any advice on quitting smoking?

Answer 1

I smoked for over 35 years and during that time I tried every method known to man but could never get past the seven week mark. I have now been smoke free for just over four months and it is fantastic to be free. I now do 4 miles per day on a xtrainer when I couldn't do a mile when I smoked.
I quit through Chantix and you can read all of the information on WWW.chantix.com but I didn't read about it and go to the Doctors right away I decided to review why my previous attempts failed. I knew I didn't smoke because it relaxed me or because I enjoyed it because I would stand outside in the freezing snow with no coat on to have one and that was not my idea of fun. So I faced the fact I was an addict and decided that my behaviour did not suit my character.
I kept a log of every cig I smoked including time and what I was doing etc for several days. Then I looked at my pattern so that I could identify my everyday triggers for wanting one.
In my case, I smoked as soon as I opened my eyes and just before I closed them so I knew that I woke up craving.
So over the course of a month I changed those habits and that was easy because I knew I was going to have a cigarette at some point but just not with my coffee in a morning. I also decided that I could smoke as long as I wanted but that I would stay up an hour after a cigarette before I went to bed. That was easy too and I still wasn't deprived. I did similar when driving the car and pulled over to have one in the first few days but after that it was easy. After six weeks I felt like I was strong enough to go to the next stage and then I went to my Doctors.
He prescribed Chantix and I signed up for everything they offered in terms of support. They offer you a daily e mail or automated telephone call with access to a support line. I wanted to remember to get in the habit of taking the tablet so I opted for the timed telephone call and every day I got one at 7am. That was great because unlike some friends, I always took mine.
I followed the instructions and picked a date to put my cigarettes down.
It is not a miracle tablet, you still get cravings, you still have to cope with triggers but for some reason I have been able to. It has been easier to say no.
I still get the craving ocassionally now but its not a problem anymore and I think that is because I decided that smoking was no longer an option for me.
I was lucky that my medical insurance covered most of the cost of the tablet, hope yours does too but frankly, I would have paid full price for it to be free.
I also stayed away from people and places with smoke. I don't anymore but I re introduced them back into my life one at a time and slowly. I don't have a problem now, if I see someone smoking now I just thank God that I am free.
On the subject of God, I did pray for his help in strengthening my resolve and it is to him that I give the final thank you.

Hope it helps..Good Luck it is sooooo worth it.

Answer 2

How about a true story.. My grandfather smoke for 50 years (age 10 until 60 when he died). He died a horrible death, he blead to death, my grandmother sat by his side as he choked on his own blood. My grandfather on my fathers side, died of lung cancer, 3 long years of a struggle and he finally OD'd on pain meds. Now recently we found out my father has an aneurysm, he is going in for brain surgery next Monday... The doc told him if he didn't stop smoking right away he had a great possibility of his aneurysm bursting and he could die. My father has been smoking for 30 years and is having a hell of a time stopping even though he has seen what has happened in our family... Best thing it to never start, second best is look at what it does to people. that should be enough to never want to do it again, cold turkey! Good Luck

Answer 3

Yep
No body is more qualified than me - because I smoked, heavily, for - wait for this - 51 years.

I started when I was 9, when it made you a 'man'.
In those 51 years I smoked just about everything and anything.

Pipe, cigars, cigarettes, roll ups, joints, horsehair when I was a starving student - you name it and I smoked it.

I even used to like standing by a bonfire and inhaling, and no, that's not a joke.

I tried many, many times to give up smoking, including hypnosis.

So how did I finally give it up?
5 years ago I was smoking Cafe Creme cigars as if they were cigarettes - inhaling them, and smoking about 40 a day.

By then I was working part time outdoors.
One day I sat down and worked out that I was spending more dosh on smoking than I was earning!

Decision time - carry on working outdoors in all weathers or give up smoking.

I went for the 'give up smoking' option.
No patches, no hypnosis, no silly fake cigarettes - I just stopped putting things in my mouth and setting fire to them.

It was hard - but I did it.

It's now been 5 years - I'm fitter and really enjoying my retirement.

So there you are - if you really, REALLY want to - you can. Simple as that.

I won't say "Good luck" because there is no luck involved. Just your own will power - you are in control.

Answer 4

Just stop. That is the only way. Fight through the agonizing, tormenting, painful seconds of every minute of every hour. You want to smoke but you don't smoke. You get b*tchy but still don't smoke. Then you will realize that you are climbing out of a mine shaft that is dark and small, but slowly you are moving up that shaft. When you see the light at the top of the shaft you know you have beaten the smoking. The patches and gum are crutches, don't use them. You can climb out of that shaft alone - the patches and gum add weight and it is a slower climb.
Good luck

Answer 5

If you are open to something a bit alternative, you may wish to try guided imagery. One excellent choice is Belleruth Naparstek's Stop Smoking Guided Imagery Meditation CD. Take a look: http://www.wellbaskets.com/stsmhejocdby.html

Good luck!

Answer 6

Ahhh, I quit smoking 2 years ago. It was actually quite simple after I made my mind up. I used the gum and ONLY used it when I absoluetly needed it. I was nicotine free in 5 days. YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!!

Answer 7

Set your goal to at least five years. If you simply say, I'm going to quit, you just might quit, but six months to a year down the road, you light up again. Therefore you only temporarily quit. To quit for good, you have to say to yourself I'm quitting for at least five years. And stick to it.

Answer 8

just do it.
i know that sounds easy and hard at the same time.
In order to quit for good you have to really wanna quit or else you will fail.
You just have to have a lot of willpower and everytime you have a craving you have to push yourself to get through it

Answer 9

well my only advice to make you quit is move to the state of Indiana in the USA all cigarettes are being raised $5.00 a carton that is 50 cents per pack for a tax to fund the welfare, my theory is that the can**** me with the gas prices but I am not forced to buy cigarettes.

Answer 10

ask your doctor for chantix, i am trying to get it. i know of 6 people that are on it {a pill} they have smoked for many, many years, and they have all stopped cold turkey. they say they have not had any withdraws at all! maybe it is the miracle pill, all us smokers need, to stop this awful, and expensive habit! sure would be nice. good luck.