My quit date is Feb. 11. I am nervous. Been smoking since I was 16. I don't know how to quit. Should I use the patch, gum, or whatever? I don't have a clue. No body i know has quit.
HEATHER, DO NOT BE AFRAID, READ AND READ AND READ............COLD TURKEY HAS THE BEST RATE OF STAYING OFF CIGS..................U HAVE MADE THE FIRST STEP.................SUPER.........I USED CHANTIX.................MY QUIT WAS REAL EASY, BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN IN WORKS FOR ALL PEOPLE..................DO NOT BE NERVOUS OR AFRAID.................U WILL HEAR THIS OVER AND OVER,,,,,,IF I COULD QUIT U CAN........IT IS TRUE...........EVERYONE HERE THAT QUIT WENT THREW THE SAME THING U ARE GOING TO GO THREW...............I AM WELL READ OVER AND OVER ON SMOKING CESSATION, IF U HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO ASK.....................GOOD LUCK TO U......U WILL BE FINE JIM OHIO
Well first of all, you can usepretty much anything to quit.
You can use ice cubes for example.
Anytime you get a craving, you put an ice cube in your mouth and wait until it melts and then the crave should be over. If it isn't, you put another ice cube in your mouth and wait until it melts. by that time, the crave should be over. If not? knock on my door and I'll personally guide you to a wonderful quit, if you do what I tell you.
I personally laughed when I got a craving. Didn't need an ice machine. Laughing when you're in pain has sort of ludicrous ring to it but when you hear yourself laugh, there's something triggered. It's you. you are hearing you. that changes you. You are out loud. not just to you.
that said, don't speak negative thoughts of smoking suchs as "I sure wish i could suck a cig right now" or gawd I really need one."
Why do you want to quit? What is the reason you want to quit? Write it down. Also, write down the benefits of quitting, after you have some time being quit, you can add to this list.
I've only been quit for 3 months and a few days, but the only bad thing that happened is I gained a little weight.
I didn't do the set a date thing, but on Feb 10th you will need to dispose of all of your lighters, ashtrays, etc.
I used the lozenges for the first few weeks, when they were gone I didn't buy anymore because I didn't wan't to become addicted to the lozenges.
You will have cravings, but they will pass, and that is what you have to convince yourself of when your in the middle of one. My worst one lasted 5 minutes, I smoked for over 20 years.
After a while the cravings will lessen in intensity, and duration.
Wake up in the morning and tell yourself, in the mirror, "I will not smoke today". And then just don't put one in your hand.
If you don't put it in your hand you can't put it in your body.
hi heather....ive been smoke free for 16 days now... and i feel great... this site has been 99% of the reason why i have been able to quit... if it wasnt for my new quit friends and this site there is no way i would have been able to quit... its great... fi just went threw what ur about to go threw girly... its ok you WILL get threw it... keep in touch on here it will help alot... and im here if ya need me.. we can be quit friends cause i just went threw what ur about to go threw...so let me know.. you can do it and trust me it makes you feel soooo different... there alots of things the first week i did different.. like normally i would wake up and make coffee and go to my garage and smoke... so the first week i didnt make coffee and i didnt go into the garage... and i did get lozenges... omg the helped ALOT.. but dum dums...cinnamon hard candies...other candies to suck on...cinnamon helps cravings...and one thing that REALLY REALLY helped me was... when like you have the craving in ur head just say to urself....if i go have a smoke is it really going to change anything... like if im pissed am i going to still be pissed when im done... yes i am...ITS NOT GOING TO CHANGE ANYTHING IF YOU SMOKE.. that has helped me alot threw this....soo theres alittle info for ya... and from all my friends that ive smoked with since i was 16 im the only one out of all of them that FINALLY QUIT... lol you can be that person too... it feels great.... good luck girly.. we are here
Heather, this is a great site for support as you can see already by the responses you got. Stay close to the site, blog, comment ask questions if you have any, there's always somebody willing to give advice. Take lots of deep breaths, drink plenty of water and laugh, like Dale said, it really works. Educate yourself on nicotine addiciton, I found this very helpful. You can do this!
I smoked for 40+ years and had never tried to quit before, so convinced was I by all the brainwashing that I was not strong enough. The secret is in the preparation and commitment. You need to read, read, read and understand what is going on in your body ad mind. Then you need to make your plan....I spoke with my doctor to find the best quitting aid for ME (I used Chantix). Include in your plan what you will do to distract yourself when a craving hits. If you read the blogs here, you will find lots of tips. On your quit date you will throw out or destroy every last cigarette, your lighters and ashtrays.
And, most importantly, you will commit to this effort 100%. I promise you if you do, you will be successful.
Ask for advice and support from us here on the site whenever you need it. We all want you to be successful!
Heather! Congratulations!! This is the place to be for sure!! I have been using Chantix to help me, but honestly I forget to take it most of the time. For me, the best way was to just be rid of nicotine altogether. I took a wee--k before stopping smoking and I quit the evening of Jan, 20. I have cravings, I deny them. I am hungry a lot--I try to pick healthy choices, carrots-celery- fruit- spoon full of peanut butter-sun flower seeds- and I know others will think the last two are gross, but I eat raw spinach leaves and If I need a salty snack, I make Khale chips, they are easy to make and it doesn't have the bitter taste as when it's raw. Sometimes, I just need crunchy and salty!! I am going to try ice chips--Thanks Dale!
You can do this!!
Kim
Ps:
I smoked for 33 yrs and started when I was 11. Sad to think that I have smoked for well over half my life. I'm 44....Uggg!
The most IMPORTANT thing you can do for your quit now is to educate yourself about the addiction and the mind games it plays on us....READ,READ,READ for a successful quit...the more you read, the EASIER it is...
CHOOSE to quit smoking, not TRY. Educate yourself by reading these links that most of us have used to help us quit and STAY quit! This is about making a DECISION to never put another cigarette in your mouth, mean it, and be committed to follow through on that decision. Also allow NO excuses AND hang in there for as long as it takes, no matter how uncomfortable you become.... This is about re-learning your life WITHOUT cigarettes....start changing your "normal" routine....because a smoker's routine revolves around cigarettes. You will be a nonsmoker so change how you start your morning so it doesn't revolve around cigarette breaks, etc. You CAN do this! ....
