I'm trying to quit smoking...?

Question

I have just quit smoking today (or am trying to) after five years. I know five years isn't long but it is still hard. I am not going to use the patch or any other nicotine substitute, I don't believe in that stuff. Also, I don't regularly chew gum because it makes my jaw hurt, so thats ruled out. There is also only so much hard candy you can suck on before you get an upset stomach. I was wondering if there were any ways that could help the nicotine fits? Especially when it comes to driving and drinking? (But not at the same time obviously, hehe)

I JUST NEED HELP before I go off on someone I don't mean to.

Answer 1

Realise that you are experiencing two kind of cravings: the nicotine cravings and the psychological cravings. Have many hours did you sleep every night without a cigarette? How long would you wait before having your first cigarette in the mornings? Can you sit through a movie in the cinema without having a cigarette break? The nicotine cravings that you experience are very mild, they never woke you up at night, did they? Yes, you are addicted to a drug, but the nicotine cravings will soon go away.

Psychologically, have you thought about why you are stopping smoking? Are you sure you want to stop smoking? You write you are "trying" to stop smoking. You must make up your mind, are you stopping or not? Don't "try" to stop, decide that you are stopping, and that you have had your last cigarette. You know that cigarettes are killing you, and that they cost a lot of money. Be happy that you have stopped smoking. Every time you think you want a cigarette, tell yourself " I am so happy I am not smoking anymore, I will never smoke again".

Read Allen Carr's book "the easy way to stop smoking". I read it and stopped 19 days ago - after 15 years. It brainwashes you (in a good way) into making stopping smoking really easy. I have stopped before, and all I would think about was the next cigarette - for months. After reading the book, I don't want to smoke anymore. Why would I? It is really easy, and if I do think about a cigarette after a drink, I tell myself that I am happy I don't smoke anymore.

Good luck, anyway!

This is very interesting - written by Allen Carr about nicotine:
http://www.easywayscotland.co.uk/Scandal_by_Allen_Carr.pdf

It is a free download I got from wikipedia. Unfortunately it is not his book "the easy way to stop smoking", but it is a good start, and will make you realize a few things about cigarettes.

Answer 2

You can't quit because the cigarette companies make it almost impossible to quit. Especially after so long. I know that there's something in cigarettes that makes them way more addictive then they should be, I smoked Marlboro's for a year, and I became super addicted super quick, if I didn't get a cigarette like every 3 hours I felt like I was going crazy, I couldn't think straight. A friend told me to try American Spirit cigarettes, cuz they don't have any additives. I hated them at first, cuz they didn't really make the cravings go away, and after 3 or 4 days, I started having withdrawal symptoms! No joke, I was still smoking every day, but I felt like I was quitting, I couldn't sleep more than 2 hours at a time, I started eating more, and I had intense cravings for chocolate (I don't know if that was withdrawals or not, but it made me feel better). Then, after a week, I felt better. I went from smoking 5 or 6 cigarettes a day to 1 or 2, and the craving became much more enjoyable (that's a weird way to describe it, but instead of feeling like a crack addict who needed a fix, I was able to sit back and enjoy my cigarette). And now, I don't feel as guilty about smoking because I'm smoking less, and I just feel less addicted. It sounds goofy, but if you look up how cigarette companies use ammonia in their tobacco, you'll see that they try to make their cigarettes as addictive as possible. I had tried to quit cold turkey before, but just like you said, the longest I could go was two weeks, then I'd start smoking even more than before!

Answer 3

Welcome to the club. I started quiting today after 23 years (though after 23 years can I say that I am going to retire from smoking?)

I have tried in the past to use the patch (burned my arm), the lozenges (nasty taste), the gum (like you I don't chew gum) but those were all VERY expensive - and didn't work for nothin'.

I have had some success (a couple of weeks) chewing on the stir straws from coffee shops. It is something that can be handled like a cigarette so it helped with the physical addiction as well. (stress prompted my return)

Mostly you will have to change your lifestyle for cold-turkey to be effective. You should avoid bars because you smoke when you drink - try taking the bus rather than driving (can't smoke on the bus) - go for a walk after dinner - basically anything you can do to remove the thought of having a smoke.

The physical need for nicotine will leave your body after about 3 days, it is the other things that you will need to be aware of. Just tell the people you care about that you are going to quit and let them know that you do not intend to be mean and to please understand. 99% of the people you know will.

BTW, I am cheating. . . I just got a prescription for Chanix.

Answer 4

I smoked for about 6 years. At my peak I was smoking a pack a day, give or take a few cancer sticks.

Here's how I quit:
1. I picked a day on the calendar, I think I gave myself about a month.
2. The day before that calendar date I smoked as much as I could. I believe I smoked 3.5 packs (70 smokes). I accompanied the smokes with a few beers as well.
3. Woke up the next day feeling like crap.

I guess you'd call that the ole "Stick-yourself-in-the-closet-and-don't-come-out-until-you've-smoked-the-whole-pack" method.

Haven't had a single puff since, 6.5 years.

Answer 5

Quitting smoking is blummin hard* I KNOW* ....just keep yourself occupied with your hands (rather than eating sweets and rotting your teeth) ........after eating or when having a drink or driving..you're just going to have to do something else to occupy your hands (DONT Reach for a smoke*!) Sing in the car..go for a walk after eating........and try not to drink* or just dance it off and by the way....the first lil while you WILL go through nicotine withdrawls and your emotions will be all over the map..so you will probably "go off on someone" not meaning to....but ....does happen...just appologize and say you're trying to quit smoking, ppl will understand*~ GOODLUCK~

Answer 6

I've heard a lot of the problem with quitting smoking it psychological, and has to do with forces of habit. Take for example someone sitting outside drinking a coffee. They get a coffee, sit down, and without even realizing it...are reaching in their pockets for a lighter, and their cigarettes. Maybe they don't even crave a cigarette, but they've always had one with their coffee...so reach for one.

I know this one person who just used to keep toothpicks in their pocket. Whenever they felt like lighting a cigarette up...they just took out a toothpick, and it replaced the cigarette. Also, sometimes just having something in your hand, like where the cigarette would ordinarily be can help you to break the pattern.

Hope this helps.

Answer 7

snack on carrots when you get a craving, and i wouldnt drink alcohol for awhile if you are trying to quit

Answer 8

just keep in mind how you will end up if you continue smoking

Answer 9

just STOP cold Turkey!

that's what I did, and I was a smoker for many years.