I need to quit smoking...

[a707780]

Anybody out there beat this demon? I started when I was in 6th grade. Stopped when I got married, quit for 14 years! When I got divorced, I started again. ( my rationalization? They tasted like "freedom" psheeeewww!" Not more than a pack a day. I've tried gum, patches, cold turkey, Chantix ( the drug was bad. side effects made me a lunatic.) I need to stop. It's expensive, my girl won't kiss me with any enthusiasm, I'm tired of going outside in the minnesota winter to feed the monkey. I can't sing with as much oomph as I used to. I'm tired of being a slave yet every effort I make falls short...Any advice on techniques or a mindset? I work in a hospital and regularly see people drowning in there own mucus from emphasema (sp?), dragging around an oxygen tank, yet I JUST DON'T GET THE MESSAGE! I need to stop before it kills me. Help?

[Ayce]

1 word.
Vape.

[Hawaii Islander]

I was fortunate that Chantix worked for me. The other things I did that helped was to restrict where I smoked before quitting. I didn't smoke indoors or in my car. When I finally quit, I used the money normally spent on cigarettes for something I really wanted (a new Ford Mustang). I couldn't afford cigarettes and car payments. Good luck with quitting. Vaping may be a possible way off of the smokes too.

[James Hart]

Originally Posted by Ayce

1 word.
Vape.

this... coming up fast on 2 years without smoking using e-cigs

[Hawaii Islander]

Congrats James. I've been a non-smoker since 2007. I don't miss it either.

[colcifer]

Nicotine patches, nicotine gum don't really help smokers quit - Los Angeles Times

[stratovani]

Originally Posted by colcifer

Nicotine patches, nicotine gum don't really help smokers quit - Los Angeles Times

I don't buy that. I used the patch when I quit back in '06, and it was a great help to me. But while the patch will help you to deal with withdrawal symptoms, ultimately it's all about motivation. It's really quite simple - if you're motivated enough to quit, you'll quit, and if you're not, you won't. Nobody will put a gun to your head and make you quit, you have to want to do it.

Anybody out there beat this demon? I started when I was in 6th grade. Stopped when I got married, quit for 14 years! When I got divorced, I started again. ( my rationalization? They tasted like "freedom" psheeeewww!" Not more than a pack a day. I've tried gum, patches, cold turkey, Chantix ( the drug was bad. side effects made me a lunatic.) I need to stop. It's expensive, my girl won't kiss me with any enthusiasm, I'm tired of going outside in the minnesota winter to feed the monkey. I can't sing with as much oomph as I used to. I'm tired of being a slave yet every effort I make falls short...Any advice on techniques or a mindset? I work in a hospital and regularly see people drowning in there own mucus from emphasema (sp?), dragging around an oxygen tank, yet I JUST DON'T GET THE MESSAGE! I need to stop before it kills me. Help?

Sounds to me like you're not ready to quit quite yet, but you're building the foundation for when you do. That's good, I did the same thing myself, quit and restart a number of times before I finally quit.

A quick tip - don't hang around with smokers. They'll kill your motivation without even trying!

[nortonrider]

100% Amen to everything that stratovani just said.

[Geroi Asfalta]

Originally Posted by James Hart

this... coming up fast on 2 years without smoking using e-cigs

Congrats!! But, I hate to say it, but I notice this from working in a cigarette shop: About 75% of the people I see buying an E-Cig who are try to quit end up smoking the real thing within 3 or 4 months.

But, I guess it depends from person to person....those e-cigs are expensive, and the refills are almost as much as a new kit....

[FrankenIbanez70]

As someone who has only been smoking for a few years, but a pack+ a day smoker, I tried ecigs, and thought they were great, until I lit another real one. Now I too am trying to find a new way to quit. different things work for different people.

[dullsilver_mike]

Originally Posted by Ayce

1 word.
Vape.

+1
I've never been a smoker, but I have a couple different friends who have gone that route and it seems to have worked pretty well.

[agent77]

When I was a kid my dad have a conversation with a friend of his that had quit smoking several years prior. He said he quit by keeping a smoking log. Carry around a small pad of paper with you, and every time you want a cigarette write down (in detail) the reason why you want that cigarette. If you're stressed out, write down why you're stressed out. If it's your "after meal smoke" write down how much better your food would have tasted if you had never started smoking.

My dad's friend said it worked like a charm. I guess you either realize that you're smoking for stupid reasons or just get sick of keeping a log.

[Ricnroll]

Not sure if this will help you at all A707780, I wrote in another thread a little while back.....

Originally Posted by Ricnroll

I smoked over a pack a day for about 17 years. I voluntarily spent tens of thousands of dollars on cigarettes.

In order to quit I had to recognize the addictive qualities of the nicotine. While trying several times to quit I found that my brain would rationalize putting more nicotine into my system in many plausible ways. My brain would tell me "it's OK if you borrow one from X, it'll just be one", or "it's OK if you buy a pack today, you can quit tomorrow". The scenarios that my brain would present were many and varied, they always made enough sense for me to keep feeding my body nicotine. I finally made the very simple conclusion that the only way to quit was to never put nicotine into my body ever again, under any circumstance. Sounds simple right? let me repeat.. The only way to quit is to never put nicotine into your body ever again, under any circumstance! It helped me finally realize that the voice* telling me to "just do this" or "just do that" was the addiction. Once I recognized it, I was in a much better position to prevent it's sabotage.

The actual quitting was easy. The unpleasant sensations of nicotine withdrawal are very minor, not much worse than feeling hungry (different than, but about the same intensity level in my experience). You don't have to have a high tolerance for pain, a little girl could make it through this without shedding a tear. Your body is not going to go into sweats and convulsions. All you have to deal with is a very minor unpleasant sensation for a short period of time. The desire to smoke presents itself, lasts a little while, then subsides and you forget about it until the next time. After the first few days both the intensity and frequency diminish. Every time the desire to smoke presents itself recognize it, tell yourself it will diminish in a short period of time and don't listen to your brain telling you any stories that "it'll be OK if you just...."

While you are going through this let your rational mind keep reminding you that your government is removing cash from your wallet every day through a very insidious scheme linked to your addiction.

When you get through it you are going to realize many more benefits than just having extra cash at the end of each month. Wait until you can taste a mango again or start sleeping more soundly or have extra cardiovascular capacity.

Good Luck, I probably could have articulated this better but I hope you get the gist.

If I can be of any help please let me know.

(*not an actual voice, just a figure of speech)

What agent77 says makes a lot of sense. Write down the reasons you are having a smoke everytime you do and make a determination as to whether it is the addiction rationalizing that reason. The only way to quit nicotine is to never, ever, under any circumstances put it into your body. I haven't smoked in about 18 years but I know that if I have 1 drag I'll be out buying a pack within an hour. I can't have 1 drag ever.

What do smokes cost nowadays? About $3K a year? Think of the basses you can be playing in the next 5 years. Get angry that someone is sucking that money out of your wallet.

[Ayce]

Originally Posted by Geroi Asfalta

Congrats!! But, I hate to say it, but I notice this from working in a cigarette shop: About 75% of the people I see buying an E-Cig who are try to quit end up smoking the real thing within 3 or 4 months.

But, I guess it depends from person to person....those e-cigs are expensive, and the refills are almost as much as a new kit....

Not really. The ones you get at the gas stn. or corner stores are made to prevent you from quitting. Expensive for cheap equipment, and yes, the refills aren't cheap. Not to mention, many are low to 0 % nicotine, so the user doesn't get what they "need" and they go back to analogs.

I use a Volt kit, with refillable cartos, and buy my juice from a Canadian supplier. Refilling the carts takes less time than making the equivilent amount of roll your owns, and is cheaper. I got 40ml of 2.4% nic juice, plus 3ml sample free, for just over $30 shipped. So far, it's lasted over 3 weeks on the first 20ml. A $13.00 pouch of tobbaco lasted me a week, if I was lucky, and a $7.00 pack of 25 would last about 1 1/2 days.
Then there are the health differences. I still get nicotine, but I don't get the rest of the junk in an analog. Plus, there is little to no smell, and the "smoke" is just water vapour.
Some may say that vaping is just switching one addiction for another, and this may be true for some. My plan is to reduce the nic level over the next few months, then quit vaping when I get to 0% nic. I can do that with e-cigs. Try doing that with analogs.
There is a lot of useful, and some useless, information out there on the net. I visit e-cigaretteforum, and find it quite useful. There is a newbie section with lots of info, and it can be mind boggling at first, but once you find a good e-cig and juice, you're good to go and take control of the issue, instead of BT or BP controlling you. Some have made it a hobby, and yes, that can get expensive, just like GAS, but if you find what you need soon enough, and don't get heavily into mods, you'll be just fine.

One other thing. I found a lot of friendly folk over there who are willing to help n00bs out by PIFing hardware and juice to help get you going. When I'm done with vaping, I'll do the same.

Good luck in getting off the analogs, whichever method works for you.

[john grey]

I think that giving up any habituating drug is different for different people. For some people (those who smoke a lot) it's a bit easier for them because they have lost all rationalization and know they are doing serious damage. I think some people who smoke a small amount (1/2 pack or as low as 2-3 smokes a day) it may even be tougher becasue the intellectualizing process can be in place. I once (many years ago) had a doctor tell me "Oh you smoke how much? 3 cigarettes a day?....Oh that's no big deal" - And so I went on smoking for several months.

But all this is opinion of course - I don't see anything wrong with most any technique that gets you off smoking. I only wish they had all these things around when I quit.

NOTE: I said SOME people who smoke a lot may be able to quite easier. I know that for some people is pretty close to a damn mean uncomfortable 4 days before they start feeling better.

[matti777]

I smoked a pack a day for 10 years but quit over 15 years ago. I convinced myself that I was going to die young and never really envisioned myself as a smoker. I know that sounds weird. It was once of the hardest things I have ever done but people do quit everyday. Many quit permanently . Nicorette was about the only thing out there at that time and it helped me. It can be done! Good luck.

[lucas vigor]

Cold turkey. Everything else is just delaying your progress. within 2-5 days, the physical side effects of withdrawal are done. But, the mental aspects will go on for quite a lot longer.

[James Hart]

Originally Posted by Geroi Asfalta

Congrats!! But, I hate to say it, but I notice this from working in a cigarette shop: About 75% of the people I see buying an E-Cig who are try to quit end up smoking the real thing within 3 or 4 months.

Thanks. unfortunately the kind of e-cigs that you can actually get at smoke shops and gas station convenience stores are generally junk.

Originally Posted by Geroi Asfalta

But, I guess it depends from person to person....those e-cigs are expensive, and the refills are almost as much as a new kit....

It is a person to person thing, but being educated on the products out there really helps.

Here is a thread with a LOT of good info any smokers switch to Vaping yet?

I have 'boutique' type mods (battery holders) that cost me $100 each... I've seen similar functioning mods for $25. I use high quality atomizers (low resistance 901 style) that last me between 3 and 5 weeks each for $8 a piece. I use the direct drip method (instead of cartos, carts or tanks) and use about 30ml of juice a month that costs me $20 per 30ml bottle. It's a little more than I've spent on other juice in the past, but I did a LOT of hunting for the exact flavor I was looking for.

As a smoker of about a 1/2 pack of Winston Lights a day, I went for 24mg rated stuff to start, the biggest mistake I see is people starting too weak. I worked my self down to 12mg strength and have been vaping happily at this level. Another thing that really hit it for me is I made the call going in that I DID NOT want to taste of tobacco... I had to figure out an acceptable flavor that I could use all day. I went with Cinnamon after messing with Cola, Coffee, and a couple sweets and fruits (OMG DO NOT drink your morning coffee while vaping grape flavored juice!).

So after the investment of my mods, Li-ion rechargeable batteries, and a charger... my habit costs me about $30 a month.

[fhm555]

Originally Posted by lucas vigor

Cold turkey. Everything else is just delaying your progress. within 2-5 days, the physical side effects of withdrawal are done. But, the mental aspects will go on for quite a lot longer.

Worked for me. Two years last October was my last smoke.

After I white knuckled past the physical desire for nicotine, the hardest part for me was giving up the ritual associated with smoking.

Pat the pack in my pocket with my right hand, take it out with my left hand, bump out a zag and catch it with my right hand, then up to my mouth with it (always on the left side of my mouth), replace the pack while fishing out my baby bic with my left hand (nothing else will do to light up with BTW), flip it around in my hand until it's in it's proper position, strike it, light up, then drop the bic back in my pocket on the right side of the pack of smokes.

To this day I occasionally catch myself absently patting my shirt pocket.

My primary motivation though is much the same for smoking as it is for alcohol. I remain grateful to be quit and never take it for granted. I also never forget it's my choice (and no one else's) to drink/smoke...or not.

I don't restrict myself to only keeping company with non smokers/drinkers. It's my problem(s) and I can't expect anyone else to alter their lives to make mine easier. it's my responsibility to handle my bid-ness, not to mention I refuse to grant anyone the power to dictate where I can go or who I can associate with because of my character defect(s).

[frianbisher]

Yeah I'm seriously considering vaping again...I was able to stay off cigs for about 6 months in 2010 using them. My main problem was when I would go to a bar or drinking with friends vaping didn't totally do it for me....But I want to give it another shot, considering getting the joye eGo kit when I have enough money for one.