• H&R Moderators: VerbalTruist

the official *i'm quitting!* thread

faithfully dangerous

Ex-Bluelighter
Joined
Dec 12, 2002
Messages
11,225
i'm quitting smoking. it's going to be tough, but i know i can do it--- every other time i'm tried to quit smoking, i've been "ohh, i'm not gonna be able to do it..." with my attitude. this time, though, it's for real.

has anyone else quit smoking before? what techniques, if any, helped you? did you gain weight or replace your cigarettes with food? how were your cravings when you drank/did drugs?

i think this thread will be beneficial to anyone trying to quit anything... i'm also trying to cut down my alcohol intake and, in the near future, completely stop smoking weed.

so-- if you've been successful at quitting anything you were addicted to... or if you are trying to quit... or if you weren't successful but have some advice... post here!
 
Heya, congratulations on quitting!! that's kickass!!

I made new years resolutions to quit smoking and get in better shape. I actually found that after my first workout at the gym I was weezing so horribly, that I couldn't really afford to smoke anymore anyway.

As far as smoking in conjunction with other drugs/drinking... I've cut down on all substance considerably due to my new "be healthy" outlook, but I think that cutting out most of that stuff atleast until you get comfortable rocking out the nonsmoker thing is the best way to go.

It was really hard at first; I like to go out and if i had a beer in one hand, i'd have a cig in the other. I'd have a few cigs every now and again, but i could never just have one. I just finally got sick of the "okay this is the last one.." promises I was making to myself.

I find that working out on a regular basis has helped me with quitting. It doesn't necessarily help with cravings or anything; I just have to rationalize out the fact that smoking is harming my body and I will notice when I jump on the treadmill tomorrow.
 
1) Zyban....Zyban...Zyban....Zyban - It is amazing how it cuts down your cravings to nearly zero. I had a hard time even smoking a whole cigarette on Zyban.

2) L-Tyrosine.....a less potent Zyban (im my experience)

3)cut out alcohol and drugs (or any other triggers, fatty foods, etc.)

4)Exercise when you have a craving, it helps a lot!

5) Lots of prayer and luck!
 
i've started working out again (about three weeks ago) and since then i've cut down considerably.

mark--- my doctor prescribed me wellbutrin (the same as zyban) but my parents (im 21... but in school and they control my medical/prescriptions/etc still) were leery.

my doctors have straight up told me i need to quit. some peoples' bodies can handle smoking--- mine cant because of the serious sinus, allergy and athsma problems i've been dealing with. you'd think my health (on a level other than "ohhh lung cancer/emphysema") would be a priority and help me quit... but nope.
 
faithfully dangerous-

Seriously....wellbutrin seriously works in cutting down your cravings. It is because (based upon my understanding) wellbutrin, acting as a dopamine reuptake inhibitor, in essence negates the dopamine spike you receive in smoking a cigarette. So...because your dopamine levels are consistently raised your craving for nicotene is effectively removed. The only cravings you will have are psycological, which makes it much easier to quit initially.

Again, I am not a scientist, but that is my understanding of why it works based upon my independant research!

edit: Oh and that is why the L-Tyrosine (an amino acid) helps also, because it is a precursor of sorts to dopamine (that is a very simple explanation).
 
im no good at chemistry type of stuff so your explanations helped as much as they could had you gone into more detail. thanks! ill let my parents know and see how it goes--- i hear wellbutrin aids in weight loss, as well, which would be nice--- ive lost the first 5 pounds... grrrrrr
 
I'm quitting again .. hardly smoke much anyway, but I want to start running 5 days a week (instead of just 2, still lifting 2), and it seems a bit useless to be exercising if I'm hurting myself at the same time.
I never even really enjoy cigarettes, but still get the urge to smoke anyway ... I guess its my addictive personality. And being completely sober/clean off everything else right now, I'm not sure how long I'll hold off the cigs ... I gotta have something ya know? :\
 
I'm in the middle of a terrible flu. It feels awful and I would be insane to light up right now. The flu is mixing in with withdrawal. I haven't smoked in 25 hours. Feeling pretty shitty. Its not impossible, I'm sure, but hard. I have quit before, but have always gone back. This is themost addicted I've ever been. I go through withdrawl within 4 hours of not smoking. Maybe this time it will stick. If I can wait it out, support myself, and relax, I can do it.

I feel like what makes me smoke is getting stressed out- when I'm at work or having conflicts with people. Being sick, really sick, I dont have to be at work and I have an excuse not to talk to anyone, so maybe I can go through the physical withdrawal without getting to stressed by life.

Good luck and you're not alone. Just remember to relax and take deep breaths. It helps me. Despite the flu, when I ate today, I had never tasted such intense tuna before in my lif- my sense of smell and taste has sky rocketted.
 
This has worked for me in the past.
Notice you smoking cues. For me, it was after eating, getting into a car, walking to class etc. Instead of stoping cold turkey, start breaking the cues. A good start would be to never smoke in the car.
when you get out of the car, you won't crave a cig anymore.
keep breaking your cues untill your dependence is only chemical/physical..that's a much easier addiction to beat than a mental one.
also, I've heard that zyban is great.

hope this helps :)
 
48 hours since the last one. Withdrawal has gotten better in that I'm not dizzy anymore, but my thoughts are really messed up. If only I can last until I go to sleep :-( Overall, feeling pretty nasty. I knew it would be hard, but I didn't know it would be this hard :(
 
I wish i could quit smoking like you guys T_T im so jealous. Although because im a smoker ive found my endurance lvls to have gone through the roof when i dont have one for a few hrs. 2 days ago i was at the gym and when i hit the tred mill it was the 3-4 hr mark of not having a smoke. Surprisingly i was on there for 12 mins.

Other than that i plan to quit smoking within a months time, and ive already cut down a drugs but in turn ive increased the amount of drinking. But at the end of the day id rather be drunk than stoned.
 
Give the patch a try! the only thing that helped me, I'm smoke free for 50+ days, don't be afraid not to follow the taper program they suggest.
 
arg!

its not going so well for me :( i decided to spend yesterday drinking, smoking weed and grilling out. of course, cigs were a staple all day.

back to the drawing board.
 
I quit smoking about a year ago, and the only advice I can give is don't give up. I tryed to quit many times before I achieved sucess. You have to really want it. I tryed the patch but that never worked for me because it keeps you addicted to nicotine. Cold turkey worked, but more then anything it was that I was just really sick of coughing, flem, sore throat and all that.
 
congrats. Myself, I've quit drugs completely, except for nicotine, alcohol and vitamins. But they say smoking is the hardest thing. GOOD LUCK!
 
well the past two days... just one cig each day. and the five days before that... only smoking when i was drinking. so im getting there...
 
reading this thread makes me wanna go for a cig.... but i've only got 2 left and want them for tomorrow, schools a real bitch for wanting a cigarette.
 
I havn't smoked a cigg except while drinking for about 3 months now. I drink about once every weekend, and during those nights I'll smoke 2-3 ciggs, I just can't help myself! I'm gonna try to cut that out too though. My teqnique for quiting doesn't involve any patches or pills. I simply imagine myself with lung cancer, and think about how incredibly stupid I would have to be to willingly inhale something that is wasting my money and increasing my risk for an early death. Works every time (except while drunk).
 
The time is near

I have 3 cigs left and tomorrow will be smoke free. The first day of many I hope. I have been smoking since 16.

At 32, smoking and birth control pills may present as a deadly combo....I don't want babies ever so the cigs have got to go.

I only smoke a brand from Canada and don't want to deviate. My next trip there is in July. I usually stock up at the duty free.

This is the real reason forcing me into quitting. Forced to quit due to lack of access. It can only be good, right?

I am nervous. My boyfriend is nervous...afraid that I will be a bitch on wheels to live with (I doubt it). He smokes but the smell and taste of American cigarettes is quite unappealing to me. I have lived in the US for 6 years and have tried various brands as nicotine "back-up". He can light up whenever he wants in front of me.

I will probably save one for the morning coffee. Brekkie of champs.

If it is not to be, then a carton of Craven Menthol will magically appear. SOS Send One Smoke.
 
I caved. I had a 1/2 pack of Canadian cigs that I don't really like but here I sit smoking them anyway. They hurt my throat as if I was smoking fibreglass. I am an addict... once they are gone I will make the attempt again.
 
Top