I quit smoking about a month and a half ago...cold turkey...but i still want one sooo bad...ive been chewing gum, using hard candy, and trying anything to occupy my mind and hands...but its getting so tempting. How much longer will this last? I smoked for about 10 yrs, pack and a half a day. Any other ideas to help ease the cravings? I dont want to do a patch or anything, since ive made it this long cold turkey...help!
2007-07-27 15:10:35 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Other - Health
lol, thanks everybody so far, but im a 5'2, 100 lb female...not one for doing pushups or being called man. Thanks though, i know the pic is of a guys head, but i am female!
2007-07-27 15:25:05 · update #1
Good job man,, the hardest part is behind you. Now here are some tricks to ease the rest:
1) there are trigger factors for smoking. avoid those at all cost!! example: some people are use to smoke a cig. with their coffee, so they need to avoid coffee for a while too! if not every time they drink coffee, they get the urge to smoke. (same is true with alcohol).
2) every time you feel like having a cigarette, drop down and do 10 push ups. This really helps.
3) Don't hang out with your smoker buddies for a few months.
Don't give up man,, remember, the physiological addiction of nicotine is only 48hours!! the rest is psychological.
2007-07-27 15:21:02 · answer #1 · answered by El Griton 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
With all these modern "cures", I couldn't tell you how long it will take. I can tell you that 37 years ago I quit, "cold turkey", and I can't remember the last time I had a craving for a cigarette. Oh, I guess I can remember some rare times that I've had a desire to pick up one and smoke it, but my favorite brand isn't a popular one, at least "not around these parts", and so I can more easily keep away because I remember I didn't have much affinity for many of the other brands I smoked "way-back-when", so the urge wasn't unconquerable". I do remember, back 30 years ago, I did restart smoking because of a woman I was seeing, but then, I got tired of it all, some because I didn't like her brand, so I gave her the rest of my carton and quit again. I've reveled too much in how good I have felt all these years being able to breathe so much better, and do so much more than many, simply because I quit smoking, also over a girl. Someone bet me I couldn't quit for a week, and I wanted the money so that I could take her out for a "night-on-the-town", so, I quit, forever, except for those few packs in 1977. You'll be damnned glad you quit, and the "cravings" will be less and less as time goes on. God Bless you.
2007-07-27 15:30:12 · answer #2 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I smoked from the time I was 15 until I was 36. When I quit I used the patches. I had cravings for about 6 months to a year after I quit. It was not easy. But after that first year it was so much easier. It's been 3 years and I don't have cravings anymore. It's worth it to quit. I'm able to exercise and jog every morning. Things I couldn't even imagine doing when I smoked a pack a day!
2016-04-01 05:47:15 · answer #3 · answered by Diana 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I understand where you are coming from when you say about the no patch thing, but if the cravings are too intense, it might be a little easier if you did use one. But, if you feel strongly against the patch, you don't have to. One of my high school teachers who used to smoke told use that the cravings never do really go away, but after time become a lot less intense over time. Of course, you will get cravings so eat healthy snacks or chew gum to avoidgaining a lot of weight. You could also take any frustrations out by excersizing.
2007-07-27 15:36:49 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your true addiction is supposed to be broken if you can go strong for 88 days. Not that this means everytime you walk past someone smoking a cigarette you won't think about lighting up, but those cravings will be gone. Find something else that you enjoy to be your craving like a collection or your car or something
2007-07-27 15:19:39 · answer #5 · answered by bluedevils2302 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You can give yourself MILD negative reinforcement every time you think about a smoke. A bothersome but not harmful pinch on the forearm whenever the thought comes up...and soon, your mind will associate the thought with unpleasantness and stop bringing it up. At least that worked for me. Also you could drop for 10 pushups whenever you think about a smoke. Anything that is just mildly unpleasant but not actually harmful.
2007-07-27 15:15:12 · answer #6 · answered by jxt299 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
First week you crave every min. 2nd wk every three min. 3rd every 5min. You are probably at the 15 min.stage. It about killed me but I never have the desire after being a two pk a day man for 20 yrs. Buy yourself a new car with the saved money. i've been cured for 20 yrs. It is pure mortal hell but you will have to do it or die from them.
2007-07-27 15:30:33 · answer #7 · answered by William C 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They say the craving only last 22 seconds, try and think of something else. I stopped 6 years ago and still think about them every now and then. It is also said cigs are harder to break then herion.
2007-07-27 15:15:23 · answer #8 · answered by singapores 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
YES! not only that, but it's really easy! don't believe me ? hehe i didn't either until it worked on me, and i wasn't even trying to quit ;) no withdrawals at all! and no patches, pills, or anything like that. best $15 you'll ever spend. all you need to do is read this book
http://www.quit-smoking-easy-way.com/
please pass this link to your smoking friends
2007-07-28 17:52:13 · answer #9 · answered by dem_no_worry_me 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋