Help me out please? how can I quit!

Sherri-Lynne

Hi Bill
Good for you in wanting to quit. It takes a person an average of 5 times of trying to quit before they can kick the habbit.

Would it be easier for you to cut right down before you try and give it up all together? eg. Everyday wait 30 min before you have that first smoke. And everyday keep extending it another 30 min. (or 5 minutes if that's all you can do) When you do have a smoke to only have half of it and throw the other half away. Pick a quit date and stick to it. Try and reduce the amount you smoke before you quit by delaying each smoke and not smoking all of it.

I quit cold turkey and it does pass. But you have to be ready to give it up. The patch does work. I know alot of people who have quit on the patch.

It takes 72 hours for the nicotine to be out of your system. And they call the first week H E L L week. I admit it was difficult but worth it. With me and alot of other people it is just habit of smoking that is hard to break. You have to find something else to do when you are use to having a smoke. Like I always had one after dinner now I brush my teeth. In the car I would have a smoke (when I was by myself) now I carry gum and suckers. Do anything but smoke.

Keep a smokers diary. Take a piece of paper and divide it into 6 colums with the following headings.

1. Cigarette number
2. Time of Day
3. Need (1-5, 5 being high)
4. What was I doing
5. Who was I with
6. Reason for this cigarette

At the end of each day and after a week reveiw your diary. Look for patterns in your smoking habit.

You said you are afraid of failure. This is normal. Everyone wants to succeed at the things they do. However, you succeed by just making an attempt to quit because each time you try to quit you learn something about yourself and how to quit. So you can't lose. You have to replace all the negative thoughts with postive, helpful statements. Keep incouraging yourself.

Most important find a support system. Somewhere you can talk to other quitters. It really does make all the difference. It is getting eaisier everyday but the want for a smoke is always there. But it only lasts for a second and goes away. I make a promise to my family day by day and promise just for today to Not have One Puff Ever. (NOPE)
I hope this has helped and if you need anything else don't be afraid to ask. Or if you just need to talk. Good Luck Bill, Sherri

billfisher01

Thank you for the thoughtfull post! Well, I had a total of 3 smokes yesterday and for me that amazing, when I normally have over a pack a day...I woke up this morning and had my coffee minus the smoke! It was hard, I still want one but I am goping to hold off! I thank you again for your reply!

StenoLady1

Bill, congrats to you for taking probably the hardest step.

I know the patch has worked for some, cold turkey, hypnosis, lozenges, inhalers, meds. You'll just need to find what works for you and what "makes sense" for you.

What finally worked for me was Chantix, but what Sherri there above me suggested with that diary, I'd like to add to.

The most successful I'd ever been in previous quits was using a behavior modification program using something very similar to what she posted. A friend of my family's was a psychologist and this was something he devised to help people quit.

The first day of the program, smoke as much as you want. Do not limit yourself at all. But at the end of the day, you will need to know exactly how many cigarettes you've smoked. I usually looked at my starting pack and then looked at my ending pack right before bedtime to know how many I'd smoked.

Day 2, keep that number in mind that you'd smoked the day before. Let's say you smoked 34 cigs on Day 1. Well, on Day 2 (and every day forward), before you can have your first smoke, you need to go find a sheet of paper and a rubber band and a pen or pencil. Take the paper and make 5 (or 6) columns and do just like Sherri said, cig number, time, place, what you're doing and intensity (scale of 1-5). Also, at the very top in big letters, write your number of smokes you smoked the day before, i.e., 34. You cannot smoke any more than 34 smokes. Fill it out for your first cigarette. Take the paper, fold it over a few times and wrap it around your pack, securing with the rubber band. Now you can have a cigarette. Every time you want a smoke, you need to unwrap the paper, find a pen, fill it out and re-wrap the paper around the cig pack.

The first day, all of your intensities will be a 5. But you will be surprised at how having to fill out the daggone form will naturally decrease your smoking. You are essentially breaking your habit of reaching over for a smoke and lighting it up.

Every day on the program, for your first cig, repeat the same steps and write your target number on the top.

You will also find that you just can't fill out the form at certain times, like driving, at restaurants or bars, at parties. This is getting yourself in the habit of not having a smoke and living through it, lol.

Now, this will help decrease your smoking and will help with some physical habits, but, really, the rest will be up to you with hard work.

Read information about smoking and quitting. Print out your reasons for quitting. Print out things that "make sense" to you and your quit, like your 10-year-old asking you to. Find that list online about the changes your body goes through every hour, every day, every week, every month, year and decade once you've quit. How will you enjoy the money you're saving? How will spend the years you'll add on to your life?

Just take quitting one day at a time, even one hour at a time. Best of luck in finding a good method that works for you. Everyone wants you to succeed (except Big Tobacco, of course). Don't hesitate to ask for help, whether it's from online support, real life support groups, your physician or pharmacist, your family, others who've successfully quit. You can do this.

Sherri-Lynne

Bill great for you in having only 3 smokes yesterday. I am not going to lye to you the first week witout smoking will be bad but it will get better. I still have everyday the little nicodemond wispering in my ear to have just one puff. But I can flick him off easily now. It only lasts a second and then it is gone. The cravings will get better. You have taken the most important step. Keep coming for help. Good Luck Bill!!!!!!!!! I'm here for you. Sherri

saphire82

Hello. Ive been almost smoke-free for a week now, went cold turkey. 3 is a good number to get used to before you want to quit sompletely. I actually realized I was smoking more than 3 the day I decided to quit because I realized that its so easy to let smoking take control over you. My max was supposed to be 3 and I kept letting in and going for one more, one more...then something just clicked in my head that is really helping me fight against it. Still going strong, I think of smoking about 1/3'rd than I used to, then I just let it pass...it does eventually go away...until next time. But done worry, Ive quit before and you eventually dont think of it at all, it just takes time and depends on how much you fight it.

nomoresmokin'

Bill, everyone quits different ways so I can only tell you what worked for me. I used Chantix. Quitting was easy. I have never tried to quit before. The side affects are not so easy, but I made it. Some people have no or very little side affects and some have some really bad ones.
It is so good that you have cut back so much already. Maybe that will work for you.

Good luck!!

nomoresmokin
21 weeks, 6 days, 15 hours, 37 minutes, 40 seconds

velveeta

Bill, Good Luck to you! I used Chantix and had very few side effects and it afforded me a chance to quit easily. You know without all the eye clawing behavior. I had made numerous attempts before but got serious this go round. I have not had a cig in 11 months. You can be sucessful when you get serious with the quit. People can turn anything into an excuse to smoke but we all know that there is no good excuse to smoke. I did it myself! Quit and feel the power you posess!!! It is truly awesome!

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My Quit Date: March 13,2007