Smoking, how did you quit ?

[Spot]

i quit cold turkey 11 years ago. was up to 3 packs per day but cut back to 2 before quitting.

[Terry]

Originally posted by hondaguy2582
Here is an answer for all of you trying to quit: RUN. Alice Cooper turned to running to get away from drugs, and now he doesn't even touch them. The runner's high that you get can be very beneficial when trying to quit. Honestly, Just exercise and have more vitamins. Also, stay busy to where you dont' have time to smoke. Last word of advice, don't goto bars or drink alcohol around your friends, bc you will end up relapsing to smoking if you are trying to quit.

I was a 2 pack a dayer for 20 yrs and followed the same routine like honda guy........I improved my health & physique quickly & dramatically. I missed the beer drinking nights with my buddies at first but when I was able to kick the habit after 3 months I was able to join them again & the running kept me from gaining weight. Also, I could never go through the withdrawall again....I knew if I ever picked up one again......I could never quit....I've been nicotine free for 15 yrs & need to start running again.

[a.k.a. Patrick]

Damn, im still at it....Sometimes I lay at night wondering *** i still do it......

[lawrencea]

I smoked 2-3 pack a day. In 1986 I bought a new car, so to keep that new car smell I quit smoking . You have to have a reason to quit. I guess having a car with that new car smell was more important than smoking.

[hondaguy2582]

Originally posted by a.k.a. Patrick
Damn, im still at it....Sometimes I lay at night wondering *** i still do it......

Think of your prostate and the higher risk you are at for cancer. That is motivation enough to quit smoking.

[kpounds]

Patrick- I'm in the same boat as you. I know I need to quit but feel kind of hopeless that I will be able to do it. The replies in this thread have been awesome. I really like the running idea. Here's some sites that I think may help.

1) http://quitnet.com/ This is a big stop-smoking online community.

2) http://cognitivequitting.com/ Very interesting site that addresses the habit and how to break it.

3) http://quitsmokingonline.com/ A free online stop-smoking course.

[zzyyzx]

I've never smoked, but my mother did. I remember she tried many times to quit, but never had the strength to hold out. She finally did it with the help of hyponosis. I know it sounds crazy, but she said that it really help drastically cut down on the craving. I know some other friends have tried substituting things, like carrots, for the oral fixation. Good Luck!!!

[OutlawTitan]

I started smoking when I was 15. I was smoking 3 packs of Kools a day when I was 18 and was up to 4 packs a day when I quit at age 40. I quit smoking, alcohol, weed, and coke all on the same day cold turkey. I abused the other habits as bad or WORSE than cigarettes. It will be 10 years on June 28th.

If I had not quit the other things I could never have quit cigarettes. I was addicted to all of the above but I assure you that cigarettes is the most tempting of all of them for me at this time. It is tough but you can do it.

[Mosca]

Just keep it up. It takes about a year or so for the cravings to stop. You quit one cigarette at a time.

What REALLY sucks is being in the emergency room with chest pains, at age 50 and with teenagers at home, hoping that there's nothing wrong. If quitting smoking avoids that for you, then it's worth it.


Tom

[Spilchy]

Try a hypnotist!

I know someone who did that.

As soon as he left the office he smoked a cigarette. Looked like it was all a waste.

The next day, he lit up and all of a sudden he began to gag in revulsion.

The taste and smell of the smoke made him sick to his stomach, and the only way to feel better was to get rid of the cigarette.

He's been smoke free for years.

You know I smoked for like 10 years (18 yr - 28 yr) about a pack of Marlboro Reds a day (a REAL cigarette!)

I got a NASTY upper respitory (sp?) infection where I was on my death bed for a week. I tried to smoke and I nearly coughed up a lung. So I had to stop cold turkey and I have never chained smoked again.

However, give me a cocktail (Vodka Gimlet...thank you very much ) and I light up in a heart beat. BUT, after I am done drinking I have no craving for a smoke.

So, I can go for days, weeks, months without a smoke. But, if I have a drink, I need to smoke.

It's weird, I can control it to social settings. But at like $6.50 a pack, not many frineds are willing to let you "bum" one anymore!

I remember in college (Indiana University 1992-1996) a pack was $1.49!!!

[ajbarnes]

The birth of my first child two years ago is what led me to quit...cold turkey! It's tuff, but the rewards are worth it. It's been two years and I may still get the urge here and there, but it's all mental and that is one of the greatest things you gain from quitting cigarettes....a stronger mentality, will power, etc. for not just stopping smoking habits, but for anything else too.

[kartoon]

Originally posted by lawrencea
I smoked 2-3 pack a day. In 1986 I bought a new car, so to keep that new car smell I quit smoking . You have to have a reason to quit. I guess having a car with that new car smell was more important than smoking.

It's funny my father did exactly the same thing. He had been smoking for about 40 years. 3 years ago he bought a new car and the last cigarette he had was the day before he picked up the car. He didn't do it for the health reasons but now he's glad he quit.

I've had a few back when I was young and stupid - in the 5th and 6th grade.
One day my friend showed me a picture of smoker's lungs - I thought I was going to puke. Needless to say even at that age I knew I wasn't going to smoke again.