OK, I'm gonna try to quit smoking yet again so I thought I'd start a thread for people to post their horror stories about it, haha. I got the sweats already and I just ran outta smokes 3 hours ago. Can't wait for tomorrow, hahaha.
I quit cold turkey 1 year and 8 months ago after smoking for 10 years.. 5 years I was at 2 packs a day and by the end of the next 5 years I was at a half pack a day of light cigs.
I'm not going to lie to you, it was tough.. but here's what I did:
Set a quit date 4 months in advance of quitting. This gave me time to say goodbye to my habit and pay attention to what made me want to smoke. By knowing when I wanted to smoke I would know to avoid or be prepared to fight a nic fit.
The night before my quit day I cleaned. EVERYTHING. All the ash trays were put in the trash, lighters thrown away, the walls were scrubbed and the ceiling was vacuumed the ceiling fans were wiped down and the entire house aroma was replaced with apple cinnamon. Generally we had the house smelling like vanilla and it had to go because it would make me want to smoke. Had to change the smells to trick me into being some place "fresh." - drive a different way to work, avoid breakfast if you are used to smoking after breakfast... change up your routine to get around your "time to smoke" cues. Stop going to bars for awhile and just stay away from smokers in general for at least a week or two.
Told everyone around me that I was quitting for good. When I tell people I'm going to do something I do it. Integrity is my top priority - without it you got nothing.
ATE LOTS OF PICKLES. my god, I never ate so many pickles in my life. The idea was to use the salt/vinegar pickle taste to advert my desire to smoke. Smoking habitually I would use it to pacify me when I was hungry, but by eating pickles I would satisfy my hunger/pacification without adding unnecessary calories. You also become very regular.
Understood I would gain weight, and on the day you quit, start exercising aggressively to a) keep the weight off, and b) it will let you know just how much smoking has turned you into a weakling.
Accepted the fact that I would cheat. You will smoke a cig or two after you quit... Do it as fast as possible. Suck that son of a b*tch down as fast as you possibly can while you walk at a fast pace. It'll knock your dumb ass down to the ground and you'll choke and gag. This is probably the most psychologically damaging thing you can do to your brain to help you quit smoking. Understand at that point that you don't ever want to feel this way again, and that by not lighting up again, you'll never have to. It's okay to screw up, accept it, but don't make it an excuse. The mission is to quit without smoking another cigarette.
Humiliation is key. Ever see the heroin commercial where the chick is clutching the toilet? I scratched my back on the carpet for 45 minutes to get over a nic fit. Now, I remember this moment every time and permanently reject cigs.
Told my family and asked them to be there for me... I asked my family to get angry with me if I failed to quit. There is nothing like having the closest to you show you how disappointed they are if you screw up - it seems messed up, but if you are like me and want to make your family happy it is devestating and helps push you along.
Good luck man... You can beat it.. I did.. and I could - anyone can - and I mean anyone.. I'm pretty serious about my addictions.
We sound alike, I too have been up to 2 packs a day (here in canada that's 50 cigarettes). the most i've smoked since i moved my smoking outside is half a pack a day. I don't smoke in the house so the cleaning thing is pretty easy, haha. I haven't smoked inside for prolly 15 years. I hate the smell of it now and I can't stand the smell of smoke on even when I am smoking. all good advise thanks for it. I will use it.
I quit cold turkey 1 year and 8 months ago after smoking for 10 years.. 5 years I was at 2 packs a day and by the end of the next 5 years I was at a half pack a day of light cigs.
I'm not going to lie to you, it was tough.. but here's what I did:
Set a quit date 4 months in advance of quitting. This gave me time to say goodbye to my habit and pay attention to what made me want to smoke. By knowing when I wanted to smoke I would know to avoid or be prepared to fight a nic fit.
The night before my quit day I cleaned. EVERYTHING. All the ash trays were put in the trash, lighters thrown away, the walls were scrubbed and the ceiling was vacuumed the ceiling fans were wiped down and the entire house aroma was replaced with apple cinnamon. Generally we had the house smelling like vanilla and it had to go because it would make me want to smoke. Had to change the smells to trick me into being some place "fresh." - drive a different way to work, avoid breakfast if you are used to smoking after breakfast... change up your routine to get around your "time to smoke" cues. Stop going to bars for awhile and just stay away from smokers in general for at least a week or two.
Told everyone around me that I was quitting for good. When I tell people I'm going to do something I do it. Integrity is my top priority - without it you got nothing.
ATE LOTS OF PICKLES. my god, I never ate so many pickles in my life. The idea was to use the salt/vinegar pickle taste to advert my desire to smoke. Smoking habitually I would use it to pacify me when I was hungry, but by eating pickles I would satisfy my hunger/pacification without adding unnecessary calories. You also become very regular.
Understood I would gain weight, and on the day you quit, start exercising aggressively to a) keep the weight off, and b) it will let you know just how much smoking has turned you into a weakling.
Accepted the fact that I would cheat. You will smoke a cig or two after you quit... Do it as fast as possible. Suck that son of a b*tch down as fast as you possibly can while you walk at a fast pace. It'll knock your dumb ass down to the ground and you'll choke and gag. This is probably the most psychologically damaging thing you can do to your brain to help you quit smoking. Understand at that point that you don't ever want to feel this way again, and that by not lighting up again, you'll never have to. It's okay to screw up, accept it, but don't make it an excuse. The mission is to quit without smoking another cigarette.
Humiliation is key. Ever see the heroin commercial where the chick is clutching the toilet? I scratched my back on the carpet for 45 minutes to get over a nic fit. Now, I remember this moment every time and permanently reject cigs.
Told my family and asked them to be there for me... I asked my family to get angry with me if I failed to quit. There is nothing like having the closest to you show you how disappointed they are if you screw up - it seems messed up, but if you are like me and want to make your family happy it is devestating and helps push you along.
Good luck man... You can beat it.. I did.. and I could - anyone can - and I mean anyone.. I'm pretty serious about my addictions.
lotsa support at work, haha. my boss told me i picked the wrong week to quit, lol.
Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue.
Almost as if on cue, my new signature must have known i had to break down and have a smoke today. this is a BAD week to even consider this. I got 2 huge deadlines due at work on friday. I will still cut it down but I think the "no smoking at all" rule will have to wait a bit.
Well after not having a *** for 2 months...i had one today
And i have no one else to blame so i am blaming this thread