For someone who has no concept of how to get started

[JonesCarpeDiem]

I prepared for 4 weeks with ZERO stress by simply telling myself to wait awhile when i wanted to smoke.
I never counted.
I never denied myself,
In 4 weeks i went from a pack down to 5 a day and i had proven to myself i didn't need to smoke every time i wanted to smoke. The way I knew I was succeeding was the fewer trips to the store to buy them and I had money in my wallet.
I bought my last pack on a Friday and quit the next Tuesday. Monday was New Years. I had not set a quit date prior to buying my last pack..

  

People can freak themselves out counting each cigarette and cutting down so much each day.

  

There will probably be days that come along where you want more than your allowance. Then things turn negative. That's called denial.that builds fear and negativity towards quitting.

  

You can ease yourself into it by simply breaking your smoking patterns, not suffering at all. and learning you have some control before you actually quit.

[jenn82209]

So do you think that tapering down is a better way to do it? Going cold turkey for me is really difficult, but so is life, right?

[cheyenne7]

Starting.....that has always been a tough time for me.....easing into it to lessen the fear and apprehension and have ones mind more serious and confident about quitting is a good plan...

[JonesCarpeDiem]

i'm not saying there is one better way.

i had no instructions or guidance.

this is just what i did.

the day i quit i bought the patches.

i stopped using them. the end of week 2 when i forgot to wear one two days in a row,.

i listened to my body instead of the addict mind and just went with the flow..

i joined a quit smoking website the day i got off the patch and i asked and i listened and i learned..

[Tommy2]

I agree with this method, I am doing the same thing for about 2 weeks and my quit day is Aug. 25th!  I probably smoke 4 a day, yes sometimes I want more but I put it off and it usually works.   NO STRESS! 

[free2be2]

I think it's a great way to quit. I wish I could do  it. I'm going to try.

Thank you! It's a great tip for someone like me preparing for my quit.

[promise_judy]

I did something simular to what Dale is talking about. When I felt like I wanted a cigarette I just waited and told myself if I wanted it later I could. It seems to take the edge of the crave if you just tell it OK later.

I was down to 5 cigarettes when I came to this website. This website is were I found the information I needed and the support to quit. I did all the reading and read the posts. I believe it is important to change you mind about what cigarettes do for you, because smoking is just an allusion. KEEP AN OPEN MIND AND LISTEN!!!

XOXO

[GreenThumb3]

It's kinda like raising a kid they don't come with directions but you can follow someone's lead who is already done a good job ther are quite a few on here who have walked the walk most doing close to same thing 

[ShawnP]

i used to take envelopes and mark the days on them and split up a pack of cigarettes. This of course was before i was on Ex and it was a complete FAIL!!!  

Learning everything that i could learn about my addiction plus a few patches in the first few days was how i quit. I hope we can save a life by some of these suggestions.

[ShaunMalik]

Thanks for your concern. I mean it. 

Ms. Shaun Malik