quitting smoking tips?

**Sara Noel** · 12-28-2007, 08:37 PM

Many folks attempt to quit smoking as a new year's resolution. If you were a smoker and quit, share some tips that helped you.

**bumplett** · 12-28-2007, 09:20 PM

sometimes, you just have to do what you just have to do -

* sunflower seeds are your friend.
* water is your friend.

* one last cigarette is NOT your friend, no matter how suductive the call.

**PrairieRose** · 12-28-2007, 11:58 PM

These are from Gripey;

You have to be completely ready to do it for yourself, not because someone else wants you to do it.

Take it one day at a time, smoking no cigarettes. Don't give into the urge.

**bumplett** · 12-29-2007, 12:06 AM

Originally Posted by PrairieRose

These are from Gripey;

You have to be completely ready to do it for yourself, not because someone else wants you to do it.

Take it one day at a time, smoking no cigarettes. Don't give into the urge.

I think that's exactly it!!!

If you aren't doing if for yourself, because you want something better for YOU, it's not going to work.

Otherwise, something will always happen to send you back again -

it's a very difficult addiction to break, but that's all it is, an addiction - and who really wants something to have that much control over them?

**Neeley** · 12-29-2007, 12:12 AM

I wil be 4 years smoke free on January 4th. For me going cold turkey worked.

It was not a planned event, just something that happened courtesy of a bad cold and me being too lazy to get my cigarettes out of my truck. After a couple of days of having a cold and not smoking I figured I was over one big hurdle and would give quitting a try. I just started taking it one day at a time. Made mini goals - going one week w/o smoking, then two, one month, then one year. The mini-goals were what got me through for the most part.

I also am well aware that I am only one drag of a cigarette away from being a pack a day smoker again. So, I refuse to take that one drag or even touch a cigarette.

**closedpurse** · 12-29-2007, 03:44 AM

I live in the UK and they are really huge on people giving up smoking. So we are lucky in that we can get products free through our doctors.

I tried everything, patches, gums, will power etc, but had and still have a big psychological addiction to the ghastly stuff.

In the end I begged my doctor for Zyban, which works on the brain and for some reason stops you wanting to smoke. It really works but I appreciate that if you have to pay for it, it may be impossible for some.

**AmyMCGS** · 12-29-2007, 09:51 AM

A friend of mine recently took weekly classes, with the reward at the end being one month of FREE Chantix. (Chantix, if I'm spelling it right, is a stop smoking pill that costs around $115 per month even if you have insurance.) It would be worth checking around your local hospitals to see if they have a similar program.

**cab54** · 12-29-2007, 10:20 AM

Cold Turkey. Wanting to start a family and not do damage to unborn fetuses.

**Squirt** · 12-29-2007, 10:27 AM

I did things a little differently. One day when I decided I was tired of the habit, I told my friends at work that I'm quitting and that they should never lend me a cigarette again, even if I begged for one. One of my coworkers took my pack of smokes and threw it away (waving it over the trash can for a while to taunt me.) That kept me from smoking where I smoked the most- on break with other smokers.

After 4 months, a friend threw a cigarette at me while we were having a beer. I sat staring at it for a while, wondering if one cigarette would make me a smoker again or if I could just have one now and then when I pleased. Contrary to all the hype, it is true. You CAN have an occasional smoke without wanting more and more. The really nice thing is that I found myself doing it very infrequently (only when drinking) and that they became less enjoyable. I no longer have that fear of becoming addicted to them if I sneak just one. And it also turns out that I don't really like them at all anymore.

I think it really doesn't help people to believe that smoking has such a hold on them. The very thought of addiction must be a large percentage of the grip smoking has on people. This is my opinion only, and comes from my experience, so perhaps it's worthless. Never the less, I'm proof that it doesn't only work one way.

**Sara Noel** · 12-29-2007, 12:09 PM

Any tips for fighting the urge/cravings?
I've heard people use straws and hold them.

**bumplett** · 12-29-2007, 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by Sara Noel

Any tips for fighting the urge/cravings?
I've heard people use straws and hold them.

~ water, water, water - lots of water
~ sucking on sunflower seeds
~ stay away from red meat in the beginning
~ breath deeply when the urge strikes - it will pass in about 5 minutes.
~ keep a journal - write every time the urge strikes

**bumplett** · 12-29-2007, 12:19 PM

~ exercise (every day if possible)

~ when I first stopped, I wouldn't allow myself to go INside the gas station - I had to find a pay-at-the-pump station if I needed gas.
I also didn't go into any store that sold cigarettes for the first few weeks.

Target is a safe bet - they do not sell cigarettes.

**ladykemma2** · 12-29-2007, 02:35 PM

cold turkey. resist - the urge will pass in five minutes. 3 days of hell and you will be through the withdrawal. I used the AA principles and just quit 5 mintes at a time.

**Squirt** · 12-29-2007, 02:48 PM

I stopped going to break with my coworkers who smoked. We had an indoor "smoking" lunchroom at the time, so I decided to forgo socializing for a while in order to not be led into temptation. It worked quite well.

**shoiji** · 12-29-2007, 03:54 PM

I will try to post again.

I ended up using Chantix and the Quitnet website. It took me three tries but I finally did it. Walking, the website, eating sunflower seeds with shell non-stop (felt like a squirrel) seemed to also help.

Knowing I don't smell and the more money side really helps alot. Still know I have to be careful to never start up again. That is what did me in the last time.