for me is one puff.
I need to quit 100%.
I don't have the discipline to be an occasional smoker.

[Keith]

An unorthodox approach that worked for a workmate's relative:

Take a little gunpowder from a cap gun cap or something (test it first to make sure it's genuinely a little amount) and insert it up half the cigarettes in your pack. Rough up the ends so it's unclear which ones you've done it to.

Try and enjoy smoking your cigarettes, not knowing which ones are going to go pop any second.

[EDIT] Bah, of COURSE you said you never wanted to smoke again. <slaps head>. Disregard me. [/EDIT]

[Amadeus]

O.k, bear with me with this. I'm sure you've heard about going to a hypnotist to help a person quit smoking or overeating. A book on the same lines that you can do yourself is called The Silva Method by Jose Silva. It is simple reading and will only take you about 20 minutes to understand what it is telling you to do. Silva claims that you can use it to cure addictions, make things happen in life that work in your favor, heal others, and heal yourself. He claims that our thoughts have power when our minds are using alpha waves (not beta when we are wide awake). It's the state of your mind right before you go to sleep, except in this case you stay awake. You mediate by closing your eyes and counting backwards from 100 to 1. You only focus on the numbers. Then you picture your life the way it is now (addicted to smoking) with mental pictures with your eyes close you picture your mind or body healing. He says you use your mental "tool box" that consist of I.Vs, formulas, unique medical equipment to heal yourself. For example in your case, you would mentally hook an IV to your arm that would magically clean the nicotine out of your system (your mind and body). The next picture you would see yourself healthy, turning down the thought of cigarettes, and going year after year without smoking.

Yes this does work for people. It worked for me with sugar. I have healed my wife's aches while she was at work. You are also changing the chemistry of your mind to an extent. You are successfully putting down the cigarettes over and over in your mind in a matter of minutes and hours. This would normally take you months in real time. Your are convincing your mind that you are beating this. I know this sounds silly to some, but it is worth a shot for you.

[Ree]

jwz, I am in agreement with you that to quit smoking is to never put a cigarette to my lips again. I'm totally afraid that if I ever did, I'd be hooked again.

That said, this is how I quit 14 years ago: Cold turkey. I noted the date and I announced my intention to quit to everyone I knew. This makes it more difficult to renig on your decision. Every time I wanted a cigarette, I made and drank lemon water. The slicing of the lemons and squeezing them into the water took the place of the ritual of tapping out a cigarette from a pack and lighting it. The citrus and the water helped flush the toxins from my system. I drank A LOT of lemon water

Write on a piece of paper, and keep it with you, your top three reasons to quit smoking. When you are tempted to smoke, take this paper out and review in writing your reasons to quit.

Remind yourself that you have progressed ____ days into the process of quitting. Ask yourself if you want to waste those days, and the effort involved, by giving in to your desire to smoke and going back to the beginning of the process of quitting.

After 21 days your physical addiction is over. After this, smoking is just a matter of habit. Replace a bad habit with a good habit. A good habit is the making and drinking of lemon water. You can try journaling or meditating. Whatever works for you! Good luck!

[Peleke4]

Originally Posted by jwz

I decided (again) that I was smoking my LAST cigarette today.
I haven't smoked again, but I know that I will be having a hard time for 2 weeks or so.

January this year, I quit smoking successfully, but stupidly started again 3 months later.

I've attempting to quit again, but it seems much harder now. It pretty much goes this way: When I'm not needy for a smoke, I feel like I'm ready to give it up. Never smoke again. Hate it.

Times come when I get the cravings. When they come, It seems that smoking is GOOD. I LOVE smoking. I MISS it. etc etc. (It really does seem that way during a craving).

Now that I've decided to quit for good, I'm politely asking if any of you could guide me abit during my first 2/3 weeks as a non-smoker. Maybe that could help me through the tough period of detoxing.

This will take some discipline. :-)

-Jan

Joseph Murphy said that when your desire to quit is greater than your desire to continue, then you're 51% healed. If you truly desire to quit more than continue, then all you need is the following book: Allen Carr's "The Easy Way to Stop Smoking." Trust me, it's a surprisingly easy method and it really works. Some people quit immediately. For me, I quit for four days but started up again when my friend got hitched. The book basically reveals to you what smoking truly is: a drug addiction. It lifts away all the illusions of smoking so you'll totally see it from a new light. I read the book in two days and the info. really does stay with you. I stopped smoking completely within one month after my friend's big day. And what really trips me out is that I don't have a desire to smoke! I'm not the only one vouching for this book, check out the numerous reviews on Amazon.com.

[Rose of Cairo]

Hello jwz,

Ree already gave you the advice I'd like to give you... I personally wrote down my reasons, wrote down how it would be without smoking, and told everyone, so I would have lost my face if I had smoke again... Each time I wanted to smoke, I drank 1/2 l of water and once went down and up the stairs. Try this, it works!

I don't want to discourage you, but be realistic : you will have those cravings for a long time. But the good thing is : they are short! did you notice? one minute or two, and then it's ok. So you just have to pass those two minutes! To know this helped me a lot. If I was suffering, I always thought, ok, you just have to survive for two minutes. Is this unbearable? no...

at the beginning, it's two minutes craving every two minutes that's really difficult. I just was running all day long up and down the stairs... but then it's two minutes every five minutes, every ten minutes... some day you will notice, wow, once an hour! then a few times a day... and some day you will forget about cigarettes

It took me 320 days until I forgot about it. you may think, 320 days, what a loooong time... but what are 320 days in your entire life?

The cravings will pass by some day. really. you just have to be strong for two minutes. But if you smoke one single cigarette again, you will interrupt the process and have to start at the beginning again. So, no matter what happens, DO NOT CEDE!

use the LoA. visualize yourself as an happy, healthy, smart non-smoker every day.

I wish you to succeed and to be this happy, healthy, smart non-smoker

if you need some more advice or help, pm me.

Lots of love to you!

[jwz]

Thank you all for the great advice.
Many true tools for me to use there.
For instance YES, being a smoker IS being an addict. And YES nicotine IS a drug. Makes it a lot less appealing, eh?
And Ree, thanks for your lemon-water tip. I just might find a lemon-water-ish substitute for the ritual of smoking.
I intend NOT to use any remedies containing nicotine to help me quit.
I'm trying to quit my addiction, it won't help me to become addicted to nicotine gum.
Rose, GREAT tips. I guess that running up and down on stairs would do wonders for my body also

Thanks again all, I've gained ALOT of willpower from your replies, and I hope that your posts/replies will take away future cravings just as easily as they did today.

After all, I won't be needing your help quitting smoking forever. lol.
I've heard that things gets easier after the first 3 days.

-Jan

[Angela]

I'm with you, Jan. What a great, great, great gift you're taking on for yourself, and an immense gift to others, too -- less smoke in the world, and more power and inspiration, thanks to you.

Thanks for generating that.

Lots of love (and sending you all the strength I can),
Angela

[PicklePaws]

Believe me, you CAN kick it and your life will be much better for it!
Former 2-pack-a-day smoker here, haven't touched a ciggie in 3 years.

[kaw]

Hi JWZ, i am sorry to hear you struggling with nicotine addiction. i have gone through before and it's really painful. but where there is a will for sure there will a way. i hope you read through this blog and you decide by yourself. i am happy if one day you could tell me that your dream has come through. good luck fren.. Super Detox - The Simplest Way To Quit Smoking good luck!!!

[Amadeus]

Oh, you're quit welcome JMZ. It's good to know I spent 20 minutes in my life trying to help someone out that is so greatful.

[lost in the woods]

JWZ, I am in a similar position myself. I finished my last cig at 0630hrs last Monday (the 23rd). I am lucky, I don’t seem to have any cravings, I still have the occasional thought about having a cig, this is habit though, when I would have had a cig i.e. after meal times etc.

I found this link in an other posting, I find it has kind of helped me, good luck and keep at it.

G
Stop smoking.Contents.Over 125,000 users

[jwz]

Again, thank you VERY much all.
Rose of Cairo also gave me this very useful info:
While quitting smoking, beware of day 60 to 120. That's where the remaining nicotine gets flushed out.
I should've known that last time I quit. Day 60 caught me off-guard.

Day #2, and still not a single puff. (its getting hard though. lol)

-Jan

[Ree]

You can do it! It might be helpful to print out this thread and re-read the posts from time to time. I'm sure one day you'll be counting the years since you quit. Think how good that will feel!!

[Lynn 007]

Keep up the good work and take one day at a time!!!

I have quit more times than I can remember and always got through the first few weeks then picked them up again. One exception is I quit for 3.5 years before and went back but the thing I've learned is I am addicted to nicotine.

I am now 5.5 months without one ( a valentines gift to myself) and although I know if the universe was in a certain alignment and the situation presented itself I could easily be smoking a pack a day tomorrow.

For me, I will never be "cured" - especially knowing I went for over 3 years smoke-free and went back to it. It has too strong of a hold on me.

I take one day at a time, changed my habits and am very aware of my surroundings and potential to smoke. For example when I first quit, if friends wanted to go for a drink after work and sit on the patio I would decline because the possibility was too high that I would smoke.

One thing that also helps me is on a regular basis (when I'm feeling weak) I look for smokers on the street and try to find someone who has been smoking for years and see how unhealthy they look. Some of these people in their 30's, 40's and beyond look grey, no signs of life in their eyes, a bit overweight, premature ageing, yellow teeth, no shine to their hair..........overall they just look sick!!!! While waiting for a light to change I've even made a point of standing next to a smoker and I can smell them within a few feet. I'm really not any different from anyone else so all of these things I spot in someone else, someone is seeing them in me as a smoker - and that is not who I am or who I want to be. I am healthy, virbrate, and full of energy - everything a smoker is not (in my eyes).

Keep up the good work and only you can decide when you're ready to quit.

[jwz]

Thanks :-)
I just checked back here because I had a bad craving.
I can't wait 'till I stop noticing that I don't smoke anymore :-)

[Rose of Cairo]

This day will come, don't worry. just DO NOT GIVE UP no matter what!!!

we all send you lots of strength

[Strangemagik]

My brother used Smoke Away pills. It is nicotine free and flushes your body. Its said when all the body is flushed the cravings aren't there(atleast not as bad) because theres none in your body. Anyway it worked for him and he hasn't smoked one bit in 2 years. And certainly was around smokers and smoke.

He had other things that he did. Such as a ticker that told him how much he had saved. He saved up and put a down payment on the first of his "toys" an ATV.


He also wasn't a big smoker as he was good about not doing it at work. He was too embarassed to have his friends see him smoking. He was the same way back in high school I remember. He only smoked at home or in car when he had something to spray himself down. HE was a closet smoker I guess you'd say.

As for me I've never been a smoker so I can only pass on what he had told me.

[carenkh]

I just saw a friend tonight who received acupuncture to help her quit cigarettes. The acupuncturist also put 'press seeds' on her ears, that she could press when her cravings were strong. My friend said she hasn't wanted a cigarette at all (it's been almost a week), and when she does think of smoking, she feels sick to her stomach - a definite deterrent!

I know you can do this! I'm in a 12-step recovery group - a couple of things I learned there: 1) the desire *will* pass, if you don't give in to it and 2) the principle of "just for today". Instead of saying, "I'll never smoke again" you can say, "I won't smoke today". Or even, "I won't smoke for the next 15 minutes." Then when that period of time passes, start again. That can get you through the worst periods of time -- then you can start thinking of forever!

Wishing you peace -

[carenkh]

I also found this online; I remembered when my aunt quit she kept a list like this posted on her fridge:

When Smokers Quit – What Are the Benefits Over Time?

20 minutes after quitting: Your heart rate and blood pressure drops.

12 hours after quitting: The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.

2 weeks to 3 months after quitting: Your circulation improves and your lung function increases.

1 to 9 months after quitting: Coughing and shortness of breath decrease; cilia (tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs) regain normal function in the lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce the risk of infection.

1 year after quitting: The excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker's.

5 years after quitting: Your stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker 5 to 15 years after quitting.

10 years after quitting: The lung cancer death rate is about half that of a continuing smoker's. The risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix, and pancreas decrease.

15 years after quitting: The risk of coronary heart disease is that of a nonsmoker's.

Visible and Immediate Rewards of Quitting

Quitting helps stop the damaging effects of tobacco on your appearance including:

* Premature wrinkling of the skin
* Bad breath
* Stained teeth
* Gum disease
* Bad smelling clothes and hair
* Yellow fingernails

Kicking the tobacco habit offers benefits that you'll notice immediately and some that will develop gradually over time. These rewards can improve your day-to-day life immensely.

* Food tastes better.
* Your sense of smell returns to normal
* Ordinary activities no longer leave you out of breath (for example, climbing stairs or light housework)


Sound good?

[kaushal1]

Just start thinking that i m harming others with my smoking habits as i m also making others passive smokers.
Develop the desire of living healthy and long life.
Just think that u have not to cause any harm to mather earth with ur habit of smoking.
Try to remain in the company of people who hate smoking.
Take help of meditation for getting rid of this habit.

[jwz]

Thank you all for your replies.
I have both bad and good news for you.
Bad news first. Yes. U guessed it. I've "accidentally" smoked a cigarette while visiting a friend (detoxing from the beginning again now).

The GOOD news however are that I've set a list of goals for August which includes that I WONT smoke in August. I respect my goals for August quite a lot, which should help me gaining further strength quitting.

I'm disappointed with myself because of the one cigarette, and I would feel too bad if I let it happen again. So it seems that I will accomplish this one goal for sure.

August, here I come!!

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

Good luck! I know you can accomplish this goal.

[scottyp]

watch this video a friend of mine did, recently got on to youtube's front page:

YouTube - Ghetto Science - Smoking

It might encourage you to stop smoking..

[Ilya]

I was sure someone has already brought this up, but no.
Did you read the book "The Easy Way to Stop Smoking " by Allen Carr?
If you didn't, I suggest you do.
I am a non-smoker. I can brag that I quit cold-turkey, but since I've smoked just three cigarettes in my life, I guess it doesn't count.

However, the smokers around me are quitting in droves with the help of the book. Even my father has quit after about 40 years of smoking and judging by the lack of scandals and rage outbursts it went easier then any of his previous unsuccessful attempts.

Intrigued, I've read the book. I was expecting hypnotic commands ingrained into the text, but I was wrong. The book expects the readers to be very conscious about their addiction. It explains in turn all the reasons and myths associated with smoking. It rationally and very neutrally uninstalls the beliefs that make quitting so hard. The main one is that quitting is hard.

I was surprised to learn, that the physiological addiction to nicotine wears in approximately two days. Nicotine is a light drug afterwards and detox process can't be compared even to alcohol withdrawal, much less the heavier drugs. Whatever sufferings the quitters have after initial hours of withdrawal are of psychological nature. The book appeals to the reader's conscious to help with avoiding these sufferings. The actual technique is to smoke your last cigarette, and quit smoking for the rest of your life. Then toughen through the first two days and then use the knowledge about the nature of nicotine addiction to notice, that there is no real reason to start smoking again.

The book does a much better job then my brief resume, so if you are not convinced, still read the book and make your decision later.

I haven't seen anyone attacking the book, but be advised that the author, who quit smoking after 30 years of daily habit, has nevertheless died of lung cancer after many years of helping others. This sad irony, I think, should not be used as a proof of the method inefficiency, but as a warning about the delayed effects smoking has on our health.

[skinnyninja]

Lots of good suggestions here.

I got a lot of my information for quitting from a website called Whyquit. They recommend quitting cold turkey and so do I. That is what finally worked for me.

Once you've been quit for a week or so, the thought of sneaking just one cig or even just one puff can be seductive. You have to keep in mind that a single cigarette or even a single puff will eventually lead you to full relapse--imagine going back to your full level of consumption (pack a day, two packs a day, whatever that was). Don't kid yourself into thinking you can get away with just one! That is the sinister nature of drug addiction.

Here is my complete take on how to quit smoking right here. Good luck to you on your journey.

[dyedz]

Hi Jan,

I admire you and wish you luck in quitting smoking. The key is to not get discouraged and to take quitting smokinig day to day. You will succeed if you can modify the habits that surround smoking. Cravings will subside as time goes on.

15 years ago, I smoked 3-4 packs a day and wasn't successful at quiting cold turkey. What worked for me was a gradual withdrawal from smoking since I smoked so much, the habits of smoking were too embedded in my daily life. I couldn't do anything without lighting up a smoke. Pick a target date, then write down the times of the day that you smoke and start eliminating the times that you smoke and you will naturally decrease your smoking while learning how to live your life smoke-free.

The other suggestions of drinking water / keeping yourself busy during cravings are a must. I keep sugarless hard candy in my pocket also when I was out and about to help me cope.

Your friend in staying quit,
Donna

[Redisbest]

1. buy a big wall calendar
2. make a big "x" on the days that you accomplish your goal
3. goal? Don't break the chain!!