OT: Quitting Smoking

[Bazarov]

Any idears suggestions, or have any of you been through this before.  I came down with the flu on sunday and havent been able to smoke a stoggie seince so I decided now could be a good time to quite, I am already getting dizzy and anxious and think about weither i should quit or not all the time.  If any of you have been through this how long do these horrible urges and secound guessing last.  And whats the best way to counter act them. Thanks guys.




When the going gets weird the weird turn pro - Hunter S Thompson

[The Conqueroo]

"More People Die Of Smoking Each Year Than From War in vietnam!!"-Luanne Platter:"King of the Hill"."Feline Aids Kills More Domestic Cats Than Sars!!"-Debbie Downer(Rachel Draitch):Saturday Night Live.

[Ash]

I quit smoking cigarettes twice.
The main thing is to make yourself believe that smoking is the most disgusting thing ever.

I even quit for one month while working in a tobacco store.
That took some serious willpower but I did it.
When I worked there, I smoked so much because I could...it was a tobacco shop.  You could light up anytime you wanted on the job.  I eventually got to the point that I smoked so much, I burned out on them big time.  I had to quit.

After about a month, the smokes started to call to me from the shelves...
They would say, "Smoke us...you know you want to...tear open our packages, rip one of us open and puff away...doesn't our packaging and the logos on us look so tempting?  Marlboro...Winston...It's easy...you can do it...Smoke us"

They literally surrounded me.

I haven't smoked a cigarette since around December of 2001.
It was then that I switched to cigars and have been smoking them ever since.
Many people tell me that cigars are worse.  Maybe, but I do not crave them like I did cigarettes.
I used to smoke a pack of cigarettes a day.  The craving was always there.
Now I only have one or two cigars a day if any at all.
I smoke the pipe tobacco filled cigars with the plastic tips.
Phillies BlackMax:


But like I said, make yourself HATE smoking with a passion and after a week or two, the cravings will subside.
In my opinion, cold turkey is the only way to do it.
Forget that gum and those patches.  Do it through sheer willpower.  That way, when you do quit for good, you'll feel so much better about it.

I ditched cigarettes for good. (too bad I replaced them with a similar vice)
They absolutely and completely disgust me now.
The secondhand smoke from them smells like s**t and I don't miss the ashy dirt of it all.
Even thinking about smoking one makes me gag.

Now, I have to get motivated to quit cigars.
I think it will take a complete lifestyle change to give them up for good.

[raj]

Just being sick might help you.  I have a friend who used to smoke.  When he had a bad case of the flu he couldn't smoke.  Being miserable with the flu helped him get over the first few days' cravings, then when he got better he decided he didn't need them anymore, especially with the worst part of withdrawal being over.
Good luck.

[odinn7]

I hate to say this but I'm in agreement with Ash about this. He has pointed something out that's definitely a big point...you have to hate cigarettes. I quit on January 7th, 2004 after smoking more than a pack a day for over 20 years. I did it with no problem. I had read articles on what it does to you and had made myself be disgusted by this. I kept that in my mind. After a week, the actual cravings died out. It took almost a month to break the habit part of it...you know, if you're used to smoking while driving or after you eat...breaking that part is the hardest. Once you get over the habit part of it, it's nothing anymore. They talk about nicotine being very addictive...I do not believe this at all. I believe the addictive part is the habit you get into when you smoke. How did I break my habit? I replaced the need for a cigarette with drinking water. It's amazing that not only does it work, but it's good for you too. I went through a couple bottles a day at first and then I didn't need them anymore but I still drink water to try and stay a little healthy.
Ash is also right...Cold turkey...no other way. You can do it, you just need to want to do it.

[The Conqueroo]

"It's Luike an Old Man That I Used To Drink Beer With Once Told Me:'I Quit Smoking and Drinkg About Fifty Years Ago!!It Was The Worst Five Minutes of Mty Life!!'".