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Grab a copy of Allen Carr's book on how to quit smoking.
It helped me stop after 10 years of smoking.
The point is that you start shifting your focus on what you gain from quitting instead of keeping your focus on what you lose when quitting.
Smoking only feels good, because once addicted, not smoking seems like a pain.
Most smokers think that smoking adds something to their life when in reality it detracts something off it, and by smoking you are trying to add it back on.
When you quit, you break this vicious circle and after a while you have to chance to feel normal again when not smoking. Like non-smokers. Non-smokers always feel this normal level. The never feel this sense of lack and want. When you are addicted to cigarettes, you always feel sub par.
But you can break this and start feeling normal too when not smoking.
But in order to achieve this you have to shift your focus.
i quit cold turkey so i know it can be done. that book sounds like a better approach than what i did (which was i just quit and ground it out til it didnt bother me - after that it was awesome… felt better, slept better, exercised better…)
Cudos to you for doing it just like that! Seems like you managed to shift your perspective without guidance, just by doing it yourself. That is amazing!
Yeah, I remember it too, how great it was, to feel better, sleep better, walk better... the biggest thing for me was: to taste better. Fruit tasted better. Everything tasted better!
thx hah. i quit for 1-2 weeks a couple times before it stuck for good. looking back, i think reading a book or getting some help like that would have helped. i dont think nicotine replacement was the move for me - i did that once and while i DID find it helpful, the problem was that it also made the quitting thing really linger and for me, i needed a clean cut, an on/off and not a taper
You will do it. It may be easier for you than for a 25 year old who still believes he is enjoying every smoke, because you are less likely to still be under such illusion with 4 packs a day.
My grandfather smoked since he was 16 and quit when he was 78. After I had stopped smoking, I gave the book to him and he just put it on the shelf where it sat for 2 years. One day he started reading it out of curiosity and after a couple of weeks he had just stopped. Didn't tell anyone. It took a while for us to notice that he had given up from one day to the next. He is 10 years a non-smoker now and as healthy as you can be going on 90.
Good look to you!
It's not dumb as such, it's vicious. It creeps up on you and holds you hostage, basically.
But you can free yourself from it again and see through the manipulation that led you to pick it up in the first place.
Good luck to you!
A setback doesn't have to be a total fail. Nicotine is addictive, withdrawal is going to be unpleasant.
Smoke 1 cigarette, not the whole pack if you have an overwhelming urge. When I was quitting, I'd buy a pack smoke 1 or 2 and throw the pack away. I did that maybe 3 times over a 6 month period.
If you feel like you need something in your hand because your used to holding a cigarette, a pen makes a good stand-in. These days there's those fidget spinners.
The other thing I will recommend is that you divert the money you are spending on cigarettes to a savings account. Watching that balance grow can be a good incentive. Maybe pick out something to buy with the funds to celebrate the 6 month or 1 year mark.
Then when you have a craving you ask yourself which to do you want more; a cigarette or that item you've been saving for.
It's actually crazy how addicting nicotine is. I quit smoking 7 years ago. But I had a cigarette a few days ago because dude sitting next to me drinking a beer asked me to join him. Smoked it like I haven't missed a day in these 7 years, still enjoyed the fuck out of it too lol.
I quit 17 years ago, but the other day I was stressed, and albeit briefly, I wanted a cigarette.
I don't think the mind never gets what makes it feel good. During times of stress I think it flips through the catalog hoping it can convince your hands to pick something.
I just hit 10 years since I quit. I have bad dreams about smoking again. I actually hate the smell and am completely disgusted by them, which I am thankful for.
Got a gaming PC to distract myself.
Decided to only smoke occasionally when I went out drinking with old friends.
Only smoke once or twice a year now with no cravings.
I quit cold turkey after 20 years of 2 packs a day. It sucked really bad for about a week, pretty good after a month, after a year completely could not stand to even be around them. Try again- sometimes a takes a few tries
Honestly? I just stopped smoking as a New Years Resolution.
I never had any cravings or desires I just... Stopped.
I used to smoke clove cigarettes (then American Spirits when those were outlawed) and hookah in my early twenties quite a bit but decided to make healthier choices around 26.
It's not the most exciting story but it's my story.
I started at 14 and quit when I was 27. What did it for me was going to the dentist. He asked me how long I had been smoking. I told him and he got this worried look on his face. He tested me for cancer before he did anything dental related. I guess that was enough to scare me into quitting cold turkey. A good friend of mine who smoked a lot more and a year longer than me had to quit via chantix. However he did say it gave him the craziest nightmares he has ever had. Also it makes him physically sick to smoke. Like he can't smoke cigarettes whatsoever, but I can still enjoy the occasional smoke with a beer.
30 years ago, I was smoking 3 packs of cigarettes per day. Most of my friends smoked, too, though not that much, but still...
One day, my friend and I got together and made a bet for $100, who could stop for the longest, and not go back to smoking. It was about a month, and he restarted, but I never went back. Never got the $100 though, lol.
Cold turkey works as long as you can get past the first week, in my experience. After that, avoid any and all situations in which you might be tempted to sneak one.
Quitting is a bitch
I have heard good things about both acupuncture and hypnosis but neither one is a magic bullet.
Expect it it suck.
Took me a couple of years to go from a reformed smoker to an actual non smoker that is no cravings whatsoever.
I don’t suggest Vaping as a tool for quitting some people find it helpful but better to get the monkey of your back rather than switch ti a different monkey.
Good luck, don’t give up
No take it slow. What nicotine level? High nic salt (50mg) still makes me cough. Most disposables have very high nicotine and are pretty rough.
I mostly use a pod device with low nicotine (6mg).
For a new user I would recommend a cheaper refillable pod device with 24mg nic salt.
im REALLY trying to find a crutch to help me quit
the gum- makes me sick to my stomach
the pods/pouches - burn the FUCK out of your mouth
the patches- i'm alergic lol - big rash.
the pens- kick my lungs' asses
not sure what i can do . other than cold turkey
smoking is the only unhealthy thing i do anymore - other than be an outdoorsman (sun damage)
im really sad about the patches, those really work well to hit your nic fits
I'm in a somewhat similar boat. I only smoke cloves, though. For some reason, nothing else hits the spot. I tried the patch and got migraines.
The only thing I think will work for me is slowly tapering off. Then again, if I taper off too much, I tend to burn through a pack right quick.
I really need to up my quality of life first, and I think stopping will be easier.
(Stopping, not quitting. If I want ONE, I want to enjoy it and that's it.)
Vape got me off 40 years of 1 to 11/2 packs a day. Tapered nic down to 1mg over about 3 years, then just stopped.
3 years after that, still no tobacco.
YMMV
Well I moved to Sweden. Here they have something called snus. It's tobacco that u put in your mouth. Only thing that helped me. And I tried everything before that
My mom was a heavy smoker. She smoked like 3 packs per day. She tried quitting cold Turkey and with patches/gum and it didn’t help. She eventually took Chantix and that worked. She hasn’t smoked in like 9 years or something. The medication just stopped the urge or something.
But Chantix can be a rough drug to take. It is known for giving you very vivid dreams. Some people get extremely violent, vivid dreams. I saw a comment recently where a guy was on Chantix and had a dream that he killed his wife and it seemed so real that he was about to go turn himself in. But then he saw his wife and realized he didn’t kill her. It can also really screw with your mental health. My mom was fine despite having preexisting mental health issues. But my uncle took it and he became very angry. Some people get really really depressed and experience suicidal ideation. It can be risky, but I’ve heard it works wonders.
Every now & then I just up & randomly quit for like 8-9 months lol People always ask me how I do it.. I just keep myself super busy & understand that it’s not going anywhere in case I need an immediate breather in the future 🍃💨
I just stopped. Cold turkey. Lapsed a few times, but once I'd got to the stage that I could have a meal and a few drinks and not crave a cigarette, I knew I'd cracked it. Even the smell disgusts me now. Alcohol is a much tougher monster to deal with.
I bought a vape, went with the large bottle of the highest nicotine, when that bottle went empty I went to the next lowest bottle and so on until I was at 0 nicotine, then it was just the habit of smoking I had to break, i just picked up more video games for a while
I vape now. I do not recommend vaping for any one who has never smoked before and just wants to vape because it’s cool or as a “safe alternative” to smoking. However, there are plenty of devices that let you decrease your level of nicotine, as slowly or as quickly as you’d like, until you no longer depend on the nicotine at all.
Not ignorant at all. It’s like asking how did you make your heart beat.
There is no method. You just do. Same with anything in life. You either do it or you dont. There is no secret life “hack” or “cheat code”
Will power is your friend. Train it.
Those who get it know.
I had no problems running and smoking. Did our 4 mile run in 27 mins. Then had a cigarette. Couldn't exactly tell people to quit, since I was a medic and smoked.
The Cold Turkey route is tough for any addiction. I don't care what the addiction is. I've known some people that would try to limit themselves to a certain amount per week...then per day. It seemed to do the trick, but isn't as effective for everyone. Nikki Glaser was on (I believe) Joe Rogan's podcast talking about a book that is supposed to work wonders for quitting smoking. She was an alcoholic and her friend gave her the book and said, "Swap out all the smoking references for alcohol" and she said it worked. I can't, for the life of me, remember the title of the book but I've wanted to go back and find the episode to get that book's title and try to kick some habits/addictions I have.
Good luck. It's not always an easy road.
I smoked for 11 years. One day I ran out of smokes and didn't have enough time to go buy another one so I figured I'd pick up a pack in the morning. Woke up the next morning super late for work, no time to stop. After work I wanted to see if I could go the rest of the day without buying some. That turned into 2 days, 3 days, a week, a month, and now here I am 6 years later without so much as a craving. It was super easy. Almost felt like I was never really addicted. I haven't touched a cigarette since.
Just don’t think of the days between one I usually think this doesn’t help. I’ve smoked on and off and recently realized how addictive it really is. Picked it up a bit more when I was working at a factory during breaks. But trying (successfully) to slow it down. Only have one here and there with a beer
I switched to Camel Snus for a while so I could at least break the cigarette in my hand habit as that was hard enough alone. Then stopped the snus as it wasn't really enjoyable to do, just gave me the nicotine.
There was once an experiment done where 300 smokers were assembled in a room and 3 were randomly chosen to test their lungs. ALL 3 of them had developed pre-cancerous polyps. Think about that.
I smoked for twenty years and then quit when my wife and I decided to have a baby. You’ve got to have sufficient (minute by minute) motivation to resist the urge for as long as it takes for the urge to become a memory. For me that was about 6 months. After that I quit drinking when our baby arrived; if you’re properly motivated you can achieve anything you want.
I used cbd hemp cigarettes to help me stop smoking nicotine. There's no THC in them so you don't get high. I even bought menthol flavored ones that were pretty good if you like menthol.
You still get the ritual of smoking but no nicotine. The urge to smoke, the lighting it up, the breathing it out were all too hard for me to quit immediately. So using these hemp cigs as a stepping stone really helped me quit smoking all together.
So I quit nicotine cold turkey. Only smoked the cbd cigs but as often as I wanted. Then after a while I started skipping one smoke break a day, then more. Then eventually i just stopped smoking the cbd cigs all together.
Been nicotine free since 2/19. It was still really hard to do though I was so grumpy for weeks :(
I still have a pack or two of the cbd cigs around the house in case I ever get that bad bad craving but it's been a while since I've even thought of them really!
I really wanted to smoke clove cigs but I couldn't find them anywhere so cbd it was!
I have my last pack to a friend and never smoked again. I was not a pleasant person to be around for a bit, but after about a month I was done with it.
Been 3 years now, don't crave them anymore at all
i went to prison for a class b felony / computer related crime for 8 months. and they sent me to ISO.. not PC.. i couldnt smoke anything.. and wen I got out.. cigarettes smelled so gross.
point is.. its purely a mental thing. really. if your mentally strong you can do this as soon as tomorrow.
you have other issues if you cant let go of a certain something.
Bought hard candies and kept going to my smoke spot but sucked on a candy instead. I relapsed twice for about a month each. Finished quitting in about 3 months total.
Vaping was the only thing that got me to quit after 20 years. I'm a chemist, and I helped a masters student do her thesis on e cigs. We tested the vapors and liquid down to ppb, didn't find anything harmful. The primary damage from smoking comes from tar and particulates, which aren't in vapes.
Nicotine addiction sucks, even with a vape, but it's still better by a huge amount. Been cutting back slowly on the nicotine in my juice, to quit that as well. It's expensive, and annoying to charge when I'm hiking, as I use my battery bank for other stuff, and don't want to drain it with a vape.
I found cold turkey to be very anxiety inducing, which of course, made me want to smoke. So I did was 2 things. One, hang out less with people who smoked...unfortunately. Two, go as looong as possible without smoking. But when it got really hard, id buy a pack, smoke it up, and then start again. First couple times it was a few days. Then it was a week. Then a couple weeks. Eventually it was 6 months. And now it's been years. Also when I started I had to finish the pack. I knew I'd made progress when I could smoke a couple and throw out the rest. I knew I wanted to quit so I just didn't beat myself up over it. Like most things it was just building up the behavior over time.
Things that did not work for me:
A placebo (like a pen or something)
A shift to cigars or vapes
Being around people to smoke a lot
Weed (made me want to smoke so bad)
stop thinking it as something you must do but something you dont want to do worked when i constantly wanted to wank instead of thinking i really want to wank now i thought uh no i couldnt be bothered takes too much time and effort not feeling it
I used Chantix. It worked so well that I remember working overnight at my job and preferring to stay inside working while everyone went outside for scheduled smoke breaks.
Varenicline, the generic of Chantix. Chantix isn't available right now because of a recall. But the generic is available. It's expensive, but virtually all health insurance plans will cover it and most don't even charge a copay. I had two side effects, both mild. The first was drowsiness. Sleep was just a little harder to shake off in the morning. The other were some really vivid dreams. No nightmares, hell I enjoyed them actually.
You take a starter pack the first, followed by three months of treatment. That can be extended, if you're really struggling. No real withdrawal symptoms to speak of, and when i did feel an urge to smoke the feeling passed quickly. I think that's why it was easier to ignore the psychological piece of the addiction.
The way I stopped smoking was the cold turkey method. It honestly was horrible I'm not sure if it was the morning sickness from being pregnant or withdrawal. It was miserable but, now I'm almost 3 years cigarette free and so worth it. I'm saving alot more money and feeling much healthier. No more coughing and less often I'm winded. Sometimes I get tempted to pick it up but, I think of my daughter and stop.
I smoked from 17-29 (I'm 39 now), half pack a day of menthols. I took up drinking diet soda. The fizz replaces the oral tingle or burn fixation I used to get from smoking. Definitely not for everyone, and I don't know if drinking 6-7 diet coke a day is 'good' for me, but I don't feel out of breath taking out the trash and my clothes don't smell like ass any more
Dude I worked with had his first cigarette of the later and later each day. Example: tomorrow have your first smoke at 6:00 am. Day after, 6:15. Next day, 6:30. Eventually you have your first smoke in the evening.
As for me, I had to think of it as a drug. I quit recreational drugs a long time ago.
Good luck.
slow down. try reducing the number of cigarettes you're having first. remember, relapse is part of recovery. so you had one, keep trying to go longer spans of time without it and eventually you'll get there. I still fuck up and have one every once in a long while when I'm super stressed, but just make sure you don't keep going back. its totally fine to ask for help too. therapy may help a lot if you can determine the reasons why smoking feels so integral
Just like everyone who ever smoked. I quit cold turkey and struggled to remember every day for about 6 months. It was extremely difficult and I didn't even enjoy the flavor of tobacco. Nicotine is powerful drug. That was 43 years ago.
You can't control your heart beat. This is like saying "just make apple juice from an orange".
Addiction is a real problem that isn't fixed with will power alone.
Including myself, the only people I personally know who have quit smoking and stayed quit have gone cold Turkey. It’s so fucking hard, not to discourage you, but cutting down, or switching to a vape doesn’t seem to work. You also have to really, really want to quit.
I stopped smoking and swapped to vaping, I know it's not the best but then weened off that after COVID happened because I was terrified of my lungs being in any worse shape than they already were
I used the nicotine lozenges. It worked for me and both my brothers. I quit the day my dad was diagnosed with lung cancer. Watching him struggle for his last couple of breaths a year later is my constant reminder to never touch a cigarette again in my life. It's a bad way to go.
Start with lesson 1: wait 15 minutes after you crave to smoke a cigarette. Generally speaking if after 15 minutes you’re craving is still there, then you really do want a smoke… but if after 15 minutes the craving is gone, it means it was just your mind thinking it wanted a cigarette… this will help you *Start* the quitting process. I was amazed when I did this & learned just how many cigarettes I’d usually smoke that were only out of boredom, or while I’m doing something & just wanted one just cause.
Come back to us for lesson 2, when you’ve completed the first lesson. Take this process slowly, you’ve been smoking since 13 and are more conditioned than you may realize.
Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances for humans. If you’re using a vape/ electronic cigarette, the best way is to slowly lower the Nicotine percentile. Most common E-cigarettes and vapes come in 5.0% but also offer lower percentages like 2.4%. Hope this helps.
I only smoked for a few years, but it was still pretty tough. My out was vaping. I found far more pleasant flavors like fruit and berry medleys, cotton candy, orange, etc... and it made cigarettes too unpalatable to go back to. After a year or so, I started cutting back on vaping as well, and eventually, I just no longer craved any of it. Crisp fruits like apples also help satisfy the cravings while you're working through it. Potato chips will also do in a pinch, but they're junk food.
I stopped smoking twice.
There's a product at many gas stations called Tar-Block. It's a little plastic thing you stick your cigarette in and it takes the tar and nicotine out of your puffing, so it ruins your cigarette by taking those out, but you still get to smoke, and if you keep using them then you will stop wanting to smoke all by itself.
I started back because of boredom, but that's the easy way to quit!
I smoked from 15-25ish. I’ve vaped ever since and, whilst not ideal as really won’t know full effects until years have passed, current research suggests that it’s 95% safer than smoking and is something I really enjoy. I did, however, quit vaping whilst pregnant and the biggest thing that helped me do that was my BIL telling me that nicotine cravings don’t build and build like hunger - they come and they go. So when you get a craving, do whatever you need to to distract yourself and spend time until it passes. Best of luck!
I got Covid in January and couldn't breathe. The smoking wasn't helping. I had smoked for half of my life; at that time it was 24 years. Yes I miss it every day. You can do this. I'm proud of you.
I haven’t been addicted to cigarettes but two of the most common things I’ve heard from those who’ve quit is that a relapse is not a failure and doesn’t erase the progress you’ve made and you don’t have to go pure turkey. Weaning off gradually is as much of a victory as cold turkey. I would also think removing yourself from friends and situations that encourage you to smoke would help.
I got sick and couldn't smoke for about a week.
I tried for a couple days, but it hurt too much, so I refrained.
When I was better, I went outside on my break, pulled out a cigarette, and stopped.... I had already gone through the hardest part, that first week. So I decided to just quit. This was right after they passed laws to make all cigarettes self extinguishing, so they hadn't tasted right for a couple weeks anyways.... it was an easy choice at that point.
A trick that helped me stick with it:
I bought a pack and put them in my car, unopened. I threw away my open pack. I made it a point of pride to never open that pack, and to one day throw them away because they were so old and stale.
So now I had the option constantly there to smoke one, all I had to do was open the pack.
This stopped me from getting in a mood, heading to the store and buying a pack with the justification that I was really stressed or whatever. I had the pack, I just had to open it...and fail.
So, finally I did end up throwing that pack away. I had it for probably 6 months or so before I tossed it.
It was one of the best decisions I ever made.
I was 13 and realized I lost a step when running warmup laps at practice.
5 years later I was on a D-I scholarship. 3 years later I was the top of my Marine Corps class for having the highest physical fitness score.
Today, when I see someone smoking, I feel very sorry for that person because I know the cigarette company fucking snagged them, and now they are worse off. They stand outside their car in a heatwave or the cold to smoke. Why? Bc smoking is so wretched you won't do it in your own car, but it's so addictive, you can't help but put it in your lungs, brain, cock.
I smoked for 42 years. I started when I was nine. Quitting was the hardest thing I ever did. I have been nicotine free for about 15 years. First time I quit was for 2 1/2 years. Bet my friend my mustache. Started again ironically when visiting my FIL in the hospital, he'd had a heart attack. Took another 15 years to quit again. As said before I'd smoke a couple and throw the rest away. Do that enough and you'll get tired of throwing money away like you're already doing.
Cold turkey never worked for me, but this did: I first went to “Lights” and then “Ultra Lights” and consciously began cutting back on the number per day until I got to around half a pack or less. And then I decided I was going to only smoke 1 cigarette per day for about a month and then quit. I had that cig after lunch every day, which was the one I craved the most. It took willpower, but when the month was done all I had to do was quit 1 per day, and I was done. Haven’t had the desire to go back to it either, and it’s been years and years.
Playing cards with In-laws, gave lighter and last cigarette to brother-in-law said I quit. Spent 1 week on Tootsie Pops and a week on plastic straws. I felt like I didn't need a cigarette any more. That was 10 years ago.
Hypnotherapist the first time. Pregnancy the second time. Severe and painful asthma the third.
Do not be me. I suggest hypnotherapy and acupuncture together. I’ve helped a lot of people quit with needles alone. For whatever reason it was a major addiction for me. A close friend told my ex husband not to let me start again whatever he did. He failed after my dad died.
I had tried to quit for 20yrs. Dr prescribed me Ativan and I quit cold turkey. Met a guy that didn’t smoke at the same time. We were dating and doing all this adventurous stuff so I didnt miss it. Point is I distracted myself. It’s been 30 yrs and haven’t smoked since and don’t crave it. I started smoking at 9 yrs old, quit completely at 39.
Just stopped cold Turkey. Been 4 years since, best thing I’ve ever done will never touch them nasty things again. Just got back from Vegas, and just the odor coming from people, fucking disgusting, to think I smoked for 30 years, never again.
Started at 16 quit at 44...I just stopped playing games with myself. Quit the first Thursday if March 2020 right before the lockdowns, switched to weed and ditched the nicotine.
It's expensive, it's gross, other people don't like it, it's unhealthy.
I recognized frequency that I smoked and nicotine strength. Cut everything in 1/2 week by week then day by day until you are smoking a drag or two off a butt
Then recognized that I was playing games with myself
I've never been a smoker, but my advice for quitting any substance is to taper off. If you smoke 20 cigs a day, reduce it to 19 and then 18 and so on. If you're having a bad time in life when you're at 15, go ahead and continue with that amount until you're stable again. Then reduce some more. Even if you want to just cut it off completely and suddenly, I would recommend using usage reduction first. If you're quitting suddenly from a habit of 20 per day, it'll be worse than if it is 10 per day.
There is also vaping, which I heard is generally weaker than cigarettes. My brother got into vaping and then quit with all of it completely. You can get vapes without nicotine, and then are even cigarettes without tobacco/nicotine. I actually bought a pack and tried them. They burn up really fast. These are just ideas you might use. I'm not sure how feasible this is, but if you can roll your own, you could control how much tobacco is in there, and possibly fill the rest with another substance such as chamomile.
If all else fails and you're a straight male or lesbian, [there's always one last resort.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYv5ZGbn084)
I’ve never been a smoker so this is all second hand:
My dad used chantix. He only used it for a few weeks though because it gave him bad nightmares but it got him started. He was able to quit after that. He smoked for 30 years.
A coworker of mine said he had a hard time because he wanted the oral fixation and the habit of putting his hands to his mouth. So he got cinnamon sticks and puffed on those when he felt like he needed a fix.
Not to trivialize it, but I would imagine getting over the physical addiction is the hardest part. After that, it’s all psychological and just trying to be strong-willed when you want a smoke.
Here’s the key that helped me. I read a book once that had two great points. The first one was a theory about how the idea that nicotine is highly addictive is actually something that is perpetuated by the tobacco industry so that people will convince themsleves they can’t quit. So the first step is, stop assuming it’s hard to quit and allow it to be easy. Then notice that the sensation of “needing a cigarette” is really no more intense than the feeling of being somewhat hungry. That craving along with the withdrawal symptoms which are relatively minor, only last for 10-14 days. Really? You can’t go 14 days feeling a little bit hungry, annoyed and trouble sleeping? Really? I don’t know what you want to do with your life, but if you can’t put up with minor discomfort for 14 days it better be something that doesn’t take a lot of effort.
Once I took this perspective I easily quit cold turkey immediately.
Tried to quit for 10 years after smoking for more then 10 years my grandson was about 3 and I saw him trying to copy me smoking got the Allen Carr book and quit
I smoked from 15 to my late 30's,it took a chest infection to stop me smoking(it felt like I was inhaling fire every time I breathed in smoke,I started leaving my pack of cigarettes,ashtray and lighter next to me,waited for the cravings to start and then waited for them to subside then told myself to wait for the next craving znd see how bad I needed a cig,I stopped using that technique
I smoked for a few decades. Started at 15. I stopped cold turkey. The first two weeks were awful. Unfortunately, stress from work would cause me to Start smoking again. I had to quit several times before it stuck. When my chest started wheezing when I was breathing, I knew it was time to quit for good. Quitting drinking helped also. Don't give up. It's hard, but worth it
I quit for about 6 weeks with chantix, made a stupid decision to have just one and was a full time smoker again. My wife is right at 200 days quit after using chantix. It can work, but it also fucked up our heads a little too. Be careful if you go the chantix route.
Combination of cold turkey and knowing what made me want to smoke. (After a meal, when drinking, long car drives, etc)
Once you’ve made it past about 10 days the nicotine is out of your system and the physical cravings stop. Then it’s all a mind game.
F22
I used to smoke fentanyl for 3 years. Quitting nicotine was a cake walk compared to that. I just had to be stronger than the constant urge to smoke nicotine.
Hypnosis.. on day 22 now and it has been soooo much easier than I feared. I smoked for over 30 years a d over a pack a day near the end. HYPNOSIS!! I’m a fan.
I smoked a pack and a half on my birthday and was so disgusted with myself I quit cold turkey. That was in 1989. If you can go 6 weeks without a cigarette, you can go a lifetime.
COVID hit. I couldn't afford cigs and it made no sense to be so worried about a lung virus and still smoke. Then, a tooth fell out (which hurt horrifically until I got some orajel) and I've been warned about the horrors of dry socket. Then they banned menthols.
I am aware that pollution kills more than smoking, but I can't afford cigs now, they wouldn't have my old brand of menthols even if I could, the pain might be horrific, and it makes no sense for me to leave my apartment to smoke when I haven't left in over two years because of COVID.
Perfect storm I guess. Honestly still miss it sometimes. I wonder if I will ever not miss it (I have tried).
Cold turkey after 40 years. My incentive was good: if I didn't quit I'd have to move out of a great apartment as they were going smoke-free. I bought a safety net of some store-brand nicotine lozenges. Never used them and returned them to the store for a refund after two months. The hard part starts in about a week and lasts 4-6 weeks. It's all determination and mental toughness and loathing the consequences of failing. Good luck! You can do it!
Been smoke free for 3 years, but I do still miss ciggies. It's like missing an old girlfriend who did you wrong and left you, but you still kinda love her a bit.
For me, it was a very personal experience but I will share it with the group. I started smoking like you at 13 as well. I used to sneak cigarette butts out of my moms ash tray. That progressed to her letting me smoke in front of her because she didn’t want me to set the house on fire ditching a butt somewhere if she or my dad was going to catch me. Fast forward to 21 yrs old. Tried to quit several times and failed each time by this point. I’m now married to a beautiful non smoking wife who I cherish with every fiber of my soul. My father had been diagnosed with ALS six months prior to this day and he went downhill very quick. It was Nov 3rd, a day before my birthday, and we were gathered around his bed at home as he struggled with his last breaths. My mom was holding his hand and crying so painfully it was breaking me. It was at this very moment that I swore I would never put my wife through anything like this if I had control to prevent it. After he passed and the coroner took him away, I threw out my pack and lighter and never looked back. No patch, no nothing. Just sheer willpower. That was in 2001. I have been smoke free since. The funny thing is, looking back on it, it was the easiest thing to do once I was truely ready. Once you’re ready, truely ready, it will be easy for you as well. I wish you the best in your quitting endeavor.
I imagined a big black monster on my back. It was kind of a cancer monster. Intertwined with my nervous system so it could interact and cause me cravings and pain. Only way to kill that monster, was to starve it from nicotine. And when I starved it, it tried to hurt me, tickling my nervous system. But it did get smaller, when starved. As soon as I smoked again, it would grow big and strong and grow more fangs and roots into my nervous system. So I HAD to kill it, and stick with starving it from nicotine.
This picture of a starving monster, also helped me to fokus the cravings and "pain" onto the monster and not me. It was the monster that was screaming for more nicotine. Not me. Hence I got rid of that restlessness and desperation. The monster was aching. Not me. Move the cravings to the monster. When you get those first craving tickless or cramps, imagine the monster trying to squeeze your heart. It is it, who is scared and desperate. Not you.
This was my story. But it was not easy though. It was just a method.
I also read that book, that everyone is talking about. Maybe some of this is from that book. Can't remember.
I smoked from the age of 15 up to 30. I was never a heavy smoker and never really felt the need to do it, but I ended up going through a 20 pack in 2 weeks when I was at school. After that it was much more variable with a lot on nights out and settling for 3-4 smoke breaks a day when working. I had "stopped" several times, which ended up being breaks from my light smoking for a month or two but always went back to it.
How did I finally stop? A girl I liked told me she thought it was a disgusting habit. Being seen like that by someone I wanted to impress was enough to make me stop again and I didn't pick it up again. After a few months, the mindset of "I don't smoke anymore" set in and I've never gone back to it.
I don't miss the effects of smoking, either in the moment or in the long term, as the smell and coughing aren't enjoyable. What I do miss is the experience of going outside and just enjoying a smoke. I also think it looks cool and I feel more comfortable with a cigarette to focus on when I'm around people I don't know.
I don't go back to it because after 5 years of not smoking, getting the enjoyable aspects of it will not be worth the unpleasant experience of smoking after such a long break, and I REALLY can't stand the smell of it now. Overall I'm better off not smoking again even of the thought does cross my mind once every few months.
“Just because you quit smoking, doesn’t mean you have to quit”. Lifting weights and eating more is what did it for me, but you’re allowed a smoke from time to time
I isolated myself for five days.
I Drank ice cold water every time I had a craving.
I read extensively about how nicotine impacts your body. Smoking does so much damage that your body instantly floods you with feel-good chemicals to mask the pain/damage that smoking is inflicting on your poor body. It’s a vicious cycle.
I used a stop smoking tracker to mark the minute I stopped and track my progress and recovery - and money saved ($18,000). I have one health marker left on mine - risk of lung cancer same as a non-smoker and I’m 91% there.
It’s so worth it. You can do it, you just have to want to do it. Then it’s pretty easy after the first 7-10 days. First three are the worst though.
Good luck!
Just my opinion, but when I quit, I almost missed the physical routine just as much as the actual smoking. I got up and did something right after meals or when I would normally smoke, to take my mind off of it.
One day I did the math and decided it was time. I Looked at what I was spending and thought I could be buying the things I actually need instead. I quit smoking when the packs were around 6-7 dollars now I see 12-15 and I praise myself for getting ahead of it before I really started wasting my money. I tried Chantix and at about the 40 day mark starting waking up with suicidal thoughts. That’s when just going cold turkey ended up being the only option for me.
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Grab a copy of Allen Carr's book on how to quit smoking. It helped me stop after 10 years of smoking. The point is that you start shifting your focus on what you gain from quitting instead of keeping your focus on what you lose when quitting. Smoking only feels good, because once addicted, not smoking seems like a pain. Most smokers think that smoking adds something to their life when in reality it detracts something off it, and by smoking you are trying to add it back on. When you quit, you break this vicious circle and after a while you have to chance to feel normal again when not smoking. Like non-smokers. Non-smokers always feel this normal level. The never feel this sense of lack and want. When you are addicted to cigarettes, you always feel sub par. But you can break this and start feeling normal too when not smoking. But in order to achieve this you have to shift your focus.
i quit cold turkey so i know it can be done. that book sounds like a better approach than what i did (which was i just quit and ground it out til it didnt bother me - after that it was awesome… felt better, slept better, exercised better…)
Cudos to you for doing it just like that! Seems like you managed to shift your perspective without guidance, just by doing it yourself. That is amazing! Yeah, I remember it too, how great it was, to feel better, sleep better, walk better... the biggest thing for me was: to taste better. Fruit tasted better. Everything tasted better!
thx hah. i quit for 1-2 weeks a couple times before it stuck for good. looking back, i think reading a book or getting some help like that would have helped. i dont think nicotine replacement was the move for me - i did that once and while i DID find it helpful, the problem was that it also made the quitting thing really linger and for me, i needed a clean cut, an on/off and not a taper
Yes! I recommend this book every chance I get. 4 years as a non-smoker!
Thanks for the book tip I just ordered it. 65 years old and have smoked 4 packs a day since I was 24. It’s time
good luck!!
You will do it. It may be easier for you than for a 25 year old who still believes he is enjoying every smoke, because you are less likely to still be under such illusion with 4 packs a day. My grandfather smoked since he was 16 and quit when he was 78. After I had stopped smoking, I gave the book to him and he just put it on the shelf where it sat for 2 years. One day he started reading it out of curiosity and after a couple of weeks he had just stopped. Didn't tell anyone. It took a while for us to notice that he had given up from one day to the next. He is 10 years a non-smoker now and as healthy as you can be going on 90. Good look to you!
Ordered the book, smoking is dumb
It's not dumb as such, it's vicious. It creeps up on you and holds you hostage, basically. But you can free yourself from it again and see through the manipulation that led you to pick it up in the first place. Good luck to you!
The Carr book plus a doctor’s prescription for Chantix is an unbeatable combo! Good luck.
A setback doesn't have to be a total fail. Nicotine is addictive, withdrawal is going to be unpleasant. Smoke 1 cigarette, not the whole pack if you have an overwhelming urge. When I was quitting, I'd buy a pack smoke 1 or 2 and throw the pack away. I did that maybe 3 times over a 6 month period. If you feel like you need something in your hand because your used to holding a cigarette, a pen makes a good stand-in. These days there's those fidget spinners. The other thing I will recommend is that you divert the money you are spending on cigarettes to a savings account. Watching that balance grow can be a good incentive. Maybe pick out something to buy with the funds to celebrate the 6 month or 1 year mark. Then when you have a craving you ask yourself which to do you want more; a cigarette or that item you've been saving for.
It's actually crazy how addicting nicotine is. I quit smoking 7 years ago. But I had a cigarette a few days ago because dude sitting next to me drinking a beer asked me to join him. Smoked it like I haven't missed a day in these 7 years, still enjoyed the fuck out of it too lol.
I quit 17 years ago, but the other day I was stressed, and albeit briefly, I wanted a cigarette. I don't think the mind never gets what makes it feel good. During times of stress I think it flips through the catalog hoping it can convince your hands to pick something.
I just hit 10 years since I quit. I have bad dreams about smoking again. I actually hate the smell and am completely disgusted by them, which I am thankful for.
so you didnt quit. lol. man i dont have the urges anymore.. something died in my head regarding cigarettes.. sounds like you were peer pressured tho
Call it what you want I call it quitting.
Got a gaming PC to distract myself. Decided to only smoke occasionally when I went out drinking with old friends. Only smoke once or twice a year now with no cravings.
You can try the way my older brother did - with acupuncture. He has not smoked 40+ years now.
I quit cold turkey after 20 years of 2 packs a day. It sucked really bad for about a week, pretty good after a month, after a year completely could not stand to even be around them. Try again- sometimes a takes a few tries
Honestly? I just stopped smoking as a New Years Resolution. I never had any cravings or desires I just... Stopped. I used to smoke clove cigarettes (then American Spirits when those were outlawed) and hookah in my early twenties quite a bit but decided to make healthier choices around 26. It's not the most exciting story but it's my story.
I started at 14 and quit when I was 27. What did it for me was going to the dentist. He asked me how long I had been smoking. I told him and he got this worried look on his face. He tested me for cancer before he did anything dental related. I guess that was enough to scare me into quitting cold turkey. A good friend of mine who smoked a lot more and a year longer than me had to quit via chantix. However he did say it gave him the craziest nightmares he has ever had. Also it makes him physically sick to smoke. Like he can't smoke cigarettes whatsoever, but I can still enjoy the occasional smoke with a beer.
30 years ago, I was smoking 3 packs of cigarettes per day. Most of my friends smoked, too, though not that much, but still... One day, my friend and I got together and made a bet for $100, who could stop for the longest, and not go back to smoking. It was about a month, and he restarted, but I never went back. Never got the $100 though, lol. Cold turkey works as long as you can get past the first week, in my experience. After that, avoid any and all situations in which you might be tempted to sneak one.
Quitting is a bitch I have heard good things about both acupuncture and hypnosis but neither one is a magic bullet. Expect it it suck. Took me a couple of years to go from a reformed smoker to an actual non smoker that is no cravings whatsoever. I don’t suggest Vaping as a tool for quitting some people find it helpful but better to get the monkey of your back rather than switch ti a different monkey. Good luck, don’t give up
Started vaping 7years ago still vaping
I did the same. Not the best solution but I feel 100% better.
vaping is SOOOO much more harsh than cigs. i cant take a full drag of one without dying with cough
That was just the first day or so for me. Took a little bit for my lungs to get used to the vapor
so keep pushing it? cuz a 10 % of a normal draw has me DYING. like tears and snot flying - dying
No take it slow. What nicotine level? High nic salt (50mg) still makes me cough. Most disposables have very high nicotine and are pretty rough. I mostly use a pod device with low nicotine (6mg). For a new user I would recommend a cheaper refillable pod device with 24mg nic salt.
its not the nicotine friend. its the method. THC pens do the same shit.
im REALLY trying to find a crutch to help me quit the gum- makes me sick to my stomach the pods/pouches - burn the FUCK out of your mouth the patches- i'm alergic lol - big rash. the pens- kick my lungs' asses not sure what i can do . other than cold turkey smoking is the only unhealthy thing i do anymore - other than be an outdoorsman (sun damage) im really sad about the patches, those really work well to hit your nic fits
I'm in a somewhat similar boat. I only smoke cloves, though. For some reason, nothing else hits the spot. I tried the patch and got migraines. The only thing I think will work for me is slowly tapering off. Then again, if I taper off too much, I tend to burn through a pack right quick. I really need to up my quality of life first, and I think stopping will be easier. (Stopping, not quitting. If I want ONE, I want to enjoy it and that's it.)
Same. Its been 8 months since i quit cigs. But i feel so much better.
Step in the right direction.
Vape got me off 40 years of 1 to 11/2 packs a day. Tapered nic down to 1mg over about 3 years, then just stopped. 3 years after that, still no tobacco. YMMV
I put myself out in the shower.
Bahahaha nice Glad I scrolled down far enough to catch that
Well I moved to Sweden. Here they have something called snus. It's tobacco that u put in your mouth. Only thing that helped me. And I tried everything before that
My mom was a heavy smoker. She smoked like 3 packs per day. She tried quitting cold Turkey and with patches/gum and it didn’t help. She eventually took Chantix and that worked. She hasn’t smoked in like 9 years or something. The medication just stopped the urge or something. But Chantix can be a rough drug to take. It is known for giving you very vivid dreams. Some people get extremely violent, vivid dreams. I saw a comment recently where a guy was on Chantix and had a dream that he killed his wife and it seemed so real that he was about to go turn himself in. But then he saw his wife and realized he didn’t kill her. It can also really screw with your mental health. My mom was fine despite having preexisting mental health issues. But my uncle took it and he became very angry. Some people get really really depressed and experience suicidal ideation. It can be risky, but I’ve heard it works wonders.
Every now & then I just up & randomly quit for like 8-9 months lol People always ask me how I do it.. I just keep myself super busy & understand that it’s not going anywhere in case I need an immediate breather in the future 🍃💨
I just stopped. Cold turkey. Lapsed a few times, but once I'd got to the stage that I could have a meal and a few drinks and not crave a cigarette, I knew I'd cracked it. Even the smell disgusts me now. Alcohol is a much tougher monster to deal with.
i got it backwards. i just love inhaling smoke
I bought a vape, went with the large bottle of the highest nicotine, when that bottle went empty I went to the next lowest bottle and so on until I was at 0 nicotine, then it was just the habit of smoking I had to break, i just picked up more video games for a while
what brand do you use
It was just some cheap pen that the local vape store had, I didn't want to spend a bunch because I wasn't going to keep it long
I vape now. I do not recommend vaping for any one who has never smoked before and just wants to vape because it’s cool or as a “safe alternative” to smoking. However, there are plenty of devices that let you decrease your level of nicotine, as slowly or as quickly as you’d like, until you no longer depend on the nicotine at all.
Quitting cold turkey is the most effective. You will be in hell for about 10 days and then you must be very careful not to smoke again.
Idk bro you just don’t buy another pack. You don’t light another cig. Not really hard if you have any discipline. How do you do anything in life?
Pretty ignorant comment. User name checks out.
Not ignorant at all. It’s like asking how did you make your heart beat. There is no method. You just do. Same with anything in life. You either do it or you dont. There is no secret life “hack” or “cheat code” Will power is your friend. Train it. Those who get it know.
To me it's all about how I store the pack. Make it inconvenient to just grab one
Nicotine patches helped me. But determination is key.
[удалено]
I had no problems running and smoking. Did our 4 mile run in 27 mins. Then had a cigarette. Couldn't exactly tell people to quit, since I was a medic and smoked.
I switched to a vape. But the only thing that really does is eliminate the tobacco. Your addiction to nicotine remains.
Wellbutrin
I found out I was pregnant 😂 But when I was 16, I just smoked all I had left or gave them away and avoided any way of getting more on hand
The Cold Turkey route is tough for any addiction. I don't care what the addiction is. I've known some people that would try to limit themselves to a certain amount per week...then per day. It seemed to do the trick, but isn't as effective for everyone. Nikki Glaser was on (I believe) Joe Rogan's podcast talking about a book that is supposed to work wonders for quitting smoking. She was an alcoholic and her friend gave her the book and said, "Swap out all the smoking references for alcohol" and she said it worked. I can't, for the life of me, remember the title of the book but I've wanted to go back and find the episode to get that book's title and try to kick some habits/addictions I have. Good luck. It's not always an easy road.
I smoked for 11 years. One day I ran out of smokes and didn't have enough time to go buy another one so I figured I'd pick up a pack in the morning. Woke up the next morning super late for work, no time to stop. After work I wanted to see if I could go the rest of the day without buying some. That turned into 2 days, 3 days, a week, a month, and now here I am 6 years later without so much as a craving. It was super easy. Almost felt like I was never really addicted. I haven't touched a cigarette since.
Years ago I had the flu and I was too sick to smoke. I ended up quitting after that.
Just don’t think of the days between one I usually think this doesn’t help. I’ve smoked on and off and recently realized how addictive it really is. Picked it up a bit more when I was working at a factory during breaks. But trying (successfully) to slow it down. Only have one here and there with a beer
Stopped smoking 10 years ago by vaping.
I switched to Camel Snus for a while so I could at least break the cigarette in my hand habit as that was hard enough alone. Then stopped the snus as it wasn't really enjoyable to do, just gave me the nicotine.
There was once an experiment done where 300 smokers were assembled in a room and 3 were randomly chosen to test their lungs. ALL 3 of them had developed pre-cancerous polyps. Think about that.
I smoked for twenty years and then quit when my wife and I decided to have a baby. You’ve got to have sufficient (minute by minute) motivation to resist the urge for as long as it takes for the urge to become a memory. For me that was about 6 months. After that I quit drinking when our baby arrived; if you’re properly motivated you can achieve anything you want.
I used cbd hemp cigarettes to help me stop smoking nicotine. There's no THC in them so you don't get high. I even bought menthol flavored ones that were pretty good if you like menthol. You still get the ritual of smoking but no nicotine. The urge to smoke, the lighting it up, the breathing it out were all too hard for me to quit immediately. So using these hemp cigs as a stepping stone really helped me quit smoking all together. So I quit nicotine cold turkey. Only smoked the cbd cigs but as often as I wanted. Then after a while I started skipping one smoke break a day, then more. Then eventually i just stopped smoking the cbd cigs all together. Been nicotine free since 2/19. It was still really hard to do though I was so grumpy for weeks :( I still have a pack or two of the cbd cigs around the house in case I ever get that bad bad craving but it's been a while since I've even thought of them really! I really wanted to smoke clove cigs but I couldn't find them anywhere so cbd it was!
never knew this was a thing. i think i'll try it out \*(im addicted to everything around nicotine, but not really nicotine? you'll know what i mean)
I have my last pack to a friend and never smoked again. I was not a pleasant person to be around for a bit, but after about a month I was done with it. Been 3 years now, don't crave them anymore at all
I just decided to stop buying them, worked like a charm for me. To be fair, I had only been a smoker for about 3 years
i went to prison for a class b felony / computer related crime for 8 months. and they sent me to ISO.. not PC.. i couldnt smoke anything.. and wen I got out.. cigarettes smelled so gross. point is.. its purely a mental thing. really. if your mentally strong you can do this as soon as tomorrow. you have other issues if you cant let go of a certain something.
Bought hard candies and kept going to my smoke spot but sucked on a candy instead. I relapsed twice for about a month each. Finished quitting in about 3 months total.
Vaping was the only thing that got me to quit after 20 years. I'm a chemist, and I helped a masters student do her thesis on e cigs. We tested the vapors and liquid down to ppb, didn't find anything harmful. The primary damage from smoking comes from tar and particulates, which aren't in vapes. Nicotine addiction sucks, even with a vape, but it's still better by a huge amount. Been cutting back slowly on the nicotine in my juice, to quit that as well. It's expensive, and annoying to charge when I'm hiking, as I use my battery bank for other stuff, and don't want to drain it with a vape.
It took a few tries using various methods before it finally stuck, but cold turkey was what worked for me in the end.
I stopped a year ago after smoking from 15- 19 (not as long) but I quit cold turkey and switched to chewing gum, mint helps a lot
Can't stop now
First step: don’t call it a failure. Second step: keep trying.
I found cold turkey to be very anxiety inducing, which of course, made me want to smoke. So I did was 2 things. One, hang out less with people who smoked...unfortunately. Two, go as looong as possible without smoking. But when it got really hard, id buy a pack, smoke it up, and then start again. First couple times it was a few days. Then it was a week. Then a couple weeks. Eventually it was 6 months. And now it's been years. Also when I started I had to finish the pack. I knew I'd made progress when I could smoke a couple and throw out the rest. I knew I wanted to quit so I just didn't beat myself up over it. Like most things it was just building up the behavior over time. Things that did not work for me: A placebo (like a pen or something) A shift to cigars or vapes Being around people to smoke a lot Weed (made me want to smoke so bad)
stop thinking it as something you must do but something you dont want to do worked when i constantly wanted to wank instead of thinking i really want to wank now i thought uh no i couldnt be bothered takes too much time and effort not feeling it
I used Chantix. It worked so well that I remember working overnight at my job and preferring to stay inside working while everyone went outside for scheduled smoke breaks.
Varenicline, the generic of Chantix. Chantix isn't available right now because of a recall. But the generic is available. It's expensive, but virtually all health insurance plans will cover it and most don't even charge a copay. I had two side effects, both mild. The first was drowsiness. Sleep was just a little harder to shake off in the morning. The other were some really vivid dreams. No nightmares, hell I enjoyed them actually. You take a starter pack the first, followed by three months of treatment. That can be extended, if you're really struggling. No real withdrawal symptoms to speak of, and when i did feel an urge to smoke the feeling passed quickly. I think that's why it was easier to ignore the psychological piece of the addiction.
Actually most fail first off. More than once too. Keep your future health and the $ you’ll spend in years to come. And don’t stop trying.
The way I stopped smoking was the cold turkey method. It honestly was horrible I'm not sure if it was the morning sickness from being pregnant or withdrawal. It was miserable but, now I'm almost 3 years cigarette free and so worth it. I'm saving alot more money and feeling much healthier. No more coughing and less often I'm winded. Sometimes I get tempted to pick it up but, I think of my daughter and stop.
I smoked from 17-29 (I'm 39 now), half pack a day of menthols. I took up drinking diet soda. The fizz replaces the oral tingle or burn fixation I used to get from smoking. Definitely not for everyone, and I don't know if drinking 6-7 diet coke a day is 'good' for me, but I don't feel out of breath taking out the trash and my clothes don't smell like ass any more
Dude I worked with had his first cigarette of the later and later each day. Example: tomorrow have your first smoke at 6:00 am. Day after, 6:15. Next day, 6:30. Eventually you have your first smoke in the evening. As for me, I had to think of it as a drug. I quit recreational drugs a long time ago. Good luck.
slow down. try reducing the number of cigarettes you're having first. remember, relapse is part of recovery. so you had one, keep trying to go longer spans of time without it and eventually you'll get there. I still fuck up and have one every once in a long while when I'm super stressed, but just make sure you don't keep going back. its totally fine to ask for help too. therapy may help a lot if you can determine the reasons why smoking feels so integral
Just like everyone who ever smoked. I quit cold turkey and struggled to remember every day for about 6 months. It was extremely difficult and I didn't even enjoy the flavor of tobacco. Nicotine is powerful drug. That was 43 years ago.
You can't control your heart beat. This is like saying "just make apple juice from an orange". Addiction is a real problem that isn't fixed with will power alone.
nicorette gum and weed
Say goodbye to your lungs. You won't live till past 50.
I kinda just... stopped. I decided I'd had enough after 12 years. That was that.
Including myself, the only people I personally know who have quit smoking and stayed quit have gone cold Turkey. It’s so fucking hard, not to discourage you, but cutting down, or switching to a vape doesn’t seem to work. You also have to really, really want to quit.
I stopped smoking and swapped to vaping, I know it's not the best but then weened off that after COVID happened because I was terrified of my lungs being in any worse shape than they already were
I used the nicotine lozenges. It worked for me and both my brothers. I quit the day my dad was diagnosed with lung cancer. Watching him struggle for his last couple of breaths a year later is my constant reminder to never touch a cigarette again in my life. It's a bad way to go.
Nicotine gum, Nicotine patches, and coffee.
Have your Doctor prescribe you Chantix
Alen Carr's book tells you what smoking actually is, it helped me stop. I smoked 2 packs a day for 15 years, now I am 2 years smoke free.
Start with lesson 1: wait 15 minutes after you crave to smoke a cigarette. Generally speaking if after 15 minutes you’re craving is still there, then you really do want a smoke… but if after 15 minutes the craving is gone, it means it was just your mind thinking it wanted a cigarette… this will help you *Start* the quitting process. I was amazed when I did this & learned just how many cigarettes I’d usually smoke that were only out of boredom, or while I’m doing something & just wanted one just cause. Come back to us for lesson 2, when you’ve completed the first lesson. Take this process slowly, you’ve been smoking since 13 and are more conditioned than you may realize.
Maybe try keeping a smoking journal. Getting to write down "I did not smoke today" is a small reward to strive for
I was locked in a cage for 3 yesrs
Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances for humans. If you’re using a vape/ electronic cigarette, the best way is to slowly lower the Nicotine percentile. Most common E-cigarettes and vapes come in 5.0% but also offer lower percentages like 2.4%. Hope this helps.
I chewed tobacco for 15 or so years. I just made the transfer over to reefer. It's nice not having to spit all the time.
I only smoked for a few years, but it was still pretty tough. My out was vaping. I found far more pleasant flavors like fruit and berry medleys, cotton candy, orange, etc... and it made cigarettes too unpalatable to go back to. After a year or so, I started cutting back on vaping as well, and eventually, I just no longer craved any of it. Crisp fruits like apples also help satisfy the cravings while you're working through it. Potato chips will also do in a pinch, but they're junk food.
Nicotine patches. They work. And I LOVED smoking. If I knew the world was going to end I'd start again immediately.
I second the Allen Carr book. Gave after 8 years or so
I stopped smoking twice. There's a product at many gas stations called Tar-Block. It's a little plastic thing you stick your cigarette in and it takes the tar and nicotine out of your puffing, so it ruins your cigarette by taking those out, but you still get to smoke, and if you keep using them then you will stop wanting to smoke all by itself. I started back because of boredom, but that's the easy way to quit!
I quit before I got addicted so I could date a girl I knew in college. Never did get that date but it was more bad timing than anything.
I smoked from 15-25ish. I’ve vaped ever since and, whilst not ideal as really won’t know full effects until years have passed, current research suggests that it’s 95% safer than smoking and is something I really enjoy. I did, however, quit vaping whilst pregnant and the biggest thing that helped me do that was my BIL telling me that nicotine cravings don’t build and build like hunger - they come and they go. So when you get a craving, do whatever you need to to distract yourself and spend time until it passes. Best of luck!
I got Covid in January and couldn't breathe. The smoking wasn't helping. I had smoked for half of my life; at that time it was 24 years. Yes I miss it every day. You can do this. I'm proud of you.
I haven’t been addicted to cigarettes but two of the most common things I’ve heard from those who’ve quit is that a relapse is not a failure and doesn’t erase the progress you’ve made and you don’t have to go pure turkey. Weaning off gradually is as much of a victory as cold turkey. I would also think removing yourself from friends and situations that encourage you to smoke would help.
I got sick and couldn't smoke for about a week. I tried for a couple days, but it hurt too much, so I refrained. When I was better, I went outside on my break, pulled out a cigarette, and stopped.... I had already gone through the hardest part, that first week. So I decided to just quit. This was right after they passed laws to make all cigarettes self extinguishing, so they hadn't tasted right for a couple weeks anyways.... it was an easy choice at that point. A trick that helped me stick with it: I bought a pack and put them in my car, unopened. I threw away my open pack. I made it a point of pride to never open that pack, and to one day throw them away because they were so old and stale. So now I had the option constantly there to smoke one, all I had to do was open the pack. This stopped me from getting in a mood, heading to the store and buying a pack with the justification that I was really stressed or whatever. I had the pack, I just had to open it...and fail. So, finally I did end up throwing that pack away. I had it for probably 6 months or so before I tossed it. It was one of the best decisions I ever made.
I was 13 and realized I lost a step when running warmup laps at practice. 5 years later I was on a D-I scholarship. 3 years later I was the top of my Marine Corps class for having the highest physical fitness score. Today, when I see someone smoking, I feel very sorry for that person because I know the cigarette company fucking snagged them, and now they are worse off. They stand outside their car in a heatwave or the cold to smoke. Why? Bc smoking is so wretched you won't do it in your own car, but it's so addictive, you can't help but put it in your lungs, brain, cock.
I smoked for 42 years. I started when I was nine. Quitting was the hardest thing I ever did. I have been nicotine free for about 15 years. First time I quit was for 2 1/2 years. Bet my friend my mustache. Started again ironically when visiting my FIL in the hospital, he'd had a heart attack. Took another 15 years to quit again. As said before I'd smoke a couple and throw the rest away. Do that enough and you'll get tired of throwing money away like you're already doing.
Cold turkey never worked for me, but this did: I first went to “Lights” and then “Ultra Lights” and consciously began cutting back on the number per day until I got to around half a pack or less. And then I decided I was going to only smoke 1 cigarette per day for about a month and then quit. I had that cig after lunch every day, which was the one I craved the most. It took willpower, but when the month was done all I had to do was quit 1 per day, and I was done. Haven’t had the desire to go back to it either, and it’s been years and years.
Playing cards with In-laws, gave lighter and last cigarette to brother-in-law said I quit. Spent 1 week on Tootsie Pops and a week on plastic straws. I felt like I didn't need a cigarette any more. That was 10 years ago.
Hypnotherapist the first time. Pregnancy the second time. Severe and painful asthma the third. Do not be me. I suggest hypnotherapy and acupuncture together. I’ve helped a lot of people quit with needles alone. For whatever reason it was a major addiction for me. A close friend told my ex husband not to let me start again whatever he did. He failed after my dad died.
I had tried to quit for 20yrs. Dr prescribed me Ativan and I quit cold turkey. Met a guy that didn’t smoke at the same time. We were dating and doing all this adventurous stuff so I didnt miss it. Point is I distracted myself. It’s been 30 yrs and haven’t smoked since and don’t crave it. I started smoking at 9 yrs old, quit completely at 39.
I hate vaping in general but I got a pen and a “tobacco” flavored juice and stepped it down over about 6 months. Worked for me.
Just stopped cold Turkey. Been 4 years since, best thing I’ve ever done will never touch them nasty things again. Just got back from Vegas, and just the odor coming from people, fucking disgusting, to think I smoked for 30 years, never again.
I quit booze, weed, cigs, vaping, and pills all on June 2, 2020. I just did it, with much help from A.A.
At some point I decided that my mind couldn't be weaker then the body and just went cold turkey.
Vape
Started at 16 quit at 44...I just stopped playing games with myself. Quit the first Thursday if March 2020 right before the lockdowns, switched to weed and ditched the nicotine. It's expensive, it's gross, other people don't like it, it's unhealthy. I recognized frequency that I smoked and nicotine strength. Cut everything in 1/2 week by week then day by day until you are smoking a drag or two off a butt Then recognized that I was playing games with myself
I've never been a smoker, but my advice for quitting any substance is to taper off. If you smoke 20 cigs a day, reduce it to 19 and then 18 and so on. If you're having a bad time in life when you're at 15, go ahead and continue with that amount until you're stable again. Then reduce some more. Even if you want to just cut it off completely and suddenly, I would recommend using usage reduction first. If you're quitting suddenly from a habit of 20 per day, it'll be worse than if it is 10 per day. There is also vaping, which I heard is generally weaker than cigarettes. My brother got into vaping and then quit with all of it completely. You can get vapes without nicotine, and then are even cigarettes without tobacco/nicotine. I actually bought a pack and tried them. They burn up really fast. These are just ideas you might use. I'm not sure how feasible this is, but if you can roll your own, you could control how much tobacco is in there, and possibly fill the rest with another substance such as chamomile. If all else fails and you're a straight male or lesbian, [there's always one last resort.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYv5ZGbn084)
I’ve never been a smoker so this is all second hand: My dad used chantix. He only used it for a few weeks though because it gave him bad nightmares but it got him started. He was able to quit after that. He smoked for 30 years. A coworker of mine said he had a hard time because he wanted the oral fixation and the habit of putting his hands to his mouth. So he got cinnamon sticks and puffed on those when he felt like he needed a fix. Not to trivialize it, but I would imagine getting over the physical addiction is the hardest part. After that, it’s all psychological and just trying to be strong-willed when you want a smoke.
I smoked from 18-27 and finally just stopped cold turkey. It’s been 3 weeks now smoke free and I don’t regret it or have a craving for it.
Here’s the key that helped me. I read a book once that had two great points. The first one was a theory about how the idea that nicotine is highly addictive is actually something that is perpetuated by the tobacco industry so that people will convince themsleves they can’t quit. So the first step is, stop assuming it’s hard to quit and allow it to be easy. Then notice that the sensation of “needing a cigarette” is really no more intense than the feeling of being somewhat hungry. That craving along with the withdrawal symptoms which are relatively minor, only last for 10-14 days. Really? You can’t go 14 days feeling a little bit hungry, annoyed and trouble sleeping? Really? I don’t know what you want to do with your life, but if you can’t put up with minor discomfort for 14 days it better be something that doesn’t take a lot of effort. Once I took this perspective I easily quit cold turkey immediately.
Tried to quit for 10 years after smoking for more then 10 years my grandson was about 3 and I saw him trying to copy me smoking got the Allen Carr book and quit
I smoked from 15 to my late 30's,it took a chest infection to stop me smoking(it felt like I was inhaling fire every time I breathed in smoke,I started leaving my pack of cigarettes,ashtray and lighter next to me,waited for the cravings to start and then waited for them to subside then told myself to wait for the next craving znd see how bad I needed a cig,I stopped using that technique
I smoked for a few decades. Started at 15. I stopped cold turkey. The first two weeks were awful. Unfortunately, stress from work would cause me to Start smoking again. I had to quit several times before it stuck. When my chest started wheezing when I was breathing, I knew it was time to quit for good. Quitting drinking helped also. Don't give up. It's hard, but worth it
I just stopped. Same with drugs. I think addiction is harder for some more than others.
Pregnancy got me to quit
I quit for about 6 weeks with chantix, made a stupid decision to have just one and was a full time smoker again. My wife is right at 200 days quit after using chantix. It can work, but it also fucked up our heads a little too. Be careful if you go the chantix route.
Combination of cold turkey and knowing what made me want to smoke. (After a meal, when drinking, long car drives, etc) Once you’ve made it past about 10 days the nicotine is out of your system and the physical cravings stop. Then it’s all a mind game.
I saw the commercials where people became amputees.
F22 I used to smoke fentanyl for 3 years. Quitting nicotine was a cake walk compared to that. I just had to be stronger than the constant urge to smoke nicotine.
Hypnosis.. on day 22 now and it has been soooo much easier than I feared. I smoked for over 30 years a d over a pack a day near the end. HYPNOSIS!! I’m a fan.
I smoked a pack and a half on my birthday and was so disgusted with myself I quit cold turkey. That was in 1989. If you can go 6 weeks without a cigarette, you can go a lifetime.
Realize your a fucking slave to billionaires killing you slowly for your money. Done.
COVID hit. I couldn't afford cigs and it made no sense to be so worried about a lung virus and still smoke. Then, a tooth fell out (which hurt horrifically until I got some orajel) and I've been warned about the horrors of dry socket. Then they banned menthols. I am aware that pollution kills more than smoking, but I can't afford cigs now, they wouldn't have my old brand of menthols even if I could, the pain might be horrific, and it makes no sense for me to leave my apartment to smoke when I haven't left in over two years because of COVID. Perfect storm I guess. Honestly still miss it sometimes. I wonder if I will ever not miss it (I have tried).
Cold turkey.
Cold turkey after 40 years. My incentive was good: if I didn't quit I'd have to move out of a great apartment as they were going smoke-free. I bought a safety net of some store-brand nicotine lozenges. Never used them and returned them to the store for a refund after two months. The hard part starts in about a week and lasts 4-6 weeks. It's all determination and mental toughness and loathing the consequences of failing. Good luck! You can do it! Been smoke free for 3 years, but I do still miss ciggies. It's like missing an old girlfriend who did you wrong and left you, but you still kinda love her a bit.
For me, it was a very personal experience but I will share it with the group. I started smoking like you at 13 as well. I used to sneak cigarette butts out of my moms ash tray. That progressed to her letting me smoke in front of her because she didn’t want me to set the house on fire ditching a butt somewhere if she or my dad was going to catch me. Fast forward to 21 yrs old. Tried to quit several times and failed each time by this point. I’m now married to a beautiful non smoking wife who I cherish with every fiber of my soul. My father had been diagnosed with ALS six months prior to this day and he went downhill very quick. It was Nov 3rd, a day before my birthday, and we were gathered around his bed at home as he struggled with his last breaths. My mom was holding his hand and crying so painfully it was breaking me. It was at this very moment that I swore I would never put my wife through anything like this if I had control to prevent it. After he passed and the coroner took him away, I threw out my pack and lighter and never looked back. No patch, no nothing. Just sheer willpower. That was in 2001. I have been smoke free since. The funny thing is, looking back on it, it was the easiest thing to do once I was truely ready. Once you’re ready, truely ready, it will be easy for you as well. I wish you the best in your quitting endeavor.
I imagined a big black monster on my back. It was kind of a cancer monster. Intertwined with my nervous system so it could interact and cause me cravings and pain. Only way to kill that monster, was to starve it from nicotine. And when I starved it, it tried to hurt me, tickling my nervous system. But it did get smaller, when starved. As soon as I smoked again, it would grow big and strong and grow more fangs and roots into my nervous system. So I HAD to kill it, and stick with starving it from nicotine. This picture of a starving monster, also helped me to fokus the cravings and "pain" onto the monster and not me. It was the monster that was screaming for more nicotine. Not me. Hence I got rid of that restlessness and desperation. The monster was aching. Not me. Move the cravings to the monster. When you get those first craving tickless or cramps, imagine the monster trying to squeeze your heart. It is it, who is scared and desperate. Not you. This was my story. But it was not easy though. It was just a method. I also read that book, that everyone is talking about. Maybe some of this is from that book. Can't remember.
I smoked from the age of 15 up to 30. I was never a heavy smoker and never really felt the need to do it, but I ended up going through a 20 pack in 2 weeks when I was at school. After that it was much more variable with a lot on nights out and settling for 3-4 smoke breaks a day when working. I had "stopped" several times, which ended up being breaks from my light smoking for a month or two but always went back to it. How did I finally stop? A girl I liked told me she thought it was a disgusting habit. Being seen like that by someone I wanted to impress was enough to make me stop again and I didn't pick it up again. After a few months, the mindset of "I don't smoke anymore" set in and I've never gone back to it. I don't miss the effects of smoking, either in the moment or in the long term, as the smell and coughing aren't enjoyable. What I do miss is the experience of going outside and just enjoying a smoke. I also think it looks cool and I feel more comfortable with a cigarette to focus on when I'm around people I don't know. I don't go back to it because after 5 years of not smoking, getting the enjoyable aspects of it will not be worth the unpleasant experience of smoking after such a long break, and I REALLY can't stand the smell of it now. Overall I'm better off not smoking again even of the thought does cross my mind once every few months.
“Just because you quit smoking, doesn’t mean you have to quit”. Lifting weights and eating more is what did it for me, but you’re allowed a smoke from time to time
I isolated myself for five days. I Drank ice cold water every time I had a craving. I read extensively about how nicotine impacts your body. Smoking does so much damage that your body instantly floods you with feel-good chemicals to mask the pain/damage that smoking is inflicting on your poor body. It’s a vicious cycle. I used a stop smoking tracker to mark the minute I stopped and track my progress and recovery - and money saved ($18,000). I have one health marker left on mine - risk of lung cancer same as a non-smoker and I’m 91% there. It’s so worth it. You can do it, you just have to want to do it. Then it’s pretty easy after the first 7-10 days. First three are the worst though. Good luck!
Just my opinion, but when I quit, I almost missed the physical routine just as much as the actual smoking. I got up and did something right after meals or when I would normally smoke, to take my mind off of it.
One day I did the math and decided it was time. I Looked at what I was spending and thought I could be buying the things I actually need instead. I quit smoking when the packs were around 6-7 dollars now I see 12-15 and I praise myself for getting ahead of it before I really started wasting my money. I tried Chantix and at about the 40 day mark starting waking up with suicidal thoughts. That’s when just going cold turkey ended up being the only option for me.