I want to quit smoking. How should I do it?

Question

Years ago, Oprah, who used to smoke believe it or not, had a thing on her show where the audience quit with her. We did it smoking our usual one day, counting the cigarettes, and then the next day, just smoking one less. My sister did it too. She has never smoked again. I never made it past the daily limit of 5 and then I gave up.

I tried hypnosis, that didn't work.

I went to Mayo Clinic's Smoking Cessation Clinic where I was put on the patch and counseled. That worked until they took the patch off. I started smoking within 2 weeks.

I've tried the thing where you put a rubber band on your wrist and snap it when you want a cig. Thatonly left me with a red wrist.

I've tried the subliminal tapes. They put me to sleep but I smoked when I woke up.

So since tomarrow is National Smoke Out day, what do you suggest I do this time to quit?

Willpower is not an option. I have very very strong will power, I have done some amazing things, but this challenge is one I keep losing.

Answer 1

YOU, HONESTLY, CAME TO THE RIGHT PLACE with that question. I smoked for many, many years. I quit July 5th 2005. I even surprised myself. The SECRET is to discover how sneaky, bastard (sorry), liar, that addiction is. It 'makes you believe' that it is impossible to stop. In my place of work, when people found out I was trying to quit, a Chinese girl told me this :"Peter (not my real name), Peter, my boy friend stopped, he quit with chewing-gum NiQuitin... honest... very good !" -- Another gimmick, I thought. But I went out and bought a box of 30 NiQuitin chewing gum tablets I had no serious desire to stop. I was afraid of cancer but had not serious plans to stop then. However, I continue to buy cigarettes and continued to smoke BUT, and that is the key, each time I allowed myself to smoke whenever I took a chewing gum in my mouth first, (FOLLOWING THEIR INSTRUCTIONS TO THE LETTER very important). At that time I was working at the computer and suddenly I started to find out that I could be 3 and 4 hours without wanting a cigarette !! So, again, before I lit a cigarette, I took a chewing gum. Little by little, in this cowardly way I weaned myself off of cigarettes. I 'stopped smoking' when I discovered that 90% of the addiction is psychological !! So my advice to you is to go for NiQuitin, and NOT to deprive yourself od cigs. Have them within arms reach but go via NiQuitin. It is all psychological, so (1) you need a remedy that involves the mouth (chewing gum) and (2) never deprive yourself of cigs. That is a torture. Having there, near you with your NiQuitin HAVE A CIG WHENEVER YOUI LIKE but hold on to the life saver NiQuitin. --- Final point ? I smoked 15 to 20 a day, everyday, for... wait for it... 35 years !!! I am very easily addicted to anything. I tried cold turkey and could not do it. Now, the rewards for having stopped smoking are many and obvious, but the main one is this --- I learned that 95% of the addiction is all psychological and to have won against that terrible vice which pretends to be a giant but is a coward of a midget. ----------- I sincerely hope this helps. TRUST me do not deprive yourself of cigs, go to them but always VIA that NIQuitin. GOOD LUCK andlet us kow when you succeed.

Answer 2

since you smoke that much everyday, your body got adjusted having these poisons running ur body. That's why people with more serious drug problems can actually die by quiting abruptly. You hav to take decrease your amount of cigarettes maybe every few weeks or whatever you're comfortable with. The reason why you were coughing and stuff (tryign to not smoke) was because your body was so used to having 2-5 cigarettes a day. So each week you should decrease slowly from 2-4cigarettes, then another few weeks, 2-3, then so on.

Answer 3

There is an important fact that you have to remember. Even if you quit smoking, you will always be a smoker. It's similar to being an alcoholic. The tendency to smoke or drink will always be there and, once you do, you've lost the battle.

You have to start one hour at a time. If you can make a whole hour pass without smoking, then you try to get through the next hour. If you weaken and have to smoke, then start over again. Watch the clock. When you get in your car to go somewhere and are accustomed to lighting up before putting your car into "drive", resist that urge.

Don't feel bad if you weaken and smoke. Just get back on the wagon immediately. Your body will resist the lesser amount of nicotine in its system and, will adjust as you smoke less and less.

It's tough to break the "habits" of smoking. You just have to tackle them one step at a time. Like I said, it's similar to being an alcoholic.

Answer 4

COLD TURKEY Seriously, my dad smoked Camel Non-Filters, 2 PPD for 30+ years. He had a heart attack, open heart surgery, spent nearly a month in the hospital. Needless to say, he quit. He said his 8 grandchildren were enough to make him want to live. We just made sure all the ashtrays were gone from the house and he simply never bought anymore cigs. That was nearly 2 years ago. Still no smoking!! Good Luck.!!!

One of the previous answers is good too- you will always want a cig at those "times" like after eating or in your car. To this day Dad still wants one especially after eating- he now has a habit of using a toothpick after eating. We call it his wooden cigarette. Ha Ha Even at resturants, my mom keeps toothpicks in her purse.

Answer 5

I would go for a gradual cut down.
I have heard this as well tho.....
shut yourself in a room with thousands and thousands of ciggies.Smoke and smoke for days,as much as you can.Eventualy coretion gets the better of you,like when you really had too much you give up.Thinking of the love you got for others and the love they got for you can help too,along with a lot of will and an ocassional glance at pics of lungs of people infected with lung cancer.this is from a smoker.Wish you luck.It can happen I know,even I can do it when I am ready.I used weed for 20 years,everyday more or less,now given up for a couple of months,completelly and I dont even miss it.Guess I was ready to give that up,so I think I can do the same with ciggies,when I decide to do so.Best of luck again,P.

Answer 6

Do this:

I know it may sound a little disgusting, but you should try it.

Dip the ends of your cigarettes in vinegar. every one of them, no matter what. Not only does it taste completely disgusting, but it smells horrible as well. Make sure to do this everytime you get a cigarette out. It will help you as long as you stick to it!

Good Luck!

Vanessa

Answer 7

Perhaps a web search for "quit smoking" + "natural ways" might help.

Answer 8

i was put on chantix and i has really helped me in quitting smoking