Quitting Smoking

Big Mike · Feb 22, 2006

My Wife is trying to quit again...thank goodness.

She uses the patch, she tried the gum but didn't like it.

Dweller has good advice, it's the 'bad days' that get you. You can stop yourself from smoking on the good days...but on a bad day you say "I'll just have one"...next thing you know, you've bought a pack and are back on the wagon.

jocose · Feb 22, 2006

Rob said:
"Gain wait" ???? ????? From you??? :stun:

Tut tut.

Rob

EEK. I fixed it....thanks.

mygrain · Feb 22, 2006

Good luck! I'm trying to quit smoking as well.

Fate · Feb 22, 2006

keep it up man

it will be worth it im sure..... and you can spend the money you save on camera stuff!

Mohain · Feb 22, 2006

Stick with it. Just remember one thing, no matter what, don't ever have a cigarette (or cigar) again. No matter what excuse.

I will be completly nicotine free for my 3rd year this May. I went cold turkey too. Tried patches, gum, etc and I was on and off for 2 years. I am now soooooo glad I'm free of the slavery to that bloody weed.

I found the first 2 weeks absolute hell, then it seemed to get a bit easier, but this is the time when your guard is down! Don't let the nicotene monster trick you!!! It gets considerably easier after the first 3 to 4 months I recon.

I thought it best to treat it like alcoholism, you can't have just one drink as it will lead to other. A total and utter abstinence of all nicotine related substances. I also thought of the additction like an going battle of me against 'him'. I can't let 'him' win as it's obvious I'm better than him. He will play dirty but I'm not so stupid that I cant see his tricks :greenpbl:

Another hurdle was the pub. An evening in the pub felt like the first day of giving up again! But it's a hurdle you have to get over at some point.

Anyway I'm starting to ramble like a mad man now :drunk:

Good luck, stick with it, you wont regret it

Mohain

macawlvr · Feb 22, 2006

My husband (Dave aka Jello) and myself quit cold turkey 4 years ago this last October. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life. We both used Zyban for the first 2 weeks..it kept us calm enough so we wouldn't take a gun to each other.

I was a smoker for 30 years..and I thank God everyday that he gave us both the strength to get through it.
You have to change your habits... If you get nervous and the first thing you did was light up a smoke, go outside or somewhere that is different and start doing deep breathing..and concentrate on that only.
If you got bored and needed a smoke..find something to do with your hands..I've even heard of men starting to knit or crochet or paint by number.
The idea is to find a replacement for that smoke...FOOD is NOT the replacement..
Exercise, breathe and take it one minute at a time till maybe a hour goes by and you don't think of smoking..SOON a day will go by and then weeks..
I will keep you in my prayers that you will become healthier, non-smoking person..

Trish

sfaribault · Feb 22, 2006

Big Mike said:
My Wife is trying to quit again...thank goodness.

She uses the patch, she tried the gum but didn't like it.

Dweller has good advice, it's the 'bad days' that get you. You can stop yourself from smoking on the good days...but on a bad day you say "I'll just have one"...next thing you know, you've bought a pack and are back on the wagon.

Yep, The longest I have quit was 6 months....

Steve

mentos_007 · Feb 22, 2006

I gave up! I haven't touched cigarettes for more than a year now!!! (exactly 1 year a month and 23 days!!!!) hoooray! hard times... don't go to pubs to often...

MommyOf4Boys · Feb 22, 2006

Smoke free for about a year - it was a bit easier for me..found out i was pregnant, the cigarettes made me sick to my stomach, so i quit..I crave them so badly now because my husband still smokes, but I try to be strong.

hobbes28 · Feb 22, 2006

Smoke free for about a year and a half after sixteen years of it. Alison actually gave me the best advice for when I had the cravings. Just tell yourself every morning, "I'm not a smoker today." I still don't consider myself to be a non-smoker, just a smoker that isn't smoking. It makes it easier for me to manage.

Best of luck. I know it can be done.

Alison · Feb 22, 2006

Just wanted to offer my support as well. My father quit smoking after almost 40 years and has been smoke free for about 7 now. He used Zyban and never looked back. Like Aubrey said, take it a day at a time and it seems easier.

mysteryscribe · Feb 22, 2006

I stopped ten minutes before my last heart attack eight years ago. The secret....five days in a hospital a to break the worst of it.... a wife who cried constantly.... a teenaged daughter who knew everything about everything.... and the sudden rise in the cost of cigarettes.

Other than that it was easy.....Missed them most when I tried to write.

ChopstickHero · Feb 22, 2006

i quit in august 2005. cold turkey... after 8 yrs.

mentos_007 · Feb 23, 2006

what does it mean "cold turkey" ??? huh? from the context I can only guess that you give up "rapidly" yep? just say "no" and that's it?

Rob · Feb 23, 2006

mentos_007 said:
what does it mean "cold turkey" ??? huh? from the context I can only guess that you give up "rapidly" yep? just say "no" and that's it?

Yes

Wanna know more: http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_269.html

Rob