Quitting cigs

[drifta]

i have decided to quit smokeing today and looking for any advice
i have been smoking since i was 12 or 13
originally started becuase it was the cool thing to do...
ended up fully addicted within a few months
getting suspended from school a few times and detentions every week becuase of it..

i have smothered my tobacco with water and put it in the bin :yell:
also my zig zags and filter tips..

i really want to give up while im still young!
it is 9pm now...
tomorrow i have a one off job to do waterblasting so it should keep me busy
i also have a punching bag and full weights machine downstairs which should help a bit too

over the last year or so i have really felt the health effects
a couple of times i have thought i was about to have a heart attack

any advice appreciated!

 

[.X.]

it sounds like you really want to quit,That is going to help you by itself,Stick to it, and i wish you the best :tu:

 

[RS]

I've never smoked, but you could always do things you like to do.

Hobbies are essential and in some cases where you concentrate the most by grabbing a cig, dont, instead turn a stereo on or use something else in mind.

 

[yeppers]

Hey drifta,

First of all grats on the decision! I've never smoked before, but stick to it, and if you get an urge, punch yourself in the head real hard lol . No don't do that, just break a leg

Best of luck!
Rhett.

 

[SJM211]

Good on you for quitting .. I stopped a couple of years ago and know how hard it is. I decided to just stop and didn't use nicotine patches/gum etc but it's different for everyone so I don't want to tell you that this is the best way to do it.

It'll certainly be hard for the first few weeks - I think I felt like I was walking around in a daze for the first few days and was quite moody/emotional, that was probably the nicotine withdrawal but I think you get over the physical addiction pretty quickly (a few days). I remember not being able to sleep properly for a couple of weeks and when I did I dreamt that I was smoking + woke up feeling guilty - strange..

The main thing is that you've probably built up such a habit that it'll be hard to break your association with smoking and certain events eg. smoking after a meal, first thing in the morning, waiting for a bus, having a drink etc. When you feel like you need to smoke just do something else - I've become a big gum chewer but different people have different strategies.

The trick I used was simple - I just promised myself not to smoke that day. Eventually a few weeks pass and you don't think about it as much, after a few months it's a lot easier. I still occasionally get tempted now so I'm not sure that it'll ever go away completely but I certainly feel better for stopping so I can recommend it 100%.

This is a good site for information on giving up: www.givingupsmoking.co.uk they have an "email motivator" that you can sign up for I found it quite good..

Anyway, good luck + I hope it all goes well! Just stick at it..

 

[BrandonG]

Good job drifta. I hope you do well, and don't give up!

 

[-db-]

Hard crunchy snacks (pretzels, chips etc.) and chewing gum. The crunching and chewing seems to be a stress reliever, and also keeps your mouth and body busy. It helped one of best friends get through the withdrawal period. He was grouchy for those couple weeks, and gained a few pounds, but he quit successfully.

Also, I kept telling him.... (and now, you)

You will likely get CANCER and DIE if you don't quit. 8-X

Good luck, be strong!

 

[mis_chiff]

way to go to try to quit!..I smoke as well...bad habit!
My friend quit, after smoking for 26 years.
How she did it was she would spend as much time as possible
in a non-smoking area, like work, she stopped smoking in her car,
then in her house, it took her about 2 weeks, ---pretty good after so
many years - then the gradual decline helped her to occupy her idle
time, which of course is when you smoke the most - also, being on the computer!
She has been nicotine free for 9 and a half months. She says she's fine with
it now!..
Good luck...let us know how it works out for you!

 

[Jennifer]

A good way to avoid adding extra pounds while quitting is ice cubes and cinnamon
sticks :tu:

Fill a cup with ice and carry it with you... when you get the urge to smoke start crunching that ice - the nic fit will last about 7 minutes - once you're through it, it's over.

Cinnamon sticks are good too (i'm not talking candy - acutual cinnamon sticks) You can find them at your local market in the spice section. They're good because you can hang them out of your mouth like a cig, and since it's hollow, you can drag on it, chew it, suck it... they last a very long time, and they taste good too.

Good luck to you, I know it's tough - but's it's doable

 

[drifta]

thanks for all the advice guys
its 9am now and im actually feeling quite good
i might make a blog or something just to post my "frustrations" i think that may help alot

 

[BrandonG]

The blog idea is good, it could help out others trying to quit.

 

[{insert name here}]

This is my second time quiting now actually, :lol: I know that sounds strange, so I will explain.
I stopped smoking for 2 years, and as SJM211 said, the urges will never go away. One night while drinking with some friends, a buddy lit up, and I bummed one, and just started up again just like that, went to the store on the way home and bought a pack, and didn't really think about what I was doing for a couple of days. Well, now its time to stop again, so here is my advice, what is helping me now, and what helped me the last time, of course as others have said, its differant for everyone, but things to try...

Fruit - oranges especially, something a professor told me about in college, it has something to do with citric acids, dont remember how it works, but it does, cuts cravings fast, plus the time it takes to peal one, and eat it, by the time your done, you wont be thinking of it.

Hard Candys - this is a good one because it keeps you busy for a while, something in your mouth. No soft chewy candies though, they need to be hard, like life savors, jolly ranchers, jaw breakers, something like these. This helps because you can suck on them, like inhaling or taking a drag.

Gum - same as the hard candys.

Water - drink lots of water. This will help keep you hydrated, wich in turn will help cut your cravings. If you feel like a smoke, drink a full 8oz glass of water.

Staying busy is a huge help too! Always having some type of busy work, doesn't really have to be busy work, but something that always has you thinking, so you don't have time to think about smoking.
This is actually the most effective, as you wont need or use any of the others if you do this.

Toothpicks - yup, just plop one in the corner of your mouth and your off. much like the
cinnamon stick thing ManicGirl said (actually I am going to go buy some as that would tast better than wood).

Anyways, thats all I got.
But the only way you will really be able to quit, is if you realy want to, not because someone wants you too, or asked you too, or anything like that. You really have to want to quit smoking, and if you don't, you will just be hageling with yourself in a day or two. If you catch yourself thinking things like, "well, just one more wont hurt", or "I'll buy one more pack, and ween myself off over a week", or "maybe ill get some and stop next week", anything along those lines, and you probably are not ready to quit, or don't want too. I know, I have been there. I tried to stop 6 or 7 times before I did the first time, and every one of those only lasted no more than a couple days.

Oh, I almost forgot, I never did this, as there isnt one in my area, but a buddy I know online, he said one thing that helped her, was going to a local support group, sounds cheesy, but it really helped her, being around others, as insperation and support. You might look into that too.

any ways, this is a long post, and I feel like I am just trying to support myself, so good luck to you on your quiting, and hopefully neither of us smoke again.

 

[B33R]

So... everyone who was quitting in this thread, how's it goin'?

Did you quit yet or did you quit quitting?

 

[stscac]

When I saw the title of this thread, I thought that he was trying once again. I'd also like to get an update.

Hope everything is going well



-Steve

 

[Michelle]

Oooo yes update please.. I gave up over a year ago and am happy to share my ups and downs....

 

[ephex']

I hope your quitting becomes a success.
It's a nasty habit, in my opinion. Just when you want to smoke start eating! And then work out, always keep busy. Also, don't get second hand smoke that is worse than actually smoking!

 

[peaches017]

I have never smoked but I have some friends who have quit

One friend swears that if you don't go cold-turkey, it can't be done. It will be a tough few weeks but after that you will be ok.

Another school of thought is to ease yourself off.

A friend of my parents got hypnotized or something wacky like that and it worked for a while. He eventually started again because he picked up a cig at a party.

The only thing that I always here is you must regard yourself as a non-smoker. You have to ram that into your mindset that you don't want / need cigarettes.

My grandma has been smoking for 50 years or so and she's extremely healthy, but for many that isn't the case. I hope you the best man.

-Peter