Giving up smoking

[trueplayaz]

Has anyone here successfully quit cigarettes. I've smoked for 3 1/2 years (20 a day). I hate it now but just can't seem to be able to do without them. How long do the withdrawal symptoms last? Anyone have any experience on this?

 

[Tryin to Grow a Chin]

Originally posted by trueplayaz
Has anyone here successfully quit cigarettes. I've smoked for 3 1/2 years (20 a day). I hate it now but just can't seem to be able to do without them. How long do the withdrawal symptoms last? Anyone have any experience on this?

The physical withdrawal lasts three to five days, but that's the easy part. After that's over your mind will play tricks on you in order to get you to smoke. Personally, I was never able to break two weeks.

Don't attempt to quit without a support network or possibly a patch or gum. Do some research and find out what you can do to make it easier.

 

[ChevyLover]

I smoked for 2 years, then I just quit cold turkey. Didn't smoke for 2 years after that. Then, I kept partying and getting all messed up all the time so I started again - kinda. I have about a smoke a day unless I'm partying now(in which case it could be 1-2 packs..). It wasn't tough for me to quit for the 2 years though - I just said no any time anyone offered it to me, and I never bought any of my own. I concentrated on other things and always said no even when I wanted to say yes. Just don't give in.

Its not all that complicated. -> if you REALLY want to quit, you can easily do it by saying no. I don't really worry about quitting anymore, because I'm young, I drink and do other bad things that I shouldn't do but I will definitely quit before i'm 30 or married, or whenever I don't feel like doing it anymore(or when it just feels weird for me to do it cuz I want to quit so bad..). I know it won't be hard for me, because I've done it before. I'll just do the same as I did before when I went w/o a smoke for 2 years...

Tell yourself that you are a NONSMOKER and it would inflict on your values if you put a cigarette in your mouth. As soon as you don't think in this mindset anymore, you will find yourself giving in, so just consider yourself a nonsmoker, and stick with the mindset of a nonsmoker. Would a nonsmoker put a smoke in their mouth? No, so from now on you are a nonsmoker -> ACT LIKE ONE!

 

[Wolf in sheep's clothing]

I'm trying to quit too atm. Quit about 2 years back - I went on a drug called Zyban and it worked a treat though it has a long list of side-effects. Unfortunetely about 3 months back I started smoking when i was out drinking and tada I was back to smoking regularly within about a month.

I quit the beginning of this week which lasted until last night, where I decided that since its my birthday, stuff it. So I'll quit again next week.

I agree with the others. Most of the difficulty in quiting is psychological - the addictiveness is only partially physical. You can try nicotine patches to help you though it, but you really have to focus on the reason and excuses you make to light up in the first place. Get your friends onside too - make sure you tell then you are quitting and that you dont want to be offered any cigs, period.