# AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGG or: I am quitting smoking **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 7, 2010, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggggg-or-i-am-quitting-smoking/528057 "2010-02-07T20:05:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![janis\_and\_c0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janis_and_c0/32/21_2.png) [@janis\_and\_c0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janis_and_c0)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggggg-or-i-am-quitting-smoking/528057/1 "2010-02-07T20:05:58Z")
Because of a health scare (All my tests are fine, & I seem ok) and 3 days in the hospital, I am gonna try to quit smoking. Mojo? Advice? ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggggg-or-i-am-quitting-smoking/528057/2 "2010-02-07T20:07:40Z")
you spelled ‘argh’ wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggggg-or-i-am-quitting-smoking/528057/3 "2010-02-07T20:07:56Z")
All I have for you is the strongest encouragement I can find - if you want to live longer than a smoker, you kinda need to be a non-smoker (well, there are other factors, of course, but that’s a biggie). Best of luck in your endeavour! ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggggg-or-i-am-quitting-smoking/528057/4 "2010-02-07T20:14:03Z")
You can do it! You’ll be so freaking proud of yourself too. ---
**Author:** ![FalseMirage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/96bed5/32.png) [@FalseMirage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FalseMirage)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggggg-or-i-am-quitting-smoking/528057/5 "2010-02-07T20:14:36Z")
I quit smoking cold turkey almost 6 years ago. It’s easy to quit as long as you don’t make it difficult on yourself. The human mind is very powerful. Nicotine has no power whatsoever except that which the human mind gives to it. Don’t be your own worst enemy and quitting is a breeze. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggggg-or-i-am-quitting-smoking/528057/6 "2010-02-07T20:20:09Z")
Sending out a wish of success! Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggggg-or-i-am-quitting-smoking/528057/7 "2010-02-07T22:15:50Z")
Good luck and stay strong. Hubby has been trying to quit since I met him in 1995. He’s tried acupuncture, hypnosis, gum, patches and now he’s trying bandits, which are basicly chewing tobacco in a teabag-like thingy. The ones he uses are sweet. He’s down to three or four cigs a day and three or four of the bandits. He started out at 1-1.5 packs a day. His biggest problem has been the _act_ rather than the nicotine itself. Now, before someone comes in to say how bad the bandits are, he doesn’t plan to stay with them long term. Once he gets beyond the ritual of smoking, he’ll have less trouble getting over the drug. ---
**Author:** ![nicole1912](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9de0a6/32.png) [@nicole1912](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nicole1912)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggggg-or-i-am-quitting-smoking/528057/8 "2010-02-07T22:34:14Z")
Good luck - and don’t kill anyone, even if they do richly, richly deserve it for being so annoying! The first week is the worst, and then if you can get past the first month or so, it’s much easier - the physical addiction is well gone by the end of the first week, and if you can get through the first month, you’ll probably have found something else to do instead of smoking, in terms of mental replacement. So, concentrate on getting through each day (hour, 15 minutes, 5 minutes, whatever interval works for you) without smoking - the cravings pass fairly quickly and soon you’ll be up to weeks and weeks without cigarettes. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggggg-or-i-am-quitting-smoking/528057/9 "2010-02-07T23:57:10Z")
Of course you’re going to do it. Don’t you ever think about giving up. Don’t give those bastards another dime if you can help it. (two years, two months without lighting up after 22 years of being a 1-2 pack a day sucker. Thank you Allen Carr) ---
**Author:** ![Chicagojeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@Chicagojeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicagojeff)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggggg-or-i-am-quitting-smoking/528057/10 "2010-02-08T05:08:01Z")
Good luck it took me several attempts but i was able to get over the hump… i think explaining to my kids why i smoke was motivation to quit lol BTW i used altoids… you’ll probably need something to pop into your mouth… ---
**Author:** ![janis\_and\_c0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janis_and_c0/32/21_2.png) [@janis\_and\_c0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janis_and_c0)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggggg-or-i-am-quitting-smoking/528057/11 "2010-02-08T19:15:26Z")
Well It’s day 2, & I haven’t killed anybody yet… I seem to have caught some sort of stomach bug, tho. Whateefuh? I’m a good girl and try to quit smoking and I end up with the frikkin trots Bastard Universe. Thanks for the kind words, ya’ll! ---
**Author:** ![Any\_Other\_Name](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f17d59/32.png) [@Any\_Other\_Name](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Any_Other_Name)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggggg-or-i-am-quitting-smoking/528057/12 "2010-02-08T19:31:12Z")
Did you start with the three days in the hospital already being non-smoking days? I found that not being allowed to smoke for three days would be a huge head start on quitting. Best advice I have is don’t give up. It took a few tries for me to successfully quit. I regarded each unsuccessful attempt as a practice run, and learned something from each try. The rewards are great. Best wishes and good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Hadrian\_s\_Wall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/58956e/32.png) [@Hadrian\_s\_Wall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hadrian_s_Wall)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggggg-or-i-am-quitting-smoking/528057/13 "2010-02-08T19:32:05Z")
I’m going strong too, I quit an hour ago! ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggggg-or-i-am-quitting-smoking/528057/14 "2010-02-08T19:38:12Z")
Aaaargh. Me too, already broke down once and bought a pack. But have steeled my determination, and refuse to buy another! I’m with you Janic and C0! I’m not enjoying it, but I’m right here too! ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggggg-or-i-am-quitting-smoking/528057/15 "2010-02-08T19:45:33Z")
IANASmoker, but I’ve read a lot of good things here about Alan Carr’s book. (Sorry, I’m not sure of the title. I know a Google search will bring it up.) Dammit, **Snicks** , just do the heavy lifting already - geez. [Here](http://allencarr.com/central/)is Alan’s website. Good luck to you. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggggg-or-i-am-quitting-smoking/528057/16 "2010-02-08T19:48:39Z")
> [@Snickers](#): > > IANASmoker, but I’ve read a lot of good things here about Alan Carr’s book. (Sorry, I’m not sure of the title. I know a Google search will bring it up.) > > Dammit, **Snicks** , just do the heavy lifting already - geez. [Here](http://allencarr.com/central/)is Alan’s website. > > Good luck to you. I am an ex-smoker who quit using the book, and it worked for me exactly as advertised. I can’t recommend it more highly. I went from 1-2 packs a day (depending) to nothing overnight and it _was_ easy. My one year anniversary was 2 weeks ago, I didn’t even notice until just now. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggggg-or-i-am-quitting-smoking/528057/17 "2010-02-08T19:51:51Z")
I’ve read it. Twice. :::::_SIGH_:::::: ---
**Author:** ![janis\_and\_c0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janis_and_c0/32/21_2.png) [@janis\_and\_c0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janis_and_c0)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggggg-or-i-am-quitting-smoking/528057/18 "2010-02-08T20:04:43Z")
_HUGS_ **elbows** **Any Other Name** , Sort of. I quit in the hospital, but smoked for a couple of days when I got out, after the 3-day hiatus, though, I found that I feel yucky when I smoke, so I thought I’d try to quit now. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggggg-or-i-am-quitting-smoking/528057/19 "2010-02-08T21:06:49Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > I’ve read it. > > Twice. > > :::::_SIGH_:::::: Read it again? 😉 It obviously doesn’t work for everyone, but I wish you luck. If Alan’s book doesn’t work for you, then I hope you find something (even if that something just comes from within) that does. Quitting is the best choice I ever made and I know that you can quit too. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggggg-or-i-am-quitting-smoking/528057/20 "2010-02-08T21:09:13Z")
I have a baby coming in about three weeks. I have to quit. I know I can do it. I put the filthy things down for 6 years before I got stupid again. But lord, I’m not looking forward to it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggggg-or-i-am-quitting-smoking/528057.md?page=2)