Anyone ever had any experience. I’m trying (kind of successfully) to quit smoking. I’m on day three. It gets harder every day, especially since Welbywife is still smoking. Not around me, but I can smell it. I feel the breakdown coming.
A friend mentioned the following alternatives:
Hypnosis. I’m NOT a beleiver in hypnosis, and can’t really see paying some guy a bunch of cash to sleep for an hour.
Acupunture. Ditto to the not beleiving, plus I hesitate to pay anyone who’s going to stab me with something.
Anyone had any experience with either of these methods?
My experience is the same, I quit, yet my wife is still smoking.
Every time I quit with her, she was the weak link. Once I quit without her, I had nobody to blame but myself.
I give you a little known secret: quiting sucks. If it was easy everybody would do it. One thing that helped me was realizing how much the day I went through sucked, and that if I started smoking again, I’d eventually quit again, and I’d have to go through another day just as sucky as I had.
Hell, one of the reasons I’ve made it four months is the fact that I wouldn’t wish those first two weeks on anyone.
I also started excercising. Dear gawd, that is sooo unlike me. Believe it or not, getting hopelessly out of breath kinda takes the craving away, for a bit. The plus side of this is that instead of gaining weight like everybody I’ve heard does, I’ve lost 20 pounds. All for the most selfish of reasons; the heavy breathing.
I used to faill all the time by convincing myself I could have a puff here and there, but I was still “quit”. That’s BS. I’m too damn weak to allow myself even a puff.
I’m a spineless sissy, and the sooner I realized that, the better. I’m spineless because I never wanted a day like I had again in my life. I’m spineless because it’s easy for me to become out of breath with light excercise. I’m spineless because I was afraid to think about the end results of smoking. I’m spineless because I don’t make enough money to not notice how much this was costing. I’m spineless because I knew that I was so spineless that I didn’t allow myself a night out for 3 weeks after I quit.
FWIW, I went the Zyban route. (Stops to take a puff of her cig)
It lasted a little over a week. I essentially went bonkers on the stuff. I was manic, had an instance of such rage that I feared for the safety of those around me. I could not sleep as it felt like I had things crawling on my legs.
It was horrific.
My doc took me off them.
I had cut down a LOT in the short time I was on them (from 1 1/2-2 packs per day to 1/2 pack or less). I figure I was expending so much time trying to keep it together that I forgot to smoke.
I am still down to under a pack a day. It works for now, and I do intend to completely quit, but I know that I cannot do it on my own and I am nervous to try something else.
welby, I guess the advice you take depends on your smoking situation.
I recommend buying a Nicotine Patch. I smoked for over 15 years and quit unsuccessfully many times. Finally when enough was enough and I set my mind to quitting I used the patch and found it very helpful.
Sure I had urges but they were not nearly as intense as going cold turkey. It really wasn’t until I finished the 10 week program that I felt a real withdrawal for a few days(because now no nicotine was entering my body). But by then I was used to not smoking and the withdrawal level was for a much smaller dosage of nicotine than if I had quit cold turkey. I got through it and never looked back.
I also made sure that I continued to go to bars, take the same break times at work, etc. as I normally would when I smoked so I could start disassociating (is that a word?) myself from the “habit” cigarettes. If you don’t feel up to it then it is not worth the risk of smoking but it has helped me a lot. Especially now that you can’t smoke in any bars in NYC/LI anymore.
As NurseCarmen said, I also recommend starting an exercise program. I was never a runner before but now I can run for over two miles (got myself up to a 2.5 mile jog with a 1.5 mile brisk walk.).
As you probably know by now, quitting is dependent on how motivated you are. Why are you quitting? IMHO unless the smoker is personally motivated, success is far from guaranteed.
I also picked a totally meaningless day to quit. October 17, 2002 (a Thursday) was my first smoke-free day. I decided a few days earlier that when I finished my last pack in the carton I would start the patch the next day. I figured if I really wanted to quit I should be able to and not have to wait for a “special day” to pass before I quit (New years, Bday, etc).
This sounds simple, stupid, and maybe even a bit condescending, but it worked for me. I haven’t smoked a cigarette in almost nine years. Before that I was a 2-pack-a-day smoker.
The secret to quitting smoking is NOT SMOKING. Period. Yes, you’re having withdrawls now and it sucks. But it will pass. Day three is the big day, after that your metabolism starts to go back to where it was before you started smoking. Remember this pain you’re going through, because if you break down and start smoking again, you’ll have to go through it all over again. You only want to have to do this once, right? You will engage in much rationalization “Well, I’m drinking, everybody else is smoking, I’ll have one. Just one.” Uh uh. No. Any thought process, no matter how rational it seems, that ends in “Now I will have a cigarette” is WRONG, WRONG, WRONG! You can beat this, and when it’s over, you will be a much, much stronger person for it. Exercise your WILL, it’s what separates us from the animals.
I just started bikin gto work, which has helped immeasurably, though I think anyone hearing me coughing and hacking might call 911 someday.
My problem is the habit cigarettes. I have times of the day that I have set aside for a smoke and something else. For example, first thing in the morning, a smoke while I’m waiting on my grits to cook. Then a leisurly read before I go to work. Lunch is reading and smoking again, I rarely actually eat. And evenings after the brats are in bed, again reading and smoking. I’m irritated with myself that I’ve linked my favorite pasttime (reading) with cigarettes. So now I’m reading nothing during the day except for class stuff, because I never smoke when I study. Don’t ask me why, I just don’t.
Thanks for the good advice, Rue, but if I had it that easy I wouldn’t be whining about it on the boards.
Hi Welby!
Today is Day One for me, I threw out all my cigarettes yesterday afternoon, and I am trying the nicotine gum route. I don’t have any advice (since you’re further along than I am anyway) but I wanted to let you know you’re not alone.
welby, I should have mentioned before to substitute something for the habit cigarette. It can be anything to keep your mind off a cig. I started with Tootsie Rolls, Butterscotch candies, etc. Eventually I stoped using them but they helped in the begining. When I go out drinking I chew on a drink stirrer/straw from time to time. It is not the most attractive look when you are trying to pick up a girl but hey its better than smokers breath.
I am starting to get my self off the straws not but I am not too worried about it.
I’m with Vibro on this one. Day 3 seems to be the make it or break it day. I think cold turkey is the only way to go because all the other routes are still flirtations with the addiction.
The reason I wanted to quit is obvious but what kept me in line (when I was finally serous about quitting) was the knowledge that all the struggling I had just done to quit was pointless if I was going to give myself a fresh dose of nicotine after the second day. It’s self torture that way you sick sadistic bastard. Just opt to be a non-smoker. You’re a non-smoker at least a third of your day anyway.
OK, once you start to feel weak. Sit down in a dark quiet room. Close your eyes. Start visualizing yourself on the planet earth. Yes, you, the consequence of a thousand events so unlikely that it’s a down right miracle that you are existing at all.
Take a deep breath, exhale.
Take an other deep breath, exhale.
Now, visualize your self spending your days on the green and blue planet **INHALING CRAP TOXINS THAT WILL PUT ALL YOUR CLOSE ONE THROUGH AN AWFUL TERRIBLE TIME WHATCHING YOU DIE PAINFULLY AND SLOWLY. YOU KNOW WHAT THE KICKER IS?
YOU ARE PAYING FOR IT!!!**.
Sorry man, but that’s the way it is and you know it.
welby, I’m with Rue on this one. I quit smoking three months ago on New Year’s Eve. And the first few days it was as simple as DON’T SMOKE NO MORE! Of course, that simple thing was extaordinarily difficult to actually do, but it gets better and easier. Day 3 for me was the hardest to get through, but I just kept reminding myself of why I was doing it, and focused on getting through the next 5 seconds, or the next 5 minutes, or whatever it took. Again, it should start to get easier for you really soon. Like I said, Day 3 was like a watershed for me, and every day after that was a little easier than the day before. Now, here it is three short (long) months later, and I really don’t even have cravings any more. It’s almost like I never smoked. I feel better, I smell better (ha!), and the psychological benefits are tremendous - I’ve gained confidence I didn’t know I had - I feel like if I could get through quitting, I have the willpower to do anything.
BTW, I guess I should mention that I went cold turkey. It’s the toughest way to go, but really the only way. Using the patch didn’t work for me because it was like quitting smoking, then going through it all over again trying to get off the patch.
I thought about the Wellbutrin thing, but I gave up Better Living Through Psychopharmacology years ago.
I am a smoker, but my friend just quit, so I will share her experience. She looked at it as a disease, akin to alcoholism. She believes there is no such thing as an ex-smoker, just a smoker who isn’t smoking right now (a “recovering smoker,” if you will). I have to say I agree with her idea. I have gone 4 months without smoking, had one moment of weakness, and now I’m back up to a pack a day. Quitting takes constant work. Good luck to you, and thanks for reminding me not to go have my cig this morning.
Sorry Winston but I have to disagree. You can say how you were able to quit smoking but you shouldn’t say it is the only way to go.
I know people that thought they were better quitters because they went cold turkey. A friend used to brag that he “chose not to smoke anymore” and kept bragging and bragging how easy it was. Well after 10 months he went back to smoking. Another went back after 5 months.
You said that cold turkey was the hardest way to go so why is that the best way? This isn’t a test of manhood. I didn’t have to worry about the next 5 seconds or the next 5 mins. The patch curved those cravings. I only had slight withdrawal after I stopped the patch and by that time I was already a nonsmoker.
welby, what ever you feel comfortable with is the way to go. Whether you go cold turkey, use the patch, accupuncture etc. the important things is that you quit.
I think the biggest problem is Mrswelby is not quitting as well. My wife and I both smoked, and we made the decision together to stop. It all came down to having each others support.
Of course we also made sure that we talked about what it would do to us. The anger, sniping, rage, etc was all there when we quit, but because we talked about it beforehand it made it easier.
When you quit it is hard, it was for me, but in the end it is much easier to make the decision to not smoke than it is to continue.
Remember: Just don’t smoke. It really is that easy.
I wish you all the best. Email me if you need some support. I’d be happy to give it.
It really is about what works for you. I quit once for 3 weeks using the gum and every day was agony. I quit for good just over a year ago cold turkey, and by the second week I was feeling much better.
It does get better. You will not always feel like this. Keep going, and one day you will go to bed and realize you have not thought about a cigarette at all that day.
Be prepared for your body to react, your cough might get worse before it gets better, and some people have trouble sleeping and concentrating for a while. Your metabolism has to adjust, and your body stabilizes its blood sugar differently. Keep your sugar up with fruit juice and drink lots of water.
http://www.silkquit.org/ Download a quit meter and watch the seconds go by, if you have to. Sometimes I just watched the minutes go, knowing if I had a cigarette I would have to start it over.
Three months, one week, 6 hours, 11 minutes and 27 seconds. 3890 cigarettes not smoked, saving $680.80. Life saved: 1 week, 6 days, 12 hours, 10 minutes.
My own bit of advice, and I hate to be a pessimist but… be ready to fail. Seriously. Most people who achieve long term results quitting have failed repeatedly prior to the attempt that finally “took”. I have failed more times than I care to remember but always get back up and quit again. I think I’ve driven my friends and family nuts, them being happy I’ve quit, upset/disappointed that I started again. Right now, just over 3 months and every day I realize that I can fail again too easily.
I used the patches, and even with those the first few days I was not a very friendly person to be around. It was difficult. I would recommend, if you use the patches, to extend the third step an additional 2 weeks. Most doctors will tell you that studys show it takes a minimum of 12 weeks to break a habit.
I would also begin to institute a new mental pattern in relation to cigarettes. When you feel the crave, tell yourself (forcefully) “NOT ANOTHER PUFF!”. Quite honestly, other posters are right, if you allow yourself to believe that “just one” will be okay, you are right back at the beginning again and having to start all over. Never another cigarette is the only truth now. That used to make me feel a little sick to the stomach thinking about, now I’m happy about it.
Sorry this is disjointed, I hope something helps. Keep up the effort, even if you fail a few times (or in my case, a few dozen).
I ‘quit’ for a year or so when I was in High School by tapering off, an approach which a lot of people say is impossible. I cut down further and further on how much I’d smoke, then decided to stop. At that point, I switched to Camel filterless and cheated occasionally; those cigs were so nasty, especially not smoking them regularly, that it helped break the rest of the habit. I ended up starting back later on, though.
What has worked this time (since last October) was the patch; I went on the patch for eight weeks and it was much better than cold turkey. I went through two months of annoying withdrawal, it wasn’t nearly as bad as going cold turkey and since there was some nicotine in my bloodstream, I didn’t have any problem being around other smokers. Now that I’m over that, I just think back on all of the annoyance that I went through on the occasions that I want a smoke - I’m simply not going to go through that again. Carrots, celery, gum, and other things like that help a bit too.
I think the best thing about the patch is that you can work on the psychological addiction without having to go through the full phsyical withdrawal at the same time. I deliberately avoided nicotine gum because it looks to me like it would be habit forming; I’d just be replacing smoking with nicotine gum.
If it really works that way for you then great, but when I tried going cold turkey I went for about a week with a continuous nic-fit, then gave up on quitting that time around. The ‘3-day’ rule may be true for some people but it’s definately not something to rely on, especially if you’re going to say ‘if I make it through today it will get better’. I got really discouraged because the 3-day rule just didn’t work for me.
I smoked Tareytons for trirty plus years.
I started quitting by not smoking in the house or in the car. I did this for about six months, not trying to cut down or limit myself, just going outside whenever I wanted a cigarette.
Then, one night, I told my perfect wife “I’m going to quit smoking tomorrow; but if I ever go to the doctor and he tells me that I have something that can’t be cured, I’m starting again and I don’t want and crap over it”. She said “I’ll buy the first pack”.
That was eight years ago. The first ten years are the hardest.