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trying to quit smoking


nechee

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I am trying to quit smoking and not doing a good job. I tried cold turkey and I became a mean and nasty B with a capital ITCH. I tried cutting back and I just ended up smoking as much as I did before if not more. I have been a 1 - 2 pack a day smoker since I was a young teenager and I am in my thirties now. I would love any tips that anyone could have for me. I am driving my family crazy. Thanks in advance.

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ooooooooooooooooooo hard to do!!!

I did the cut back and stop thing but havent yet got to the stop bit :)

but i only ever smoked 10 a day so not as hard...i'm down to 7 a day....one 50 pack a week...thing is...i dont actually WANT to stop which makes it harder...i'll keep going though and see if i can do it....thats a mini something every week if i succeed with the extra money ;)

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i hear you.

i smoked 3 packages per day and only recently managed to reduce this to two packages per day.

have been struggeling to quit smoking for many, many years.

once i stopped for four years but started again.

i have smoked for 35 years now.

and could have payed my mortgage from what smoking has cost me.

when i try to quit my children usually beg me within a day to start smoking again.

i can get along with most people, but when i do not smoke i seem to change in pure evil.

though i know i should not let myself go like that, it seems i cannot help myself.

in a few weeks stopping attempt nr. 23860 is scheduled.

i will keep my fingers crossed for you, please do the same for me.

addiction is a b....

my tip: there seems to be a pill that reduces side effects to allmost zero.

unfortunately, i can't use that medication.

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I dont smoke so i dont have any advise on how to best quit. but just wanted to put in my encouragement for you. My mom has smoked since i was young, and i have lost an aunt and an uncle to smoking. Have you checked with your doctor to see what is available out there to help you?

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I,too am a smoker..Used to smoke 1 1/2 pks a day..and realised I was wasting

more than I was smoking.I'd light up,put the cigareete down and walk away.When

I came back I'd have to light up again.I probably smoked a good pack a day.

I realised when I was sick I never even thought of smoking-until I started feeling better so I decided that maybe it was a psychological addiction rather than a physical

one.I started taking longer and longer breaks inbetween cigarettes and now I smoke between 1 or 2 cigarettes a day.Honestly-I do not want to quit and am happy with

the couple I enjoy everyday. :)

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On September 17th, I have been smoke free for 10 months. If you have been here on the forums for any length of time, you KNOW that I have been really struggling to quit.

I did have the luxury of having back surgery (LOL) so that I could NOT go to the store and buy. I had to just give up and do it.

-First, Decide what day you are going to quit, because that morning you should have no supplies.

-Get thee to the pharmacy. Pick up a nicotine replacement item. Either gum, lozenges, or the patch. I used the patch and it worked great.

-Get something that is going to occupy those cravings. I used sugar free bubble gum. The soft kind so that it would not hurt my jaw. Every time I got the urge to smoke, I would put a new stick of gum in my mouth. I noticed as the weeks went by, I chewed less and less.

-Find a project for your hands. Deb sent me some half scale and even small scale houses to work on. (i really need to finish those!)

- The night before you go to bed and have your last ciggy..throw away everything that is going to make you want to smoke. Ashtrays, things you use for ashtrays, butts in the yard, lighters, the container you put your cigs in, if you roll your own..give away the machine. Most of all, no matter how many cigs are in that pack when you smoke your last one...get rid of them. Rip them up, cover them in water, pour ketchup on them. If you have left over tobacco and sleeves..same thing.

-Then just endure it. Do not run to the store. Do not get one from the neighbor. Do not beg. Just give in to the biotchiness. I targeted Fred. I did not yell at Natalie and Chelsea was in Tennessee at the time. So if you love your spouse and they love you..tell them to just take it like a man (or woman). Fred did and I am not smoking to this day. Bring your gum with you where ever you go.

- After about 3 days (with your nicotine replacement) you will notice it gets a little easier. You are not swearing as much at the dog.

I hope this helps...Otherwise, I can come to your house and break your kneecaps. Then you wont be able to go and buy any..LOL

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Try Tootsie Roll Pops (if you have good teeth, that is :p ) - the act of reaching up to grab the sucker stick seems to trick the mind as it sort of replicates the "act" of smoking (hand-to-mouth)

And as Heidi said - keep those hands BUSY! I think I could have knocked out a WalMart single-handedly in those first 3 weeks when I quit some years back. Sadly, I was only successful for about 5 months and then some minor crisis appeared, and I was right back at it. :p ;)

Hang in there! I wish you all the luck in the world...it is a tough, tough habit to break.

I applaud you, Heidi, on your tenacity and will power! :) WTG!

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Way to go, Heidi! :wave:

I've never smoked, but I'm a shopaholic and foodaholic. I gave up soda pop a month ago, particularly diet Mountain Dew. I had made the resolution to quit, but had a bunch of 2 liter bottles, so I was going to quit when they were gone. Then I got reading Master Your Metabolism and learned that most soda pop contains either sodium and/or potassium benzoate, which if combined with citric acid (vitamin C) creates benzene, a known carcinogen, and worse- an industrial solvent! Diet Dew has all 3 ingredients. I looked up from the book and over to my glass of diet Dew, about 2.5 inches remaining, and went and poured it down the drain.

I'd refrain from smoking (if you absolutely must) with the other smokers while your doing this, so smoking ceases to have a social component.

Practice meditation. People say smoking relaxes them, but it's really just the craving being placated. Play soothing music. Pamper yourself when you hit milestones.

I've been actively trying to lose weight for 3 months now, reading everything I can lay hand to to help me succeed, and a lot of the concepts seem equally applicable to any addiction.

* If you know someone shares the same compulsion, don't hang out with them while you're trying to get on track.

*Giving into to a craving only makes the next one all the stronger.

*Tell yourself you'll be happier in the long run if you don't give in.

*Don't place yourself in situations known to trigger the impulse.

*If you falter, don't give up.

*No self condemnation.

And above all, think how much more money for minis you'll have! Perhaps you should choose a special house or accessory to reward yourself as an incentive.

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All great suggestions Heidi! However I've determined it's impossible to quit smoking :cheer: Actually i was helped quite a bit by calling a quit line, they offered free logenges, which were VERY helpful, and they called regularly and that helped keep me on track. unfortunately after a month, i broke down and had 'just one' , and I'm back to smoking just as much as i ever was :wave: . I facilitate an addiction recovery group and even though I've been unable SO FAR to apply it to my cigarette addiction one thing i know is true: keep trying, for most people it takes several tries, I'm not a failure or bad person for not being able to quit YET --- good luck! i sure know how hard it is, but NOT impossible

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I quit smoking in august of last year. It was not the first time I quit but I believe it was the last time. Before I quit I rolled my own for awhile, only one at a time, only when I needed one. It was inconvenient enough to make me cut way down, and I had to think about it every time I smoked one.

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