Help, I want to quit smoking?

Question

I added up that my husband and I spend on average $160 a month on cigarettes and that's only if he smokes one pack a day and usually he smokes 2 to 2 1/2 packs a day. I have three toddlers at home and I stay at home full time, I am so very stressed out but I want to quit. Please anyone with ideas or suggestions or who has gone through this and quit successfully, I would greatly appreciate words of encouragement and/or support that has helped u through this.

Answer 1

Congratulations for taking the time for yourself to stop smoking! In 24 hours of cessation, you will already have significantly decreased your risk of heart disease!
It is so important, especially with three children in the holme, to attempt to quit smoking. THere are a lot of different ways to do it, and it might take a few tries, but don't give up!
One way is to take Wellbutrin. Here's the tricky part. If it is for smoking cessation, the insurance companies won't pay. If you get it for depression, you can just pay your copay. I think you catch my drift.
Oral satisfaction is a factor. Gum is probably better than the patches, but use both if you have to.
Exercise helps! Its no joke. It ups your endorphin levels and you will feel good every time you finish a workout. If you need to start slow, take the kids for a half hour walk.
Remember to take it SLOW! If you make your goals too high too fast and you fail, you're more likely to slip back into old habits. It will take at least a year for you to feel like a "non smoker", but you definitely owe it to yourself and your family to kick the expensive habit!

Answer 2

First of all, congratulations! I know it is hard but it can be done. I smoked for 35 years and quit 3 1/2 years ago. I went through hypnosis and it's funny because I didn't feel any differently when I left the session. But I almost immediately stopped. I think I may have had 3 or 4 more cigarettes. Sometimes it crosses my mind to start again but I wouldn't go back to it now for anything! Think of all the money you'll save. Put the money that you would spend on cigarettes a month away and take a nice vacation instead! I feel so much better, I even joined a gym. I am able to do things with my grandchildren that I could not do before because I was always short of breath. I watched my father die because of his 4 pack a day habit and that still didn't stop me. If you are absolutely ready to quit YOU CAN DO IT! I'd tell you to do it for your kids because they are inhaling that stuff too, but you have to do it for YOU!

Answer 3

Well, you've taken the first step, realizing the severity of the problem. What you spend on cigarettes is only the tip of the financial iceberg. There's the extra for cleaning, health care (both yours and the kids) that goes with that too. I won't even get into the health consequences for both you and your children, they are too well known.

Next step, each person is different. If you have severe Nicotine withdrawal, a patch or the gum may help. Of course your ultimate goal is to kick nicotine altogether.

Enlist your kids. If you are really serious then they can help. Tell them you want them to stop you if you try to light up. Remember that they are children and only a safety net reminder. If you are not serious, then don't have them help.

Make plans. Talk with your husband about what you could do with the save money. Put up clippings and pictures of your goal. Keep that goal in front of you. It will help keep you focused.

There is a possibility that your insurance might cover participation in a program like Smoke Stoppers. Or such an option may be available through your husbands work.

Answer 4

Smoking is a very bad habit to get into, and believe me, I'm not blaming you for it. At a certain age, it's hard /not/ to smoke. I would assume that you've been smoking for at least a few years if you have kids and a husband. I would suggest taking it slow; instead of, lets say, two packs a day, try one or one and a half, and go from there, shortening the amount every few weeks, or when you see fit. If your husband makes no move to change his smoking habits, try not to let it get to you. Think of your kids- you could be harming them by secondhand smoke, even if you don't smoke everywhere in your house- and they will be much more likely to take up smoking if their parents do. Make sure you tell your husband this. Good luck, and stay healthy!

Answer 5

since you smoke that much everyday, your body got adjusted having these poisons running ur body. That's why people with more serious drug problems can actually die by quiting abruptly. You hav to take decrease your amount of cigarettes maybe every few weeks or whatever you're comfortable with. The reason why you were coughing and stuff (tryign to not smoke) was because your body was so used to having 2-5 cigarettes a day. So each week you should decrease slowly from 2-4cigarettes, then another few weeks, 2-3, then so on.

Answer 6

My husband and I both quit last August. I also am a stay at home mom and didn't think that I could quit. My husband wore the patch for 6 weeks. I quit cold turkey. I had gotten up one morning and lit a cigarette and it just made me feel sick. I took the rest of what I had left (maybe 5) broke them into pieces. (We both had smoked for 28 yrs.) We both found that drinking allot of water, chewing gum and dumb dumb lollipops helped. We chewed more gum in that first week than we had in years. My friend used Zyban. Another friend was on Wellbutrin.....they both said it helped with the cravings. My best advice to you would be.......pick a stop day and stick to it. At first just give yourself a pat on the back for not smoking for a few hours, then go day by day. When you get a craving.......take a short walk.......doodle on a paper........grab a lollipop or gum but don't grab a cigarette. The first week is the toughest. And talk with others who have quit. They are full of advice and support. Good Luck.

Answer 7

I'M NOT A SMOKER, BUT MAYBE YOU SHOULD TRY TO GET IN A SUPPORT GROUP, YOU CAN ALSO TRY NICODERM PATCHES, IF NOTHING ELSE GO TALK WITH YOUR FAMILY DOCTOR FOR HELP. ONCE YOU QUIT SMOKING YOUR HEALTH OVERALL WILL START TO IMPROVE. I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT IT'S EASIER SAID THAN DONE TO TRY QUITTING SMOKING. IF YOUR HUSBAND WANTS TO QUIT SMOKING, YOU BOTH SHOULD DO THIS TOGETHER. GOOD LUCK AND WISH YOU THE BEST.

Answer 8

Go see your doctor and get a prescription for Wellbutrin (generic Zyban) Once on the medication, you can put the smokes down for good. I was a 3-4 pack a day smoker for 10 years. I had stopped twice, for a short time. Wellbutrin worked and I am cigarette free for 10 years.

Answer 9

i smoked for 36 yrs when i quit i was burning 3 to 5 pks a day if u make up ur mind and only if u do that u can quit when u get down to 5 cigs in a pack push them back dont throw them away but tell urself u can go 5 min with out 1 then go 5 min then tell urself i went 5 min without 1 now ill go 5 more but u can tell u self if i just have to have 1 u still got 5 left but i made it 5 min i can go another 5 just keep it up until u can advance to 10 min just keep it up i did that back in 1981 still doing without i finally threw the 5 cigs away about 2 yrs later IT AINT EASY good luck

Answer 10

Me too sweetheart! However I do not have children, and I think that that alone should help you quit. I am not being a hipocrite, when I do have children I really hope I have the strenght to quit. And your husband is not helping, its not his fault, both me and my gfirnd smoke and its really tough to quit by yourself and even hardeer with someone else. Good luck!!!! See you in the hospital, I will be the one pushing my oxegen tank