I quit smoking

[Theres-a]

Whew!Day 6 for me,I'm very encouraged by others experiences here at DU,please share any and all thoughts and experience.Thanks!

[Walt Starr]

1. It'll get better every day from here on

The first 72 hours is the toughest.

I quit cold turkey in 1999.

[Theres-a]

21. Cold turkey!

I hope I can do it with a patch.This is my third try.Always with a patch,too.I can't imagine cold turkey,you brave soul!

[Walt Starr]

28. I tried nicotine gum and all sorts of products many times

I found the only way to quit without returning to it was to go cold turkey, at least for me.

The first 72 hours were pure hell. After that the next year was pretty bad, but I stuck to my guns.

To this day I still find the oral fixation a bit problematic. I smoke an occasional cigar( 20 in a year at most), but no cigarettes since that day.

[Seabiscuit]

37. I had exactly the same experience. Went cold turkey 6+ months ago

after my first son was born last September after many years of gum, then patches (which really just perpetuated the addiction), then hypnotism (which got me to suddenly drop from two packs/day to half a pack a day - but that was four years ago, and I was stuck on counting out my 10 cigs/day for four years) and nothing really worked until the baby arrived and the reality of my mortality smacked me upside the face, so I quit cold turkey. It sucked, but it was worth it. By now I feel healthy again for the first time in almost 39 years.

[purr]

34. I'm doing it cold turkey this time

Been smoke free since thursday... Still irritable!!

[harlinchi]

2. Good luck!

I hope to join your ranks shortly...

[Theres-a]

9. Thanks! Welcome to DU!

[flamin lib]

15. I quit using an aid.

Back in the 80's there was a tool over the counter that looked like a cigarette. It had a filter that was saturated in nicotine. "Smokeing" it like a cigarette gave me the nicotine to kill the craving.

Taking nicotine via lung gives an immediate spike in blood level, patches and gum build slowly and don't give the immediate high.

The key for me was that I could take only one hit to ease the craving instead of smoking a whole cigarette. Besides, I felt really stupid sucking on a little plastic tube--it illustrated the power of the adiction over me which helped keep me motivated. I also put it in inconvienient places, not the places I used to carry my smokes.

Gradually I was able to break both the chemical addiction and the mechanical habits that make up the behavior of smoking. It took a month or so to stop using the tool and a very long time to get past the mechanical aspects. For the next year every time I came to a stop sign I would reach up to my shirt pocket where I carried my smokes for 20 years.

There is an identical aid available now by prescription.

[freedom_to_read]

3. it only gets easier

Trust me, you will have tough moments, but it just gets easier and easier. Pretty soon, you'll be asking yourself, "How did I ever smoke those disgusting things?"

I smoked for almost 14 years, and tried and tried and tried to quit. Finally I just asked myself, "Do you really want to be smoking for the rest of your life?" And when I looked into my heart and realized the answer was "No effing way," it became a lot easier to give it up. Every time I was tempted I just told myself, "no effin way."

I'm 15 months "smober" and I never looked back. Stay strong!

[nono]

4. Cold Turkey

After about 50 years.

[Theres-a]

22. How 'd you do it?

That's amazing,50 years.

[doodadem]

5. I quit back before there was a patch

and when I was still getting free cigarettes as a Philip Morris employee. What helped me more than anything was that I started running at the same time.
Endorphins + able to draw a full breath = powerful motivation.

[burythehatchet]

36. that's an oft overlooked factor

daily exercise is a great tool to help quit.

[Cats Against Frist]

6. I "quit" in September

which means I got a prescription for Wellbutrin and it takes away my cravings -- so that I only want to smoke 2-3 cigarettes a day. So I decided that I was happy with that, at least for a while. I'll probably quit, for real, someday.

[flamin lib]

7. Congratulations.

By now you are past the worst of the chemical withdrawal. It's down hill with the addiction from this point. The next phase is the emotional withdrawal. You just lost your best friend--cigarettes were there when you were nervous, with that first cup of coffee, after a great meal and even after sex. This takes a bit longer to get over. Just remember one thing: smoke a single cigarette and you start all over again as if you never quit. That fact should be enough to get you past the few minutes that a craving lasts.

Good luck.

[progressiveBadger]

8. That's what kills me every time I try to quit

I start to reminisce about having fun while smoking. I need to learn to separate the two things and realize that I wasn't enjoying myself BECAUSE of the smoking, I just happened to smoke when I was having fun.
I'm hoping to quit in two weeks. I'm cutting back every day to prepare for cold turkey.

[slor]

10. Day one for my wife and I...

her dad passed away last week after 4 years of a struggle with diabetes and other ailments. He made her promise to quit, so it is our last gift to him, and ultimately, a gift to each other.

[Theres-a]

17. We quit together,too!

This is my 3rd time,it's hubby's first.This is the easiest I've ever had it,because now I have someone to talk with who knows exactly how I feel.It's also helping me to get feedback here on DU.There's strength in numbers,I think.

[candy]

11. I still smoke and don't plan on quitting anytime soon.

[Theres-a]

19. I used to say " I'll have an ashtray in my coffin!"

Recently a young coworker told me I should quit smoking.I replied, "What for?So I can live long enough to be a greeter at Wal-Mart?"}(

[Warpy]

12. Good job! You're past the detox period of 3 days

and all that nasty nicotine is out of your system. Now you're just fighting the habit that has you grope for a pack of butts every time you sit down with a cup of coffee.

If you live anywhere near a herb store or health food store that stocks a lot of herbs, try finding whole licorice root. It's the right size and shape and has a mildly sweet flavor (no, it doesn't taste like licorice) when you stick it in your mouth. People may stare if you chesw it in public, but you'll get used to that. Lots of my friends who have quit smoking have said that the licorice root helped them through that "habit" part of the addiction.

One caveat: chewing up 10 of them a day can raise your blood pressure, so be as gentle as you can.

It's cheaper than gum and it won't pack the pounds on.

[Theres-a]

20. Well,to be honest...

I have a patch on.However,I don't mind,because the mental habit is hard enough without the physical withdrawl.Anyway,even the high dose patch is way less nicotine than 2 packs a day,so there is a withdrawl factor.

[Ironpost]

13. August 14, 1977

Cold turkey. A friend told me how he quite so I tried it and it worked and it was easy. Keep a pack of cigarettes or whatever you indulge in handy. The next time you get an urge to light up simply tell yourself you will wait until the next urge. Don't dwell on it and soon you will forget about needing a fix. In three days I was going three to four hours between urges, thats when I knew I would never smoke cigarettes again.

on edit: I occasionally catch myself reaching for a pack in my shirt pocket and it goes to reinforce my commitment.

[flamin lib]

18. I found it easier to quit with an unopened pack of cigs handy.

To be without access to them set up a panicky feeling which exacerbated the craving. I was able to keep from breaking the seal by using my little plastic nicotine dispenser. Finally I was able to throw them away without feeling any pain at all.

[Theres-a]

23. Well,I guess reaching for them after 6 days must be normal then

If you quit in 77 and still reach once in awhile.

[Ironpost]

26. I believe that is the habit part.

You can do it. As I look back that was a real turning point, that was when I realized I could do anything I set my mind to. Hang in there you'll love the results.

[Taxloss]

14. Six months ago. After 20 a day for 7 years.

I was edgy for a couple of weeks, then fine. Best decision I ever made.

[TWiley]

16. Rule 1. Do not take anything too seriously.

Rule 2. Do not blame cigarettes for the way you feel. Doing so fosters belief that having one will "fix" you. Just accept the way you feel as being exactly that. And for no apparent reason either.

Rule 3. Do not smoke no matter what. The anxiety causing event that fueled the compulsion to smoke will still be there after you light up.

[Huckebein the Raven]

24. About 4 years ago

[MamaBear]

25. If you can, vary your other habits.

I used to smoke heavily at home in the evening, so I moved the TV to another room, sat in a different chair, bought a few videos that I could watch more than once, and took up knitting. That helped me get through the most difficult part of my day. One blanket and two shawls later, I was free of them, and that quit lasted for five years.

This past time, I got through my first day and a half while hospitalized. This quit has lasted for three years (in a couple of weeks).

For me, it was a matter of reminding myself that I wanted to be a non-smoker more than I wanted to smoke. There are times when I want one, but where I live there's no smoking in public places, and that made a big difference.

Good luck.

[Pacifist Patriot]

27. Congratulations and good luck!

[miss_kitty]

29. I stopped, cold turkey, on 26 Feb 1998

at 7:30 am. But who's counting? It was hard, and i still want one or more often. I just don't have one. Not even a drag.

Good Luck! :hi:

[kwassa]

30. I quit in 1984 after 14 years of 2+ packs of Marlboros a day ....

I tried cold turkey and failed, repeatedly.

So, I invented my own method. I gradually cut back to cigarettes I absolutely craved, which dropped it to about 6 or 7 a day, then gradually cut back from that. I was down to one cigarette a day for a couple of months. Finally, I quit altogether, but kept an unopened pack of Marlboros in a drawer in the kitchen. I gave myself permission to have a cigarette if I really, really wanted one. I never opened the pack, and threw it away after a couple of months.

The good part of my method is that, because I gradually reduced the amount of nicotine, I had absolutely no cravings at all after I quit. In fact, after a couple of weeks, I forgot that I was ever a smoker, until I forced myself to remember. Cigarette smoke is repulsive to me now, and I used to love it.

Anyways, I don't know anyone who quit the way I did, but it sure worked for me.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

31. Well done and keep it up! Your lungs will be better for it.

I quit in March 1999.

[RetroLounge]

32. Cold Turkey 2 weeks ago

My wife quit too, but with the patch.

I also changed my diet some, and started taking walks twice a day.

I've actually lost 5 lbs since quiting smoking...

RL

[Theres-a]

33. I'm supposed to be walking right now...I think I found 5 pounds.

My husband quit,too.We're both on patches.Ok, I'm going for my walk now.Thanks for the reminder!

[Theres-a]

35. 49 people quit on the daytime poll...

[Theres-a]

38. Hey!There's a DU Group for smoking cessation!

[Theres-a]

40. But it's pretty slow moving,so,I'll kick this one again.

[imenja]

39. Good job everyone! Keep it up!

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:



Lung cancer is a terrible disease. Having seen a loved one die of it, I wouldn't wish that kind of pain on my worst enemy. Keep up the hard work! You'll be glad you quit.

[mark414]

41. technically never

i pick it up every now and again, but a lot of people hate me for that

see, i can smoke regularly for long periods of time and then quit, cold turkey, no problem; i don't know what it is :shrug:

the longest i've ever gone is almost 5 months (of smoking daily) but i was still able to quit cold turkey and i can go months without one; i haven't had one in a month and a half after a 10 week binge

:shrug:

[Theres-a]

42. I don't hate you,I'm like that with gambling

We all have our thing.I see people who buy tons of scratch-off lottery tickets in line at the gas station.I probably buy 10 a year.But cigarettes,one's too many and a thousand is not enough!It's been a whole week now,though.