Tips for quitting smoking!

Amy Smith said:Ughhhhhh, just... argh! 😁

You're posting in the wrong thread. Everyone here is either planning to quit or has already kicked the habit.

For those looking for a little encouragement regarding how dangerous smoking actually is...
Don't beat yourself up if you don't succeed right away. Plenty of people need more time to get there. And if you've already made it? Well, bravo.

I've been smoke-free for over 17 years now. Before that, I smoked for 32 years, averaging about 60 to 80 cigarettes a day. I'm well aware of the damage I did.

🙂 😉 😎

Jamie Clark74 said:Those who need a little extra encouragement... asking how dangerous smoking really is...
You shouldn't feel like a failure if you don't succeed right away; there are plenty of people out there who need a bit more time to get there... but if you do manage it, then I wish you nothing but the very best...

For me, it’s been over 17 years since I quit. Before that, I smoked for 32 years, averaging about 60 to 80 cigarettes a day... so I certainly know the damage I've done.

🙂 😉 😎

Well, look at you, Smile; I'm just teasing a little bit...

I actually quit about a year and five months ago, though back then I was smoking around 40 to 50 a day...👋

It’s been about two months now since I finally called it quits....
Before this transition, I had spent fifteen years trapped in a cycle, burning through roughly 30 to 40 cigarettes every single day.
I still deal with intense cravings hitting me once or twice a day, like waves crashing against a shoreline.
Health-wise, things are looking solid; I’ve actually put on about six pounds, and that nagging cough has vanished entirely... even my sex life has improved, and I can enjoy a cup of coffee without any issues. I find myself caught in this strange mental tug-of-war where I occasionally reminisce about the simple ritual of holding a lit cigarette, yet at the exact same moment, I feel this immense sense of triumph because I have finally conquered it. The money saved is certainly one of those practical motivators that helps you grit your teeth and push through; saving a thousand bucks a month is basically like having a free car payment covered. Though, in all honesty, I wouldn't have made the leap just for the cash. My primary driver was pure, unadulterated curiosity—I simply had to know what life felt like without being tethered to a pack.
Back then, I wasn't the one in the driver's seat; the cigarettes were running me, sometimes lasting from sunrise to sunset and consuming three packs alongside a few beers. Now, there are entire days where the thought doesn't even cross my mind. To anyone else reading this on the forum—trust me, it is worth the struggle... every single new day feels like a hard-won victory. I suppose I might be a bit of a bore in social settings lately, as I tend to ramble on about my quitting journey, and I realize that kind of talk probably irritates smokers just as much as it used to irritate me. But honestly, if I could pull this off, I truly believe quitting isn't some insurmountable monster!

Today marks exactly two weeks since I finally quit.
Sometimes the urge hits me hard enough that I just want to light one up, but then I catch myself thinking, "Wait, I'm a non-smoker now," and the feeling just passes.
I honestly used to think I’d never be able to survive life without a cigarette, but so far, I’m actually doing pretty great. My hair doesn't smell like an ash tray, my clothes don't carry that stale smoke scent, and my car finally smells clean again...
I’ve put on a little weight, sure, but it's really nothing to worry about. Every single new day spent without a cigarette is just one more battle won on the road to winning the whole war.

Only weak characters can't quit smoking.

I was smoking two packs a day until November 30, 1998. That night, I just looked at myself and said, "Starting tomorrow, I'm done." I haven't touched a cigarette since.
Seriously, never. Now, the thought of them actually makes me sick.

When I read about individuals with such strong character who have successfully quit smoking, it honestly makes me want to toss my cigarettes today. I always find myself telling people I’m not even much of a smoker because a single pack can last me several days—four days max—though sometimes I'll burn through that same pack in a single night, depending on how things go. There are stretches where I don't even light up for three days straight, only to end up lighting one again during some pointless coffee break...
In any case, maybe I'll join the non-smokers club eventually. To everyone else out there holding steady: my advice is to just keep at it. You absolutely can do this!👋

So, about a month ago, I made this call to myself—once my vacation wraps up, I’m done with smoking. And honestly? It hasn't even felt that bad yet. I actually went out and grabbed a pack on Sunday morning just to have a few last ones before handing the rest over to a friend, because apparently, starting tomorrow—Monday—is the big day.
I mean, there’s something about that morning ritual at work, you know? Just grabbing a coffee and lighting up... it’s a vibe. But lately, I've realized that just having the coffee is actually enough...
And look, I know I shouldn't be bragging since it's only been two days, but I'm feeling pretty good about it. I just keep my mind occupied with like, a million different things so I don't accidentally slip up and think about a cigarette, and so far... it's working.
For context, I’ve been smoking for seven years—usually about half a pack a day, though obviously way more when I'm on vacation, hanging out on weekends, or going out on the town.
I’ve basically just convinced myself that I’ll be a total badass if I can actually stick to this... I think it might actually work.

I'm trying to kick the habit!
So, I’m 34 years old now, and after 20 years of being a total chain smoker—we're talking two packs a day, easy—I finally decided it was time to overhaul my entire lifestyle. But man, let me tell you, it is *not* going well. I haven't tried any nicotine patches, gum, or whatever else, and I definitely haven't gone to any of those "quit smoking" seminars or anything. Just me vs. the addiction.
Please, hit me with your best shots—comments, suggestions, horror stories, anything you've been through...
🤮

You’ve got a thread with the exact same title, and there are two more sitting right above it 😉
The group over there is collectively trying to kick the habit, so take a look at what they're saying...
I’d call myself a casual smoker; I’ve been at it for quite a while considering I'm only 22, but I made sure never to let it get to the point where I was totally hooked. Honestly, though, now that tobacco prices have spiked, quitting might actually be easy—there's just no way I'm lighting up again. 😠

I think my focus is totally shot. My job requires me to be at 100% brainpower all the time, but my mind just drifts straight toward cigarettes—and once I quit, everything else just goes blank... Honestly, I feel like I can't even write a decent post without a hit of nicotine!☕

Thanks Ella, looks like I’m basically non-functional without nicotine—my concentration is sitting at absolute zero right now.
🙏

You can do anything if you really put your mind to it.
Those ads on the local news channels showing what organs look like after years of smoking? Man, they absolutely creep me out.
Maybe try those nicotine patches from the drugstore, or I don't know, just soak a cigarette in milk, let it dry, and then try to light it. It’ll probably gross you out enough that quitting might actually get easier.

Bravo on that milk thing. I actually went out and bought a 60-page manual in Word filled with tips, advice, and people's experiences, but even then, I’m hearing this for the first time. If it turns out we need it, hey, let's go for it; thanks!

Henry Brown2 said:Whenever I read stories from people with real grit who actually managed to quit, it makes me want to toss my pack right now. I always struggle with the identity crisis, though—I don't feel like a "smoker" because a single pack can last me days (maybe four at most), and sometimes I’ll burn through the whole thing in just one night depending on how the situation plays out. There are stretches where I won't even light up for three days, but then I end up at some stupid coffee meetup and find myself lighting up again...
Anyway, maybe I'll join the non-smokers club soon. To everyone else out there holding the line—my advice is simple: keep doing exactly what you're doing. You can do this!

Quitting? It takes willpower. Real character. I just said "no," and that was that. It's been two years now. Good luck!

Look, there's no pressure, just walk away from that devil and leave it behind. I know it isn't easy, but you'll eventually realize you're a total badass with a rock-solid character. 😉
You also know deep down that once you finally make the call to quit, it’s going to get tougher. But honestly, life without tobacco feels so incredible and liberating (I'm actually writing this for my own sake too, haha)—there's no better reward than being able to breathe with full lungs.
Anyway, I'm rooting for you! 👍

Man, I used to be such a social smoker, you know? It was just part of the routine—having one first thing in the morning with my coffee, and then usually grabbing another one later in the evening, maybe around 10 PM. But honestly, I haven't even touched a cigarette in over a year now.

The truth is, I couldn't even come up with a single real reason why I was doing it in the first place. Now, everything just smells like smoke, and I can practically feel it whenever my neighbor downstairs is out on his balcony.

I just quit smoking one morning (and I used to smoke a ton, mostly at work)
I just woke up and told myself
"I'm pregnant"
(Turns out, I actually was pregnant for exactly one day that morning)
Unfortunately, the pregnancy didn't stick
But man, cigarettes just grossed me out... the nausea was brutal, and even the smell of smoke from the neighbor's balcony would make me want to puke
Ex-smokers are the absolute worst
They're always the least tolerant people about it😎

boldpuma89, my previous post was actually meant for you (though it goes out to anyone else thinking about quitting)
It looks like the moderators have dropped us right into our own little corner here 😉

Ex-smokers are easily the most insufferable group out there.

That’s a bit of an overgeneralization, isn't it? I spent twenty years with a cigarette constantly in my hand, yet I never felt the slightest urge to lecture anyone else about quitting. At the end of the day, how someone manages their own habits is strictly a matter of personal liberty.

dustywalker25 said:Not everyone! I smoked for 20 years straight and it never crossed my mind to lecture anyone else about quitting. It's purely an individual choice.

Man, you totally misread me
I'm not lecturing anybody, who cares... they're just wrecking their own lungs and their own wallets
it's just that the damn smoke is bothering me right now
Believe it or not, it's true...