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Quitting smoking - 6/17/2005 10:26:53 PM

RiotGirl

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Hi, i'm about to emark on this and i was wondering if anyone had any helpful suggestions?

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RE: Quitting smoking - 6/18/2005 6:23:28 AM

perfection20005

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Make sure you are ready to do it, if you're not ready to do it in your own head, it won't work. I have quit 2 or 3 times and then started again. I wish you luck in your journey ahead.

perfection

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RE: Quitting smoking - 6/18/2005 6:24:05 AM

Sweeticing

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My dad smoked for 40 of the 57 years he was alive . Sadly he died of lung cancer so I am happy that you are trying to quit. He did manage to stop smoking when he found out he had lung cancer but it wasnet as easy as just stop smoking.

What helped him was a medicine welbuten it is used to treat depression but has been found to be effective when people are trying to stop smoking he also used the patches. and by the time he was in the 2nd stage he was not smoking at all. He actually got to where he couldnt stand to be around smoke so there was no cravings.But at first he certainly had them. It helps to have a support person who can help you get your mind onto other things when you want to light up. Life savers and suckers seem to help. :) anyhow it took him every bit of 3 months to not want another cigarette . So that means its not a overnight success. Keep in mind it can be done. My dad did NOT want to stop smoking and he did it. I often hear people say there not going to stop because they don't want to . I think they dont want to try.maybe its a fear of failing and realizing you really have a addiction. but hey thats me rambling.Also think of all the money you will save lol I know where im at the tax on a carton of cigarettes is like 3.00

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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RE: Quitting smoking - 6/18/2005 11:32:45 AM

Craftsman

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Hi, RiotGirl,

Some things suggest themselves to be said on the subject of quitting smoking.

First, in order to quit smoking, you have to stop inhaling the combustion byproducts of the tobacco leaf and the chemicals used to process it. Sounds simply reduntantly repetitive, but it was the start for me, at least.

Second, don't do it alone if you don't have to. I found that on-line help is available. The one that helped me was Quitnet.org, and after that, nicotine-anonymous.org. There is also a Yahoo group called unofficial nicotine anonymous, and those folk are helpful as well. At nicotine-anonymous.org they have an area by area listing of meetings, and that might be of use to you as well. Something about being in a room and talking with people who have been where you are now helps. Even if it doesn't, keep looking for some people, organized or not, who have quit and talk with them. Better to pick up the phone than to pick up a cigarette. Better to open your mouth and send words to the peoples' ears around you than to exhale smoke into their faces.

Third, use whatever it takes to get you to stop smoking. Cold Turkey may the fastest, but it does not work for everyone. There is the patch, gum, lozenges, zyban, welbutrin, accupuncture and acupressure, hypnosis, counselling, hospital programs, and a whole bunch of stuff that helps people. Ask around and see what people like and what they don't like, then choose what sounds like it will work for you. If that doesn't work, then re-think and choose something else. Basic bottom line is, find what works for you, and then do that with dedication, faith, and constancy.

Quitting smoking is not easy. It is said to be the most difficult of addictions to break. Part of that is the fact that the nicotine impact in the brain happens in about 7 seconds. Mailined heroin shot up in the arm takes about 20 to 30 seconds to hit the brain, for comparison. This speed strongly reinforces the addiction. Also, cigarettes are the only legally and widely available substance I know of that will kill you if used as directed by the manufacturer in the advertisements. This suicide on the installment plan substance is available 24 hours a day at any market, 'stop and rob' <or 7/11> and yes, even in the drug store.

If you do not succeed the first time trying to quit, use that as a learning experience upon which to build your next quit. Remember that even though it is hard to do, over half the people alive today who have ever been addicted to nicotine have quit using this toxic substance. It can be done. And like so many things worth doing, it is hard, but not by any stretch of the imagination impossible.

I'm rambling. I shut up now.

Craftsman/
who has not smoked in seven years, three months, three weeks, five days, 13 hours, 30 minutes and 14 seconds. 66814 cigarettes not smoked, saving $6,681.30. Life saved: 33 weeks, 23 hours, 50 minutes. but who's keeping track?
(That's the output of my SilkQuit meter, from SilkQuit.org)

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RE: Quitting smoking - 6/18/2005 1:23:43 PM

Davesgirl

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Heya RiotGirl...

Just my bit of advice, as someone who has tried to quit in the past, and failed.

If you live with someone who smokes, and isnt quitting, it may make it almost impossible to quit. It did for me, anyways. Master smokes as well, and we had talked about quitting together. Unfortunately, and I realize this is only an excuse, the tiem we picked to quit was one of the most stressful, and well....we failed.

The thing that did help me out, was being around non-smokers. I would spend crazy amounts of time at my moms house, where I knew I couldnt smoke inside. So, I thought about it less.

I wish you the best of luck with this. Keep at it, Im sure you'll make it

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RE: Quitting smoking - 6/18/2005 5:05:41 PM

GoddessDustyGold

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Think about what triggers you to smoke. Most of the time I light up without even realizing I am doing it. So now I have to get up and go to another room to get a cigarette. It has helped Me cut down quite a bit.
After meals...a biggie. Don't smoke for 15 minutes after you eat. Take that delay period to 30 minutes, then an hour and so on. And do eat 3 meals a day. Even breakfast. It is good for you, and is a more important meal than most people realize. Same thing for delay periods before you go to bed and after you get up in the morning. Go brush your teeth. Use mouthwash. Switch brands. Switch your brand every week, and also move from regular strength to lights to ultra lights. There is nothing glamorous about smoking so you can't have the pretty accoutrements of the habit. No cigarrette case and no lighter. A pack of cigs and a book of matches. Make do. If you are smoking menthols, stop that immediately. It is a double addiction.
Stop smoking in places where you normally might. Sit in the non-smoking section of restaurants. Make new rules for yourself. No smoking the car...no smoking in the bedroom, the bathroom. when cooking, or while on the phone. These things can be done over a few weeks. Just keep imposing more rules on yourself. If you are serious and committed to quitting, and that is most important, taking these kind of steps makes it much easier. After 4 or 5 weeks you should realize you are only smoking 2, 3 or maybe 4 ultra-light cigarettes a day, and you are going outside to do that. Reward yourself. Go get your favorite Starbucks treat and don't smoke a cigarette with it!
I am a smoker. I quit for over 4 years and I started again about 5 years ago. Silly, I know, but it happened. I am psyching Myself up to quit again, and right now I am at the computer with no cigarettes nearby.
If you get a craving for a cigarette, take a very good deep breath or two. The craving actually will pass in about 3 seconds.
When you get to the ultimate delay period of 24 hours (no smoking for 24 hours after you get up, after breakfast, after lunch, after dinner and before bed), you are pretty much screwed. you either have to starve and stay up for at least 49 hours, or you can't smoke! And it's really just not worth it. *W*
Good luck.
*edited to add: I have been around smokers when I was a non-smoker. It really didn't bother Me. It might make it harder to quit, and you might still be getting some of the effects of second hand smoke, but it can be done. It's in your hands!

< Message edited by GoddessDustyGold -- 6/18/2005 5:11:01 PM >

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RE: Quitting smoking - 6/18/2005 9:44:10 PM

DesertRat

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The patches definitely help. Also, the cravings that come up WILL pass if you wait them out. The hard thing for me was self-talk. Like, a craving would happen and I would tell myself: "If I just wait awhile, this craving will pass." But then, I would also tell myself: "Yeah, but it sure would feel GOOD to satisfy that craving...scratch that itch!" Then my hedonistic side would win out over the rational side. Talking to other people helps. I know these things because of my two lengthy, but unsuccessful attempts to quit. Hopefully, the third try will be successful.

Good luck! Talking helps. You can talk to me, for what it's worth.

Bob

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RE: Quitting smoking - 6/20/2005 5:39:57 PM

extrapale

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As a general question to everyone-

What about quitting cold turkey? That's how my dom stopped smoking the first time he did it, but I've heard that that is the worst way to go about doing it.

But then I've heard that slowly cutting back does nothing either.

Thoughts? Facts?

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RE: Quitting smoking - 6/22/2005 7:50:22 PM

Craftsman

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quote:

ORIGINAL: extrapale

What about quitting cold turkey? That's how my dom stopped smoking the first time he did it, but I've heard that that is the worst way to go about doing it.

But then I've heard that slowly cutting back does nothing either.

Thoughts? Facts?

Well, extrapale, the jury is out on this, as it is on a lot of things.

Quitting cold turkey has the advantage of getting the nicotine and other nasties out of the body most rapidly. It is the fastest and most drastic change to smoking behavior. It works.

Quitting cold turkey has the disadvantage of being a tremendous shock to the brain and to the body. All of a sudden, the brain no longer gets the effect of the nicotine, the pleasure cycle is abruptly altered, and the addiction kicks in big time. When I first started trying to quit, I almost lost my job, my car, my freedom, and probably my full rights as a citizen of the United States. It can be more than an individual can handle.

Quitting cold turkey is the most definite, and seems to have the best success rate. Check the National Institute of Health, Nicotine Anonymous, and any other people who do epidemiological studies on the topic.

The patch, pill, lozenge, gum, inhaler, nasal spray, and other nicotine replacement therapies seem to prolong the withdrawal process, but at a more gentle rate. While this may seem like a real negative, consider an analogy. You want to go from the 50th floor to the ground floor lobby. The elevator is slow. Stairs are slower. Fastest is obviously to open a window and step out. This is without any doubt the fastest way to get to the ground floor. Not, however, the best. Agreed?

Success rates are varied amongst the various methods of quitting. I think it depends a lot on the individual. What seems to work best is finding what helps, and doing those things with dedication, perseverance, and almost slavish adherence. What works for one person does not always work for everyone, or even most people. For me, the patch for 3 weeks helped, but not as much as the Jalepeno Pepper Jack cheese, lots of water, research, and on-line and in-person meetings with people who had either quit or were in the process. For many the turning point is the firm knowledge that they are not alone, and that it is really and truly possible to stop smoking. Until I saw people who had quit for months and years, I felt it was impossible to stop. For over 35 years I thought I would die with a cigarette either in my fingers or between my lips.

I've pointed out that I haven't smoked in 7 years and a bit of time. My father died of lung cancer secondary to smoking in 1983. I quit smoking in 1998. That's how long it took for me to get the idea that maybe I'd better make the effort in seriousness. We quit when we are ready to quit, and we quit using the methods and the means that work for us. There is no right or wrong way. The only way I feel anyone can quit is to do it the way it works for that individual.

On the bright side, the NIH published a few years ago the fact that in the population of people who had regularly smoked alive as of that time, over half had successfully quit for a year or more. There is hope in that.

Craftsman/

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RE: Quitting smoking - 6/22/2005 8:16:57 PM

sanita

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a friend of mine, when she was trying to quit smoking, was told to jump in the shower every time she got a bad craving. if she could keep it lit in the shower, she could smoke it.

she was the cleanest non-smoker in the world by the time she was through!

i quit smoking cloves on my birthday in March, and i have not smoked one since. i was up to around 7-12 cloves a day, which doesn't seem like a lot, but cloves are so much stronger... anyway, it was the oral cravings, the wanting one at stressful times, while driving, or while just vegging out at the computer that were hard. not having them around helped. i live alone, so there are no stashes anywhere. i chewed gum ALOT!

i have, however, taken a few drags off Master's cigarettes when i have spent time with Him. i am loathe to substitute regular cigs for cloves, though. i don't really like regular cigs, so there is no real reason to do that.

either way, you CAN do it, RiotGirl. if you taper off, and set a full-stop date, you are strong willed enough that you can hold yourself to it. and there is water laced with nicotine, is there not? if one doesn't like the gum, or want the patch...

good luck, RG!

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RE: Quitting smoking - 6/23/2005 6:31:12 PM

boynicholas

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quote:

ORIGINAL: extrapale

What about quitting cold turkey? That's how my dom stopped smoking the first time he did it, but I've heard that that is the worst way to go about doing it.

It depends on the smoker and the relative amount of physical addiction. If you have any of the following characteristics, you are more likely to be more dependent physicially. If that is the case, you can improve your odds significantly by medications (specifically wellbutrin and nicotine replacement.)

Smoking more than ½ pack a day.
When you smoke, inhaling deeply and frequently,
Smoking within 30 minutes of rising from bed (and finding it hard to eliminate this '1st cigarette of the day')
Trouble 'not smoking' in non-smoking areas
Smoking even when sick and in bed (the crowd of people at the front of every hospital who drag their IV poles out to smoke.)
Smoking cigarettes with high nicotine content (more than 0.9mg)

If any of those are you, and you really want to quit, you need to at LEAST get on a nicotine replacement. If you don't mind a nasal spray, I find that (or the inhalers) works the best for people who are badly physically addicted. It gives you the pulse of nicotine rather than a slow release and low level that is produced by the patches.

With regard to slowly cutting back, again it depends on the smoker. If you are strongly addicted, that CAN be helpful as a prelude to cold turkey so that your daily dependence is less. I agree it doesn't help much for people who aren't strongly physically addicted.

Also, if you do see your doctor ask for help. In addition to being able to rx wellbutrin, he or she can increase your chances of success. (And primary care people live for this.)

And probably the best word of advice I can give: if you backslide or even are unsuccessful in this attempt, don't see it as failure, but as a learning experience. Most smokers who remain permanently abstinent tried several times before they were successful. So don't say to yourself 'I can't' if this attempt is not a success. You can, you just need more practice.

Some good info:
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_10_13X_Quitting_Smoking.asp
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3004837
http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/how2quit.htm

Best of luck
Nick

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RE: Quitting smoking - 6/23/2005 7:48:15 PM

RiotGirl

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Thanks everyone! i appreciate the tips. Baaaaaaaaaah <cries> i'm quiting not This friday, but NEXT friday. Yes this is an order. Ohhhhhhh i've wanted to quit for a long time, but erm, hmmm.. never did. Been smoking for about 11 years (since i was 14), i smoke about a pack a day.. sometimes more (usually more) sometimes less. Master's help wont be pleasant either. LOL i've quit several things in my life, but never managed the cigs. Hey, LOL i figured i got off the "worst" things and cigs were the least of it. BAH. Geeeeeeeeeez i'm so nervous. Dont WANNA (and yeah i feel like a kid saything that BUT ITS TRUE and i'd seriously like to kick and throw a tantrum) sigh all childish pouting aside. Going to organizations never helped. Its a mind thing, for me atleast. Replacements wont help, it'll just keep it in my mind.

LOL Thanks i NEED the luck! i've GOT to be able to do this. Now if i get on here after July first and start "attacking" people, you'll know i just need a cig!

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RE: Quitting smoking - 6/30/2005 12:32:38 PM

iamMasters

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Good luck Riotgirl. Giving up is something I will have to do SOON but keep putting it off until my stress levels come down a bit.

A good tip I was given last time I tried was that eveytime you get a craving you should drink a glass of water, apparently it really works.

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RE: Quitting smoking - 7/3/2005 2:10:06 PM

zaynab

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a note about the wellbutrin....
when you start taking it and it begins having it's effects, dont stall on quitting smoking!
because after awhile, your body will get used to the wellbutrin and its effects will wear off.
that happened to me and my therapist and doctor both explained that it's more of a "jump start" to initial withdrawals and not a no smoking medicine.....

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