Any Advice?

1. 59

   ShawnB2011posted 13 years ago

   Any Advice?
   
   Today is my first day of quitting smoking. Any advice to help me along? Thanks to all that answer this question and offer some good advice to overcome this horrible habit! Cheers!

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2. 96

   carcroposted 13 years ago

   You're doing this for yourself Shawn. That's important to remember as no one will really be there to help you in those weak moments so you really have to know that this is what you need to do for yourself and stick to your guns when temptation arises. You can do it, I quit years ago but it takes a strong will and knowing that you have to go it alone...

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3. 60

   heart4thewordposted 13 years ago

   Congratulations on making the decision to quit:)  One thing that may be very helpful for you is:  Everytime you crave a cigarette, you reach for a carrott and eat it.  You may be wondering why?  I read some time ago about a woman, who was addicted to smoking...she said she had heard about this, the lady had tried a number of times to quit in her 30 years of smoking...and this was the only thing that helped her kick the habbit:)
   
   They say anytime you are quitting a bad habbit, to replace it with a good habbit.  Carrotts are not only good for you, but there is something in them that helps take away that crave for nicotine.  Also you might have gum, hard candies, a book, play ball, go for a walk...anything that would be good for you to do, to help keep your mind busy on something positive:)
   
   I know it was a little too long, yet I hope something said, can help you:)  Blessings to you! 
   
   P.S. You might start thinking about how you will reward yourself, after 10 days of not smoking, and then 20 day, and 30 days...etc, find a friend that doesn't smoke (or have any other bad habbits:),  that can help encourage you, and celebrate!

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4. 59

   ShawnB2011posted 13 years ago

   Thanks carcro and heart4. I definitely know I am alone in this, nobody else can kick this crappy habit but me. Unfortunately. lol. Would love to pay someone to make all the cravings go away for me. But, I need to seed it in my brain that I will be better off in the long run and stop thinking about the now of wanting it.
   
   I will definitely try the carrot trick. I have been prepping for this day so I have been hitting up the gym and doing more active things so I think every time I get the urge, I will do a set of sit ups or push ups instead. I should be ripped in no time! haha!
   
   Whew! It's gonna be hard, for the last 16 years, smoking has been there for me during the good and bad times so it's like losing a friend. I can do it though! Thanks again for the advice!

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5. 60

   LuxmiHposted 13 years ago

   Congratulations on your decision, sometimes deciding is the hardest first step.
   
   My passion in life was smoking, so I have some idea of the journey that you are now begining. The reward is well worth the new, soon-to-become-familiar path.
   
   Everyone has to figure out what will work best for them. But perhaps by hearing from others you can try others' methods that might work for you too.
   
   My mind tends to be contrary, especially if I tell myself that I cannot do or have something, I end up fixating on the forbidden fruit. So here 's what I did... I took a multi-faceted approach.
   
   First, I kept a sealed packet of cigarettes with me at all times and told myself that I could have a cigarette any time that I was such a weakling that I could not go on without a cigarette. (That way, it became more about being strong-willed rather than deprivation.)
   
   Next, I realized that cigarettes were actually a crutch for me to have permission for 'time out', during which I could take a few moments to relax take deep breathes and think. So I made it a point of continuing to take healthy 'time out' breaks.
   
   I'd sit for a moment and have an imaginary cigarette, inhaling, exhaling just like when I used to smoke. I did this so well that I felt really good after my healthy breathing,  (feeling even better than when I used to be inhaling smoke and poluting my being).
   
   This for me was a life saver in many ways. breathing is so importnat that you cannot live without it. Yogi's teach how important it is to breathe consciously. They call it 'pranayama'.
   
   I decided that my body was probably deprived of healthy nutrients,  so I fed myself suppliments such as B complex, (for stress relief) chromium (for metabolizing sugar), and a multi-vitamin.
   
   I also enrolled in a martial art class because the exercise combined with kicking and punching was a neat way to build health and constructively channel any aggression or frustration.
   
   I set reward goals. After the first day I gave myself something special. Then after the first week, I treated myself. First month, first three, six, twelve months a celebration of some sort.
   
   I focused on being apprecitive for every day that my will won and I had been strengthened. One day at a time.
   
   After three years I through out the mangeled, disgusting looking packet of cigarettes. I was free at last. The smelly, unhealthy, expensive crutch was no longer an issue.
   
   All the very best success for your wonderful life-enhacing choice. 2012 is going to be a good year for you.

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6. 59

   happydanceposted 13 years ago

   I too was a smoker when I was younger and was up to over a pack a day. When I decided to stop, I found the first week very difficult, the second a little easier then the third week was becoming a habit. After 3 weeks I had no desire to smoke again. It wasn't until many years later that I read it takes 21 days to form a new habit.
   
   Ride it through, as Carcro said, you are doing this for you, the most important reason. I also love the Carrot idea, I would have tried that had it been suggested to me back then.

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7. 0

   MP50posted 13 years ago

   You have taken the first and most important step by quitting......Keep going forward and don't look back.

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8. 76

   jacqui2011posted 13 years ago

   Well done on deciding to quit smoking. I would take one day at a time and get through each day. Perhaps try and take up something new to try and replace it e.g. exercise or walking. Keep going on from here. My brother recently quit smoking and bought fake cigarettes that you smoke, it worked for him and after a few months he didn't need the fake one.
   There are also lots of support groups on the internet which offer helpful advice and encouragement.

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9. 61

   DusanBordjoskiposted 13 years ago

   Hello ShawnB2011.
   
   Hope this hub will help you on your way to avoid smoking! I just made it.
   
   http://dusanbordjoski.hubpages.com/hub/ … ou-started

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10. 78

    CloudExplorerposted 13 years ago

    I quit smoking cigarettes cold turkey, that's the only advice I can muster at this time.  If I tried to tell you more I would surely have to do some research, because I haven't touched a cigarette in so many years I almost forgot I even smoked them retched things.
    
    Oh and I've saved a bundle since that time as well, maybe create a chart on how much you will save in years to come, then put that money into good use instead.  Maybe that will help a bit, motivation of any kind helps people change things quickly.

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11. 60

    smohrposted 13 years ago

    Congratulations for taking that step Shawn! I too have taken that step, the day I found out I was going to be a father. For me what worked, or made it easier, is I would keep a pocket full of mints and have one in my mouth all day. Also, ice cold water! the cold water will calm the nerves that crave the nicotine. I would have a 64 oz cup of ice water all day, I'd go through about 5 a day for the first week along with the mints and it helped tremendously! Plus always stay BUSY! But the best thing is just making up your mind that you WANT to quit! Until you do that it will be 10 times harder! I tried to quit time and time again, but I wasn't really wanting to so I wasted the time and energy the whole time. So if you have it in your mind that you ARE READY to quit then take every step to quit smoking. What worked for me may not work for you but it's the best I have to offer you! Good luck and I hope you are able to overcome the cravings!

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    rutleyposted 13 years ago

    My husband recently quit cold turkey after many years of puffing.  I buy him bags of lollipops.  It seems to help with the hand to mouth thing, and just chew on the stick.  Be sure to brush often, you don't want rotten teeth to go along with this.

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13. 60

    Neil Hortonposted 13 years ago

    everytime you get the urge to smoke, consider sucking on your big toe

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    missbritt08posted 13 years ago

    Well congrats to you on deciding to quit! It takes a lot of will power. I have never smoked but I know a lot of people that do or have. They have told me always having something in there mouth helps (gum, jolly ranchers etc) something to help keep your mind off of it. Other then that I really can't help but I wish you the best of luck!

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