48 replies to this topic

[Riku]

Has anyone ever quit smoking before? I'm on day 3 and while the cravings are getting less frequent, they feel more intense. I made it through work today without wanting to kill anyone (I'm a teacher), so that must be a good sign, right?

 

Ugh this suuuuuucks but I'm so sick of not being able to breathe. Plus it's pretty embarrassing since I've attempted to quit a few times and having my boyfriend see me fail each time didn't feel good.

 

Any motivational stories maybe?

[numix27]

good luck!!
i´ve been smoking for the last years and tried 3 times to quit. I take a chance when i get a bad cold, when smoking doesn´t feel good...
But a tip, drink a lot of water, i´ve heard it helps a lot!

[Riku]

I've heard vaping helps quitting, you might want to look into that

 

I didn't have any success with that . The vapor burned my mouth and I couldn't fully inhale any of it without coughing like crazy. I tried a few different brands and liquids but I had the same reaction every time. I think I'm allergic to the chemical in the liquid.

 

good luck!!
i´ve been smoking for the last years and tried 3 times to quit. I take a chance when i get a bad cold, when smoking doesn´t feel good...
But a tip, drink a lot of water, i´ve heard it helps a lot!

 

Thanks for the tip!

[Rocket]

I'm not a smoker, but I hear it's tough to quit cold turkey. Best of luck to you, stay strong.

[NapisaurusRex]

I smoked from 13-23 and then quit. I quit by working my ass off, non-stop, literally keeping my mind off of it. Whenever I wanted one and I wasn't in something that needed all of my attention, I got on the floor and did pushups. Drink LOADS of water, with a straw, if you can. Quitting smoking is harder than quitting meth for realz. Just reach deep and pull out the willpower and don't make big decisions this week.

[Keil]

As a smoker from 14 to like last year, studying psychiatry won't help someone get over an addiction. The only way to get over it is to be strung into another addiction and hope it isn't worse than the first. I got addicted to chewing on Hi Chews for most of the day. 

[Nymh]

I traded smoking for vaping.

 

My motivational tip is more pragmatism than motivation.  You have to want to quit.  If you don't, you won't.

[Kaddict]

Good for you! Keep it up! I hear cinnamon flavored things (not just candy, toothpaste and stuff too) is really helpful. Just take it a day at a time.

[redlion]

Good for you! Keep it up! I hear cinnamon flavored things (not just candy, toothpaste and stuff too) is really helpful. Just take it a day at a time.

In this vein, I've heard that for many folks the smoking fix is both chemical (the nicotine) as well as behavioral (the action) which makes quitting a war with at least two fronts.

What I'm trying to say is, you might try chewing on a straw, or gum, or whatever oral fixation you can think of to help. The action of working your jaw. Can't remember why I know this...

[Kaddict]

In this vein, I've heard that for many folks the smoking fix is both chemical (the nicotine) as well as behavioral (the action) which makes quitting a war with at least two fronts.

What I'm trying to say is, you might try chewing on a straw, or gum, or whatever oral fixation you can think of to help. The action of working your jaw. Can't remember why I know this...

It is true. But the problem is that by doing this lots of people give up one addiction for another. Lots of people turn to food and gain lots of weight. Gum/straw chewing is better for that reason. Just don't go overboard. But seriously, good for you @Riku for quitting! It is tough but totally worth it.

[Padme]

A lot of people here (Canada) get prescribed a medication (champex? idk) to help them quit. Tons of people I know swear by it.

[Lightsora65]

Well I am also smoking since 2011.I don´t really want to stop but I also haad these moment where i wanted to stop. All I did was look at a mirror each time I was about to smoke. It sounds really strange but it really helped alot

[Ali]

I smoked from about 15 to my early 20s. To be honest, I just decided to stop and that was that. I occasionally still have the odd cigarette about 5 years later but it's a few a year, if that. I'm worse when I'm in France compared to London.

[Emily]

Vaping didn't really help me. Vaping just had me doing both. I got rid of my vape anyway because it stopped working, but I didn't really use it. I'll quit occasionally for a month or so and feel completely fine, no urges or anything, then a dumb friend will offer me one. 

[Chuuya]

my friend tried to quit but she had really bad cravings, she would start to tremble and get really bad head aches

 

she did try the electric cigarette, and started to use the less and less nicotine,

 

idk though I don't smoke, so goodluck 

[talbs]

TIL that people actually still smoke.

 

But in all seriousness, growing up in an area where tobacco was once the chief export, I am legitimately surprised when I see people smoking. It seems like use has been on the sharp decline over the last decade or so, which I suppose is a good thing. I have never understood the appeal of cigarettes.

 

EDIT: Included a graph, for science.

 

Edited by talbs, 04 June 2015 - 04:24 AM.

[danibanani]

You're braver than I. I only quit once, for 7 months and stupidly started again and now can't seem to shake it. I wish you good luck on becoming smoke free! 

[Cyo]

Try to associate it with something unpleasant whenever you go for a smoke. E.g. I started rolling my own and since my fingers aren't so dexterous I tended to get pretty frustrated whenever I had to roll one when wanting to light up.

 

After a while I started to get better with rolling but the initial feelings of frustration lingered and when I ran out of tobacco I was just like "fuck it".

 

Had my last cig about a month ago, was a smoker during 14-16 and then quit cold turkey until I turned 18 when I picked the habit up again. The last two years have been about a pack-pack and a half per day.

 

But tbh, the biggest motivator is to actually want to quit. I quit mostly because of my girlfriend and me wanting to live longer so we could bang more.

Spoiler

tbh I still crave cigarettes all the time because I liked the activity itself, so there's that. Just gotta man up and say no.

[Emily]

When I found out I was pregnant with Paisley I quit cold turkey. Had a year and a half of not smoking before I gave in ONE time and spiralled downwards immediately after. Now I have to try and force myself to quit again but it's not as easy because I don't really have a reason this time. 

 

Stop or I'll hunt you down.

 

(There's a reason. Did I sound scary?)

[Emily]

No. I am smoking a whole pack back to back right now just waiting for a visit from ma bestie.

*mumbles* I'm never scary.

[NapisaurusRex]

I forgot, the other thing that helped me quit was St Johns Wort. It helped with the bitchy napi side of it. (but don't take it if you're takin anti depressants or pain meds or anything)

[Riku]

A lot of people here (Canada) get prescribed a medication (champex? idk) to help them quit. Tons of people I know swear by it.

 

Chantix? My doctor wanted me to try that but thanks to the American health care system, I wouldn't be able to afford the prescriptions.

 

TIL that people actually still smoke.

 

But in all seriousness, growing up in an area where tobacco was once the chief export, I am legitimately surprised when I see people smoking. It seems like use has been on the sharp decline over the last decade or so, which I suppose is a good thing. I have never understood the appeal of cigarettes.

 

EDIT: Included a graph, for science.

 

 

Yeah there really is no "appeal" per se. For whatever reason, you just start smoking and then your brain creates an imaginary appeal and dependence. I kind of screwed myself over by using cigarettes to cope with anxiety for a while in the beginning.

 

When I found out I was pregnant with Paisley I quit cold turkey. Had a year and a half of not smoking before I gave in ONE time and spiralled downwards immediately after. Now I have to try and force myself to quit again but it's not as easy because I don't really have a reason this time. 

 

Resisting the urge afterward is something I'm afraid of. I have a lot of friends who smoke