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How does one quit smoking? I've tried once and failed miserably I dont want to do this anymore..what are some tools i can use to quit smoking other than patches or nicotine gums?

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CautiouslyOptimistic
How does one quit smoking? I've tried once and failed miserably I dont want to do this anymore..what are some tools i can use to quit smoking other than patches or nicotine gums?

 

I have a friend who swears by "art." She decided many months ago (maybe it was a New Year's resolution?) to stop and decided to take up painting in its place. Now she's pretty addicted to painting (and she's quite good), which is a lot healthier than cigarettes :).

 

Good luck! I've never smoked a cigarette in my life, but I've heard it's just about the hardest thing to quit :(.

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I have a friend who swears by "art." She decided many months ago (maybe it was a New Year's resolution?) to stop and decided to take up painting in its place. Now she's pretty addicted to painting (and she's quite good), which is a lot healthier than cigarettes :).

 

Good luck! I've never smoked a cigarette in my life, but I've heard it's just about the hardest thing to quit :(.

 

it is one of the hardest things to quit....

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homesickclutter

To entirely quit smoking is tough especially to some that are addicted to cigarettes. I think, it takes time and self discipline to do it. Maybe, one needs to stay away from what triggers him to smoke.

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It's hell. I used vaping to quit smoking (been two years) and now I'm quitting that too. Much easier to put down the vape because I've cut the nicotine down to nothing so now I'm just dealing with the psychological addiction rather than a nicotine addiction. So I'm not vaping much these days but I still crave cigarettes. Not every minute of every day. Not even every day, but at least two or three times a week I get an overwhelming urge to smoke. i get through it by vaping a little and getting busy doing something else. It is getting easier.

 

It takes practice. Just try to quit. If you fail then try again. Every time you attempt to quit you will get stronger and better at it. Again fight cravings by staying busy and letting your mind wander elsewhere. Just posting in this thread is making me feel like I want a smoke because now m thinking about it. When I first quit I had to stop watching that show "Mad Men" because almost every character smoked and it drove me nuts. Lol. So stay away from smokers or situations that trigger cravings in the beginning. At least nowadays that easier to do because of the restrictions placed on smoking indoors and in public places. I don't know how people quit 20 or 30 yrs ago when smoking was literally everwhere. I'm so grateful that none of my family or my friends smoke.

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How does one quit smoking? I've tried once and failed miserably I dont want to do this anymore..what are some tools i can use to quit smoking other than patches or nicotine gums?

 

I went cold turkey 3 years ago. It was pretty bad for about a week but then got easier. You must quit, your life depends on it.

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littleblackheart

I quit cold turkey the second I learned I was pregnant with my first child. That honestly was going to be the only way for me to quit at that point. I didn't smoke 1 cigarette for 7 years. For 4 years now I've been going back and forth; I go months without smoking then I'll have a few when I go out or when I'm particularly stressed out and go back to months without touching a cigarette.

 

I'm not sure I'll never say I'm fully non-smoker and I often see myself smoke in my dreams, but I'm trying. My kids have never seen me smoke, and that's a great incentive.

 

But it is hard. You need will power and for your mind to be kept busy. Like the previous poster, if you try and fail, try again. Ultimately, smoking really is bad for your health with very little actual benefit.

 

Good luck!

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I went cold turkey 3 years ago. It was pretty bad for about a week but then got easier. You must quit, your life depends on it.

 

I went cold turkey too. It's a difficult thing to do and I'll tell you a few things I always tell my students who are smokers:

 

 

  • Don't quit quitting. It must have taken me over a dozen tries but eventually it worked.

 

  • It will be the best thing you've ever done for yourself, health wise at least. There are tons of studies detailing the physical benefits of being a non-smoker - I'm sure you've heard them all. You will also gain a big boost in confidence.

 

  • I don't know why you don't want to use the gum - it worked for me. It really helped with that empty mouth feeling that's so prevalent in the first few weeks, and I didn't get addicted to it.

 

  • Don't think long term (I need to get through a week, or a month). I always told myself I just need to make it to bedtime, another day under my belt.

Come on Buriall, you can do it. You will never regret quitting and it will always be a major event in your life you can look back on for a boost of confidence and as evidence that you have the will to accomplish something difficult when you have to.

 

Good luck with it.

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How does one quit smoking? I've tried once and failed miserably I dont want to do this anymore..what are some tools i can use to quit smoking other than patches or nicotine gums?

 

Just keep trying. Sooner or later it will work.

 

Here's my story. I smoked for about 15 years a pack a day. I decided to quit. I probably kept trying for a about 5 to 7 years. I think I tried 10 times and finally made it. But believe me, it is doable. Its just a habit you developed. You were not born with it. You developed it. If you can develop it, you can also undo and undevelop it.

 

Also learn to spot triggers and avoid them. My triggers were going out to bars and drinking with friends who smoked. It would quit for 4 or 6 month, and then spring comes, and I go out to a bar, drink and smoke and I was back to a pack a day again the next week.

 

good luck shmo!!

 

p.s. I used nicorettes. this is not an ad for them. it doesnt work for everybody. it worked for me though.

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It's hell. I used vaping to quit smoking (been two years) and now I'm quitting that too. Much easier to put down the vape because I've cut the nicotine down to nothing so now I'm just dealing with the psychological addiction rather than a nicotine addiction. So I'm not vaping much these days but I still crave cigarettes. Not every minute of every day. Not even every day, but at least two or three times a week I get an overwhelming urge to smoke. i get through it by vaping a little and getting busy doing something else. It is getting easier.

 

It takes practice. Just try to quit. If you fail then try again. Every time you attempt to quit you will get stronger and better at it. Again fight cravings by staying busy and letting your mind wander elsewhere. Just posting in this thread is making me feel like I want a smoke because now m thinking about it. When I first quit I had to stop watching that show "Mad Men" because almost every character smoked and it drove me nuts. Lol. So stay away from smokers or situations that trigger cravings in the beginning. At least nowadays that easier to do because of the restrictions placed on smoking indoors and in public places. I don't know how people quit 20 or 30 yrs ago when smoking was literally everwhere. I'm so grateful that none of my family or my friends smoke.

 

Thats the thing im always around smokers, friends,family and even at work..Most of the movies i watch involves cigs too lol

 

I must have more self discipline and will power..Thank you guys, my quit date is next month end. I will use this thread for progress purposes as well. I CAN DO IT!!

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I went cold turkey too. It's a difficult thing to do and I'll tell you a few things I always tell my students who are smokers:

 

 

  • Don't quit quitting. It must have taken me over a dozen tries but eventually it worked.

 

  • It will be the best thing you've ever done for yourself, health wise at least. There are tons of studies detailing the physical benefits of being a non-smoker - I'm sure you've heard them all. You will also gain a big boost in confidence.

 

  • I don't know why you don't want to use the gum - it worked for me. It really helped with that empty mouth feeling that's so prevalent in the first few weeks, and I didn't get addicted to it.

 

  • Don't think long term (I need to get through a week, or a month). I always told myself I just need to make it to bedtime, another day under my belt.

Come on Buriall, you can do it. You will never regret quitting and it will always be a major event in your life you can look back on for a boost of confidence and as evidence that you have the will to accomplish something difficult when you have to.

 

Good luck with it.

 

Funny thing the warning label has the same motto, NEVER STOP TRYING TO QUIT. HEHEH thank you for the encouragement means alot

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CautiouslyOptimistic
Thats the thing im always around smokers, friends,family and even at work..Most of the movies i watch involves cigs too lol

 

I must have more self discipline and will power..Thank you guys, my quit date is next month end. I will use this thread for progress purposes as well. I CAN DO IT!!

 

Yes, you CAN do it!! Give yourself weekly rewards. :)

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Cold turkey is the way to do it. I've known many smokers (friends, my mother, my ex) who have quit. It was always cold turkey that worked. "Cutting down" is just a way to allow yourself to continue smoking while deluding yourself that you're on the path to quitting. It works for some people but in my experience they are the minority.

 

Remember that every cigarette you smoke introduces the nicotine back into the bloodstream and maintains that physical addiction. Only by stopping altogether can you allow the nicotine to exit and begin the physical withdrawal stage.

 

The withdrawal stage peaks at around 3 days. Remind yourself that 3 days is nothing. Tell yourself, "I'm going through this hell, but after 3 days it'll get easier". And it will. Each day will be a tiny bit easier than the day before, once you get past the peak. After approximately 2 weeks you'll no longer be physically addicted and it will get easier still. At that point it's the psychological addiction you have to deal with.

 

Tackle your triggers full on. Don't hide from them. Have a replacement action that you do when you have a trigger moment (e.g. chewing gum). For example, maybe you're used to lighting up as you leave the house in the morning, so every morning that you're quitting you get a craving as you leave the house. Carry out your replacement action as a rule (whether you feel like it or not), so that it becomes the new habit. This is important, as it trains your brain into thinking it gets the replacement whenever the trigger occurs. Eventually your brain will go Trigger -> I want gum, because that's become the habit.

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OP as you get nearer to your quit date look for a book by Alan Carr. I think it's called "How to Quit Smoking the Easy Way" or something along those lines and its frequently available in pdf online for free. That book really helped me in the beginning. It's an easy read, only takes a day or two to get through and it really gets you excited about quitting. By the time you're nearing the end of the book you are looking forward to quitting instead of dreading it and instead of fearing your cravings and withdrawals you be psychologically prepared to face them and overcome them. That book was incredibly helpful to me. Please look for it.

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It's nice to have support. I did my part over the holidays talking one recent quitter through some tough times. She's got the strong 'drink and smoke' thing and has the same general issue with her sons and friends also smoking. I came from a two-parent smoking household and knew the addiction well, though am a life-long non-smoker. I think part of being a support is being non-militant. Show concern and love, along with respect.

 

For most of my friends who quit, it was a combination of a bit of logic over the cost of the habit plus health concerns and some support to get through the tough parts. Everyone is different though. My mom woke up one day now some 50 years ago and decided no more. Quit that day and lived in a smoke-filled house the rest of dad's life, at least when he was at home. Never went back. Tough old broad ;) She's gone now but I credit that choice, and will, with getting her to a few months shy of 90.

 

Good luck!

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OP as you get nearer to your quit date look for a book by Alan Carr. I think it's called "How to Quit Smoking the Easy Way" or something along those lines and its frequently available in pdf online for free. That book really helped me in the beginning. It's an easy read, only takes a day or two to get through and it really gets you excited about quitting. By the time you're nearing the end of the book you are looking forward to quitting instead of dreading it and instead of fearing your cravings and withdrawals you be psychologically prepared to face them and overcome them. That book was incredibly helpful to me. Please look for it.

 

I read some book on quitting when i tried to quit, it kinda empowered me to go with it. However i failed at the end..

 

thank you for the suggestion tho!!!

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I had tried for years to quite. At one point I went 6 months (working out helped), but I would go to the bar one night and someone would have cigarettes and after a few drinks the thought, "only one is not a big deal" would creep in and then it was back to square one every time.

 

 

My brother smokes occasionally but he started vaping to cut that down. I had no interest in it until I tried it. It's hard to explain, but I immediately preferred vaping to smoking. Immediately when I started vaping I lost the desire to smoke, the bad taste, smelling like smoke etc. It's been a month and I have no desire to smoke at all, so far so good.

 

 

I dropped the nicotine level already and did not notice any cravings. My plan will be to drop down to 0 nicotine in about another 2 months. I have gone to bars multiple times and I take a hit or two before I go in and a hit or two after and I am completely fine being around smokers and while drinking I have no desire to step out and vape or smoke. If I do step outside with someone, 2 hits and I am good. I take less breaks during the day to vape than I did to smoke. I have a kit that measures the number of puffs and you can set the hit strength, so once I go to 0 nicotine, I will then start limiting the puffs per day.

 

 

From everything I have seen obviously it is not 'healthy', but there are a lot less chemicals, my lung capacity is much better and the cravings like I had with the patch or cold turkey are not there. The thing I think that works is the habit of stepping away and taking a break was what was killing me. When I was on the patch I would get antsy because I didn't have any activity to replace the smoke break and action of smoking.

 

 

It's hard to explain, but as soon as I started doing it I had no desire to smoke a cigarette again. The flavors are good and more satisfying and taking one or two hits was enough for me as opposed to smoking 2-3 cigarettes during a break at times.

 

 

I suggest getting a good kit though, because it allows you to set the level to where you are satisfied and then you can decrease that over time as well. Replacing the action of smoking especially when I am stressed was the major thing for me and I think where I failed in other attempts was I had nothing to fill the void of the action of smoking and the fact that I find I feel I "need" to do it less is another good thing. It's a lot cheaper too because $7 a day for a pack of cigarettes ended up being $14 a day because I would buy other stuff along with it. I just got 240 ml of the liquid for $30 and that will last me probably close to 2 months.

 

 

I'm starting to work out again and expect I won't have to worry about the negative mental impact of slipping and smoking half a pack one night at the bar and then working out the next day feeling like crap, so that is a plus as well.

 

 

I had tried everything too and always slipped back so easily every time. This is the only thing where I felt it was sustainable and at the same time I don't feel I am getting too "hooked" on vaping where I can't cut it down quickly and I am not just replacing one bad habit for another one permanently.

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Hi OP...

 

I've quit 3 major (major, meaning I quit and stayed that way for 5 years or so) times.

 

1st time- I had to have major surgery so just put them down. No withdrawals.

 

2nd time- My SO quit and I could not handle him having one over on me (lol we were always in competition). Radical withdrawal, used the patch, lowest one with the least nicotine and cut them in halves and quarters because my system was was very sensitive.

 

3rd time (and last)- It was either food or cigs as my stomach said I was done.. I chose food lol. I used patches again.

 

Each time I started after quitting ... I was only going to have one cig. Also each time I quit my head was ready for it, so that made it a little easier. There were many attempts during these times and had to start again because I simply was not ready- you will know when it's time- oh and I was big time addicted, cigs were my friends lol.

 

I can guarantee you that if you are this far, meaning starting threads with the desire of quitting, YOU WILL DO IT. I know this for fact, so get ready ...

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  • 3 weeks later...

Vaping for sure. I've tried a few different types of vape pens, the box ones don't do it for me. I've been using the MarkTen vapor sticks lately. They are affordable, the website gives great coupons and the stick is thin like a cigarette, so when I hold it it feels like I'm holding a cig. I also like the vape because you can slowly cut down the amt of nicotine in the cartridge to where like another poster said, you are no longer putting nicotine in your body and it's just the pychological thoughts of "smoking" which will make it easier to use the vape pen less and less.

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it's been three years to-the-day since I quit smoking. I feel great

 

No doubt about feeling great man. Plus all the savings youve made instead of giving it to tabacco companies lol

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