How did you do it?

[droppedurpocket]

Cold turkey for me. I replaced that habit with mints or something small to occupy my time for a short while. The mints helped with my oral fixation. And they taste better. I was smoking a pack and a half a day when I quit.

 

[Chebass88]

That happened to me once at a bar. I asked the bartender for a pin. She gave me a pen ( loud bar... ).

Ultimately I never found a pin. I just didn't smoke. When I got home, I found mine and stuck to the program. I was proud and aware of my self control the entire night. After that, I knew I was going to be able to do that even more.

It really only sort of sucked. But it was doable and not as bad as I thought it would be.

It is 100% awareness in exactly what you can control and how to own it.

It is very encouraging to hear that your mental strength was sufficient to overcome this.

By the way, how does one pantomime "I would like to borrow a large hat pin so I can poke a hole in my cigarette" to a bartender?

 

[tZer]

It is very encouraging to hear that your mental strength was sufficient to overcome this.

By the way, how does one pantomime "I would like to borrow a large hat pin so I can poke a hole in my cigarette" to a bartender?

I obviously don't know!

Believe me, I tried. I ended up shouting it directly into her ear - the stage was 10 feet away from the bar at this venue - she heard me but couldn't find anything back there - hell, she had a job to do, right?

This methodology has a serious flaw, however. It relies on you to be your own judge and your own harshest task-master. If you are willing to let you break your own rules, you will break them. For some reason I was ready to live up to my own expectations - and I simply promised myself that I wouldn't let myself break the rules.

But that's the thing - all habits are just behaviors that we've relegated to 'autopilot'. We don't spend any time thinking consciously about them - we just do them. This method inserts a point in the habit that gives you the opportunity to insert conscious thought - and as long as you take that opportunity to think, you can then choose what you do next.

If your serious about getting away from cigs, you'll choose to take some simple, possibly unusual steps that will effectively help you regain full control over that part of your life.

The method is good in that it's super simple. No money, no drugs, no meetings and if you really do stick to it, it will ultimately do what it's supposed to do - make you think about smoking differently and allow you to choose to not do it. It will wean your nicotine dependency very quickly and even after you choose to stop buying cigs, should you want to, you can - and not be failing yourself as long as you stick to the rules and pick up where you left off.

They are all critical to this method's ability to help you. Just resolve to NOT let yourself break the rules, don't break the rules - and progressively watch how much easier finally choosing to say, "screw it... it's too much hassle... it costs too much... I'm not really 'smoking' anyway..."

That is quite literally the thought that went through my head almost verbatim the day after I smoked my last cig and thought about whether or not I should buy a pack on the way to work.

Nah...

 

[jugglingfreak]

(Remember at $8/pack, at 1pack/day, you can save this is in a little over 4 months not smoking).

Or just think, for another $2 you could be smoking crack..

 

[tZer]

Technically - by this method's design - I never "quit". I learned how to control my smoking habit. I can start again tomorrow but I don't want to - but if I did, I could and I wouldn't be failing myself. That is a HUGE part of making the whole thing very manageable. The fact that I can still do it if I want to. It's not "taboo" nor is it something that if I do it, will leave me feeling hopeless.

But all that's moot. I have so much less than no desire to smoke, it's gone from the radar entirely.

 

[Batmensch]

There are worse things in this world than being dead and having COPD is one (or two) of them.

Emphysema is preferable to chronic bronchitis (which is a horrific existance at the end).

Of all the problems that smoking may cause that you don't want, the copd trail is the very last road you want to go down.

IF that is what you are looking at, be afraid. Be very afraid

That's what happened to my Dad. First Emphysema, then Diabetes triggered by medication he was taking for the Empysema, then the Emphysema developed into full-blown COPD. His last few years alive were totally miserable, and, as his caregiver, by extension, my last few years with him were as well. A living hell for all involved. Plenty of motivation for me to quit by that time.

 

[Musiclogic]

I need a little help well actually a whole lot of help.

What worked for those of you who quit smoking?

Im 35 and according to my doctor in the very early stages of COPD. She thinks if I can stop now I can avoid any serious complications. On top of that I have high blood pressure controlled by med's. Showing signs of early blockage. On a steriod inhaler for a few months to attempt to open up my lungs some more after having some issues recently. Plus Thyroid issues and Im on anti-depressants as well. Basically its make or break time for me.

Ive tried chantex and other things like the patch, gum, etc. Nothing worked, I cant get a handle on it. Which bugs me when I was in my early 20s I drank like a fish amoung other things. Both of those I was able to lay down without looking back. Well honestly I still have a beer every great once in awhile. Last 6er I bought though I ended up throwing 3 out, cos they was in there for almost 3 months. I know its a mind issue more than anything, but I cant seem to wrap my mind around it.

Any suggestions Im all ears, I have 2 sons (6 years and 10 months). Playing music helps but more so when Im playing with others. I think mostly cos its to easy when Im by myself to just sit it down and go smoke.

25 years as a smoker, was told by he doctor I had heart disease, and that nicotine constricted the blood vessels, which limited blood flow to my heart.

Simple, Live or die. Suffer or live a quality life, it was an easy decision, it WAS NOT an easy task to quit, but I have been cigarette free for almost 6 years now

 

[mrpackerguy]

Do what you can. Anything. To quit. I was an RN in my former life and I took care of endstage COPD'ers as we called them. Miserable existence. Can't walk 10 feet without trying to catch your breath which you never can. Many COPD'ers suffer from severe anxiety from "smothering" to death. The anxiety only exacerbates the shortness of breath. Well, why not just give them oxygen? As it turns out, oxygen actually makes it worse. Too much, and it knocks out the respiratory drive because COPD'ers have learned to survive on hardly any oxygen getting into their blood stream because of their lungs being shot. The end of your life would likely be spent on a ventilator through your tracheostomy, which has to be constantly suctioned with catheters to clear the secretions your weakened pulmonary system can't clear, causing you to frequently gag and choke and gasp for air that can't get to your lungs. Ultimately, either your heart gives out, or you drown in your own lung secretions. I've seen this scenario probably close to 100 times in the hospital. Great way to go out. Quit smoking at any cost.

 

[Thrust Meatnozl]

Try to think of yourself as a non-smoker rather than someone trying to quit.

 

[Mike N]

Cold Turkey FTW. I smoked for 24 years and quit 9 years ago.

 

[bluesblaster]

Forget about all the the gimmick stuff, it wont work. Quite frankly it just comes down to you and how bad you want it.
Think of it more like a prize fight with an obnoxius little monkey ( you know the one) and he's been kick your ass for years....... but not today, no sir, this time that little ******* is going down and stayin down. thats right ! today is your day and you will not be denied ! now get in there and kick some obnoxius nicotine monkey butt! you dont want him make a fool of you again do you? your god damn right you dont. In the words of the great philosopher Bugs Bunny... " of course you know this means war" Good Luck ! and dont worry about the crazy voices in your head trying to get you to give in and light up, we,ve all been there and they will disappear after a time. Its a bitch, but if I can do it so can you !!!

 

[J_Funk_77]

Thanks again for all the replys and suggestions. Im going to give this thing a crack again, thinking about the pok'em stradegy. However cant rule out cold turkey either. Part of the reason is all of a sudden I cant do anything without getting extremely winded and tired of my leg's cramping up when I mow. My blood pressure med's that work cos's calcium to be sucked dry and Im taking 4 pills a day to try and get it to stay normal. Dont think its working but she just doubled me up from 2 to 4 a week ago.

 

[bluesblaster]

Its going to take real disipline on your part, when cravings get bad occupy your mind with tasks that demand your attention there by replacing thoughts of smoking with other thought processing, thats what I did and it really helped. Maybe even write some of those ideas down for reference, you could call it alternatives to smoking. The worst of it should pass in a week or two and then its a matter of not falling off the wagon. There is a lady that I work with that is going through this too after the doctor said she is knocking on the door of emphysema, if thats not enough yet, just think of all the money your going to save, whats a pack of smokes these days ? $5-$6 bucks a pack ? man that adds up after while.

 

[jasper383]

I quit about 10 times before I was able to quit for good about 9 years ago.

I suggest cold turkey. It's hard, but after a week or so it gets easier. I now don't think about smoking for days on end, and never crave one.

Get them out of the house. I used to buy a pack and tell myself I'd just smoke one, then be done with them, but that was the addiction talking.

It's amazing the hold a drug can have over the brain, and the tricks addiction can play with one's ability to think clearly.

I can't tell you how many times I went to the convenience store to buy "just one more pack, then I'll quit." And it all made perfect sense at the time. lol

Don't quit quitting. If I can do it (I think I am wired to smoke), anyone can.

 

[mellowinman]

I decided to quit, and then I never smoked again.

If you never smoke another cigarette, you have quit.

If you smoke another cigarette, you didn't quit.

It's really that simple.

DO NOT EVER LIGHT ANOTHER CIGARETTE, AND YOU WILL HAVE QUIT.

I am living this truth.

It is EASY, but you have to WANT TO.

If you DON'T WANT TO, then THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO TO QUIT.

 

[Sav'nBass]

I used the patch for about a week... then that was it.. I had a relapse about 6 years later.. but it was brief... like tossing the pack out after two cigarettes saying "ARE YOU FRIGGIN KIDDIN ME!!!! " to myself.. It took me about two years to not get the itch when I saw the cigarette counters at stores or got in the car.. or after eating or drinking... Find your triggers... some things will trigger the urge .. You seem to have already identified a few.. and work at also turning them off. That makes it easier.

 

[Joe Nerve]

Started smoking reguarly in the 5th grade. Started trying to quit by the time I was in HS. Smoked 3 packs a day for the last 10 years of my smoking. Finally quit when I was 30. That was 21 years ago. Yeah, I can't believe I'm that old either.

Not sure exactly what was different the last time around when I quit, but I'll throw out a few things that I know absolutely helped.

I traded in my cigarettes for cinnamon sticks for the first few months of quitting. I used to buy them by the pound, break them into 2 smoothe round sticks, and suck on them for most of the day. People told me I was going to get into a bad habit of sucking on cinnamon sticks. It never happened. I just stopped one day. I researched years later about cinnamon, and found that the it has qualities much like nicotine and other crap in cigarretts, that stimulates the tastebuds in the same way. Helps a whole lot with the habit part too. Which is one of the toughest things, IMO, to break.

I tried nicotine supplements several times before actually quitting, and IMO they hurt more than help. While I very well might be alone on this notion, I don't believe it's an addiction to nicotine that keeps people smoking. If that were the case, patches and stuff would have a much better success rate. Yes, nicotine is addictive. Yes, you get sick and weird things happen when you cut it out. But I don't think that's where the desire to get smoke in our lungs comes from. Again, then simply chewing tobacco would do the trick. I think the nicotine is an incredibly small part of what keeps us addicted, and patches, gums, etc, only give false hope and way for the manufacturers to continue making money cuz it doesn't work. Most importantly, I feel the nicotine withdrawl actually helped my quitting. I felt like I was wicked high (on life) when I was detoxing. I laughed at everything, and couldn't put 2 thoughts together that made sense. Which I enjoyed very much at the time. I was in college, and it didn't make me fail any classes by the way. So it wasn't that THAT crazy, but I remember it actually being fun. And yeah, I got a cough, sore throat, and probably a little bit of a fever for a day but nothing that put me out of comission.

Don't have time now to write more, but want to mention that one of the most crucial things I needed to get into my head was what just ONE ciggarette would do to me. Like alcoholics quitting drinking, it was essential that I stay away from that first cigarrete, or even first drag off a cigarette. Is someone goes a day, 2 days, a week, or whatever away from cigarrettes the addiction begins to die. Even if it feels like it's doing the opposite and getting stronger. It will continue to die, so long as a cigarette isn't touched. As soon as a person takes a single drag, the addiction goes into full bloom again, it won, and it's back to the starting gate. People think that just one drag will help them get through the next few hours, day, whatever... but as anyone who's ever tried to quit knows, it's a lie. It just starts the whole thing over again. Someone once made the analogy of it being like a pilot light in the center of our chest. When we put the cigarette down, it takes a while for the light to go out. The light stays out. As soon as we take a drag off a cigarette the light gets ignited again, and then we have to deal with it all over.

Got a lot more, but gonna be late for work. No time to edit. Hope I spelled cinnamon right.

 

[stratovani]

33 year smoker here, quit six years ago. I figured in my time smoking I must have spent about $30,000 in tobacco, gone up in smoke, never to return. I could have bought a really nice car or put a nice down payment on a house with the money I burned. So that was a strong motivator for me to quit. Also I absolutely love denying the government extra tax revenues in the form of slowly poisoning myself to death.

 

[tZer]

When my dad told me about his method I had no intention to stop smoking at all. I was in my middle 20's and still enjoyed my habit very much. I went home for a visit and asked dad where all the ash trays were and that was when he told me that he hadn't smoked for months and then told me how he did it.

As I said, I had no intention to stop smoking whatsoever. He asked me if I wanted to try his method - I repeated my lack of desire to stop. Just before I left he took one of the hat pins he used and stuck it through the knot in my tie and said, "just in case you decide you want to try..."

I took that as a challenge. The fact is, I wanted to prove to him that his method was flawed so I pulled the pin out, grabbed the cigarette I was going to smoke on my way home and put TWO pokes through it. I also told him (and myself) that I would be true to the rules - no cheating - It was on!

At the time I could still smoke in the office (gasp!!) I had an ash tray on my drawing board and spent the entire day drinking coffee and smoking as I worked. I just added my new 'poking' routine to my existing, very permissive smoking situation and it was business as usual aside from now having to explain to a few people around me what I was doing.

Two months later - done - and I can safely say today (20 years later) that I am done for good.

Some important things I think his method accomplished include putting all of the aspects of my smoking habit in the front of my mind inserting control points. I knew I didn't have to stop if I didn't want to which strangely made stopping that much easier. After a bunch of pokes, the cigarettes I was smoking were simply not delivering a relevant dose of nicotine so after a couple of weeks, I was weaned and it took the remaining 5 or 6 weeks for all the other behavioral and associative aspects to finally weaken and fall away.

Cold turkey has worked for many, many people and whatever method works, works. But I have NEVER met a person going cold turkey who wasn't preoccupied with cigarettes while they were going cold turkey. Also, in my experience, at least 50% of them were smoking again later. Some after only a few months, some after a few years. The ones who were able to get away for a couple YEARS, then decided to start again always blew my mind. But that says to me that the 'nagging desire to smoke' was never snuffed. Clearly they were not addicted to nicotine any longer so you cannot blame that. It had to be the lifestyle elements and other behavioral associations that were created that brought them back.

My dad's method is not a guarantee and like all methods, it requires that you commit to it fully and stick to the simple rules. My dad has a PhD in Psych. and is a Prof. Emeritus of Statistics. He put up a website many years ago describing his method that includes showing some experiments he did that demonstrate the effectiveness of the weaning process along with the data.

Here is his site.

Effectiveness of Poking in reducing nicotine intake

He's no web designer, BTW. Forgive that.

 

[Dave W]

I was a pack and a half per day smoker 20 years ago. I quit, cold turkey.

That's what I did as well.

You just need to want to quit. The first few days are the hardest, but once the nicotine is out of your system it's purely a mental exercise against yourself.

If you want it bad enough, you'll do it. Plain & simple.