How can i quit smoking? -
i need help on quitting smoking and the withdrawal and the symptoms. I-ve been smoking for 18 years and i would like to quit
I smoked 20+ a day for over 16 years, and had many, many failed attempts at stopping - from a few days to over a year - until I read one of Allen Carr-s books. I can highly recommend them.
During the first few weeks I went for a walk every time I had the urge for a cigarette - a change of scenery alters your mind-state (worked well for me as I rarely smoked when I walked).
I also burnt off part of a Fiver and stuck the remains on my front door. People thought I was nuts, but each time I left home I was reminded of how much money I had -burnt- every day whilst smoking!
I had to stay away from smokey pubs for several weeks, but you won-t have that problem now! :-)
Good luck!
Use Allen Carrs Easway method to stop, it is EASY!!
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Despite what the obvious -non-smokers- say, it-s not easy. It took me 3 attempts. BUT, saying that, each time was easier than the one before. Go to your local Pharmacy and ask for help, or visit your GP.
Try patches and the gum to start with, and when the habit of putting something in your mouth dies down, just use the patches. Like antibiotics... FINISH THE COURSE! I thought I was a non smoker after using full strength patches for about 3 weeks so I stopped using them, BIG mistake.
Only give up if YOU want to give up and when YOU want to. Don-t do it just because your husband/wife/partner or anyone else says so. It has to be you who makes the decision. Then, when you have made a date, stick to it, ask for help and remember you still need will power. Nicotine replacement is not a miracle cure. Oh, and one last thing...GOOD LUCK!
I know exactly how you feel. I managed to stop smoking back in September. I read the Allen Carr book and found that was just enough to keep things on the straight and narrow. I-d be lying if I said I have not fancied one since, but stick with it and this diminishes as the weeks pass.
Until this point I had smoked for 25 years and had various half hearted attempts. For me it was all about realising I was doing something positive for me....not anyone else. That ultimately meant that when faced with the little devil on my shoulder saying you can have one....no-one will know, I was able to dismiss this with the thought that I would be letting myself down. Plus with cigarettes being over ￡5.50 a pack for my old brand, the financial side of it soon added up to a fantastic reason to continue with the decision to not smoke.
Very best of luck
I found patches to be brilliant, I started out with the full strength ones, and after a week I started cutting the full strength ones in half and then eventually quarters. After about 4 weeks I had stopped with the patches altogether. I haven-t smoked in 3 months and feel a whole lot better for it.
The most important thing is that you have to really want to stop. I haven-t had a single sneaky urge to smoke since quitting. You have to think about how many years it-s going to take off your life, and how smoking is going to reduce your enjoyment of the rest of your life. I also started exercising 5 days a week, and instead of gaining weight after stopping smoking, i have also lost over 12 kilos.
Firstly, congratulations to all the people who thought it-s intelligent to answer this in a negative way, ie don-t buy cigarettes or just don-t bother to quit. Well done, very helpful indeed!!
Unfortunately there is no hard and fast way to quit. All you can do is take any advice given and try.Having tried numerous times until finally suceeding over 6 years ago, first thing is that you need to be 100% sure you want to quit. This may sound silly but if there is doubt, you will focus on that small percentage during those tough times. Have a think about when those tough times will be. Work was a difficult one for me and therefore I still took the break outside with a colleague however took a coffee outside with me instead. You associate having a break away from your desk/work area with the cigarette and therefore by still having this break, I found this help me get through the day.
I didn-t try nicotine gums etc however know many that have and they do help.
Remember nicotine is a hunger surpressant and therefore you may find the need to snack in order to try to overcome the cravings. Be aware of this and find something healthy and low fat that you can eat at these times, rather than sweets/chocolate etc.
To be honest, I tried the book and it didn-t work but again, I know people who have and that is echoed on the thread here.
Just try and remember that everyone is different and you may need to try a few things until you find something that works for you. But if you are determined and remain positive, then you can succeed.
Good luck !!
I am a X smoker of up to 60 a day and i tried various ways to stop but to no avail then one day over 16 years ago i said to myself that-s it and quit that day and have not smoked or wanted one since BUT i still say i am trying to give up my opinion its a bit like been an alcoholic it will always be there but ??
I believe i am winning.
I have just started to quit smoking myself.
I have not smoked for about 2 weeks now.
It is hard and you may have a few attempts but try and stick with it, whenever you have the urge for a cig go for a walk, have a warm bath and drink plenty of juice. Try to keep yourself occupied so you dont think about it.
You will find you may get headaches and sore throats but this is natural and will go away within a few weeks.
Try searching on the web as there are many website with loads of information to help you give up.
Hope this helps and good luck
As a psychologist, I can tell you that there is only one way - do not tell anyonemyou are -stoping-, just -cut down-. See how long you can go without reaching for the fags..and each time try to -beat your record-.
I love it when people say -just stop!-.
How stupid!!! If it was so easy, do you think people who have been diagnosed with cancer would still smoke ?!
And i know the withdrawal symptoms only lasts a few days ( 4 or 5 days). But who can afford not to work for 4 or 5 days? No way i would go to work with these symptons, i would definitely get the sack as i would probably hurl abuse at every single of my workmates and would probably tell my boss to shove his job.. It does make me very agressive and last time i tried to go cold turkey, my flatmate (who hated me to smoke) actually bought me two packs of ciggies and urged me to have one. I was unberable.
Read The Easy Way to Quit Smoking by Alan Carr, if that doesnt work he also has The Only Way.
gave the book to my boyfriend told him he was free to have a **** in his hand every page of the book as long as he read it. he finnished it 4 weeks ago and not touched one since and tells me he doesnt want one or crave etc... this is cold turkey too - no patches or gum. seriously worth the read. have heard other success stories too. check it out on amazon can pick one up for under a fiver!
i quit in May and after a few christmas party slip ups am back on the wagon
the biggest realisation i had was that everytime i wanted a cigarette i told myself :
1. this is the drug, its a powerful drug and your mind will trick you into thinking that you need one.
2. i kept telling myself i am a non smoker, i dont smoke
mostly if you really want to give up you will soon learn after denying the drug and telling yourself you are a non smoker i became aware of all cravings and could dismiss them faster and faster.
it was an interesting experience and learning how powerful a drug it was only made me more commited to beat it
i also learnt that maybe one or two cigarettes was enough to make me moody and suffer withdrawals again for a week or so after.
i tried the supliments : and for the love of god unless you like putting piles of Cr@p into your mouth dont even think they will help you all you need is to realise is all it is, is an addictive drug and it is controlling you, beat it and realise that you are not in control of your own mind
after i quit i had a few lightheaded days and i started running to staive off the need to eat vast amounts i couldnt get very far because i smoked for about 18 years aswell but i got further and further each time and i realise now that i have done myself so much damage and whatever pleasure i got from smoking i now have to pay the healing price.
i actually find it easier to work, solve problems and concentrate just beat every craving with your own will power, i was ultimately and more importantly so incredibly proud of myself for beating the drug down purely on will power
Someone above has already said Alan Carr-s book. It-s called -The Easyway.-
I see this question so many times. Amongst the answers are always some saying read Alan Carr-s book, -The Easyway.-
I did and tried everything. Even the NHS. The few times I saw my doc because I was sick, he gave me 7 minute appointments. When I phoned and said I wanted to give up smoking, he made a 30 minute appointment. Then another 30 minute appointment with the nurse. They gave me prescription for all the nocotine replacement sh.t that I could possibly use. I just started again.
18 months ago, I read Alan Carr. He really makes you understand that it is not difficult to stop. And it wasn-t. I never smoked again, I never put on any weight, had no hunger pain problems, etc etc. Look at my avatar, am I fat? No.
Just read the book, And the good thing is there is no fear factor, because you keep smoking whilst reading the book. You get to the end, and over 80% of readers stop, and never smoke again.
Go to the website, click the link
hi i-ve tryed to quit a few times and i have finally managed it :) i surgest that you go see your doctor and ask for -Champix- they really work they don-t stop the cravings but you won-t want to smoke anymore. I have smoked for 17years and now i-ve finally quit.
Hypnotherapy - it really does work! 2 sessions and you will be clear for life - if you really want to stop. Check out my site - www.jaxhypnotherapy.co.uk Its a safe method and NO side effects except a great feeling of well-being and confidence.
hi I smoked for 10 years and have now given up for just over 2. Few things that made a big difference. Firstly are you still enjoying every cigarette you have or do some of them make you feel sick? Think of all the bad things about smoking (smelly clothes, being ruled by a stupid bit of tobacoo, expense, having to leave tables in restaurants, constantly thinking about your next cigarette etc), but make sure they are things you think bad - not someone else-s suggestion.
Next get yourself an inhalator. For the first few months I had one of these in my mouth constantly! It really works, if you take a puff or two the cravings subside and it feels a bit like smoking.
Thirdly think of somone you really love who wants you to give up. One of the things that got me through was the real look of disappoinment that I knew would be on my hubby-s face if he found out I had had a puff. I also got him to buy me incentives - firstly on a weekly basis, then on a monthly and now its every year!
Good luck!
I smoked from ages 19 - 37. I then attended an evening course Monday - Friday 2 hours each night which cost little and was run by members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. That was 31 years ago and I have not smoked since and there was no effort made to encourage the participants to join this church. I understand that they still hold regular courses today and recommend them to you.
Have tried just about everything with varying degrees of success.
Nicotine Replacement
Patches - itchy, sometimes get a -dry one-.
Gum - Foul taste
Zyban - worked, but went back to the cigs after 5 months.
Started on Champix 2 weeks ago. Feel sick for about an hour after taking the tablet every morning. Makes every cig taste foul. Currently on 2 days without.
Sounds like Need to get the Alan Carr book to read as well.
Cold Turkey is the only way. You-ll climb the walls, but remember, what doesn-t kill you makes you stronger.
all this cr@p about i stopped 2-4 years ago and never wanted a cig since is all bull i stopped started stopped started ive been stopped for 5 years now and there is,nt a day go by where i dont want a cig but i just plod on and think about better thing.
a good wife and kids did it for me
do what you have to do pal
Knowing -exactly- what nicotine does to the brain when you smoke helps you to understand that smoking gives the brain an illusion of relief from stress etc. .Read Allen Carr or Neil Casey, i gave up over 5yrs ago after smoking for 30 yrs.. its soooo easy and the self esteem factor plays a big part in suceeding..
Good Luck..
PS.. after stopping, cravings only happen about 5 times a day and usually only last a few minutes (time them) but seem to last hours... its ALL in the head...Nicotine has left the body after a few days anyway..
Hey forget patches/gum or any other of that rubbish...There is an easy simple way...buy Allen Carrs book -The easy way to quit smoking-....Me and 5 of my closest friends have read the book and all have quit smoking for over a year now...I never think about smoking anymore and know i will never smoke again.. People who have read that book on here will all tell you the same thing..-its brilliant-....R.I.P Allen Carr
You are not alone..
I was smoking like mad before last year until all my
friends who had smoked longer all happened to suffer from some sort of cancer or illness.. which made me smoke less, right away。
In the past 6 months, I -ve only smoked 3 fags when I see friends smoke around me.. I think this is good enough. We are only human, don-t be too hard on yourself..
a wee purple fish
GET THIS BOOK.....
ALLEN CARR - EASYWAY TO QUIT SMOKING!!!!!!!!
IT WORKED FOR ME :o)
I smoked for 18 years until May last year then gave up. My advice - don-t tell anyone when you-re going to start, it only adds further pressure on you. Get some lozenges and (I know this sounds silly) use them. They do work! If like me you like a drink then temporarily change drinks to something you don-t associate with a cigarette. I had three weeks on red wine. Once you really decide to stop it-s not as bad as you think. Good luck!
If you take any advice on these pages take Warren C-s, first paragraph.
I tried for 12 years to quit in varying ways and always failed. I then picked up the Allen Carr books and quit instantley and not only did I quit, it was EASY!
Try Zyban. You-ll need a doctors prescription.
It usually works pretty well. But may have really bad side effects.
It-s going to be very hard for you. But Zyban in the end was the only thing that worked for me.
If you-re a heavy smoker, and you-ve never been able to quit, it may do the trick for you.
Remember most people who tell you, just to use your -will power- are just trying to wind you up. The depth of an addiction for a long term heavy smoker is pretty awful to break.
I used the Alan Carr book - it helped me!
i smoked about 10 a day for 15 years!
I personally found the way to go was a visit to the stop smoking scheme set up in the local Libra. They helped with free aids IE patches tablets inhalers etc. and the support was fantastic.It want all plain sailing. I had to call on a lot of will power to supplement the aids but it was worth it in the end and four years down the line I-m still a smoker who dossent smoke.I was smoking 30 *a day for nearly 36 years.
Hey, I agree with the others - Alan Carrs easy way to stop smoking did it for me. Nicotine replacement didn-t help me, but I stopped using the book.
I made myself more active when I stopped. I joined some fitness classes, went swimming and walking. The feel-good hormones you get after exercise replaced my nicotine buzz. I feel much healthier and stronger.
Stick with it - I think after you-ve got through a few weeks - you realise you don-t need to smoke again.
Good luck!
Go to your local chemist you get lots of support and patches and gum, it worked for me and it-s free !! Good luck
I managed to give up completely 5 months ago now after smoking for 19 years. I found it relatively easy without the need for patches or gum etc. I would only say that you have to give up when the time is right for you, peer pressure may make you give up for a small amount of time, but youll probably go back to it as I know others have done this. I never said I would give up for New Year or any other time, I just stopped one day and have never had one since. Whenever I think about a cigarette (which isnt often) I just think of the smell and horrible breath and taste it gives you after and that is enough for me. Good luck to all those who are trying to stop....