How to Stop Smoking

1. 62

   wilsonallen01posted 13 years ago

   Hi,
   
   I want to quit smoking. I have tried many times to quite smoking but always failed. Now I want to stop smoking for ever. Please tell me some guidelines so that I can quite smoking easily.
   
   Thanks

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   1. 58

      Mark Knowlesposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Just quit. If you want to quit - you will quit. That is it. Stop doing it. Now.
      
      I cannot promise it will be easy - I just went through ten months of miserable nastiness to quit after 35 years of smoking.
      
      But now I feel great. More energy, and big boost of confidence knowing I beat it. If I can do it - you can.

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      1. 68

         Jonskyposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Mark, ten months of misery is a long time. Way to go.
         
         I tried stopping once and it was more like 2 or 3 weeks of misery and then I just stopped craving for it.
         
         Unfortunately I tried smoking (for old times sake) and got back on. I stopped smoking for about a year. I'm going to try again, starting now.

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   2. 71

      snagerriesposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Quitting smoking is not easy, but you can do it. To have the best chance of quitting and staying quit, you need to know what you’re up against, what your options are, and where to go for help.
      
      Pick a Quit Day
      
      Once you've decided to quit, you're ready to pick a quit date. This is a very important step. Pick a specific day within the next month as your Quit Day. Picking a date too far away can allow you time to rationalize and change your mind. But do give yourself enough time to prepare and come up with a plan. You might choose a date with a special meaning like a birthday or anniversary, or the date of the Great American Smokeout (the third Thursday in November each year). Or you may want to just pick a random date. Circle the date on your calendar. Make a strong, personal commitment to quit on that day.

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   3. 60

      Bimendra gunposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      just stop for 14 days
      take a better habit instead of that

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   4. 66

      Ben Evansposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I think the habit is different for everyone.  I was seriously addicted to nicotine 2 years ago when I quite.  I actually chewed tobacco and probably put an equivalent nicotine amount of 3 to 4 packs of cigarettes into my system every day.
      
      I tried patches, I tried cutting down, I had stopped and started many times over a long period of trying to stop.  The only thing that worked for me was to stop cold turkey.
      
      Like Mark said it was pure agony for many months.  I still have urges after 2 years stopped but I have been down this path before and to just take one chew will put me back exactly where I was.  This has happened to me before.  I have stopped and started so many times.
      
      I don't believe the medical establishment clinically has a full grasp on the nature of nicotine addiction.  We can as individuals relate our own experiences.  I got very depressed when I stopped.  I don't drink and I don't do other drugs.  I do know that I used nicotine to quell what was inside me.  I needed to find another outlet for my emotions.
      
      It is hard to stop and some people may have an easier time than others.  Different methods may work better for some people than others.  I tried everything and cold turkey is the only thing that worked for me.
      
      You really have to want to stop like others have said.  That is the key and for most it wont be easy.  It just takes a commitment when you stop and if you really want to stop you will succeed.

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2. 90

   WryLiltposted 13 years ago

   "If you want to quit - you will quit."
   
   Precisely, Mark. Now tell my husband that please! (The man who was planning to quit before we moved in together, before we got married, before we tried for a baby, once I got pregnant, once the baby was born, and now, if I get pregnant again.)

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   1. 90

      Polly Cposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Your husband sounds just like my other half - tried to give up before the first baby was born - only suceeded after the second, eight years later, with many attempts inbetween!

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   2. 58

      Mark Knowlesposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      He already knows. You cannot quit if you do not want to quit. It is hard - I made the same promise to my wife and it took me 8 years to do it.
      
      You have to want to do it. Once you have decided - then you can do it. As I mentioned in another thread also going - one of my triggers was watching my 65 yo neighbor having to drag an oxygen bottle around with him. He has terrible emphysema and you can hear him struggling to breathe from a block away.
      
      Honestly - I am not scared of dying - but I am scared of being barely able to walk 50 yards to the car without an oxygen bottle dragging along behind me. 15 years of that? Gawd no.

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3. 62

   Mishaposted 13 years ago

   Just do it. I did.
   
   WryLilt, don't push him. He'll quit when he is ready.

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4. 90

   Polly Cposted 13 years ago

   My other half only managed to quit after more than 20 years, using champix, a prescription drug.  Personally I don't like drugs and unnecessary medication, but he had been trying for years and it was the only thing that worked for him. He has not smoked for one year, prior to that he had only ever managed to give up for a couple of weeks. Mind you, it can have side effects, especially nausea. And you can only take it for a limited time.
   
   Some people seem to be able to give up with only willpower, but he was never one of those.

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5. 62

   rancidTasteposted 13 years ago

   I think... try to forget smoking... may help you to quite ...
   
   another way, you may try...
   
   suppose you do smoking 10 times each day. so, to avoid this you may follow:
   
   1st day: 9 times smoking
   2nd day: 8 times smoking
   3nd day: 7 times smoking
   4th day: 6 times smoking
   5th day: 5 times smoking
   6th day: 4 times smoking
   7th day: 3 times smoking
   8th day: 2 times smoking
   9th day: 1 time smoking
   and finally from the 10th day.... no smoking
   
   You may give a try.... I think u may avoid smoking quickly...

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6. 61

   fucsiaposted 13 years ago

   If you really want to quit, just do it. There are no miraculous ways from outside that make you quit , is within you that must start the motivation and enthusiasm. Be happy to choose the health and the life

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7. 0

   jerrylposted 13 years ago

   Here's what helped me quit.
   
   I bought a pack of my favorite cigarettes, and in fromt of my
   kids, I promised them that the next cigarette that I smoked would come out of that pack.
   
   I promised them and myself that I would not accept, ask for, or
   borrow or steal any cigarettes from anyone.
   
   Then I took pictures of my kids, and taped them to each side of
   the cigarette pack that I had bought.
   
   I taped it very heavily with clear, wide packing tape.
   
   I carried that pack of cigarettes with me everyday.  Every time I wanted to smoke, I looked at the pictures of my kids and didn't think that smoking was worth breaking my promise to them, nor was it worth the time and effort to tear that tape off in order to get to the cigarettes. 
   
   It worked for me,  I hope it will possibly help you.
   
   It still does take a person who is true to his word to his loved ones.  Just watch the food intake. 
   
   Best wishes on your goal.
   
   Jerry

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8. 92

   Pcunixposted 13 years ago

   I quit for good ifteen years ago, but I quit and failed many, many times before that.
   
   Different things work for different people.  I suggest reading everyones advice, including every hub on the subject - try every single bit of it and don't let failure discourage you.   If you fall back, you can quit again   - tomorrow, next week or ten minutes from now!
   
   I once quit three times in one day.  Threw away the pack and went out and bought another inside of ten minutes.  Got mad at myself, tore that pack up and bought yet another within an hour!  Smoked two of those and ripped that pack up and stomped on it :-)  Expensive day!
   
   You WILL succeed.  I smoked for thirty five years before I quit for good.  I went a whole year once smoking one a day and fell back into pack a day overnight.  I have thrown away hundreds of partially used packs and dug broken packs out of the trash - but eventually I succeeded and so can you.
   
   I have a hub about my experience, but you need to read EVERYTHING you can find.  Do NOT give up, just keep trying.

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9. 70

   Rafiniposted 13 years ago

   I quit smoking over 4 months ago and wrote a hub about it (A Day Without Cigarettes) I think the most important thing is to remember smoking is a habit which can be broken.  Nicotine is the addictive substance to flush out of the system in order to break the habit, and when I quit I learned it takes 72 hours for Nicotine to be completely flushed from the system.  Very doable!    Good luck!

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10. 65

    nicregiposted 13 years ago

    Hi there!
    
    First of all, it all starts with you. Reduce smoking each week or each month and give yourself at least 6 months to a year then you will be able to stop complete.
    
    Secondly, never give up and don't force yourself. Start slowly and you will see it getting better
    
    Also, if you want to know how I stop smoking, I did wrote a hub on it Hope you will liked it and good luck buddy!

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11. 50

    gary thomsanposted 13 years ago

    Nothing is impossible in this world, even the word impossible itself says that "I AM POSSIBLE". Well you can only leave smoking if you want to leave it.

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    1. 58

       sylvanioposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       That's what after you really desire to quit.
       Just saying "I will quit " but end up with a fail , it's always because you do not want it indeed .
       "your determination is not enough"

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12. 76

    Kangaroo_Jaseposted 13 years ago

    I am now on day 14 of no longer smoking. I say no longer smoking as I have quit before and 6 weeks later took up the habit again.
    
    I crave for a cigarette every single waking moment, and it is getting a little less in the power of that craving only from yesterday.
    
    How did I stop? I just did simply that, stopped. No additional external help, no patches, no drugs, no proxies, just the ye olde cold turkey.
    
    Here is to looking forward to celebrating with a 100 year old scotch on the day of the 25th anniversary of not smoking. Ideal since I smoked solid for 25 years.

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    1. 59

       vydyulashashiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Good motivation and strong desire by yourself can be enough to quit smoking but many of them are not as desirous as they are at the beginning.
       
       For instance a person smokes 10 per day. He will strongly decide to quit. One day he feels itching on his tongue and says to himself, "alrite i've stopped 10 for about one week,let me smoke only one today"
       
       slowly this will continue and the scenario is same as before-10 per day..
       
       so a person needs a strong will and desire which is constant and consistent

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13. 60

    ross670dawposted 13 years ago

    When you find the answer let me know, I have tried many times using different methods, but failed. Yes, I know you have to want to quit, and I do, because I have smoked for 30 years now and am disgusted with myself for not having the willpower to do so. My Mrs. smokes, my father just got lung cancer, my uncle died from it, what more should it take for me to wake up to myself. Damn it,Just do it. I will, I will.

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14. 58

    Chinajackieposted 13 years ago

    smoke is not good for healthy,i no smoking, he he.
    
    excuse me, what is the forums for using?

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