Ok.. Quitting Smoking..

LBIggle · January 03, 2006, 05:35:08 AM

yah.. im doing the trendy thing and making my new years resolution to quit smoking. i quit about a year ago for almost 8 months, but picked them back up during a weekend bender. i've only been smoking for about 7 years so it wouldn't seem it should be deathly difficult, but thats all i think about now. the last time i quit i used sunflower seeds and gum. didn't keep lighters or anything around. i've been told after the first week its way easier, but i dont remember from when i quit last time. anybody have any suggestions? whats worked for them? is it worth getting that gum, or patch crap? it kind of sounds like bs to me.

hbionic · January 03, 2006, 06:21:09 AM

If you have a girlfriend or wife...and if they love you....every time you get the urge for a smoke, they have to ______ you.

Diomedes · January 03, 2006, 08:03:11 AM

If you want a little encouragement, here's the Dio version: don't sweat it too much if you fail. Just don't quit trying. Eventually, it will work. You've gone 8 months before, so you know you can do that. Now you're trying again, which is fantastic. I smoked for 16 years, from the time I was 12 to 28. During that span I quit twice for more than 6 months, only to fall back. Then just over three years ago I tried again and haven't had a puff since.

Also, I promise myself that I get to smoke again when I'm old. Definition of "old" to be defined later, but certainly not younger than 55. I love it so much, I'll be damned if I can't look forward to cigarettes and coffee in the morning.

Good luck.

MadMarchHare · January 03, 2006, 08:28:43 AM

<Nerdy pharmacologist chiming in> It's been shown in clinical studies that nicotine is THE MOST addictive substance out there, moreso than heroin or cocaine. The gum and the patch haven't proven very effective in the long run, and there is mounting evidence that nicotine itself has a number of side effects within the brain that are undesirable, so just ridding yourself of the tar isn't enough.

Quitting cold and sticking to it seems to be the best strategy, if you can pull it off. Good luck!

qwert246 · January 03, 2006, 08:50:36 AM

Quote from: L-ong-B-each-I-ggle on January 03, 2006, 05:35:08 AM
yah.. im doing the trendy thing and making my new years resolution to quit smoking. i quit about a year ago for almost 8 months, but picked them back up during a weekend bender. i've only been smoking for about 7 years so it wouldn't seem it should be deathly difficult, but thats all i think about now. the last time i quit i used sunflower seeds and gum. didn't keep lighters or anything around. i've been told after the first week its way easier, but i dont remember from when i quit last time. anybody have any suggestions? whats worked for them? is it worth getting that gum, or patch crap? it kind of sounds like bs to me.

20 year smoker. Just quit 46 days ago. It's hard, I'm not going to lie. I still get cravings every day.
I did two things. First, I focused on lung capacity. I get my heart rate up around 160 for 30min every day now. Smoking made that harder. Now I track my resting heart rate, and I'm trying to bring it down.
Second, I kept a log taped to the door. It was basically a calander with how many cigarettes I had each day. No judgement attached to it, just a hash mark number. When I stopped completely, I just focused on one more day without a cigarette. After two weeks the physical cravings were gone. Now I'm just working on changing the habit. I started out counting smoke free days. Now I just count smoke free weeks. Eventually, just smoke-free months.
Basically I just chose to quit, but used those two things to remind me why I'm quitting.

Feva · January 03, 2006, 10:57:45 AM

Quote from: qwert246 on January 03, 2006, 08:50:36 AM
Quote from: L-ong-B-each-I-ggle on January 03, 2006, 05:35:08 AM
yah.. im doing the trendy thing and making my new years resolution to quit smoking. i quit about a year ago for almost 8 months, but picked them back up during a weekend bender. i've only been smoking for about 7 years so it wouldn't seem it should be deathly difficult, but thats all i think about now. the last time i quit i used sunflower seeds and gum. didn't keep lighters or anything around. i've been told after the first week its way easier, but i dont remember from when i quit last time. anybody have any suggestions? whats worked for them? is it worth getting that gum, or patch crap? it kind of sounds like bs to me.
20 year smoker. Just quit 46 days ago. It's hard, I'm not going to lie. I still get cravings every day.
I did two things. First, I focused on lung capacity. I get my heart rate up around 160 for 30min every day now. Smoking made that harder. Now I track my resting heart rate, and I'm trying to bring it down.
Second, I kept a log taped to the door. It was basically a calander with how many cigarettes I had each day. No judgement attached to it, just a hash mark number. When I stopped completely, I just focused on one more day without a cigarette. After two weeks the physical cravings were gone. Now I'm just working on changing the habit. I started out counting smoke free days. Now I just count smoke free weeks. Eventually, just smoke-free months.
Basically I just chose to quit, but used those two things to remind me why I'm quitting.

Nice system.

MURP · January 03, 2006, 11:06:37 AM

here is a cool free program i used http://www.dedicateddesigns.com/qk/

timone96 · January 03, 2006, 01:04:11 PM

I'm helping someone get ready to quit (February 1). One thing we found is actually on phillipmorrisusa.com...it gives medications, support groups, online stuff, a 48 page guide, the whole thing. A good offshoot of all the lawsuits.

Wingspan · January 03, 2006, 01:09:35 PM

reading 48 pages of anything makes me want to smoke

timone96 · January 03, 2006, 01:15:42 PM

Quote from: Wingspan on January 03, 2006, 01:09:35 PM
reading 48 pages of anything makes me want to smoke

No worries, it's all big print and brief stuff...not really to read word for word, but peruse and pull out what you need.

rjs246 · January 03, 2006, 01:38:24 PM

Quote from: timone96 on January 03, 2006, 01:04:11 PM
I'm helping someone get ready to quit (February 1). One thing we found is actually on phillipmorrisusa.com...it gives medications, support groups, online stuff, a 48 page guide, the whole thing. A good offshoot of all the lawsuits.

Who invited this dude?

SunMo · January 03, 2006, 01:39:44 PM

get back to work. or get back to posting in the Grouphug thread. it had dropped to the third page for shtein's sake.

fansince61 · January 03, 2006, 03:26:08 PM

Quote from: L-ong-B-each-I-ggle on January 03, 2006, 05:35:08 AM
yah.. im doing the trendy thing and making my new years resolution to quit smoking. i quit about a year ago for almost 8 months, but picked them back up during a weekend bender. i've only been smoking for about 7 years so it wouldn't seem it should be deathly difficult, but thats all i think about now. the last time i quit i used sunflower seeds and gum. didn't keep lighters or anything around. i've been told after the first week its way easier, but i dont remember from when i quit last time. anybody have any suggestions? whats worked for them? is it worth getting that gum, or patch crap? it kind of sounds like bs to me.

I'm making a run at quitting also..patchin it..will try Murphs suggested help site also

Mad-Lad · January 03, 2006, 03:37:59 PM

Good luck all with kicking the smoking habit. It's tough as all hell, but it can be done if you really want to quit.

MadMarchHare · January 03, 2006, 04:13:47 PM

If you can't, the drug company I work for is developing a pretty nifty drug for the lung cancer you're likely to develop....