Desperately need to give up smoking

[gloomy]

I am desperate to give up smoking.  I have tried nicotine replacement products and have had reactions to them all.  I have also tried Zyban and got bad anxiety and palpitations.  I suppose the only option left is to go COLD TURKEY how fun that is going to be.  So I am calling all ex smokers for their invaluable advice on giving up.  Any tips would be greatly appreciated

[o-ren]

Been smoking since 18 and gave up smoking phasing out.  I use to smoke a pack a day, to a point that I was a chain smoker and it was horrible.  I have tried cold turkey, unless you are a mentally discipline with high spirit, I found it next to impossible.   Next I tried gum, it did not work for me because of the horrible taste. 

I cut down my pack a day to pack a week.  when I could handle a pack a week, i cut it down even more to 3 cigarettes a day.  one for morning, lunch and after dinner.  after i got use to that, i tried one cig a day and then one cig every 3 days and so forth.   the key is to literally push yourself to a point where you cannot stand not having a cigarrette and build your resistance from there.  always push for your limit and only smoke what your body craves and do not go overboard.  it is very difficult to not follow a second cigarette after lighting the first one and this is where quitting is crucial.  you must always remember that you are only smoking in order to CUT DOWN and not for satisfaction.   

people have their own ways of smoking, this was mine.  took me completely 2 years to fully quit smoking. the first couple of months is the hardest. actually make that the first week and even now after quitting for more than 3 years i still crave it.  good luck, if you can get past the first 3 weeks, you will be fine, until you actually are dedicated on quitting, it's impossible. 

good luck and god bless.

[MistaVega]

I'm not a smoker, but I'm pretty sure you can find some sites on the net with strategies that can help you with your problem.

[o-ren]

Vega is right, here are some sites I have found that offers steps and phases, again everything varies by person, it might work for some and it might not.  As an ex-smoker I know exactly what you will go through and I can say that your dedication is what really counts.  No one can make you quit, no amount of websites and patches can make any human being stop lighting up a cigarette,  I hope you find strength within yourself to deny your cravings.  You can do this, but it starts and ends with your will power.

Good luck and God bless.

http://www.anti-smoking.org/quitting.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/news/QuitSmoking.htm

http://www.winternet.com/~terrym/quitsmoke.html

http://www.metrokc.gov/health/tobacco/quitsmoking.htm

[gloomy]

Thanks for all the advice I know its not an easy thing to do!  I liked the strategy that O'Ren adopted I think that one is well worth a try and I havent tried to cut down before only stop.  I smoke between 10 and 15 cigarettes a day at the moment and I know most of them arent due to craving but just habit, boredom etc.  so I think I could cut a few of those out to start with.  Wish me luck, I will keep posting on how things are going or should I say to moan lol

[pinkangeltrio]

hello. i have had the same probloms. its so hard to quit cold turkey good luck.
pink

[Dante]

Hi,

Yeah im trying to give up cold turkey as well. Ive tried to stop smoking in the past, and the only times when i seem to stop is when im exercising. Id recommend exercise (any exercise is good exercise) as part of the strategy to quit.

[jinky]

I told myself that I was going to quit by the time I turned 30.  So from the age of 28 I psyched myself into the idea of smoking not being a long term option in my life.  12 months before my birthday I started cutting down.  Firstly I stopped taking the packet to work, then stopped taking individual smokes to work (usually 3).  After this I then cut down to 3 a day for a good 6 months, then down to 1 a day, allowing 3 for a bad day.  Then I smoked the last one in my last pack and it tasted like crap.  I told myself that was the last smoke for now, but that I could buy another packet whenever I wanted.  I haven't bought it yet.  It has now been 3 months, and I've only had 2 single cigarettes in drunken error. 

One thing that will help is if you become a bit of a hermit for a while.  Stop smoking by yourself and busy yourself with doing anything else besides socialising.

Good luck, J

[ladyK]

smoking cessation is a personal thing...you can try something and it won't work and then you find you're magic.  I used the nicotine patch and it worked wonders for me...almost 5 yrs!  But the first 6 - 8 months were hard and I lapsed a few time myself.  The biggest trick is to stay with it.  You wanted to quit so quit!  Make it happen, forgiver yourself for the lapses in judgement and start again the next day and soon you'll be free of the addiction to smokes.  Good luck to anyone trying to quit!  Youcan do it!

take care, ladyK

[jinky]

I guess I've lapsed.  I quite nicely for 3 months, and then bought a packet which I smoked over 2 weeks, and then I bought another packet and the rest is history.  I will try again at some stage, I just don't feel strong enough at the moment.  I know its bad for me, I just enjoy it too damn much.  Apparently it gets easier the more you try to quit, so if you don't make it the first time (like I haven't) don't despair because you will make it if you keep at it.  Best of luck to both of us, I reckon! Jinky

[anxiousandie]

hi iv gave up smoking over 2 weeks ago, COLD TURKEY and its very hard, and like somene said before become a hermit for a while, thats what iv done, most of my friends smoke so im staying away frm them and just seeing the ones that dont smoke lol which is horrible but i dont care lol, in the uk every public place except obviously outside is non smoking, its illegal basically, so that makes it so much easier to stay stopped on a night out,
hope you do quit i im starting to feel the benefits of stopping now, no cough no phlem, and i have more colour in my face, and i suppose i smell nicer too lol
i just have the worst mood swings which is irrational and stupid which is another good reason to make your self a recluse, good luck anyway and its ok to lapse just dont stop stopping x x x
hope your all ok x x x x

[MR.SNIFFLES]

I quite around three weeks ago .....without really meaning to.... I was actually going to just try switching to dip. well first day no problem .....one week later no problem. so i figured i hadn't smoked in 10 days, and dipping was tearing my gum up pretty bad, not to mention with anxiety all i could think about was having to have my tongue or jaw cut off , so there was my motivation to quite that. first day is the hardest for me so i just slept and, when i woke up i  laid there till i fell asleep again. second day is simply committed . you get through the first day there's no going back if your serious. you dont want another first day as for why i wanted to dip in stead of smoke, (1) i couldn't take the smell of the smoke on my hand    (2) grizzly is only $2.30. . quiting dip is pretty easy ,when you have a good size cut on your gum, it hurts like hell
not saying its the brightest idea but if like me get off the smokes a few days, and let fear take care of the chew, every night i went to bed feeling like i had a bump in my mouth, and throat . that's the only reason i was able to kick that one so easy, get my fix and feel like i am going to die , or suffer some hot flashes, mood swings, and munchies. ILL take (B) BOB

you can do it gloomy.

I recommend sleep sleep sleep, befor ya know it your through the first day.