Please Help Me Quit Smoking!

[QC]

I have been taking Chantix and it really does work (no side effects except for the bizarre dreams, which I kinda like).

Because of the drug, I have little to no physical craving for nicotine, but we all know that the actual physical addiction is only part of it.

Anyway, tonight marks one week without a cigarette. I am pleased about that, but sometimes I still want a cigarette so bad I can hardly stand it. For some reason, this evening has been especially rough.

So, please share your stories of quitting smoking. How did you stay motivated? What have the rewards been? What pitfalls should I look out for? Any good tricks for helping one to think about something other than how good a ciggie would be right about now? Anything anyone can offer is most sincerely and deeply appreciated. I really want to do it this time.

[Muttocracy]

1. good for you! do you have or want kids?; fun ads

That could be a motivator. I've been seeing billboards with kids saying "I wish I could quit smoking".

I've been anti-smoking my whole life because (a) I am horribly allergic to the smoke and (b) my grandmother died at age 60, mostly due to smoking-related diseases. (b) set off a cascade of bad events between my mom and dad and the rest is an awful history.

On a more fun note, try posting these around your home/office. There are some good impotence ones out there somewhere. And a great "smoking really is glamorous" one I saw as kid with the most disgusting woman on it.

http://adbusters.org/spoofads/tobacco/mb3/

http://adbusters.org/spoofads/tobacco/jc1/

more at http://adbusters.org/spoofads/tobacco/

Good luck.

[SeattleGirl]

2. Congrats to you!

I'm going to talk to my doctor about trying Chantix.

As to what to do now, I'm not real sure. Maybe put on some music and dance around or something, get that "I want a cigarette" feeling out in a positive way.

If you have those feelings during the day, you might go for a walk or something.

Good luck to you, and do your best to stick with it!

[Hobarticus]

3. Took me six times to quit...

When I finally quit, I tried this:

When I just had to have a smoke or I'd go berserk, I'd buy a pack. I'd take out one smoke, then run water over the rest of the pack and throw them away, so that I couldn't have another. If I didn't ruin the rest o fthe pack by saturating it, I knew I'd dig 'em out of the garbage. Availability was the key. If I had them I smoked. And when I got tired of paying full-pack price for a single smoke, I was able to quit.

Stay out of bars, if they're not non-smoking yet where you are. The worst thing you can do for your willpower is to be around other smokers.

Drink A LOT of water. It'll help flush your system as quickly as possible. Withdrawal will come faster, but won't last as long.

It didn't hurt that my mother was dying of COPD at the time. At the end of the day, that was a big part of it. We used to smoke at the table together.

Good luck!

[flvegan]

4. You really want help? Then you come HERE every day, here in the Lounge

and you tell us about your progress.

You gotta own it. If you slip, we'll crucify you. When you succeed we'll praise you.

[Tikki]

5. Cheat the devil....

Get up at a different time...change your routine where you can..
rearrange your furniture in all rooms or even one room...
put a five dollar bill on your night table every night..thumb
through it each morning...see how it adds up...

Actually you are well on your way to cigarette abstinence. You don't
smoke anymore.


I quit four years ago...I was motivated the birth of my first grandchild...
I thought what a great reason to quit...so he'll never see his grandma smoke..



Tikki

[QC]

6. Thanks, everybody!

Love the ideas here. Lots to think about. You are all great!

[Roon]

7. This helped me

101 things to do instead of smoking http://quitsmoking.about.com/od/cravingsandurges/a/101thingstodo.htm

I quit using the patch and going to group. Next month will be three years since I quit.

[madeline_con]

8. Tootsie Rolls and Jolly Ranchers

Both low in fat, but covered the chocolate or fruity cravings. You slowly wean off them later, it's not difficult.

OR, try chewing/sucking on a straw. the oral stimulation helps. Or chew sugarfree gum.

[karmaqueen]

9. I quit in October.

I never thought I could quit, in fact I didn't want to. I ordered 10 cartons at a time from the Indian places on the internet. I loved everything about smoking and felt good so why quit. I talk to a family member every week on the phone & she was desperately trying to quit and needed to for her health, she was on that chantex. I don't know what made me do this but I told her I quit and I would help her. The next week when I was on the phone with her (taking puffs on my cigarette) she announced happily that it had been a week since she quit. Me telling her I quit gave her courage to do it. I felt so guilty for lying I had my last cigarette that night. She knows the story now and we laugh about it. We both find life is much easier without smoking. You don't have to worry about lighters, stinking, burning the house down, just so many things are better. I feel better everyday. I love being a non smoker now, I am very proud. I quit cold turkey and for the first few weeks I was extremely foggy headed, I had trouble concentrating but now my thought process is better, I am much more calm, I sleep better and I can do 3 miles without blinking. Another positive thing is I have much more time and get so much more done without all the cigarette breaks. The main thing is I have found from others I have talked to that quit successfully is to just say "NOPE", Not one puff ever! There is a site about that I looked at for awhile when I first quit, I think on about.com. I hardly ever think about smoking now and when I do it passes real quick. I am thankful I was able to do it and I want to help others quit and feel as good as I do. Good luck to you and if I can help in any way please let me know.

[Skittles]

10. tip for you

smoking cravings, even if you get them often, really don't last long. They don't! TELL YOURSELF THAT. When I figured that out, I found it easier to ride them out.

[BlueIris]

11. Back in the day, meds shut off the cravings for me. But when my "curiosity"

(read: psychological desire for a cigarette) occasionally floated back, I remembered how bad cigarettes tasted after the quality of most American made brands tanked circa 1999. So...focus on how shitty they taste!

[lost-in-nj]

12. Feb. 15 will be a year for me

I am using Welbutrin.... the cravings have died down ALOT
and I don't miss it now even when I do have a craving.
Go to quitnet.com its a support forum with lots of ideas
they have a forum for Chantix users to.
You can read the national threads or find your state forum...
It keeps a tab on your quit, lets you know how many days you've quit how much money you've saved and how many cigarettes you haven't smoked.... that number is scary.
My rewards.... I can go to the gym and not get winded.
I can walk up the hill by my house with no problem
I can sit on an airplane and not freak out about missing a cigarette
come here and post....
some one suggested tootsie rolls
I actually used tootsie pops... best of both worlds. you have the hand to mouth thing going and something in your mouth not to mention they are good..
I think the craving lasts 10-20 minutes if you can do something to get your mind off
the craving it will pass


CONGRATS!!!!!! I'll bet you are feeling better already......

think about it, you'll see

:bounce: :bounce:

lost

[Daisymae97]

13. On September 5th last year

I had a heart attack. I'm 42 years old and have 9 and 6 year old daughters. I was told to quit or die-how's that for motivation? I started taking Chantix, and yes, I had the bizarre dreams too,but it worked. I weaned off the Chantix in just two months, and yes I still get occasional cravings. If I'm at work I call someone and just talk until it passes, if I'm home I've been known to jump in the shower,or since my husband still smokes I will also smell his clothes(they reek) or stick my head in his car(it's disgusting). It's amazing how bad they smell and I can't believe that I ever stunk that bad, but I guess I did LOL. Hang in there, it does get easier. I am now almost 5 months smoke free and it's great.

[Jade Fox]

14. You'll be soo happy you quit.......

It's AMAZING to be able to breath again. Right now you have probably long since forgotten what it is like to breath normally, to have a throat clear of mucus, etc.

Keep going. Not to sound too corny here, but you're worth it!! :)