Anyone else struggling to quit smoking?

Yes, it's been two years but never really felt like quitting...

But now I'm moving to the UK and I've heard it's SO expensive to smoke there so I'll be kinda forced to quit and I hope the "you can do it" part of my brain wins or else my wallet will be the one crying :lol:

 

I smoked on and off the whole last year, and then I got a bit addicted when my boss at my last job was stressing me out and I was using them to deal with it. But then after I quit, I really couldn't afford it anymore, and I got tired of bumming other people's so I just quit.

It's a pain, cause I wasn't even really a heavy smoker, and I started feeling like I physically needed one when I was stressed. So it must be hard for people who are REALLY addicted. I'm glad to be done. It's bad for the lungs, skin, teeth, ugh, everything, it's nasty.

 

If I can quit my Oxycodone addiction, I have much faith in you that you can quit smoking. Nicotine and opiates are THE most addictive things you can ingest.

It was rough and I fiended like a bastard, but I'm done and over with it. You need to maintain the mental strength that keeps "not smoking brain" in control.

I had "get up and take more pills brain" and I had "you're crazy, you'll never be able to poop and you'll run out of your perscription brain" hahahaha. It is so hard to quit taking substances that make you feel so happy and so euphoric.

You can do it man! I'm telling you! There was a life before cigs and there will be a life after cigs.

I'm rooting for you!

 

addiction is tough..

There are 2 sides to it in my experience (which is... depressingly vast)

1 - the receptors in your brain, screaming out to be satisfied by your drug. This can be considered the physical side of addiction. It's the cause of withdrawal symptoms, the reason you get relief from the drug far more than you used to etc. There is not alot you can do about this to be honest, except to remember that this is what is driving your seemingly uncontrollable cravings/etc - you can rationalise all you want , but this need to satisfy the receptors takes over other goal-oriented objectives - eg, even though it is unhealthy, you will smoke. This is not a rational choice, this is your brain wanting to be satisfied more strongly than wanting to be healthy.

Part 2 is something you can do more about
2 - this is about your psychological state, your reaction to your environment, etc...
eg - Do you smoke because you're stressing about something? Do you smoke because you feel you need to escape the world for a minute? Do you smoke because you're feeling down? You can't think clearly?

The 2 parts are related of course, because part 1 occurs in part of your brain, and part 2, your psyche, is the sum of your brain, environment, relationships, etc.

But 2 is where you can really help yourself - deal with the things that trigger you to smoke. Rather than just try to deal with your current life without smoking, try to make your life better so that you dont need anything to 'deal with life'!

Now not everyone is affected by both parts.. some people are just addicted through social smoking and the physical/chemical addiction.. But even in those cases, there are probably things in your life that can be rearranged to make things easier for you.


Now a few suggestions:
1 - taper off rather than stopping cold turkey. this is not just about making it easier for you in terms of withdrawal symptoms/adjustment - but also it encourages you to make sustainable long term changes rather than just cutting things out in a moment of strong will, then falling back into old habits. Use nicotine replacements if you like, but be careful that you aren't actually giving yourself a higher dose than you would normally get/pushing your addiction deeper.

2 - if you go back to smoking, or smoke more than you wanted, don't think "I screwed up", "I'm a failure", etc...

It's not a battle to stay clean for 'x' number of days. It's a battle to get off the substance. Sometimes it will be stronger than you, some days/weeks/months/years you will go backwards.. If this happens, just think to yourself 'today I will try again'.

and make sure to celebrate every day you do move forward play up the victories! Or if you go back up to smoking more, look back at the last period of cutting down/quitting - say to yourself, "last time, I quit for x time, or I cut down to this few in a day - I proved I could do that then, I can do it again!"
Thinking positively makes us feel more confident, and confidence means you'll be stronger willed.

 

I'm down to one a day. Post-work sort of thing.

Anyway, a friend once told me she kept telling herself "Well, Bob and Mary managed to get through the day/that situation without a smoke" and just kept that idea in her mind that there are others who are managing without smoking.

Of course that's only a small part of quitting. Srslywtf has given some really good tips already.

 

Oh yes, like srslywtf said PLEASE don't try cold turkey. It's the absolute toughest way. Get some gum or patches and taper. You need to figure out what's better for your addiction profile also. A patch gives you a constant stream whereas gum or losenges give you a kick in the pants and then it's gone. My dad has tried to quit many times, and the patch doesn't help him like the gum does. He is impulsive and the gum satisfies that impulsive addiction where the patch doesn't help with those spikes and cravings.

You'll be irritated, you'll feel anxious, but it's temporary.

Eat good food, relax, and stay hydrated. You'll have the best fighting chance.

Hot showers helped ME with the creepy crawly feeling I was having in WD but I'm not sure if Nicotine WD gives you that sensation. Nonetheless, showering is my way of meditating, so I'd suggest taking nice, hot, long showers to soothe yourself.

The funny thing is, Nicotine is a poison (pesticide) and at first your body treats it like a poison. Then you become addicted to it and it becomes part of your brain chemistry. Strange.

You can do it!!!

 

Been a smoker since 2010, I already quit last year. I'm having a few sticks sometimes but it's not hard for me to stop it. Just take it slow.

 

I can only tell you my personal experience. I smoked for 5 years, and quit cold turkey (I did use a patch for the first 7 days but it made me ill so I stopped using it). I am now almost 2 years off them. It wasn't easy, and depending on the company you keep and the social life you enjoy, it can be made harder. If you are serious about stopping you require lots of will power, even if you do decide to use a stop smoking aid. And if your friends/workmates smoke they need to understand you need their help to keep you away from smoking. It helped me anyway. Best of luck to you it'll help your health and your wallet if you can quit!

 

I have to say I love smoking... nothing better. That being said I have been smoke free for the last 10yrs. I haven't quit, just waiting for the day the doctor gives me 6months to live to have my next cigarette. I have quit 4 times over the years and have a lot of thoughts on the subject. The first time I quit was for 4 yrs. I went cold turkey. That time wasn't too bad. But one night of drinking I had just one cigarette and I was hooked again.

The second time I quit was for a year. I used welbutrine sp??? which worked but is not the easiest. The stuff mess with my head a bit. Once again I had a smoke or two after a few beers one night and ended up buying a pack.

The third time I used the patch. That sucked. Waste of time. You spend way too long suffering from cravings. Not for me.

The last time I went cold turkey. Its the best way to go. I have been smoke free ever since except for the occasional dream which I love. Here is the Real Advice. You have to treat it just like any other addiction.

1. Don't think about it as tho you can't ever have a cigarette again. Thats too much. All you have to do is not have a cigarette right now. Don't worry about later. You'll tackle that when you get there.

2. Your just one smoke away from a pack a day. It just takes one. And if your tempted remember you are erasing all that pain you have suffered up to that point. After a week you'll be in good shape, two and your almost there, a month your golden.

3. Avoid triggers. You know those things that cause you cravings and avoid those activities the best you can.

4. Have a plan for when you get stressed out. Alternative release like excersize,yoga, meditation, ect. Also don't let yourself get too tired, or too tired.

5. Some people say go out and tell everyone your quitting so you'll have support system and encouragement. I disagree. Don't tell anyone. You are doing this for you. If you tell people you just end up talking about smoking to people when they ask how its going and thats no help at all. I had quit for 3 weeks with no cravings when I was having beers with my coworkers after work and one guy noticed I hadn't been smoking and inquired. He was the first person I told. When you tell everyone you put the stress of failure on top of it.

6. Watch the alcohol. And if you do drink remember it takes just one.

Good luck