Tips for quitting smoking!

Lawrence Garcia93 said:Ex-smokers are honestly the worst.
They’re easily the least tolerant group out there.😎

Spot on.😬

I mean, you’d think my former "smoking buddies" would at least try to understand my current reality, right?

But no. Now, smokers just smell terrible to me. Their clothes, their hair, their skin... everything. It's everywhere. 🙂 Sometimes I catch myself wondering if I used to smell just as bad. 😲

I probably did.😁

ROLADA said:To put it bluntly, every single moment of my day seems to demand some kind of reward, and for me, that reward is a cigarette.

Go find yourself some other kind of prize... just make sure it isn't chocolate. 😁

I used to set aside my cigarette money in a specific spot every single day... then, at the end of the month, I’d treat myself to some flashy, totally unnecessary stuff I wouldn't normally touch (like this beaded necklace that cost me about $45 or so). Find a little ritual like that and make it your reward. Honestly, you'll probably shock yourself when you see how much cash you've actually managed to scrape together. 😲

Good luck! 👋

Kimberly Williams said:You get way more than just the temporary rush (which, let's be honest, isn't even that great). You get your health back, you feel refreshed, you save time (man, you save so much time), you get a little extra cash, and most importantly—freedom!

Look, the choice is yours, but being free from tobacco is pure bliss. 🙂 👍

EXACTLY!!!! 👍 👍

If I had only known how energized and light I’d feel WITHOUT cigarettes...

I honestly regret all those years I wasted as a smoker, trust me. 👍

Don't let yourselves fall for it, people. Seriously, do you have any idea how much money you're throwing away on those stocks because of YOUR own weakness? 😳 😠

Eric Scott65 said:Can anyone help? I'm looking for the address of that guy who does hypnosis to help heavy smokers quit...
Please.

My old man's coughing his lungs out... He'll only listen to something like this. 😢

I heard there's someone in Opatija (don't know his name or where he's at), but if anyone knows someone in Chicago—help me out. 🙏

I know him.
😁

I’ve been chewing on the idea of quitting smoking for a long, long time—but honestly, I just couldn't make it stick. Every single time I tried to quit, I ended up failing. 😢
So, about a month ago, I just... stopped. Out of nowhere. 😎
I have absolutely no clue how I actually pulled it off, but I did. 😁
The weirdest part? There weren't any massive withdrawals or bouts of irritability; everything just went smoothly. And now, I'm saving a decent chunk of change by not feeding this stupid addiction—I'm talking about spending up to $167 less every month. Now I can actually afford to buy something useful instead of just burning cash on cigarettes. 🙂
Anyway, I’m waiting until I hit at least the one-year mark before I really start bragging about it.
👋
P.S. Sending my support to everyone else out there who is currently trying to quit or has already managed to kick the habit. 👍 👍 👍

So... it’s been 11 months since my partner and I finally quit smoking. To be honest, those pills we mentioned before really did the trick; they helped us get off the wagon, so to speak. Looking back at these past 11 months, here is how things stand for me:

- I can breathe with full lungs. I love taking long walks through the woods with the dog. It feels incredible... just amazing.
- Everything in the house smells clean. The clothes, the air... everything. There isn't that damn smoke clinging to every living thing anymore.
- I feel proud of ourselves for making a smart move for our own health—and for everyone else in the house. Plus, we aren't just throwing money into thin air.
- Our friends actually respect the decision. They look at us with envy, saying stuff like, "I wish I had your willpower," or "You guys are so disciplined..." blah blah blah... if only it were that easy for them.

But...

- Even after 11 months, I still crave a cigarette. I find myself cursing everything just to try and forget the habit. If someone lights up on the street in front of me, I end up following them like some junkie, just sniffing the smoke.
- We put on weight. A lot of weight. We haven't lost it yet, which just makes me even more irritable and depressed.
- Now that it's summer, we're outside all the time. Sitting out for coffee with friends is actually kind of hard... I almost envy them. They get to enjoy their coffee and "get away" with a smoke, while I'm stuck sitting there "not allowed."

In short, quitting smoking has left me feeling more high-strung (should I mention being significantly rounder?) than when I was actually smoking.
The negative side effects have pretty much outweighed the positives.

My conclusion? It's total shit to start this whole process.

Is anyone else struggling with these side effects? Help... 😢

analogwolf26 said:Basically, quitting smoking just turned me into a total nervous wreck—and should I even mention I'm looking a little rounder around the edges now? Not exactly what I signed up for.
The downsides are pretty much drowning out all those "positive" benefits everyone talks about.

As for my big conclusion—honestly, might as well just start smoking again.

Is anyone else out there dealing with these side effects? Help... 😢

Look, you’ve gotta find some kind of hobby or distraction to kill the jitters (and ideally, something to help with the extra weight, too). Going back to smoking is just a one-way ticket to being even more stressed and miserable. And let's be real—smoking isn't going to magically make you thin. Definitely not!
HANG IN THERE!!!! 👍

Anyone else still fighting these side effects...

I definitely put on some weight once I quit smoking
trying to taper off slowly now

Probably did...

You sure about that?😁

Just got back from Disc. I was honestly about to light up, but my friend wouldn't let me. It was rough at the moment. But looking back a few hours later, I really thought I needed that cigarette then, yet now? I don't even feel the craving. I'm pretty much indifferent.

Come on, we can do this.
Better to spend money on condoms than cigarettes, haha.

Listen, everyone—I’ve definitely put on some weight since I quit smoking.😢
I’ve started getting out on my bike more often, so we'll see how that goes...
I’m really hoping the results kick in soon because, honestly, I'm reaching a point where nothing in my closet fits anymore. 😁
As for the cigarettes—of course I miss them. It’s especially tough during those moments when I used to polish off an entire pack in one sitting—like, say, hanging out outside at night with friends who, naturally, are all still smokers. But then I just stop and think about how much money I'm saving, and that helps me push through. Plus, let's be real: breathing is just a whole lot easier.👋

Tomorrow marks exactly one month since I managed to slash my habit from about 2 or 3 packs down to just 3 or 4 cigarettes a day. Look, I haven't hit that "total quit" goal I set for myself yet, but honestly? I’m not even mad about where I'm at right now.

Anyway, just thought I'd drop a quick update for everyone following along here.

I’d love to get some input—or just see what you guys think—from the ex-smokers and the people currently planning their exit strategy... what do you make of this middle ground I'm stuck in?!

boldpuma89 said:Tomorrow marks exactly one month since I managed to cut down from two or three packs a day to just three or four cigarettes. I haven't hit my ultimate goal of quitting entirely yet, but I'm honestly not unhappy with the progress I've made.

Anyway, just wanted to give a quick update to those of you following along.

I’d love to hear—or rather, read—what former smokers and those planning to quit think about this current phase I'm in...

It might feel okay for your wallet, but it’s definitely not doing your health any favors. As I mentioned before, smokers develop an enzyme that breaks down nicotine, whereas non-smokers don't; if you keep going like this, that enzyme will eventually disappear in a few months anyway...

Honestly, this feels like you're just kidding yourself. You either quit, or you don't.

As for me, I haven't touched a cigarette in a year and a half (specifically since March 12, 2003), and I haven't had a single one since then because I just quit cold turkey.

I actually had about ten cigarettes left in my pack at the time, but I just tossed them in the trash. I didn't sit around waiting until they were all gone or anything like that...

Try to actually quit, rather than just cutting back...👋

So, for two days now (and I mean, pay attention here, 😂 VECH 😁), I've been talking about how I'm gonna try my hardest not to light up

but I haven't...

even with all the heartfelt help and support from my inner circle 🙂

three days

Thanks for the advice, Amy Smith. 🙏
I figured this phase where I'm somehow "satisfied" with just 3 or 4 cigarettes is probably gonna fade out eventually—either I'll end up quitting for good or I'll just slip back into regular smoking. But honestly? My mind is already made up. I'm choosing to quit!

boldpuma89 said:I really appreciate the advice, Amy Smith. 🙏
I suspect this phase where I’m just content with three or four cigarettes will eventually pass, leading me toward either a total quit or a period of heavy smoking. But honestly, my mind is already made up. I'm choosing to quit once and for all!

I'm pulling for you...👍

boldpuma89 said:It’s been a month since I cut down from 2 or 3 packs a day to just 3 or 4 cigarettes. I haven't hit my goal yet—which was quitting entirely—but I’m not exactly complaining about where I'm at.

So, yeah—just wanted to give a quick update to everyone following along.

I'd love to hear—or see—what the former smokers and those planning to quit think about this middle ground I'm in.

That approach doesn't really work—it's either you smoke or you don't. As long as you've got cigarettes in your pocket, that devil on your shoulder isn't going to leave you alone.

John Hughes26 said:It’s binary, really—you either quit or you don't. As long as those cigarettes are sitting in your pocket, that devil on your shoulder just won't leave you alone.

So true...

John Hughes26 said:This whole thing doesn't work—it's either you're smoking or you aren't. As long as there's a pack in your pocket, the devil is going to keep whispering in your ear.

I guess I forgot to mention the most important part—my cigarettes are tucked away in the car, so they aren't exactly easy to grab. And I'm not "begging," either. Honestly, I spend half my time telling actual smokers how much of a mistake they're making by not quitting...

Day 4

🙂