I read “easyway” and it helped…but mostly because it cemented the fact that I WAS going to quit smoking.
I also used a bit of visualization. Think of the seven CEOs testifiying in front of Congress that, “nicotine is not addictive” Not another dime of my money goes into those pockets.
looky:
http://www.jeffreywigand.com/insider/7ceos.html
Oh yea, and good luck to your friend 
I think so too. I tried to quit several times with the gum, and by cutting down, but was only successful when I just quit cold turkey. It is really a mind thing - when I decided for real that this was going to be the last time, it was. When I tried to cut down and use the gum, I always had the idea that I could have one now and then in the back of my mind. It also just dragged the whole process out more and I got frustrated that I wasn’t feeling any better. Once I finally got sick of it, I just had to decide it was over and do it. After a few days, it got easier, and after a few weeks, it got much easier. Now I hardly even think about it any more. (except the weight I gained, but I’m working on that and it is coming off.)
It will be a year for me in March. I smoked a pack a day for about 7 years. I can really tell the difference, even though I didn’t think I was having any bad effects from it while I was smoking.
Good luck to your friend. Just tell her to keep reminding herself that this feeling is not forever, it does get better and the day will come when she does feel free.
Today is day three. I wanted to thank all of you for sharing your stories. We bought some Nicorette gum on Monday after posting. I never thought watching someone quit cigarettes would look so painfully bad.
I’ve known Melissa (my friend) for years and I’ve never seen her be nasty, irritable or lose it the way she has. She’s cried, and shaken and just looked and felt miserable. We’ve spent lots of time on-line reading tips, researching quitting and trying just about everything we’ve read. She describes her state of mind these past few days as “not feeling like herself, like she’s not really here or stuck in a dream”. Not being a cigarette smoker myself, I just never imagined it would be so hard. The only thing I can compare it to is watching another friend fight a crack addiction (he lost, very sad but another story). That actually made it a little easier because we were able to mentally make the connection that addiction is addiction, regardless of what you are addicted to. Using Nicorette and remembering that an alcoholic always wants a drink, and an addict always wants another hit, just like she wants another cigarette. She just has to keep making a choice to not smoke. Hopefully the physical symptoms will end soon. Until then, we will continue to offer Melissa loving support and encouragement.
Once again, thank you all.
Monica
If memory serves, I used the patch for a few days then thought it was “stupid” :rolleyes: and stopped using it. Then I just used willpower.
In hindsight, as a former 2 pack(50cig) a day smoker, the person must, absolutely want to quit.
I was about 26-27, started smoking at 17. I couldn’t run up the stairs in my apartment building like I used too. I could hear myself breathe. I noticed that I started coughing as soon as I woke up and immediately sparked up another cancer stick. That just didn’t make sense to me. I had to stop it, and I did
This might sound backwards, but if her physical withdrawal is really bad, it might be better not to use the gum. As long as she has nicotene in her system that is lower than what her body was used to she will be going through withdrawal. The only way to make the withdrawal stop completely is to stop the nicotene. It only takes 3-4 days without nicotene for the withdrawal to end.
Tell her to keep at it, I know what those first few days are like and they are the worst, you really don’t feel like yourself at all. It does get better, and now when I think about having a cig (which is rare) I just have to remember what withdrawal was like to convince myself I never want to go through that again!
If they still only cost $3.50, I might never have quit 
Around these here parts they’re known to go for at least a dollar more per pack.
My motivation for quitting was mainly that I couldn’t afford it, but I also came to despise the habit and wanted to prove to myself that I could do it.
The method I employed was to cut down my daily intake over a period of weeks. When I got down to about 3 or 4 per day, I made extra efforts to put as much time between smokes as I could, and when I did break down, I did my best to only have a half a cig, or just a few puffs.
I came to figure that the hardest one to put off was the first one of the day, so one day when I felt I had a handle on it, I just didn’t have it. The other hardest ones: with caffeine, after a meal, and after sex, were easy to avoid compared to the first one of the mornin’.
The best advice I revceived was from someone I knew that had quit, suggesting that I leave a couple cigs laying around. When you rid yourself of all cigarettes, in the back of your mind you feel a need to go get more. If you always have a couple around, it’s easier to push them aside. Silly mental trick, but it helped me and a few others I know.
Also, lots of hard candy. I destroyed several bags of jolly ranchers and blow pops. The straw idea posted above sounds like a great idea, much healthier for your teeth than all the candy I’m sure.
The key is the first few days. Breaking the physical addiction is, I found, the easiest part. It’s breaking the hand to mouth habit, or the crutch you are used to automatically reach for whenever you feel stressed. That’s why you’ll always hear the advice that you really have to want to do it, because it takes vigilance.
Good luck to your friend, and to all that are trying to quit. It’s a filthy habit.
Having to go the ER twice in a month because I couldn’t freaking breath was enough for me.
Actually, it was not being able to breath. Can’t smoke if you can’t inhale without coughing.
Of course, I have quit many times in the last 15 years. The real test will be after I’m all better with all my allergies under control and hit stress period. Like when I get the bill for those ER visits.
I posted this on the 11th anniversary of my quitting smoking. One particular point for me was not putting conditions on quitting. No “I’ll quit if…” statements.
I didn’t use the patches or gum but I know several ex-smokers who found them to be very helpful.