Smoking
 

I am currently a smoker and I have been for the last 10 years. Even though I feel like it is such a disgusting habit - I still do it. I really do want to quit. Not just for myself, but for my son. I keep telling myself that should be enough to make me quit, but then I don't. I still go to the store out of habit and just keep buying them and continue to smoke. Can anyone who use to smoke tell me how they were able to quit? Maybe give me some pointers? I am just so discouraged over the fact that I can't/won't just quit and get over it! :(

Hey Jess, I used to smoke - about a pack a day for about 10 years, and I quit last August. I've tried the patch on multiple occasions, but I finally had success by going cold turkey. Some things that worked for me:
1. Keep trying. I think I "quit" at least 10 times before I really had success with it. It is a very, very difficult habit to break - just keep trying (just like losing weight - you'll succeed as long as you don't stop trying).
2. When cravings hit, have a place to go to in your mind until it passes. Cravings last about 1-3 minutes at a time - if you find somewhere to "go" mentally while it passes, your chances for success will be greatly increased.
3. I found that telling people I was quitting actually really helped - not so much because I needed any additional pressure to succeed, but because I got so much support and even understanding when my mood was less than pleasant. ;)
4. Remember, the first 3-5 days are the worst - that's when you're going through detox. If you can get through that, then you've gotten through the physical cravings (headache, fatigue, etc).
5. Lastly, keep your eyes on the prize. For me, it helped to always remember all the cool things that were happening because I was quitting. It's amazing how fast your body starts to heal itself once you take cigarettes away. I read a lot of the info on whyquit.com - check out Stop Smoking Benefits Timetable for how fast your body starts to recover - it was a great source of motivation for me, and the rest of the site is useful, too.
Good luck, and just keep trying!

Jess, I smoked for 25 years, and the "good" stuff too. PallMalls, Camels, Lucky Strikes - all non-filtered, about a pack and a half a day... One day, my then-youngest daughter got into my cigarettes and crumpled a bunch of them. I got really mad and yelled at her.

Scared her badly.

I had told myself before that I should "quit for the kids", but this outburst of irrational anger brought it home, big time. (I still regret that mistake MORE than any other I ever made...!).

I had "tried" to quit many times before, but, now, I HAD to quit.

So, for me: Smoke Enders. I think it gave me a way to deal with the physical issues of the addiction and withdrawal, and the group support and a good instructor helped me deal with the habit and social issues.

For me, "wanting" to stop, no matter how many perfectly good reasons there were (and are), never cut it. When "want" changed to "must", I was able to stop. No smokes now for 25 years and 6 months...

Good luck to you on your journey...
Pete

Somehow I managed to avoid this particular bad habit (though I had/have plenty of others!).

But, my wife had been smoking since her teens when I met her. She quit cold-turkey. She had a brief replapse some years later during a stressful period but quit again and has been smoke-free for 15 years or so now.

Congrats for making the decision to do this--as bad habits go, it seems to be one of the most senseless and most potentially debilitating (and most expensive).

Regards,
Michael

Good luck with your desire to quit. I quit cold turkey about 20 years ago with 14 packs of cigs in the house. I "tried" to quit many times. But when I got the mind-set to DO it... I did.

To me it was far easier than dieting... You either smoke--- or you don't.

Dieting you must make the decision every day, all day to eat "right" for your health. The decision is there daily as you must eat..and you have to decide what to eat..

I don't know how to tell you to get this mind-set...I just pray you do!!

Try thinking of your child dying from second hand smoke every time you want to light up a cigarette. You don't want to cause that!! Killing your child is an ugly, hurtful thought. I have lost weight too, and have diabetes... I think "life without a foot" when I want to cheat myself and pig out.. That helps me to "behave"... Grin.

Oh my! I've probably ruined your day with my graphic suggestions!!! :)

Good luck to you.. I wish you well!

I quit cold turkey when a relative got cancer.