Help giving up smoking

[oldfox]

iv tried to give up twice and failed and i realy want to give up. i havnt been to a doctor and havnt tried any stop smoking aids i want to quit cold turkey. could someone give me some tips on quitting cold turkey who has gone through this. thanks

[harvey19]

Determination and willpower.

[G51065]

Wish you all the best in your endeavours.

 

I smoked over 40 a day....I tried everything, patches, hypnotism, zyban.

Got closest with zyban, but still went back to smoking two weeks after course finished.

 

I quit cold turkey a month before my daughter was born....she's eight months now and it never enters my head to smoke.

 

I'd say the first 4 days were hardest then it got really easy...the odd craving when I could smell cigerette smoke, but that only lasted a momment.

 

Knowing you should stop, and wanting to stop are two different things.... In the end I didn't stop for me, I wanted to stop for my daughter, I wanted to "be there" for as long as possible....and when I did quit, I felt guilty for not doing the same for my girlfriend...or my parents....I owed as much to them.

 

It won't be easy at first...headaches, the tight throat, feeling strung out, but it won't kill you....not stopping might.

 

Once again all the best, and never stop trying untill you win.

[Rupert_Baehr]

Good luck, oldfox.

 

Concentrate on not smoking today. Don't bother about tomorrow, just don't smoke today. - It's only one day.

 

I haven't smoked today (and I haven't smoked for quite a few of the days before that. ) If I can get through today without a cigarette, I'll try again tomorrow.

 

I've smoked for most of my life. - There have been a few periods (the longest was 18 months) since I first started when I didn't smoke. I no longer have a smoking 'habit' (breaking the 'habit' was fairly easy) but the underlying addiction is still there and I know (from previous experience) that if I smoke one cigarette, I'll be back on 20 a day immediately.

 

I have a friend who gave up smoking over 20 years ago. - He told me (a few months ago) that he still feels the urge to smoke from time to time.

[DT Ralge]

For what it's worth, I used herbal stuff, a fair degree of determination (waking up on loads of Monday mornings and really regretting the weekend of beer and fags) and a bit of psychology. Treat these as "for instance's" - they worked for me 24 years ago:

 

Try to break the undoubted links/trigger events in your head between (whatever) and smoking.

 

So, if you normally drink coffee and have a fag - drink water, juice instead.

If your patterns of smoking reveals that, deep-down, you think that smoking helps with stress, try taking a brisk walk instead, even if it's a pointless walk up the stairs or around the block.

If having a phone conversation is normally linked with a fag, spend less time on the phone.

If you link making decisions at work with puffing on a fag, try handling a pen/pencil in your smoking hand and getting all your thoughts down on paper instead.

If you link having a fag with rewarding yourself, try something else as a reward that isn't sugary or fatty - e.g. the sight of money you saved by not buying fags building up visibly in a jar - the ability to exercise without coughing or spluttering, the smell of worn clothes rather than secondary ashtrays.

Consider that offering/taking a cig off a mate is a way of being in the gang, smoking a peace pipe, maybe ... so find other ways of belonging/joining in with the gang/crowd, take/offer some sugar-free chewing gum instead - if all your mates smoke, find some new mates (oh dear.)

 

Best of luck.

[oldfox]

thanks for all your advise. tomorrow is quit day. il let you know how i get on

[focusedhypno]

Your levels of optimism are very important. If you can start your new life as a non smoker with a skip in your step and a smile on your face you have a MUCH better chance of success than if you are moping and miserable.

Also, try and identify the reasons you smoke. Do you smoke to relax? Concentrate? When stressed? When bored? All four? Then try and think of alternatives to smoking that could have the same effect.

If stress is a reason for smoking then try listening to my free hypnotherapy download. It is a 30 minute relaxation and destress session and could help you if stress is a reason you smoke. The more practice you get at relaxing the easier it becomes.

[onewheeldave]

By far the best resource I used when quitting (10 years ago) was Allen Carr's 'Easy Way to Stop Smoking'.

 

It's a myth that quitting full stop (as you term it 'cold turkey') requires willpower or enduring cravings- if you read the book and understand it, you'll be able to quit without either.

 

Willpower is only an option for those who have it in abundance- most of us don't luckily, there are other ways.

[Treatment]

I only ever smoked after intercourse.

 

I haven't had a fag for almost 10 years.

[harvey19]

I only ever smoked after intercourse.

 

I haven't had a fag for almost 10 years.

 

Have you changed your routine and smoke before now ?