Easy way to quit smoking

[Silverstarqueen]

I hear you on the anger part. During one of my fai,( unsucessful) tries, my wife actually said to me, " Go buy a pack of smokes! You're being an a$$!!"

The effect on the family (good in the long term mind-you) has to be considered. When my hubby quit, we all quit. The kids were having meltdowns, I was seriously out of sorts. It dawned on me much later that we all went cold turkey from not getting nicotine by second had smoke. Start by at least not smoking around your family. Otherwise when you quit, they are going cold turkey and suffering at the same time.

I would also like to hear smokers' thoughts about gradually cutting back, does that make quitting any easier? it seems logical that quitting from a pack a day has to be harder than quitting from half a pack a day.

Incidentally my dad quit cold turkey because he was tired of throwing up everyday, I guess it was getting to his stomach. But he stayed quit for the rest of his life and lived to a very ripe old age. Think about if you want to see your grandchildren. On the other hand my hubby quit by gradually cutting back and using patch, lozenges etc. It is very difficult and even a non-smoker has to recognize that, and try to support the quitter.
Whoever is supplying to young people should be shot with cat$h&t hung drawn and quartered.

[xjeepguy]

I would also like to hear smokers' thoughts about gradually cutting back, does that make quitting any easier? it seems logical that quitting from a pack a day has to be harder than quitting from half a pack a day.

I tried that , unsuccessful for me . For me quitting was more then just giving up cigs , it was a complete life change . I found I just couldn't hang around people who smoked . Ended up turfing a couple friends here and there , the temptations were still there and I knew in situations were there was going to be drinks or whatever , the smoking was going to be a potential issue and the third time for me was a do or die scene . I made some tough choices and 6 years later ,still 100% smoke free.

[mexi cali]

I can't answer as to whether or not cutting back works. Maybe for some because as I said earlier, it is such a mental issue so maybe if you believe that it can , it will.

At one time, I fell for the "hey, you should smoke colts (or swishers). it's a great way to quit". Not even sure what the theory was but I went for it because I could at least say I was trying.

Nope. It made me smell worse and everyone hated being around me while I was partaking.

I don't consider myself as having more willpower than others; I simply got to that place where I was committed to quitting and staying quit. I had tried unsuccessfully so many times and I felt ashamed each time I went back to it. I "snuck" them in the backyard, standing like an idiot with my hand in the air thinking that the smoke wouldn't cling to me. Or going for "walks" and thinking the same thing. No one was fooled.

Except me.

It's personal and it's really hard but it's so worth it.

I think Lore talked about cravings. They are very real and they are very persistent at first and it takes everything you have mentally to ride the wave until it passes but it doesn't take long before you realize that the waves are getting smaller and the intensity starts to wain and that hits you like a charge of electricity and it's then that you know for real that you can beat it.

I'm talking 2 or 3 days. That's it. It starts to lessen a bit at a time but you feel it and it gives you strength.

A shard as it is, most will figure out quickly that it isn't nearly as tough as they thought it would be. The hype around quitting and how difficult it will be is far worse than the actual experience.

[Queen K]

Don't start smoking is the easiest. Here we go with the "fewer are lighting up" article.

It's unfortunate that the article shows a sexy young girl who actually looks good smoking. Yup. Too bad.
Should have been a old withered up guy, skin and bones, on oxygen, who can't move without trying to breath with a half lung for up to five minutes at at time, because he's fighting COPD.

https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-s ... htm#192344

[youjustcomplain]

And they can never understand what it is to be addicted. If it was so easy to quit like the OP suggests I am sure millions would have done it by now.

I'm not saying that kicking a chemical addiction is easy, but millions have done it already. I doubt it was done as the result of looking at a picture on the internet though.

[Fancy]

I would also like to hear smokers' thoughts about gradually cutting back, does that make quitting any easier? it seems logical that quitting from a pack a day has to be harder than quitting from half a pack a day.

I found that cutting back didn't make it any easier. Too easy to creep back up because it was a get together, a party, Friday night and on an on. Kept cutting back and then creep up again. Best way was cold turkey and never looked back. Haven't missed it since.

[Queen K]

You have obviously never been chemically dependent on anything.

I am so glad I back read some of this old thread. Chemically dependent is what most of us are, on various things, but smoking is the worst. Their chemists are paid vast sums to come up with the best chemical combinnation to keep people addicted.
Everytime the cravings become so bad, they've done their job!

[Queen K]

If it only changes the mind of 1 smoker then it was worth posting. There are many things that can kill you but why help it along!
I quit 25 years ago and am sure glad I did.

Or reviving a thread that almost passed way on June 5, 2015.

[mexi cali]

I agree that if one person reads all of this anti smoking stuff and posts by people (me) who will tell you like it is and quits, then victory is ours.

I am hard on smokers because they need to have someone be hard on them. There is NO EXCUSE to smoke today. None.

[GordonH]

For me in my mid 20s cold turkey from pack & half a day. 35 +/- years later

Just bite the bullet and walk away

[Queen K]

Years of trying to guess your age, foiled again GordonH. Foiled again. And yes, just quit any way you can.

I am shocked by those in healthcare to smoke. Shocked.

[GordonH]

Years of trying to guess your age, foiled again GordonH. Foiled again. And yes, just quit any way you can.

I am shocked by those in healthcare to smoke. Shocked.

I is a stinker

I remember when smoking tent was out front of KGH, I would see a number of nurses & odd ER doctor. When I walked by

[Jflem1983]

I also quit easily in my mid 20s . After I cleaned up my life . Smoking was next on the list of stuff to stop doing .

[GordonH]

I also quit easily in my mid 20s . After I cleaned up my life . Smoking was next on the list of stuff to stop doing .

When I smoked compared to today's prices, it was dirt cheap.

Added: give everyone an idea I'd hand $5 over and get reasonable amount of change back...... not anymore

[What_the]

Tried bupoprion (didnt work), champix (suffered side effects but still had the desire), gum (only worked till my next smoke) and the patch which I always had the most success with.

Right now using an e-cig and it's helpful but I think it's dubious in nature as it just reinforces the "using" behavior. But, haven't bought a pack of smokes in 2 months now, though an upsidE is if, for example, one is out with friends for beers etc. Falling off the wagon isn't the end of the world. As all quitters know, it only takes one smoke when in the vulnerable stages to be buying a pack.

When using the patch I'd slap 2 (=42mg/day) first step on for a week, and taper every week by 7-14mg/day Until I was down to the 3rd and final step.

Yes I know, AMA