Solid advice for quitting cigarettes.

[RyanSez]

As the title says, I'm looking for solid advice on quitting cigarettes. I've been a smoker since I was 16 (47 now) and have tried everything under the sun to quit, to no avail. I'm a USMC vet, so my healthcare is through the VA. They were going to prescribe Chantix, but my primary care doctor canceled it.
Any advice is welcome.

 

[xplt]

The most important thing I found for me, is to disassociate smoking from the habits and occasions, that cause you to smoke or trigger your craving.

The cigarette to your coffee, the cigarette to your beer, the cigarette after a meal.
Start with drinking your coffee, your beer or finishing your meal without a cigarette.
Realize which habits and situations trigger your addiction.
The part of smoking and alcohol is the hardest.

Nicotine has left your body after max. a week, so everything that creates cravings after that time are mostly only habits, you associate with smoking. So you need to break those habits or recreate them.

Doing sports to get tired, drinking lots of water and fresh air. Do a hobby or something that occupies your mind.
Playing guitar was my activity to go, because my concentration was 100% at playing and I had no room left in my mind to think about anything else.

I would recommend not to try nicotine replacement products. Although gums, snus and band aids are better than smoke.

What's helpful too, is an app, that tracks your progress to motivate you. I used smokerstop.

 

[BackInTheGame78]

You throw them out and never pick them up again.
My Aunt did it after smoking 25 years.

Chew gum, workout and busy your mind. It will be tough for about 3 weeks but once you break the cycle it becomes easier and easier.

 

[AureliusMaximus]

As the title says, I'm looking for solid advice on quitting cigarettes. I've been a smoker since I was 16 (47 now) and have tried everything under the sun to quit, to no avail. I'm a USMC vet, so my healthcare is through the VA. They were going to prescribe Chantix, but my primary care doctor canceled it.
Any advice is welcome.

This might seem obviously stupid but it is the one thing that made it easy for me to quit it. Somewhere I read or heard this:

"No one is forcing you to make the decision to buy a package of cigarettes; it is a conscious decision you make every time to buy them. So just make the decision not to buy them".

So simple that it feels stupid right?
So I just make the decision not to buy them and that's it.

Yes; of course you will have the withdrawal period (which will pass), but as you now are consciously aware about your decision you just need to stay firm about it not buying.

Also it helps a lot for me to hit the gym and do cardio on the treadmill, it takes away a feeling/need to smoke. Actually, it feels quite gross to do it after a gym session early in the morning.

 

[RyanSez]

Thank you for all the advice! I'm getter myself into better physical shape and health, and this is a big hurdle I need to conquer.

 

[Bible_Belt]

I wasnt much of a smoker, but making myself smoke only menthol mini cigars did the trick for me, because they are just that disgusting.

Tobacco is radioactive, that's why it causes cancer. Smoking anything else is much better. I gave my neighbor some cbd hemp and she is trying to quit cigarettes by smoking it instead.

 

[Modern Man Advice]

As the title says, I'm looking for solid advice on quitting cigarettes. I've been a smoker since I was 16 (47 now) and have tried everything under the sun to quit, to no avail. I'm a USMC vet, so my healthcare is through the VA. They were going to prescribe Chantix, but my primary care doctor canceled it.
Any advice is welcome.

Have you ever visited the hospital and talked to lung cancer patients? If not, you should.

Modern Man Advice

 

[xplt]

Have you ever visited the hospital and talked to lung cancer patients? If not, you should.

Modern Man Advice

I've done something similar.

I've watched a live cancer op at the thorax clinic in Heidelberg. As a school excursion because we had so many smokers in class. The picture from the endoscope cam was broadcasted to a TV screen. None of us stopped. You can guess, what the first action from most of us was, as we left said clinic...
I made my first attempt to stop three years later.

 

[taiyuu_otoko]

Amazon.com

Read some of the reviews.

I used this same dudes method for quitting drinking. Easy peasy.

 

[Modern Man Advice]

I've done something similar.

I've watched a live cancer op at the thorax clinic in Heidelberg. As a school excursion because we had so many smokers in class. The picture from the endoscope cam was broadcasted to a TV screen. None of us stopped. You can guess, what the first action from most of us was, as we left said clinic...
I made my first attempt to stop three years later.

Then if that doesn't scare you, then I'm pretty sure once you are on the other side of the operation, that surely will. Some of us just learn too late.

Modern Man Advice

 

[xplt]

Then if that doesn't scare you, then I'm pretty sure once you are on the other side of the operation, that surely will. Some of us just learn too late.

Modern Man Advice

Thanks, I'm fine.

I just wanted to point out the addictiveness of nicotine.
Trying to lecture us as 16/17 year olds, who thought it's cool to smoke didn't work back then.

Were you ever addicted to nicotine?

 

[AureliusMaximus]

I just wanted to point out the addictiveness of nicotine.

I read somewhere I think that it is more addictive than heroine and coke. Just like sugar which is pretty addictive too.
Not sure if it is true.

 

[Black Widow Void]

I quit for two years. I could have remained a non-smoker, but I enjoy the habit (and to onlookers, spare me. I'm not kissing you and women will tolerate it if you have other positive attributes) .

I smoked from age 16 to 52 (two packs a day of "full flavor.") To no longer have the craving or the thought, it took about a year and a half, but this works.

I started vaping. I bought "tobacco" flavored juice.
I started with the same nicotine equivalent (I think it was 1.8). I vaped this for a few months and then when down to 1.6. They actually do not make a 1.6 and so, I mixed 1.2 and 1.8 into a separate bottle to make a 1.6 version.

A few months later, I went from 1.6 to 1.4. Again, they do not make a liquid to this level. Once again, I used a separate vape bottle (one that had already been used) and concocted my 1.4.

A few months later, I bought a 1.2 over the counter, then months later, it was 1.0, then 0.8, then over the counter .06, ,then .04, then over the counter 0.3

This part took about six months. I then would by 0% nicotine and split in in half with a 0.3%. Then, I'd use the 1&1/2 percent and spilt it with a 0 percent nicotine juice. After that, I went for about two months (totally psychological) vaping at 0%.

At this point, the nicotine is out of your system. Although you may have the habit of vaping (just like a cigarette) it's easier to put down. Eventually, you don't think about lighting up very much and then with each week, the thoughts become fewer and fewer.

If you want to quit, this will work. When I started back, it wasn't from a craving. I just simply (despite the social stigma) enjoy smoking. The only reason that I quit in the first place was to prove to myself that I could.

 

[xplt]

I read somewhere I think that it is more addictive than heroine and coke.

Yes it is. There are several articles from a clinic in Berlin were this statement is brought up.

 

[Black Widow Void]

I read somewhere I think that it is more addictive than heroine and coke. Just like sugar which is pretty addictive too.
Not sure if it is true.

As a smoker (that has quit before ) I don't believe that this is true. I'd rather give up smoking than not getting a sugar boost.

 

[Modern Man Advice]

Thanks, I'm fine.

I just wanted to point out the addictiveness of nicotine.
Trying to lecture us as 16/17 year olds, who thought it's cool to smoke didn't work back then.

Were you ever addicted to nicotine?

Luckily I never had an addictive personality. I smoked for several years. Started when I was 13 and quit when I was 21. I even avoided weed because I thought I was gonna get hooked but I am lucky enough to be able to walk away from anything I don't want anymore in my life. I guess its just a bit of luck and strong will/discipline.

I had a gf who used to smoke a pack per day and honestly maybe that helped me a lot because it was disgusting kissing her, so maybe that will help you? Find someone who smokes a lot and you will create disgust for how it smells and especially tastes. I can almost gag just remembering what it tastes like to kiss someone who smokes.

Modern Man Advice