So , i'm going to try to quit smoking today , any advice?

[BLAHwhatever]

Oh, this will be great.

Please explain to me how cigarettes are 'good' in moderation?

Oh, I don't think so, good Sir, because I chose my wording quite consciously.
I'm not saying it's "good for you", as in will make you live a thousand years, help you run a marathon in world record time.
I'm saying "it can be good thing" like, you know, ease some stress, calm your nerves before speaking publicly, relax after a hard day, take your mind off of some bad things goin' on.

I'm "using" them in moderation, a 19-Pack lasts roughly a month and a half for me.
Comparing the benefits against the downsides it comes out to be a win for my life, but that's just my point of view, and my situation.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Find a replacement to keep your mouth busy, now I'm not saying you should hang out on a street corner but there is some good money in that...

Or you could try gum.

 

[Phishfood]

Why quit? Just reduce it.
Cigs can be a good thing if used in moderation

Oh, this will be great.

Please explain to me how cigarettes are 'good' in moderation?

Nicotine has some really good properties like reducing the chance of Alzheimer's.

OP:

Get some gum or something to keep your mouth busy.

Destroy all your smoking gear. Don't just bin any left over tobacco, soak it in water and put it to the bottom of the bin so you can't just fish it back out and light up in a weak moment.

Keep focused on the positives like how much money you will save.

If you can make it 3 days odds are very much in your favour and your addiction will begin to fade.

 

[Ghengis John]

So any advice for me ?

Yeah, stick with it. And good luck.

 

[schizow]

I have a good feeling that you can quit easily given your age and the number of years that you've been smoking.

Would't call it easy. I quit a few months ago after smoking for about 3 or 4 years myself and the first few days where not easy at all, however if you manage to take your mind of it and keep busy it should be ok. From my experience the first 2 days are the hardest after that youll may still want one every now and then but it wont be that big of a deal anymore. anyway goodluck OP

 

[WolfThomas]

Find something that not just replaces the nicotine, but the habit. My housemate when he was quiting would go outside to chew his gum, because he usually went outside for a smoke especially when stuff was stressful.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Y So what to and not to do would be appreciated , and online support is cool too .

Before you begin, if you can: Soak every butt, rizla, match and other smoking equipment and ditch them. Keep the packets though. That's to tell you what you're avoiding.
First of all: It's tough. Anyone who tells you otherwise is a damn fool. Punch them. I'll get to that later.
Secondly : Your timeline:
<2 days - Homocidal-Restless
2 weeks - Worst gone - Choking up mucous, regrowing throat tissue, taking air back in.
>2 months - What was I doing with them?
That won't change.
Thirdly - Replacement Therapy - You WILL get hungrier, you WILL get irritable, you WILL miss it like crazy. Accept that. Take breaks when you normally would and draw long breaths - that's good for you. If you need a cig, take a glass of water instead - the action's similar.
Fourthly - You're saving a bucket load of money - Treat yourself from time to time. I saved £40 a week.
Fifthly - If you slip - and it's a good chance you will - don't beat yourself up. Just stop again, and keep stopped this time.
Sixthly - Don't become a rabid ex-smoker. Remember the shit you went through, and pass it on to those who want to start - but respect those who want to keep going. You know how tough it is.

Good luck. And let us know when you've forgotten when you gave up

 

[Bohemian Waltz]

So any advice for me ?

There's actually a few nifty apps for smart phones that could help, which is sort of in line with the thread considering most of them in part are a type of gamification.

If you're not looking to go cold turkey there's Iquit [http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/iquit/id294206243?mt=8] which sets up a timer between when you can or can't have a cigarette that slowly widens the interval over time until you reach your target goal/quit.

There's also No smoking Life [http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/nosmokinglife/id341549469?mt=8] that keeps track of how long your lifespan has increased since you quit and also how much money you've saved. If you're reasonably financially stable it also allows you to set up a goal/reward and tracks how much money you've saved by not smoking and notifies you when you've saved enough money to purchase the your reward (i.e. a new game/console).

I'm sure there are other applications that aren't based around itunes/apple, but those are just some examples. I do believe most are free.

 

[Delsana]

Ironically enough, studies are beginning to show it's NOT the nicotine that is addicting but instead a chemical found WITHIN the nicotine that isn't natural in itself, of course for a product having cyanide and 900 other carcinogens in it I suppose that's to be expected.

Irregardless, something that could probably HELP you stop and this is going to sound very strange, is going to be taking up the occasional cigar, as you'll still get the nicotine (though of course never inhale a cigar) but will be doing it for "pleasure" rather than "urge, need and want", and as such you'll either completely switch or you'll be able to wean off it at you're own leisure while still getting your "fix".

Since addiction to cigars is PRACTICALLY impossible, this situation has worked for many and carries little risk.

---

Outside of that, quitting cold-turkey is probably the literally worst thing you can do seeing as WILLPOWER which DOES EXIST can never hope to compete with BIOLOGICALLY INDUCED ADDICTION unless you're Oprah.

 

[Mudze]

Go as long as you can without smoking, then have a singular smoke.

Then go as long as you can without smoking, then have a singular smoke.

And so on.

 

[suitepee7]

goes without saying, but try not to hang out with any of your smoker friends/family. it will make you crave them more.

if you really can't do it, try using an electronic cigarette. much better for you than regular ones.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

BTW, Nicotine is easier to give up than Caffeine. (So I've found)

Imagine a 2 day migraine to get over.

Sugar, Alcohol, Carbohydrates are not quite as difficult.

 

[6037084]

I'd give you advice but when I quit I only had cravings as bad as say wanting some kind of food really bad so yeah.

 

[y04coopa]

Yeah so i'm 22 years of age , been amoking for 3 years , and today for the first time i want to quit , people always say that quitting soking is hard . I wouldn't know because this is the first time i try to quit . So any advice for me ? I'm not going to take patches or whatever the new product for quitting sokim , i'm going to try to do it with old fashioned willpower ( what will power still exists in 2011??) . I used to smoke half a pack a day and i'm going to quit cold turkey . So what to and not to do would be appreciated , and online support is cool too .

The best way to beat an addiction is to quite simply get addicted to something else. Now that my sound extreme, and to be honest it is.
Basically what i am saying is having something really really engrossing to do for a week or so and before u notice it you'll have gone for a week without smoking and then it will only get easier.

 

[Riff Moonraker]

Yeah so i'm 22 years of age , been amoking for 3 years , and today for the first time i want to quit , people always say that quitting soking is hard . I wouldn't know because this is the first time i try to quit . So any advice for me ? I'm not going to take patches or whatever the new product for quitting sokim , i'm going to try to do it with old fashioned willpower ( what will power still exists in 2011??) . I used to smoke half a pack a day and i'm going to quit cold turkey . So what to and not to do would be appreciated , and online support is cool too .

I'm not going to lie... it isnt easy to quit cold turkey. I am in the process of doing it myself, and it is tough. But it IS doable. I havent had one in over two weeks now, and going strong. I hate to tell you this, but if you have friends who smoke, the best thing I can tell you is to ask them not to do it around you. At least, not until you are sure you have it beaten. Try to avoid being around cigarettes as much as possible for awhile, and find something to occupy your time. Chew gum.

You can do it... good luck!

 

[Clive Howlitzer]

Most people I know who have successfully quit smoking have all done it by quitting cold turkey. Whenever they tried using aids or slowly getting off it, they always went back to smoking.

 

[Foxpack1]

Not an expert on it, but congratulations on giving it up

 

[Vamantha]

Don't be an asshole to anyone. It will come back to bite you in the ass and it'll be harder to quit once you've alienate all your loved ones.

You could also ask a couple of buddies if they could visit or would allow you to call when your struggling with cravings. A bit like a support group.

Find something to fuck with. I don't care what it is as long as it's a thing and you can fuck with it. Just keep those hands busy.

Keep thinking mouth cancer or stacks of money.

Set a goal for how long you want to not smoke and plan a reward. A shiny bauble, nice meal, a trip, etc. And if you do not smoke for that long then you get that reward. Just make sure it's realistic.

Good luck, may the forces of evil become confused on the way to your house.

 

[CannibalCorpses]

Stopping is easy when you really want to stop. It's when people decide to stop because someone else tells them they should that the difficulty arises. The angry moods and irritable outbursts only last a week or so and then it becomes much easier to deal with. Avoid replacing smoking with eating aswell...i'd rather die of cancer than be fat again!

My advice is this. Keep a few cigs around you so you don't feel like you 'have' to go without. If you panic buy a pack then you will smoke them all. Better to keep a little temptation there than to go cold turkey. It also helps if you cut down to about 5 a day before you go for it full time...let your body get used to not getting it's fix as often.

 

[DanielDeFig]

Whenever you get urge, do something else: Chewing gum, glass of water, go for a walk, etc. (don't replace cigarettes with food or alcohol though. Unless you want to replace one unhealthy habit with another).

I knew a guy in school (we were 15-16) who I'm certain had been smoking for less than 3 years. He simply decided to quit one day, and he didn't need to do so in stages, or use patches or anything.

So I'm sure if you're young enough, and haven't been smoking for too long, it shouldn't be too hard.