12 Top Reasons to Stop Smoking Now New Evidence May Be the Most Convincing Yet

[not_my_kids]

Okay then, Steely. Interesting timing for this thread, as this past week I have been seriously considering quitting.

It's been ten years since the last time I tried, and I still smoke a pack a day. I really am sick of smelling like cigarettes, I definitely can't afford it anymore, and I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror the other day- in full sunlight- and was a bit horrified to see a bunch of tiny 'smoker's' wrinkles I did not have before. Plus, I don't want to die until I'm good and ready.

The thought of trying to quit again spins me into a panic, though. It was sheer torture when I tried 10 years ago. I have been smoking for 30 years! I am 46 years old now.

Is there a list of the top 12 easiest, least painful and traumatic ways to quit? Buy a bag of lollipops, or something? How long will the die-hard cravings last? Am I really that tough?

Isn't the 'Great American Smoke-out (or whatever it's called) coming up in November?

I can't afford to get a prescription, but the last couple of days I've been thinking about buying the patches. Anyone else have any luck with those?

I'm a pack a day smoker. (On a bad day, I have gone up to two packs. ) How much I smoke is directly related to how much stress I'm under, so saying that I'll quit when life gets less stressful is my usual cop out as to why I don't quit.

However, I have cut down.
The patches did help me, when I'm in the hospital, I'm on a totally smoke free campus, and the wheelchairs are built so that you can't become mobile without someone to push you. Needless to say, I don't get much in the way of nicotine when I'm hospital bound. I don't ever ask for the strongest patch, no matter how bad I want a cigarette. That way, I know that when I get to the point where I'm ready to claw my eyes out and bite off the head of the next person I see, I can go up to the highest level of patch, and it takes the edge off until it's been long enough that my body is through the first round of immediate cravings. Do they make it go away? No. But they do make it possible to focus on something besides the cravings.
I've never tried the gum, medical reasons I can't.

I've also never tried the e-cigarettes, but I have two guys that my boyfriend work with that swear by them. On the flip side of that, my brother tried the menthol e-cigs, found out that they taste like Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies (according to him) and is now addicted to fake cigarettes and real cigarettes. But he's weirder than you are, so you likely wouldn't have the same problem.

My trick for cutting down, although I've never tried to use it to quit, is to delay the morning smoke as long as possible. It seems to set a precedent as far as the rest of day when you wake up and have the morning cigarette. So, I'll set little limits for myself and edge them out a little further each day. Maybe just extend it by 5 or 10 minutes a day, that way I know how long I'm going to have to wait, and I can find something to occupy my hands and my mind until I can have it. I doubt it will help you quit, but it might be a place to start, and you can find out exactly how long you can wait before the cravings get to intolerable levels. And then remind yourself, even if you only made it 20 minutes after waking up, that's 20 minutes plus however many hours you were asleep. Remember, it's partly physical, but it's mostly in your head. A craving for a cigarette won't wake you out of sleep (usually), it isn't more important than food when you're absolutely starving, and no man in the desert has ever chosen a Marlboro over a canteen of water.

 

[Quiche]

I quit cold turkey two years ago this week-- it seems like a lifetime ago.

Here's what helped me:

Get good and mad at the da#n things. I hated that they "made" me do things I didn't want to do-- like go outside all the dang time. I used to consider that kind of thing rude, lol.

Don't run all the way out, leave one in a pack (or your case), and stash it somewhere out of sight where you won't run into it unless it's on purpose. Psychologically, I liked knowing it was there. (it's still there, lol)

Change what you do when you'd normally be smoking: for me, instead of a smoke "break" I would get busy with a small chore-- one that lasted about 10 minutes. (there's plenty to do in just getting the smell out of your home).

Promise yourself something special each week with the money that you save. For me it was fresh flowers for in the house, and something to plant outside.

Don't perform your exact habits: Coffee was HUGE one for me, because I wasn't giving that up and it wen hand in hand, literally. So, instead of sitting where I sat to have my coffee, I stood up in the kitchen for a couple of weeks and puttered around instead of "relaxed". The computer was another... but it was always awkward so that was pretty easy.

Avoid other smokers if you can.

Stay away from alcohol for a good while (I'm not much of a drinker). Know that when you gather to drink, you will be tempted BIG TIME. I passed that year, just didn't go. When I was around other smokers who might tempt me, I kept some black jelly beans with me-- I could never smoke when I ate those, just tooooo weird in the mouth. lol

If the smell is in you car, give it a good once over, use Febreeze, wash out all the ashtrays. If that doesn't work, then add another scent.

Launder all your clothes. All of them.

Remember, that actual addiction to nicotine will be over in a couple of days, the rest is alllll in you head and habit. Hang onto that and it begins to be absurd.

Change the environment in your mouth when you get a craving. To avoid overeating-- have something to drink, brush your teeth, have a piece of sugarless gum. I didn't realize how much this was a trigger to smoke for me.

I say screw staying hooked on nicotine via patches, gum, e cigs-- it's a couple of days of feeling like you might be coming down with something, it's just not that bad.

...and speaking of coming down with things, I haven't had a cough of any kind since.

My son followed in my footsteps!!!! :heartbeat:


Good luck, everyone!! Have a winter season without all the illness! Do it!

 

[mysticrose]

Aha! That was our problem... Started out with 12mg...

If we could quit, our house wouldn't reek, my car wouldn't reek, our kids clothes wouldn't reek...

Hope to have some time to research today... Does the e-cig forum have pricing info? If anyone has some good deal info for me, please msg me

I kicked antidepressants... I just might be able to do this too!

I would highly recommend to help you cut back until you find an e cig that will work for you is going outside and outside only to smoke your cig's.

I have not smoked in my house or car since my first son was born that was over 15 years ago. Let me tell you it will help you cut back especially if you live where it gets cold .. lol. Who in the he** wants to go out in 10 degree weather and smoke ! .
Plus you get the benefit of getting the smell out of your house, car, kids clothes, and your kids won't be getting the second hand smoke. You should really try it and stick to it, it helps alot for cutting back, and no cheating only outside ! :crazy:

 

[turbosleuthing]

I finally quit smoking in May 2011 :rocker:
I tried gum, hypnosis, patches, cold turnkey, weening myself basically everything but chantix. Then I got ahold of the e-cig - love it!!!! I use the Joye Ego and couldn't be happier. It was bumpy at first but I have found juices that work for me and the right combo. My fiance has stopped chewing by using the e-cig, my mom, who smoked for over 40 has also quit with the e-cig. Quite a few friends and neighbors have asked "what is that thing" and they've also stopped smoking/chewing with the e-cig.

If anyone wants info I will be more than happy to share what I have learned and direct you to several sites that can get you started. Feel free to pm me.

Best of luck to all of you quitting.

 

[imawitch]

I finally quit smoking in May 2011 :rocker:
I tried gum, hypnosis, patches, cold turnkey, weening myself basically everything but chantix. Then I got ahold of the e-cig - love it!!!! I use the Joye Ego and couldn't be happier. It was bumpy at first but I have found juices that work for me and the right combo. My fiance has stopped chewing by using the e-cig, my mom, who smoked for over 40 has also quit with the e-cig. Quite a few friends and neighbors have asked "what is that thing" and they've also stopped smoking/chewing with the e-cig.

If anyone wants info I will be more than happy to share what I have learned and direct you to several sites that can get you started. Feel free to pm me.

Best of luck to all of you quitting.

I have a pink joy ego, and a black joy ego..the ecig was the best thing to happen to me..

congrats on being ciggy free:rocker:

currently vaping pinapple:seeya:

 

[imawitch]

Aha! That was our problem... Started out with 12mg...

If we could quit, our house wouldn't reek, my car wouldn't reek, our kids clothes wouldn't reek...

Hope to have some time to research today... Does the e-cig forum have pricing info? If anyone has some good deal info for me, please msg me

I kicked antidepressants... I just might be able to do this too!

you will find everything you need to know at the ecig forum, just google ecig forum...they discuss brands and differ models of ecigs, ejuice, just everything you can imagine...If you register there, and post under the newbie section, you will get answers to your questions...or I'll help If I can?

when I first starte dusing ecigs, the ecig forum was go to place, every question I had was answered there...I researched that entire forum for a week lol

 

[Flossie JMO]

Ecig fan here too, they're awesome. I love the mint, odd since I never liked methol cigarettes. I get Green Smoke.

 

[watcher9]

I enjoyed smoking, tried to stay at a pack a day, for near 40 years. I started real young. It didn't matter when I smoked - first thing in the morning and last thing at night, before a meal and after a meal, before and during a project and when I felt like I had accomplished something, when someone else lit up or when I was alone. Whatever reason it didn't matter. It seemed so relaxing.

I tried quitting a few times, going the "last pack" way. It only made me panic until I could get somewhere to buy some more. I almost always bought by the carton.

I had only smoked one or two packs out of a carton when I decided to try to quit that one last time. I think it was so much easier knowing I had plenty if I needed to smoke so I wasn't in that panic mode but in a more determined way to quit. I think over that next week I always needed something to hold in my hand like pencils or straws and I sucked on hard candy a lot. Sometimes when it got bad, I even went and got a cigarette out of the drawer ready to light up. A couple times I did light up, just for a drag or two, but they didn't seem to taste as good as they used to and almost made me feel dizzy. Most times though I was able to pass the urge and put the cigarette back in the pack. It did get easier. Finally, I had quit, but that urge stayed with me a long time.

That carton must have stayed in the drawer three to four more years before I was finally able to give it to someone else who smoked. I don't know if they enjoyed them or not since I imagine they were pretty rank by that time. I knew then though that I never wanted another one again. I don't know why I could never just throw them away. I guess they were my security blanket.

I wish any of you wanting to quit to find it in themselves to try just one more time. It will be well worth it in the end if you can do it.
GOOD LUCK and BEST WISHES.

 

[turbosleuthing]

you will find everything you need to know at the ecig forum, just google ecig forum...they discuss brands and differ models of ecigs, ejuice, just everything you can imagine...If you register there, and post under the newbie section, you will get answers to your questions...or I'll help If I can?

when I first starte dusing ecigs, the ecig forum was go to place, every question I had was answered there...I researched that entire forum for a week lol

Thanks imawitch - congrats to you as well.

I second the ecig forum. Very helpful and supportive group. Just a WHOLE lot of information. I was overwhelmed at first, and there's a bit of lingo to learn but they are all very helpful. I have 2 black ego's and use a low res atty and tank from vaporessence now. My fave is the joye xl cartomizer, but very few places carry those and there seems to be a design issue. Anyway - that was off topic. Happy vaping

 

[imawitch]

Ecig fan here too, they're awesome. I love the mint, odd since I never liked methol cigarettes. I get Green Smoke.

ahhh yes mint..I vape peppermint in the morning w/ coffee

spearmint is tasty to...wakes my tastebuds up...winter green is off the chain...

when I crave candy? I just vape butter scotch...cotton candy, or some kind of fruity flavor..

I diy= do it your self now...I buy a half gallon of unflavored ejuice 50 pg/50 vg..

I buy my flavors at perfumers apprentice and mix my own ejuice now..it saves me money..
:rocker:

 

[chloes1]

On Dec 1st it'll be 9 years quit for me.

Definitely keep a diary of how you feel, it'll help later to re-read how you feel!

It took me 2 years and 3 tries to quit...

I used lozenges to quit, the things gave me such awful heartburn that it didn't take long to associate nicotine with heartburn. That helped a lot right there.

Mostly you have to want to quit more than you want to smoke, getting there is half the battle!

 

[pghbrandi]

All this great advice makes it seem so easy! Oh how I wish it were. I smoke a pack a day. I want to quit so bad. I even signed up to do a half marathon. Paid for it and everything. I thought that would motivate me to quit. Nope.
Each morning, I try and wait, then I seem to smoke more to make up for it!!! I know it sounds crazy but I do. I just get so cranky and I hate to take it out on anyone. Especially the kiddos. They also want me to quit so bad.
I want to do it cold turkey because I will get addicted to whatever method I use to quit. I guess I just need to suck it up and do it already!!
Good luck to all and congrats to the ones who quit!!!

 

[Sterling]

To think I started smoking in High School to be 'cool'.
I don't feel that cool anymore.

I'm going to do it. I'm going to set a date and 'prepare' so I don't have any excuses, then just do it.

I just told my 16 year old daughter that my biggest regret in life is smoking. I can remember my very first cigarette as a teen. What I was doing, where I was, and who offered it to me. I smoked until mly mid twenties and then quit for about 10 years. Went through a divorce and started smoking in social situations. Met my current husband and then became a full time smoker until now. (I'm 40ish ) Have been clean for 6 months and counting. Started with the patch, then went cold turkey.

Then the other day I caught my 16 year old daughter sneaking around with her girlfriends lighting it up. Ugh. Even after hating that her Dad and I smoked, and then seeing how hard it is to quit (i've done a few 6 mos over the years), she is caving into the peer pressure, after all, doesn't she look older and cool? :banghead:

Smart Blond, I wish you luck. My doctor always told me that the first 3 days are the hardest. After that, it's no longer a chemical addiction, just a mental thing. That helped me once I stopped the patch.

 

[watcher9]

All this great advice makes it seem so easy! Oh how I wish it were. I smoke a pack a day. I want to quit so bad. I even signed up to do a half marathon. Paid for it and everything. I thought that would motivate me to quit. Nope.
Each morning, I try and wait, then I seem to smoke more to make up for it!!! I know it sounds crazy but I do. I just get so cranky and I hate to take it out on anyone. Especially the kiddos. They also want me to quit so bad.
I want to do it cold turkey because I will get addicted to whatever method I use to quit. I guess I just need to suck it up and do it already!!
Good luck to all and congrats to the ones who quit!!!

No, it doesn't sound crazy. We've been there, done that!
What may not work for some will work for someone else. Try different approaches to find the way that will work for you.
Hang in there.

 

[Nova]

All this great advice makes it seem so easy! Oh how I wish it were. I smoke a pack a day. I want to quit so bad. I even signed up to do a half marathon. Paid for it and everything. I thought that would motivate me to quit. Nope.
Each morning, I try and wait, then I seem to smoke more to make up for it!!! I know it sounds crazy but I do. I just get so cranky and I hate to take it out on anyone. Especially the kiddos. They also want me to quit so bad.
I want to do it cold turkey because I will get addicted to whatever method I use to quit. I guess I just need to suck it up and do it already!!
Good luck to all and congrats to the ones who quit!!!

brandi, the fact that almost all of us report multiple attempts before we successfully quit should indicate our agreement that quitting isn't easy.

My only point was that quitting seemed easier at 57 than it did at 45 or 30. (This may be because three blocked arteries scared me into quitting, so I hope nobody will use my experience as an excuse to say, "I'll wait and quit in 20 years; it'll be easier then!" LOL.)

BBM: I don't think you're right that all stop-smoking aids are themselves addictive, but let's say for argument's sake that you are correct.

Take patches: they cost roughly the same as cigarettes but deliver no tar to your lungs, so even if you remained addicted to the patches, you'd still be FAR better off than you are while smoking.

But used correctly, the patches gradually decrease the nicotine delivered to your system so that by the time you stop using the patches, your body is used to less nicotine and doesn't crave it so much.

Like I said, however, exchanging an addiction to cigarettes for an addiction to patches, nicotine gum or lozenges would actually be very healthy for you in the long run.

 

[mazajo]

On November 13 I'll have been a non smoker for 4 years. I'd smoked for 19 years prior to that. I had tried several times to quit before. The final time was surprisingly easy Here's some things that helped me:

First you have to REALLY WANT to quit! Will power has nothing to do with it. Will power is trying to force yourself to do something you really don't want to do. If your desire to be a non smoker is stronger than your desire for another cigarette, you can make it.

Quit cold turkey. All those patches and gum do is prolong your struggle. You think Philip Morris really wants you to quit?

Read the book 'Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking'. It wasn't exactly easy but it did help me get in a different frame of mind and made quitting much better.

Chew on cut up drinking straws.

A tip from my grandma who quit 40 years ago: Keep a pack of cigarettes handy for a while. The more you deny yourself a cigarette, the more stressed and panicy you become and the more you want one. You can have one any time you NEED one, you are just choosing NOT to. I know it goes against everything you usually here, but keeping an unopened pack close by was comforting to me. I kept it for a year, and about eight months into it during a particular stressful event, I opened it and took one out and held it for a while, then I put it back in.

Know that you are going to have cravings from time to time, but they DO get less intense and less frequent! Every once in a while I find myself thinking about how good a cigarette sounds but almost right away I change my mind. There's not one bit of struggle or stress about wanting to smoke and there hasn't been for since the first year, really.

I would wish all of you thinking of quitting luck, but luck's got nothing to do with it. You CAN do it! Enjoy being a non-smoker

 

[Peazzzer]

I'm in! I will use the patches as I was successful before w them. My giant trigger is driving, we drive 90 miles one way to get to a city here and I have always caved in to stop and get cigs. I have a freind here who wants to quit w me, and my freinds here will surely be a big support. I have shmoked since I was 16 and usually only smoked 5 to 10 cigs a day but lately am up to a carton a week. TY Steely! Thank you for showing those lungs! I am a slave to cigarettes and it has affected my health. Or is it effected? Either way, I smell like a bar and am sick of it.

 

[chloes1]

Oh No!! Quitting wasn't easy at all. I had to want to quit, and then take the time to learn and examine why I had caved in in the past. It's learning from your mistakes and never quit quitting! If you have one, get back on that wagon and keep on quitting.

Whatever aids you use have got to better for you than smoking! Worry about giving up the gum or patches or whatever later. For now just don't smoke. You can cope with the rest of it later.

After 30 days or so you'll have entire hours when you don't even think about smoking! After the third day it's much easier physically. The bizarre part to me was that I had horrible gas for awhile, don't know what that was about either... Believe me if I can quit, anyone can! I am not that special.

I started at 16 to look older and cool. I wanted desperately to impress the cool kids... ullhair: Talk about stupid! Anywho I finally did quit in my early 30's after smoking for 18 yrs.

All this great advice makes it seem so easy! Oh how I wish it were. I smoke a pack a day. I want to quit so bad. I even signed up to do a half marathon. Paid for it and everything. I thought that would motivate me to quit. Nope.
Each morning, I try and wait, then I seem to smoke more to make up for it!!! I know it sounds crazy but I do. I just get so cranky and I hate to take it out on anyone. Especially the kiddos. They also want me to quit so bad.
I want to do it cold turkey because I will get addicted to whatever method I use to quit. I guess I just need to suck it up and do it already!!
Good luck to all and congrats to the ones who quit!!!

 

[mimimama5]

My quit date is November 7th. Im going with the wellbutrin plan. Ive tried cold turkey and Ive tried weaning down, neither worked for me. But I am so tired of smoking! I dont do anything else that unhealthy on purpose, it makes me crazy to think Im purposely shortening the years I will spend with my family. Im actually excited about quitting, that may sound nuts, but I am. Ive set up an account at the bank to withdraw the amount of money I would spend on smokes weekly, and deposit it into a savings account. I plan to do something frivalous and fun on my one year smoke free anniversary. Be strong my fellow quitters, we can do this. Im a mom of 5, I know Im a pretty tough lady!

 

[pghbrandi]

brandi, the fact that almost all of us report multiple attempts before we successfully quit should indicate our agreement that quitting isn't easy.

My only point was that quitting seemed easier at 57 than it did at 45 or 30. (This may be because three blocked arteries scared me into quitting, so I hope nobody will use my experience as an excuse to say, "I'll wait and quit in 20 years; it'll be easier then!" LOL.)

BBM: I don't think you're right that all stop-smoking aids are themselves addictive, but let's say for argument's sake that you are correct.

Take patches: they cost roughly the same as cigarettes but deliver no tar to your lungs, so even if you remained addicted to the patches, you'd still be FAR better off than you are while smoking.

But used correctly, the patches gradually decrease the nicotine delivered to your system so that by the time you stop using the patches, your body is used to less nicotine and doesn't crave it so much.

Like I said, however, exchanging an addiction to cigarettes for an addiction to patches, nicotine gum or lozenges would actually be very healthy for you in the long run.

Oh I know it's not easy at all. I just meant reading all of this just made it sound easier than it is. Maybe I'm wording it wrong.:crazy:

I hope your health is better now that you quit!

I agree the patches and lozenges are good, but I guess in my head I feel I would get hooked on those. I have a terribly addictive nature.

Again, congrats to the quitters (who are really winners now!) and best of luck to those on the road to being smokeless!!!