Smoking Cessation, anyone?

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   Lynda Garyposted 14 years ago

   I've made the committment to quit smoking (again).  And I'm looking for others who are on this journey or considering it.  I've never approached this before with support -- and that may have been the reason for my repetitive failures.
   
   Having read about the e-cigarette on here somewhere (can't remember where), I checked it out and bought one over the weekend.  I ran out of real smokes this morning, and have been puffing away on this e-cigarette all day today.
   
   I'm wanting a cigarette, but I'm not pulling my hair out ... yet.
   
   I am a SERIOUSLY addicted smoker, btw. And I hate it.  Anyone else want to join me on this smoking cessation journey?

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      TheGlassSpiderposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Well, to give you a little encouragement--If I can do it, anyone can...I quit on November 16, 2009 with the help of one session with a hypnotherapist. I haven't smoked or even had a craving since. I don't even think about them anymore. I can sit in a roomful of smokers and never once even consider lighting up.
      
      I can't believe how well it has worked for me. I hated the smoking, but it was SO difficult to stop on my own. I had smoked for almost 15 years and tried four times to quit on my own. I was ready to quit and had to have help.
      
      I wish you the best of luck! There are SO many methods for smoking cessation--don't give up until you find the one that's right for you! You CAN do it.

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         IzzyMposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Hypnotherapy works for some people, but it's obviously worked a treat for you! Only one session? That's fantastic!!
         You hould charge for the name and number of your hypnotherapist - obviously one of the better ones!
         (I'm sure they can all do it, but most want to draw the procedure out to make more money!)

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            TheGlassSpiderposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            I am so very fortunate that she is a friend and very ethical--she would never draw out someone's treatment. There are other places where I promote her very heavily and have written advertisements for her (this is just not one of them because I don't want to come across as being promotional.
            
            The process of preparing for the session was interesting. One of the things she taught me to do was reinforce my feelings/thoughts about how nasty the cigs were for about a month or two before the session. She told me remember how much I wanted to quit every time I lit up...this effectively had me cutting back at least a little before I ever sat in her chair. She told me I had to be 100% ready to give them up, or else the hypnosis wouldn't work. I had myself revved up and convinced that I would never smoke again--I think that HAS to be a big part of it. If one doesn't trust the method, the provider of the service, or isn't ready for the treatment--it just won't work.
            
            But it's been life-changing for me! I jut can't thank my hypnotherapist enough. She's in Sarasota, Florida and anyone really interested in her company's name should drop me an email.

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         lorlie6posted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Wow, GlassSpider-that's remarkable.  Keep it up!

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            TheGlassSpiderposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            Hey, thanks Lorlie! I didn't see this before. I'm coming up on my "anniversary" on the 16th

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      IzzyMposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Halpf the problem, IMO, of the e-cigarette is that you don't break the habit of putting a cigarette in your mouth. Stopping smoking is a seriously life-changing event.
      It's breaking two habits really. It's your addiction to nicotine and the habit of smoking.
      Hey...well done for trying! Hope you find someone on here to share that journey with you!
      I'd join you, but I'm not mentally ready for the challenge yet.
      I wrote a hub about quitting smoking you might like to look at just for ideas

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      marcel285posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I'm quitting too!! Am seriously addicted also. I find the best things for cravings is simply drinking A LOT of water. 6-8 liters a day, and green tea. The easiest way to give up an addiction, is to replace with another addiction. So get addicted to the best substance on earth, water!

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      Mikel G Robertsposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      No thank you.

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      cc riderposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Lynda, yes I will. I am in the same boat and start tomorrow; Easter Sunday. Wish me luck.

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      Ben Evansposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      To all who have the courage to quit, I commend you.  While I didnt smoke, I used to chew tobacco.  I was ingesting the nicotene which was equivalent to 6 packs of cigerettes a day!
      
      Nicotene is one of the most addictive substances on earth.  I had tried to quit many times.  I finally quite July 2 2008.  I got sick for a month and it was very hard but I won't chew again.
      
      I quit cold turkey.  My reason was I was got married to the most remarkable woman and it is not fair for me to have such a disgusting habit and it may affect my future family because it could cause bad health or even death.
      
      I think many people utilize many different methods to stop and what ever works for you be happy.  Stop anyway you can.  Nicotene is a very addictive drug and the poisons contained in tobbaco are very destructive.
      
      Congratulations Lynda, Glassspider, Merlin, Ray, Rafini, and Richie.  Good luck Marcel, and Lorlie, etal.  It is one of the hardest things you will do but everyone is worth more than the addiction.

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         TheGlassSpiderposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Thank you AND congratulations: Nicotine is SO difficult to be rid of...I'm so glad you found something that motivated you to stop. Keep up the great work!

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   Merlin Fraserposted 14 years ago

   Perhaps this maybe a privilage glimpse of the blindingly obvious but to quit smoking you have to feel, in your own mind, it is time.
   Then Quit one cigarette at a time.
   
   My simple plan was to have my first cigarette of the day later and later in the day.
   
   Think about it, you have already gone all night without one so what's one more hour or so?  As soon as you feel the urge to light up, go do something else and tell your self I'll have one in a moment.
   
   In the early days don't torture yourself. Stress is the biggest enemy to quitting.
   
   Reward your self; take the money you spend on cigarettes, and if you are in the UK and smoke 20 a day that's over 5 pounds a day.
   
   Put that money aside and when you are happy that you have reaaly quit then give yourself a major treat.
    
   But above all remember one cigarette is not failure !

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   IzzyMposted 14 years ago

   Good advice Merlin.
   I always think you cannot give up cigarettes until you are in the right frame of mind to do so, and also to remember that the desire to light up comes in waves, so you can be strong for a few waves, and if you do give in to one of them, its not the end of the world. Your fight isn't over.
   But remember too, that having just that one cigarette makes it harder to resist the next wave!

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4. 61

   Lynda Garyposted 14 years ago

   Thanks, guys.  (I'm bringing up your hub right now, Izzy...)
   
   Maybe I should add some more details:
   I've tried hypnotherapy, auriculartherapy (sp?) [the ear thing], the patch, and Chantix.
   
   I LOVE Chantix.  After 2 weeks, I did NOT want to smoke.  But the minute the first months' Rx ran out, I started smoking again -- with a vengence.  If the ins. co. would have only paid for the damn thing for 3-5 months (the time it says it takes to work fully), then I feel I would've been successful.
   
   I've never had an issue with the hand-to-mouth thing.  That part is easy for me to break.  It's the addiction to the chemicals, the part that is killing me.
   
   The e-cigarette isn't actually billed as a smoking cessation technique.  They dont WANT you to stop using it; they want you to keep buying the little capsules at $20 a box (equivalent to a carton of cigarettes).  Cheaper, yes, but then you become addicted to the nicotine. At least it's "clean" (relatively speaking).  And it's not smoke.  It's vapor.
   
   I'm looking for butts at this point in the day.  Funny, but not funny.  SUCH a hard habit to break.  And it IS time.  I just cannot continue to smoke...

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      IzzyMposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Chantix...without having to google it, can you explain what it is? Is that Zyban under another name?

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         Lynda Garyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         It's a prescription, yes. It's not an anti-depressant.  See more in my response to Rafini, below (hey, a hub idea!) 

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      lorlie6posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I'll be trying Chantix in a couple of weeks, and hope it works better than Wellbutrin.  I was given that and felt absolutely nothing. 
      Good Luck, Lynda!

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   Rafiniposted 14 years ago

   I am ready!  I decided this year I'm going to quit!
   
   In January I switched from regular cigs to lights, then I switched from my regular brand to the cheapest brand.  I need to get out of the habit one way or another!  I bought e-cigs but haven't tried it yet...nervous & feel kinda silly about it, know what I mean?  lol  Anyway, I just made an appointment with my doctor to get the patch or a prescription.
   
   I have tried the same thing as Merlin - smoke that first cig later in the morning.  Worked well for awhile.  I also timed myself - 30 mins, then 35, then 40.  I got up to an hour and the timing wasn't good.  I started writing my story and it put a lot of stress on me and I ended up smoking just as much as I was back in December.  I have to start all over again!
   
   Another hint - I started exercising in November, and that even helped.  I noticed I smoked less and ate less without even thinking about it.

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6. 61

   Lynda Garyposted 14 years ago

   Rafini,
   
   When you set your quit date (because you'll need to...) send me an email, okay?  We can support one another.
   
   If you've never tried it, and if your insurance will cover it (or you are independently wealthy...) I highly recommend Chantix over ANY other option.  It really works -- and you can continue to smoke while taking it, until you simply don't want to smoke.  While I took it, I had to also take an anti-nausea medication because it made me so sick.  But, totally worth it to be able to quit smoking
   
   I started using the e-cig yesterday.  By this morning, I'm finally over the "weird" factor.  But I'm ready to lick an ash-tray.  It just doesn't help with the physical withdrawal to all of the chemicals in a cigarette.  So be it. 
   
   Also, if you DO take Chantix, you WONT want to use your e-cig.  Chantix is a receptor blocker, and the nicotine in the e-cig will eventually make you sick, the same as a reg cig does when you are on Chantix.  Still, imo, it's the best option.
   
   In addition to using the e-cig, I'm just taking it one MINUTE at a time.  I keep telling myself, "I can go another minute without a cigarette."  And then, I do.  And another, and another...

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      qwarkposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Lynda:
      Check out the E-cig.
      I saw a medical report a couple days ago that indicated that the e-cig was even more deadly than a real cig...
      I'd dig into it if I were you.

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         Lynda Garyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Wow.  Thanks for the heads-up  (and WHY didn't I see this BEFORE?  I did do my research; I just didn't see it until I added "dangers" to the search term!)
         
         Anyone else considering the e-cig, read this: http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/ … 173222.htm

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      Rafiniposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      will do! 

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   Rayalternatelyposted 14 years ago

   Gave up smoking just over 4 years ago, after being a heavy smoker for 20 plus years. I'd thought about giving up a million times before, but when the time is right it just happens. You just need to want it enough, I suppose.
   
   I used patches to get me off the nicotine addiction, but the hardest part, the habitual thing, needs real will power, and lots of it. Try and remove yourself from smoking environments if you can, that makes it much easier, and most of all, good luck.

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   Explosive INKposted 14 years ago

   Ray, Its all about how much you respect yourself and your loved ones wishes for a healthy happy you. You are more concerned about the vice that will replace the cancer stick. Go to a training Hospital or a VA and get a good look at the inside organs of a young smoker. This might inspire you to carry a water bottle around for 6 months or toothpicks. All you need is a preset result and a slight kick in the procrastination bone. Go ahead and make your family and friends day last for more years.

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   Richieb799posted 14 years ago

   It's all in the mind, and willpower! I quit over 3 years ago and used the gum

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    sxyshiningsmileposted 14 years ago

    hi, my friend has the same condition as you. i recommended him to drink some green tea to refresh himself and help him quit smoking! he succeed!!!he now has become a tealover, may you can have a try, too!!!

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    Lisa HWposted 14 years ago

    I see those Chantix commercials (not that I'm in the market for Chantix), and I hear all the potential side effects (suicidal thoughts, anxiety, and whatever else they are).  From what I know, people who just stop smoking have something similar (horrendous anxiety, irritability, and maybe even a sense of finding it so unbearable they might not be able to deal with).  So, I wonder - why not just stop, go through what may be the same side effects as Chantix, and skip the Chantix?
    
    Then, too, they have the thing that x percent of people "are quit" (that "are quit" irks both me and my daughter because "had quit" would be grammatically correct    but I digress...).  Anyway, if only x percent have quit after - what - 12 weeks or something?  Again, why not aim to quit over a period of 12 (or however many) weeks without Chantix and its side effects?  It just seems to me that are a lot of potential and nasty side-effects for a pretty low-seeming percentage in terms of number of people who quit after all that time.

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    Rafiniposted 14 years ago

    So, how about updates?
    
    I have been smoke free for 2 weeks and feeling great.
    Sometimes though, I need to remind myself I quit...such as when I'm planning to have a cigarette while driving to the store, or when I finish dishes.  LOL
    
    I actually sat in front of the Tobacco store yesterday (my son was in the store next door) and had absolutely no desire or urge to go in!  Yeah!!

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    fengxinshiposted 14 years ago

    Why not try electric cigarette?
    It can reduce the harm brought by the traditional cigarette.

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    CYBERSUPEposted 14 years ago

    If you say you can---You Will !!
    
    If you say you can't---Your Right !!

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