so i picked up this nasty habit of smoking, first year i smoked, i was able to quit for 2 months no problem, so i thought i could quit anytime, however, the last few attempts were not successful, its so accessible and helps me stay up when im pulling all nighters to study, or that extra buzz when im drinking. i am planning on cold turkeying before the semester starts...just wondering how did you guys do it, patches? gum?
I quit when I got a chest cold, which lasted about a week. I did not want to smoke at all while I was sick. When I got better, I did not have strong cravings, so going cold turkey worked for me. To this day though, I still have craving whenever I go out and drink.
Cold turkey. I also cut down the time I spent with friends who did smoke regularly. Don't completely cut them off, just don't hang out with them when they go out for a smoke break. I really think it's all mental if you want to quit. I was a casual smoker than became a chain smoker who would smoke a pack a day. It was terrible. I knew when I wanted to quit (2007 resolution), that it was all mental and that I didn't want nicotine to control me for the rest of my life. Goodluck with quitting!
Sounds like you are more of a social smoker? That's what I consider someone who does it to enhance a buzz or do something during a study break. If that's the case, cold turkey should be a breeze.
started out as social but at one point i was going through a pack a day, recently, its about half a pack a day. i smoke more when i drink or study, but even when i dont have anything important, i still smoke. its terrible.
I literally smoked my self sick. On NYE, I somehow managed to put away a pack and a half. I got sick and haven't had one since.
Empty your ash trays in a jar (it will stinik so you will need a lid). Then when you get the urge to smoke, go look at that jar. And if the sight alone doesn't turn you off, then open up the jar and take a whiff. That is what worked for me. That and procrastination. When you are away from the jar or it doesn't seem to work, tell yourself you will get a pack in 1 hour. Next thing you know 2 hours has gone by and the craving is gone. And you might have to put things that stress you out (like Rocket games) on hold - or tape them and only watch them when the Rockets win.
get some will power and just stop. there's no other way. asking people how won't do a thing if you are not willing to quit. I repeat, the way to quit smoking is to not smoke.
cold turkey. for me the physical cravings ended after 4 days. the mental part was tougher and lasted for a few months (the habit)
You've got to really want to quit and then go cold turkey. It'll be tough at first, and the mental cravings can last years although they do diminish before that. I tried for years, but it was a double-whammy that made me quit. I had a friend get cancer (non-smoking related, but made me consider the possibility). Then I got pneumonia. The pneumonia didn't make me quit smoking. It was when I told myself I could only smoke a half-pack a day while I had pneumonia that really shocked me into realizing what a nasty, stupid habit it was.
I've noticed that I couldnt keep up with non-smokers on the basketball court.. that just motivated me to quit smoking cold turkey.
Couldn't have said it any better. I smoked form age 15 to 25, and all it took for me to quit was for my mental perception of smoking to change. We all know its bad for us, but I finally saw it for what it was as I viewed other people doing it. A DISGUSTING HABIT! All of the sudden, every time I saw someone else smoking, it wasn't sexy anymore. It was gross. Yes, you'll have cravings. Yes, you'll prolly gain a few pounds. But its all worth it. Life is far to precious to voluntarily shorten it.
Grandfather died at 76 of prostate cancer. Smoked since he was 14. Grandmother died at 82 of colon cancer. Smoked since she was 13. Grandmother died at 92 of old age. Smoked since she was 19. Don't speak in absolutes.
I had smoked for 15 years...and finally managed to quit about a year or so ago. I had been trying to quit for about 4 years. I had tried patched, pills, methods, resolutions....but what finally worked? I can't say for sure. I failed so many times, I think eventually, if you keep trying and trying, you will eventually succeed. You have to learn how to quit - that is, you will find out that having that one cigarette can lead to bad things. Or that you will never quit smoking if you date a smoker, or if you hang out with a lot of smokers. If you really want to quit, you must avoid smokers for at least 3 - 6 months. That means smoked fill bars, friends who smoke or smell of smoke or have cigarettes. I also paid a dollar per cigarette when i took one from someone - that helped me cut down a lot too. Other than that, keep trying. Keep yourself active (lots of cardio excercise)....lots of healthy food, and avoid avoid avoid anyone who smokes.
i've got one left in my pack and i think i'm going to quit for a while. i only smoke at work or when i'm out without my girl because she absolutely hates it (but lets me smoke the zol), so i'm only smoking a pack and a half or so a week. for me, it's going to be cold turkey and won't be a problem at all. the only times i ever miss them is with coffee in the morning or when i'm driving, but since we carpool, that's not even an issue anymore.
You already quit. Tell everyone you are a non-smoker now. The jar tip is good, too. Keep a little container with mush and ashes you can carry to smell when you feel like finding, lighting and smoking a cigarette. A shoe polish tin has a lid. The pleasure state you had before is one you can recall on your own without the cigarette. Take a minute to breath, and close your eyes. Hold that breath in, for some seconds, and let your mind blank on that breathing. Breath out through your nose and relax.
You quit by evaluating why the hell you would smoke a cigarette to begin with. If you are gonna smoke, smoke some crack or weed. Atleast that gets you messed up. If you are gonna kill your lungs, might as well have it feel good while you are at it.
