Does anyone have any good strategies for stopping cold turkey?

Question

Have you ever stopped smoking or drinking cold turkey? Well I'm trying to stop something cold turkey and I need some strategies that have worked for you guys

Answer 1

What you have to do is know when you are about to reach for a smoke. Then switch gears and reach for a a low fat calorie snack.

Answer 2

You don't mention how long you will be away from your baby, but don't quit cold turkey - breast feed before you leave for work, pump a couple of times while you are at work, breast feed as soon as you get home and again as often as you can before you go to bed. The following day, leave the sitter the two or three bottles you pumped the day before, and do the same again (pump two bottles while you are at work). This way you will maintain your milk supply, your little one is getting the wonderful breast milk, and on the days that you don't work, you can breast feed exclusively. By the way, once you are not there, chances are that he will drink from a bottle, he won't take a bottle of formula from you because he knows you have the real thing! Good Luck!

Answer 3

I have been successful quitting several things. I didn't do it with support... in fact quite the opposite.
Stuff like AA may work for others but it only made it worse for me. AA's method keeps you around other alchoholics and is constantly having you say now long you have quit. They even give you chips to keep track of how long you have quit. But the only answer to that question for me that was truely effective.... is "FOREVER"
As for having support and going to meetings, that didn't work for me either. All I ever got from meetings was a contact that I could get me more drugs.
What helped me the most was to do the opposite. I completely removed myself from the "ELEMENT" , at least that is what I call it. Not being around the stuff and the people who do it significantly reduced the never-ending bouts of temptations. I know it may be hard to stay away from some of your friends, but I think it is the best weapon you have against being a user. You should explain to them that you can't hang around them anymore as long as they are using. Tell them you still care for them but this is something you have to do. And when they are able to quit themselves, you would could hang around them again. This might even make them consider quitting. But don't quit with them. You have to do it on your own. I tried quitting several times with my best friend and what happened is not only did I have to combat my own temptations, but their's as well.
The other weapon that is essential is you have to have something to replace that void. Otherwise you'll fall right back into it. Find some activities to keep yourself busy. This is real important!
The first week is rough because you are withdrawing from the physical part of it. You will not be a pleasant person. In my case, the last thing I wanted was to be with other people. I just hid for about a week.
And though the the first week may be the roughest, it is not the week you are in the most danger of giving in. That occurs after you think think you have licked it... and your guard is down.
Believe it not, one thing that really helped me was to getting my dealer pissed off at me. I couldn't go back to him and when the times came I really wanted something, I couldn't get any, even if I wanted to. Eventually I could have, but by then the temptation had passed.
And the other thing that helped the most... is I prayed for an less painful way to get out of this thing. God helped me there too.
I'm not going to be a cheerleader and say "You can do it"!
Only you can truthfully say that. But if you ever are in need of an ear, you can email me at [e-mail]. Put in the subject box that this is an email concerning a yahooanswers question. I will gladly help you in any way I can.
It's not easy, but it's worth it!

Answer 4

Be prepared to go through a short period of unpleasantness, for the sake of the many years of better living ahead. Medication may help, but it is wise to get off it fairly quickly, after it has helped get you through the worst of it (under medical supervision). It is important to realise that there will be a big empty space in your life, that you need to fill in various ways, like exercise, eating nutritious food, finding things you enjoy or find interesting and seeing friends and family (but avoiding people and places where you are likely to encounter that thing you are trying to put behind you, at least until you feel fairly confident that you can resist succumbing to temptation). Realise that you have a personality type that is vulnerable to addiction, and never be tempted to indulge "just this once" again: it must be a clean break. There is a negative part of your mind that wants you to backslide, and you need to be on the lookout for it: when you recognise that type of negative self dialogue, telling you that: "this is just too hard, I can't do this!" or trying to get you to make a deal with yourself like: "just on the weekends" or "to help me over the holidays" or whatever, there IS something you can do to combat it! Say to yourself as forcefully as possible: "I know this trick; GO AWAY FOR A WHILE!!!" loudly, if appropriate. Join a support group of those going through the same experience, either in person, or online at: www.myspace.com (groups) or Yahoo; groups, or Google; groups, possibly exchanging phone numbers, and seek them out when you feel the urge to use, again. Learn how to find your centre of consciousness through practising the techniques to be found at: www.relax7.com/7.php and in the blogs of Shan Eris on "tackling depression" at: www.myspace.com If you do go through a moment of weakness, don't be tempted to give up and go back to your old ways: just start over again. Some people need more than one try, to beat their problem, but it is much, much better if can do it the first time. Now you are forewarned, make yourself forearmed and go to it! (I am speaking from experience here, not just regurgitating things I have picked up!)

Answer 5

I think cold turkey is the only way that works for most people. Make up your mind you are going to do it, and do it! Find things to do to keep yourself occupied. Quit and stay quit.

Answer 6

my brother smoked pot and he was forced to stop cold turkey (threats of hair follicle drug tests from my dad) he put an elastic band around his wrist whenever he got a craving and took sips of water in place of smoking. it didn't get him high but he can remember stuff now.

Answer 7

the way i stopped the taking d i was taking i took something to make me sick at the same time so i could trick my mind thinking it was the d that was making me sick .its kind of like when you drink to much and get the very bad hang over and get really sick and then every other time you smell that drink you stop and think of how horrible it made you feel that how i stopped doing what i was doing just thought of how it made me feel and if i did the drug I'd feel the same way again

Answer 8

Yeah,STOP. Besides that, develop a workout program for excercise(consult Dr.), and put up pictures of your loved ones and next to that, put up a picture or two of smokers lungs to look at.

Answer 9

Wean

Answer 10

when i quit smoking, i started running, and it helped a lot, i would run anytime i felt like i needed a cig, and by the time i finished it was the last thing in the world that i wanted