Quitting Smoking

[JustMeToo]

I have been quit for 1 Year, 5 Months, 3 Weeks, 1 Day, 5 hours, 15 minutes and 45 seconds (541 days). I have saved $3,720.88 by not smoking 13,530 cigarettes. I have saved 1 Month, 2 Weeks, 1 Day, 23 hours and 30 minutes of my life. My Quit Date: 7/9/2007 1:00 PM

 

[Glorie]

I quit smoking in 1997. It's hard but well worth it. Food tastes much better! )
The thing I found that helped me was that whenever I was "scheduled" to have a smoke, I had to divert myself to something else, so like when I got a craving I had to go clean something or go for a walk - anything that would give me a diversion. Just a suggestion....Best wishes to you, you can do it!! )

 

[PieSusan]

I got my ego involved when I quit. I told myself with each passing day I have that much more to lose. Then, when things really made me want to smoke, I would tell myself that I could have one tomorrow. When tomorrow came, the feeling had always passed. I also used rewards. I bought myself small treats that were non-food related. That and having a parent with lung cancer and on oxygen helped to reinforce my decision. Good luck to you!

 

[JustMeToo]

Glorie, good advise. You have to keep yourself busy.

 

[YT2095]

well I guess that`s that now!
I just put my last one out.

Happy New Year each!

 

[Katie H]

Happy New Year, John. Best wishes for a great year ahead and success with stopping smoking.

 

[jpmcgrew]

I'm so upset right now DH is being an A** he has put up my smokiing since he has known me over eleven years and yes he's nagged me about it. I told a him to quit the nagging these past few days as I deal with finishing off what cigs I have left which is about eight more and yet tonight he's making the same nagging comments I finaly broke down and now I'm crying because he just doesn't get it and I have my own way of dealing with things. He tthinks you can just put them down like that easy peasy and has no idea how hard this is going to be for me even the build up to the end is hard. I don't know why he wont respect how I want to do things when before I had no intentions to quit and now that I do he wont give me that space.

 

[Katie H]

Hang in there, Jackie. You know what YOU have to do and that's what you should do. Try to ignore him and take your first baby steps to successfully quitting smoking. You'll be able to do it, even in spite of adversity.

Come here when you need extra support. We'll be here.

 

[texasgirl]

You can do it, any of you!! I will be one year on January 31st and Dh just celebrated 2 years.
I'm not gonna sugar coat it. It's hard, but, if you seriously want to, you can do it. One thing that helped me was to think of my mom and my niece, both having cancer, mom didn't make it, but, niece did after surgery, chemo and radiation. If they can go through that pain and suffering, I could dang well get through the pain of withdrawals.
I used Commit lozenges for 4 days, then, laid those down too. Just know that when you quit, you will be around longer for your new baby and wife too!!
This also helped me. It is still on my desktop and it will always stay. It's my trophy for winning!!

 

[PieSusan]

I'm so upset right now DH is being an A** he has put up my smokiing since he has known me over eleven years and yes he's nagged me about it. I told a him to quit the nagging these past few days as I deal with finishing off what cigs I have left which is about eight more and yet tonight he's making the same nagging comments I finaly broke down and now I'm crying because he just doesn't get it and I have my own way of dealing with things. He tthinks you can just put them down like that easy peasy and has no idea how hard this is going to be for me even the build up to the end is hard. I don't know why he wont respect how I want to do things when before I had no intentions to quit and now that I do he wont give me that space.

No, it is not easy and if you are going to quit, you have to want it for yourself--to be healthier and live longer. It never works if you are quitting for someone else. Look back at what I wrote above. I quit the day my father had a right upper lobectomy and it was not easy but my techniques worked for me. I can't tell you the day, or year--it was so long ago. The point was I was going to become a non-smoker and keeping a record was meaningless to me.

Further, it took me several times before the quit stuck. When you are truly ready to stop, you will know.

And, you can always ask me about more of my quitting techniques. Another one--when worse came to worse, I went to bed early.

 

[Mama]

well I guess that`s that now!
I just put my last one out.

Happy New Year each!

Good for you YT!!!!!! You've taken the first step!

 

[Mama]

I'm so upset right now DH is being an A** he has put up my smokiing since he has known me over eleven years and yes he's nagged me about it. I told a him to quit the nagging these past few days as I deal with finishing off what cigs I have left which is about eight more and yet tonight he's making the same nagging comments I finaly broke down and now I'm crying because he just doesn't get it and I have my own way of dealing with things. He tthinks you can just put them down like that easy peasy and has no idea how hard this is going to be for me even the build up to the end is hard. I don't know why he wont respect how I want to do things when before I had no intentions to quit and now that I do he wont give me that space.

If he has never smoked, he can't begin to understand how difficult it is to quit. He probably thinks that he can push you to quit but that's just not going to happen. No one can make you quit. Half of the battle is mental. You have to get it in your mind that YOU are ready to quit. You can do this!

 

[jpmcgrew]

No, it is not easy and if you are going to quit, you have to want it for yourself--to be healthier and live longer. It never works if you are quitting for someone else. Look back at what I wrote above. I quit the day my father had a right upper lobectomy and it was not easy but my techniques worked for me. I can't tell you the day, or year--it was so long ago. The point was I was going to become a non-smoker and keeping a record was meaningless to me.

Further, it took me several times before the quit stuck. When you are truly ready to stop, you will know.

And, you can always ask me about more of my quitting techniques. Another one--when worse came to worse, I went to bed early.

Thats the thing I am doing for myself not him but he thinks his negative input is helpful but it is not he just dos not understand the many reasons a person stays addicted. I started to smoke at 15 and now I'm 51 thats over 35 years so no it's not easy to give up your constant companion that saw you through everything like heart break, happy times lonely times boring times etc.

 

[jpmcgrew]

Hang in there, Jackie. You know what YOU have to do and that's what you should do. Try to ignore him and take your first baby steps to successfully quitting smoking. You'll be able to do it, even in spite of adversity.

Come here when you need extra support. We'll be here.

Katie this should be much easier for me then what you have been through this year, quiting smoking feels very much like having a broken heart but not even close to like you have had.

 

[Maverick2272]

Ugg, I am on my second time this year, fourth time since I started smoking at 14. Once I quit for a year, but then went back home to visit friends that smoked, and that was all it took. Second time I lasted 8 months. This year I was off them for almost three months, then back slid, and now am trying again.
I feel like I am loosing, but then I tell myself that because I keep trying I have only smoked half the cigarettes this year that I did last year, so that is a partial victory for me.
And yes, there is a social group on here for us quiters, but no one has used it since I opened it which was around the first time this year I was trying to quit.

 

[PieSusan]

Well, Maverick--the techniques that I described really worked for me.

 

[Mama]

Ugg, I am on my second time this year, fourth time since I started smoking at 14. Once I quit for a year, but then went back home to visit friends that smoked, and that was all it took. Second time I lasted 8 months. This year I was off them for almost three months, then back slid, and now am trying again.
I feel like I am loosing, but then I tell myself that because I keep trying I have only smoked half the cigarettes this year that I did last year, so that is a partial victory for me.
And yes, there is a social group on here for us quiters, but no one has used it since I opened it which was around the first time this year I was trying to quit.

You've made some progress Buddy! You may lose some of the battles but hang in there and you'll win the war!

 

[Angie]

I quit smoking November 1st, cold turkey and haven't wanted one since.

 

[GrillingFool]

Contemplate using a nicotine replacement, like Committ lozenges or the nicotine gum.
The lozenges gave me a bit of the drug to quiet the demons, and the lozenge gave me a replacement for the cigarette itself, which was important for me. For me, it was the Ritual of Smoking I was addicted to as much as the nicotine, so I had to have something physical to replace the ciggie.

If you are getting that OMYGODIHAVETOHAVEACIGARETTENOW feeling, the lozenge is SOMETHING to do, and gives a bit of the drug.

I was a 3 pack a day 25 year smoker. Took me a year of sucking lozenges, but hey, it worked. I still carry around breath mints sometimes, like when I go to a bar.

So, don't feel guilty or like its cheating. If it takes a crutch, it's worth it in the long run!

Good luck to all of you. You will be just absolutely amazed at what its like to not cough all the dam time. Amazed!

 

[Maverick2272]

That's pretty cool Angie, I know right now I could kill for one...

I have heard about the hypnotism, thinking of looking into that. Right now I am on the patch again, but only takes the edge off doesn't kill the cravings completely...

And seriously, how exactly does she think nagging and following me around and searching me and the house on a constant basis is any help??