Question for x smokers

Mr Deeds

Muff Diver Extraordinaire
Mar 10, 2013
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Ok my birthday was on Wed. I decided to give my self a present and quit smoking. I ve been smoking for 45 years, since I was eleven years old.
Now I have had other addictions in my life and have managed to over come them and lead a semi decent life. But this trying to quit smoking is the toughest of all. I know Its only been two days but f@#k Im about ready to chew chunks out of the walls. Question: Can anyone else who has been threw this tell me how you coped and how long before the cravings go away or at least become less severe?
 

dj70

New member
Feb 20, 2009
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Hey - smoked since I was 9 years old, pack a day, sometimes more. Quit cold turkey 3 years ago (Aged 44) and never looked back. Cravings went away after a week or so; still had the urges - in the car, with coffee, with beer etc. This is a tough time of year to quit but seriously, after about 2 months I stopped thinking about it altogether. I tried to stay away from other smokers, started going to the gym, got to recognize the times and places that made me want to smoke and changed my habits accordingly. Once it's gone, it's gone though. Trouble is everyone's monkey is different so there's no guaranteed successful way to quit, otherwise they'd just sell that at Shoppers. Good luck with it, it's worth it even for the money saved.
 

Twister

Well-known member
Aug 24, 2002
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Ok my birthday was on Wed. I decided to give my self a present and quit smoking. I ve been smoking for 45 years, since I was eleven years old.
Now I have had other addictions in my life and have managed to over come them and lead a semi decent life. But this trying to quit smoking is the toughest of all. I know Its only been two days but f@#k Im about ready to chew chunks out of the walls. Question: Can anyone else who has been threw this tell me how you coped and how long before the cravings go away or at least become less severe?
There is physical and psychological cravings. The physical takes 72 hours to get out. The psychological depending on how badly you want it. Of course if you're hanging around smokers or drink it will be harder.
Decide a starting date .I stayed home the first day, got rid of all ashtrays the day before, told friends .
Bought from the herb store licorice sticks (the natural wood ones) they look like a stick and as you nibble on them it releases a sweet taste and helps for the oral part.
I started feeling better right away I was happy to wake up with no coughing , my hands were not yellow anymore and felt a burst of energy while moving around.
Realize that you're a grown up and you don't need this drug in you life that has killed thousands. Put you're foot down, no drama needed. It gets easier as each day goes by.
I think there is a smokers anonymous that you can go to to get support.
I was tired of being sick and tired, of coughing and smoking when I was sick. Who needs this shit? You can do it..

I tried different ways cold turkey is the best.
 

socialstrat

New member
Nov 9, 2012
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Ok my birthday was on Wed. I decided to give my self a present and quit smoking. I ve been smoking for 45 years, since I was eleven years old.
Now I have had other addictions in my life and have managed to over come them and lead a semi decent life. But this trying to quit smoking is the toughest of all. I know Its only been two days but f@#k Im about ready to chew chunks out of the walls. Question: Can anyone else who has been threw this tell me how you coped and how long before the cravings go away or at least become less severe?
When I was trying to quit smoking, the worst were the former smokers who would tell me that they'd still get cravings months and years later. It made me think that I'd be reliving the horror of those first few days indefinitely. But it wasn't true. It's a shitty few days and then you'll start to feel a lot better. After that, the cravings are really nothing more than little reminisces and easily ignored. Everything in your life will be better as a non-smoker. Also, exercise is as (or more) effective than nicotine replacement products (gum, patches, etc.) for getting past the roughness.
 

gudnite

Well-known member
Nov 23, 2009
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Face 1st between her thighs
I was a smoker for about 40 years smoked export A about 25 per day. I tried everything and nothing worked even cold turkey. One day I decided that I never smoked and why should I have these dump ass cravings. For me the secerte believing that I never smoked. No more craving of anykind. it's now been 8 years and I can still sit with smokers and it doesn't bother me.
 
May 8, 2010
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Thrive nicotine lozenges helped me a lot.

Also, when I had cravings I simply told myself that putting up with some level of discomfort is going to be part of the process. Just accept that the cravings will come and you will feel shitty at times.

After the first week I found the cravings slowly begin to dissipate.

I haven't smoked in 3 years now. I used to smoke a pack a day. If I can quit, anyone can do it...willpower and self control are not my strong suits!
 

yolosohobby

Banned
Dec 25, 2012
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Ive never smoked but want to wish all who have quit a hearty congratulations, and to those who aspire to quit, the best of good luck. Seems as if there is positive encouragement here in Terbland for you , so USE it !!!
 

benito

Slightly Nuts
Sep 26, 2001
668
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I smoked for 30 years, 2 1/2 packs a day. Quit 11 years ago using zyban. It wasn't easy, but learned that the psychological need was that I used cigarettes as a reward. Whenever I completed some act I would reward myself with a cigarette. Several immediate positive results - I had more money, what seemed like lots more money. Cut trips to the ATM by 25%. I didn't have to rush out of a meeting or a bar for a smoke. I smelled better, you don't know how bad you smell until you stop smoking and smell other smokers. I feel better, my skin went from gray to pink. I never had bad cravings afterward, I could stand with a group of smokers and not get an urge to smoke. When I was off the butts for a year I treated myself to the top 4 on my to do list. I was careful not to relapse by telling myself I never wanted to go through the agony of quitting again. Good luck, hang in there.
 

Capital Amatuer

Well-known member
Sep 2, 2004
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Smoke-free for seven years come this July. There's nothing good about cigarettes, but I never had a bad one ! Remember, it took you a long time to learn to smoke, it may take you a couple of attempts to quit. Good luck !
 

Ridgeman08

50 Shades of AJ
Nov 28, 2008
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Ok my birthday was on Wed. I decided to give my self a present and quit smoking. I ve been smoking for 45 years, since I was eleven years old.
Now I have had other addictions in my life and have managed to over come them and lead a semi decent life. But this trying to quit smoking is the toughest of all. I know Its only been two days but f@#k Im about ready to chew chunks out of the walls. Question: Can anyone else who has been threw this tell me how you coped and how long before the cravings go away or at least become less severe?
I quit 20 years ago... when I was 28.

The trick is to minimize things you do that you associate with smoking. Smoking is not only addictive, but also habitual. I used to start a cigarette as soon as I got in a phone conversation, as soon as I got in the car, and like most, as soon as you cracked a beer. Obviously you can't stop your daily routines, but you can beat this if you really put your mind to it. And that is really the key. Mind over matter. All the different methods out there, (laser, reduction devices, hypnotherapy etc.) are all just ways of trying to convince you mind that you can do it. Really the secret is don't let the addiction rule you.

As to your question... I don't recall how long it took for the cravings to end... but they were bad for the first 3-4 weeks. It is a common perception that it takes 21-28 days to start a good habit... so about the same to break one, I suppose.
 

shogun89

New member
Feb 18, 2013
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I quit cold turkey 2 years ago. Smoked for 10 Yeats up to a pack a day. I used Nicolette, a lot of will power and also smoked more weed when I was quitting to get the sensation of smoke going into my lungs.

It takes about 2 weeks to get past the physical addiction, and longer for the mental one. Now when I Pass someone's smoking in the street and I get a whiff itMakes me feel sick.
 

michael_to29

Member
Jan 22, 2004
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Remember you are also not perfect. If somewhere a month down the road you give in and have a cigarette don't throw your hands up in he air and start smoking again. It is just a bump in the road, NOT a failure. When I quit, I had a couple cigarettes about a month later, then went several months before the next one, then a year later I had one and the taste of a cigarette made me sick to my stomach and that was it forever. I know a lot of people who after they had one, thought they failed to quit and then just started up again. Try to avoid that trap if you do have a moment of weakness.
 

oldjones

CanBarelyRe Member
Aug 18, 2001
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Ok my birthday was on Wed. I decided to give my self a present and quit smoking. I ve been smoking for 45 years, since I was eleven years old.
Now I have had other addictions in my life and have managed to over come them and lead a semi decent life. But this trying to quit smoking is the toughest of all. I know Its only been two days but f@#k Im about ready to chew chunks out of the walls. Question: Can anyone else who has been threw this tell me how you coped and how long before the cravings go away or at least become less severe?
When the LeDain Commission on drugs studied treatment, the findings were that nicotine addiction was harder to break than heroin addiction. So you are in for a fight, and you're likely going to have times where the drug gets the upper hand again. But eventually your determined mind can beat the chemistry and break your chains. But you have to learn to endure until they finally rust away.

What worked for me after thirty years of smoking was not punishing myself for occasionally backsliding. When I tried earlier and took a cig, or a pack I let myself 'relapse' back into being a smoker for years because I'd failed to be a non-smoker. But when I had a reason to want to quit—find an asthmatic to fall in love with—and learned to think of it not as quitting—Horrors!—but only as waiting a little longer until the next cigarette, it got a lot easier. After all, even the most addicted smoker can manage a bus-ride or an interview where they can't smoke; they really only think about it afterwards, when they light up. All I did was be my own bus-driver/job interviewer saying, 'You can wait'.

Some people can turn that process into a scheduled tapering off, and can succeed if they work at increasing the intervals and decrease the dosages (patches and medical plans work that way). I couldn't see becoming that focussed on my next fix as helpful, and preferred just challenging myself and seeing how long I could go. Eventually, the long wait for the next smoke became a longer wait to replace an empty pack, then a longer one, then I forgot to replace it at all. The trick seemed to be forgetting the next cigarette, not focussing on it. For me, that made getting to the point where I felt I was in control, and that I had the power to stick to my intention come faster, and it came well within that year.

But given the chemistry, and all the little social and psychological connections and reward structures in those days of accepted smoking (the Ledain offices all had ashtrays) it was a good many years before I realized, "Hey, I don't remember the last time I felt like a smoke". That version of phantom limb pain from the long ago addiction lasted for a long time.

Best of luck and even better success.

PS: Worked for booze too. 'Never again', is a harsh high standard, but having a good reason to want control and permission to enjoy, but not give up the project of you being the boss instead of the drug can work. Gotta remember the boss never gives up, or stops working though.
 
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Twister

Well-known member
Aug 24, 2002
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To add to what I said above. I did try patches, pills, gum and acupuncture. They didn't work as good as cold turkey. They kept me addicted and in that state of mind. Once the drug (nicotine) is out of your body , you're dealing with a clean head and body. And no, don't even take one puff off someone's cigarette , you'll be back to square one..you'll start smoking again.
 

Blue-Spheroid

A little underutilized
Jun 30, 2007
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Everyone is different. When I quit after three decades of smoking I went cold turkey. The first week was the hardest. I had the luxury of taking a couple of weeks off from my entire life and just focused on quitting without worrying about work or relationships. I saw an SP a day for that first week as a reward for staying on target and I found that helped a lot!

The physical cravings subside after three to six days but the urges to smoke can be with you a long time. It's been a few years but I still get them from time to time but you just have to remind yourself it's not worth it.

To be honest, I really enjoyed the act and sensation of smoking and that is what made it so hard to give up. I finally reached a point in my life where I realised the consequences were not worth the small pleasures.

Only a former smoker really understands how hard quitting can be. I can't tell you how many times non-smokers suggested that I "just give it up"; if it was really that easy, we'd all have quite years ago. Good luck.
 

jackson11

New member
Jun 6, 2010
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I smoked for about 14 years (on and off for close to 20 if you count when I was young 13-16ish). It started off as something relaxing and "enjoyable" (nice night out on the patio with a pitcher of beer with friends and a few smokes, hot coffee in the morning with a smoke etc) then over time I began to find it less "enjoyable" and more just a bad habbit. Then one day walking upstairs felt out of breath and a little light headed and realized smoking wasn't enjoyable just something stupid I was wasting my health and money on.

Went cold turkey from that day forward. Best advice I can give is make it through the first two weeks and you will find things will get so much easier

First week for me was really tough. Back in the day there was still smoking in bars so sitting with friends having a beer while they smoked was tough I just "toughed it out" and thought of why I stopped. Second week was still a little bit tough but manageable. Third week was a breeze. By fourth week I didn't really have cravings at all.

Today I am thankfully for quiting I feel so much better (my lungs thank me everyday:)) and have no urges at all to smoke. In fact when I used to smoke I used to think it was not that bad and didn't see why others complained about it. Now I see what everyone else was talking about. Not only do I have no urges but I find the smell of cigarettes disgusting and when smokers at work come back in I can really notice and smell it.

Anyway that was a bit of a story..........to go back to the main point......hang tough for the first two weeks. If you can make it through that third week is pretty easy after that should be easy not to smoke. You just have to stay true to wanting to quit it is tough but gets easy real quick (about 2-3 weeks)
 

versitile1

Well-known member
Jan 15, 2013
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I've said it before and I'm gonna say it again, "The Easy Way To Stop Smoking" by Allen Carr.
 

Mr Deeds

Muff Diver Extraordinaire
Mar 10, 2013
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WoW alot of support thanks . Its been 3 days now(and yes Ill spare you the updates) Im a little on edge and bad tempered but everyone around me seems to be ignoring me. which isn't new. Thanks to all of you for your positive stories and support. Going to the gym and find a sparring partner to beat on.:biggrin1:
 
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