Can anyone give me some advice on quitting smoking?

Question

I would really like to stop, especially the illegal stuff (I know, I'm very bad). I've been trying so hard recently but I'm too weak and always go back to it when things aren't going so well.
Please give me some advice, ex-smokers of yahooland :)

(is this the right category? I'm sorry if it isn't)

There's some good advice here, thanks everyone.

Answer 1

You have to really want to do it... It is all about will power and saying NO, nicotine patches etc helps but at the end of the day it is WILLPOWER...find another activity like chewing gum or eating just till you're over the cravings...you need hand to mouth action every time you need a cigarette put lipbalm on and chew airwaves. willpower willpower willpower...there's no easy way. But you can do it!!!

Answer 2

I quit smoking the very moment I found out I was pregnant. There was nothing more that I needed to help me quit. The complete and absolute miracle of having a baby growing in my belly was all the motivation I needed. I always new before I was pregnant that smoking was terrible for me, but my baby didn't have any choice about what went into my body, so I had to start making the right choices & at that point smoking was not even an option.

Answer 3

Start with the ciggies don't try to break both habits simultaneously
the reason I say start with the ciggies is , if you are like any other dope smoker and you give it up straight away you will suffer bouts of depression . anger . Hydroponic gear is actually much worse than bush.
Mix a bit of tobacco with your mull .
This will give you a nicotine fix and the gunga will relax you .
Secondly buy ciggies you cant smoke , something too strong .
That will soon take the enjoyment out of ciggies, and if your still smoking gunga you might not miss them as much .
Once you've been off the ciggies for a few days, reduce the amount of tobacco in your mix , gradually .
To give up the dope you have to stay busy .
Go to work or start riding a bike like a man possessed .
Actually exercise also encourages you to stop ,because once you start exercising you will realise how unfit you are and you will want to smoke less.
If your pacing and you want to score . don't ring your mate , go for a swim do some laps at a pool .
If you still want to ring him when you get home , you may as well .
The more persistent you are to fill in the time you would be smoking, the less you will smoke
Hope I have helped.
Any way I'm going outside for a smoke
good luck

Answer 4

I stopped 4 months ago, I just did cold turkey. I had been trying off and on for years and failed usually after a few hours.
I tried the patches, but after a while I seemed to suffer an allergic reaction, and the gum made me feel sick.

You have to really want to do it and then you have to be in the right frame of mind. I knew there would be stressful moments, and there were, I just kept thinking this is the time that I have to beat this, I hated it having a hold on me, I hate the chancellor he has enough of my money already.
I still miss it but not so bad now.
Other motivational thoughts that helped was the cost of 30 a day, an unpleasant chest infection before I gave up and the thought that it would be better to do it now than suffer next year when the smoking ban comes in to effect.
I was also becoming more aware that I was quite often the only one in a crowd that smoked and felt self concious about it.

All I can say is that you need to be in the right frame of mind before you will be successful.
good luck, but keep trying
I had been smoking for 35 years

Answer 5

I quit smoking over two and a half years ago now. I've actually written about it at some length on Ciao, Dooyoo and epinions - I'll post an edited version below, but the link is below too for the full version.
A lot of advice you read will tell you to set a date. To prepare - to throw out your ashtrays and smoking paraphernalia. I did none of this - partly because my husband still smokes, but mostly because I DIDN'T plan the quit. I just decided, almost spur of the moment, to quit.

I ignored the plaintive cries of the ever so attractive pack of cigarettes on the kitchen counter, and went to my local chemist. As a heavy smoker, I chose the 24 hour 21mg patch. At first, the cost appalled me - £17.50 for one week's supply. However, remember, I was smoking two packs a day. At £4.50 a pack, that's £9.00 a day and £42 a week...no comparison.

I'd found quitnet (quitnet.com, for those of you who weren't paying attention). It's a quit smoking website - American in origin, though with a thriving international community. It's a support forum site and more. It'll track how long you've been 'quit', how many cigarettes you haven't smoked, how much money you've saved, and how much lifetime you've saved.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Mechanics of Patches, and a bit about other treatments
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well...here's how the patch works. If you follow the instructions, you spend six weeks on the strongest patch (if you're using the 24 hour patch, that's 21mg), two weeks on the next lower dosage (14mg) and then another two weeks on the lowest (7mg). In theory, you then come off nicotine replacement. You'll still, I assume, go through some withdrawal at this point, but not as bad as coming off 40 cigarettes a day cold turkey. Or at least that's what I tell myself - I'm on my last week at the full strength patch. Watch this space.

Regarding the nightmares: I finally stopped wearing the patch at night. I was concerned that I'd crave in the morning, but oddly, I haven't. They say that if you smoke heavily and have your first cigarette within half an hour of waking, you should use the 24 hour patch. Despite the fact that I was smoking a lot, I have been fine wearing the patch just during the day. Having said that, I wasn't one of those people who lit up her first cigarette from the bed in the morning.

I can't speak from personal experience about the gum, lozenge, inhaler and nasal spray. From what I understand, the gum and lozenge have the advantage of being self-administered - that is, you decide how much you need. However, I'm told they taste awful, and can irritate the mouth. The inhaler also tastes naff, apparently, and again, irritates the mouth and throat. However, the inhaler gives you that hand to mouth stimulation (I use pens for that - my pens have taken one hell of a beating), and gives you a quicker hit of nicotine. The nasal spray gives you the quickest and strongest hit, but again, can irritate the mucus membranes.

Zyban (known as Wellbutrin in the States) is a drug (originally an antidepressant) that apparently somehow reduces the desire to smoke. You start taking it a few days before you plan to quit, and a course apparently lasts two months. You can only get this on prescription, and like any other drug, can cause side effects, and is not suitable for pregnant or nursing women. You also have to talk to your doctor about various contraindications (i.e. if you have a history of fits or blackouts) and if you are on other medications. Zyban didn't interest me.

Some people have found hypnotherapy and/or acupuncture useful. I have no experience with either, though neither has passed the gold standard of treatment testing - the double blind trial. Still, there is anecdotal evidence that for some people this works. In my opinion, for what it's worth, it works for those who really WANT to quit. And that is true for ANY treatment option.

Good luck!

Answer 6

Do i count? I have lungs of a smoker because I was diagnosed with Asthma Bronchitis as a child. I out grew it but i have lungs of a smoker... darn pollution...

WHat can you do? If you want to quit, not quitting is even harder. SOrry if i may sound a bit harsh but suck it up and do things step by step.. call a help line because the general rule is if you can not have a smoke for 3 days, you are on the path of recovery. Call help if you are a serious smoker. IF you want additional encouragement, do you want a bad case of mouth cancer that makes you look like a zombie from hell.

Answer 7

First of all you have got to want to quit!

Set a date, tell other people and aim for it on that date.

get rid of all the cigs (and other stuff) on that date and buy a Nicorette inhaler. I did this and every time I wanted a cig, I just took it out of the box and had a drag. This is similar action to opening a cig packet etc.

Took me 4 weeks or so but, hey, it worked. Need to buy replacement cartridges every 2 weeks or so but still cheaper than smoking.

My taste and smell returned within days and my whole health was better after about 3 months.

That was 6 and 1/2 years ago and I am still going strong.

Go for it, you will never know the health benefits until you try.

Answer 8

Quiting smoking cigs or pot is a mind over matter situation. My best friend quit smoking cigs by just carrying them around in his pocket and not smoking. He said the urge to have one was was worse when you didn't have any. So try carrying them around in your pocket {a week, two or even 3 months} if someone asks you for a cig, give them one till you run out then don't buy anymore. I am a smaoker and I have smoked for about 12 years now, it is the hardest drug I have ever tried to quit in my life. Sex isn't even this addicting to me. But he had a good approch about it and he hasn't somked in over 3 years. Me on the other hand, it don't bother me if I have them, but when I don't I would walk 10 miles to get one. Most people want a cig before they even get out of bed in the morning, not me I can go half the day without smoking. Some people want one as soon as they get done eating, I don't. I think I would be better off to quit. As far as smoking pot just say no or avoid the people when they fire one up. Once you quit smoking, it don't bother you any more. Good Luck and if you find a good remedy for quiting cigs let me know.

Answer 9

I have quit for 8 Days now, and that includes any illegal stuff. I went out and got drunk on the weekend too and was not tempted.

I started by ringing the smokers helpline number I got from my GP I went along to a meeting and they gave me a script for Patches and I have worn them since. I havent had any on for 2 days and I am doing fine, Its hard but you got to really want to give up.
I have smoked for 26 years and 20 a day for about 20 years, it isnt easy. I have tried everything, Hypnosis, self help books , gum, etc etc. I am determined to do it.
The best thing I think of is there is a little man in your head who is telling you everything will be fine if you have a Ciggy, and its the only way you will feel happy, you got to re program that little man! Let him know that you dont need it. Come on lets give up together !!

Answer 10

Oddly, I gave up the ciggarettes but I dont count the illegal stuff. I take that or leave it, but when I smoke I always need to know I have a packet of ciggarettes with me-thats addiction.

I gave up a month ago (for the second time) and I keep thinking about buying ciggarettes, especially when Im stressed.

I want Marlboros, Camels and Lucky Strike!

Sorry, thats not much help is it?

Answer 11

You really want to have to give it up for it to work will power and it is not easy.
I am an ex smoker and it has not been easy I can tell you.
What I have read in the answers you have been given are far better than mine would ever be so I am just saying I understand how hard it is, you are not on your own, read all the good advise and good luck!