Tips for quitting smoking!

boldpuma89 said:You guys are being awfully quiet. Did everyone seriously miss this?

Well, looks like we’ve all finally made it—we are officially 100% non-smokers now. 🙂 I'm thinking about starting a new thread: "How to start smoking."
😂 😬

Listen, everyone—don't let this stuff get you down. I just had a moment where I actually went a little crazy with joy because I pulled out my calendar and realized I haven't touched a cigarette in two and a half months now. 👏 👋 😵 🎉

I don't have any cravings or an actual urge for a cigarette, but I caught myself telling my husband: since I quit smoking... since I stopped... this is the first time since I haven't been smoking...
Man, I feel like I’ve been reborn! 😲 And honestly, in a way, I actually have...
I still cough every now and then, but it’s nothing major...

And the food—forget about PMS—I was absolutely inhaling everything in sight... just eating nonstop without a single care in the world... but thank God 🙏 for the last three nights, I've finally stopped having late-night dinners again... my appetite is actually settling down...

And let me tell you—everything tastes so incredibly delicious now...
Honestly, being pregnant really paved the way for this; you can literally feel your body searching for what it needs... I put on two pounds—and yeah, don't start with me 🙄 I know it shows up on my hips, but they won't be there for long, just you wait!

Ugh, I have to admit, the craving for a cigarette has tempted me a few times over the last couple of days. It’s probably just because I’ve been sitting at Starbucks a bit more often than usual, but I haven't lit up and I don't plan to!

I’m coming up on almost two months smoke-free now—wow, even I surprised myself there. There is absolutely no way I'm starting again! 😁

I actually went on an automatic diet once I decided to quit. Well, back when I was home in St. Louis I wasn't really dieting; I honestly can't make up my mind about food to save my life 🙂 but whenever I go back to the college lifestyle, I know the weight comes back fast, so staying fit isn't really my struggle. 🙂

boldpuma89, how are things going with you? Are you still down to just a few a day or what?

Two months without any yip yip yip

👍 👋 👋 👋

I finally kicked the addiction... now I can't even look at a cigarette without feeling disgusted. Besides, I've been feeling under the weather lately, so I don't even have the energy to try. I still light up once a month just to fit in with the group, but even then, it hits me hard and makes me nauseous because I haven't smoked in so long.

I went playing tennis with a friend... she had me running for two hours and THEN she lights up a cigarette right after! I would've choked. That's honestly pathetic.

😲

So, I was at the hypnotist's today.....SMOKING ...The guy actually thought he’d successfully hypnotized me—I didn't have the heart to ruin his moment, though—but honestly, there wasn't even a hint of anything happening.
Turns out I learned what I already knew: nobody can help me unless I actually want them to.

12 weeks smoke-free 😎

John Hughes26 said:So I went to see a hypnotist.....SMOKING ...The guy actually thought he'd successfully hypnotized me, but I didn't have the heart to ruin his moment...

😂

Oh my god, I am absolutely dying laughing at this! 😁

But seriously, you figure everything out on your own eventually, though life without cigarettes feels incredible. Sometimes the cravings hit, which is totally normal, but it’s just a little test of character. Honestly, it's kind of fun! hehe! 😁

Huge props to everyone who finally quit! 🙂

😠 They’re coming for me, I swear. They're out to get me. 😠

I was actually feeling pretty damn proud of myself for hitting the 12-week mark without a single cigarette, and then today.... I’m digging through my closet, looking for some jackets I haven't worn in forever, when I feel something in my pocket. One pocket had makeup, but the other.... 😠 a pack of cigarettes...
I can't catch a break...

I didn't light up. I just took a little sniff, reminded myself that I'm a non-smoker now, and tossed them straight into the trash...

Where do these ghosts from the past even come from? 🙄 It must have happened back when I shoved them into that jacket and cursed everything under the sun because I couldn't find them. 🙄

Betty Hill82 said:I just kept talking about it, over and over again...

Then I just stopped. Stopped talking about it, and stopped smoking.

It's been 9 days. Spent them with my partner. Honestly, quitting has never felt this easy. I was bracing myself for a massive crisis, but nothing happened. Thank God for that...

Still, I always feel like a smoker who isn't smoking. I'm pretty sure it’ll follow me for the rest of my life. I'll never truly be a "non-smoker."

This was at the start of the third month.

And we still aren't smoking.🙂

We packed on weight like crazy—total pigs before a holiday feast😁—but we don't care.

Now we're just burning it off.🙄

The most important part: cigarettes don't even cross our minds anymore, and the smell of smoke is absolutely revolting.

We went through phases of being nervous, depressed, and just plain unpleasant to everyone else. We had zero motivation and spent hours obsessing over cigarettes while binge-eating... And then, suddenly, it all just stopped. Everything!

And I didn't turn into one of those former smokers who acts like a self-righteous moralist. 😁

One more thing: we noticed the worst cravings hit when we thought about how we would *never* light up again. That option stays open to us ALWAYS. So far, we haven't used it.

So there it is...

Wishing you all an easy nicotine detox. 🙂
The mental addiction is the biggest hurdle. I felt miserable and gross every time I'd sit down for coffee with my friends (who all smoke).
But that's solved too. Once you get into sports, your confidence comes back incredibly fast.😉

I quit 😁

How would I even know?

I don't exactly have the date of my last cigarette memorized, and I'm definitely not sitting here counting the days, hours, minutes, or seconds since then...

I just don't smoke anymore, period 🙂

Sending good vibes to everyone out there who's still struggling 🙂

Kimberly Williams said:boldpuma89, how's it going on your end? You still down to just a couple sticks a day or what?

Man! My sleep has been totally wrecked for the last 10 days or so. First, I was having issues getting any rest at all, then I spent three days in Dubrovnik for some lectures that always ended with late-night hangouts—and now, I'm spending two days this weekend at a sailing regatta...
It looks like it’s officially time for me to go back to my 3 or 4 a day habit, because honestly, cigarettes don't even smell bad to me anymore—I actually find myself missing them after an hour or two, which is a phase I thought I'd definitely left behind.
I bet anyone who went cold turkey is losing their mind right about now, so I figured I'd pop in here just to see "if you guys are still alive," though I'm trying to keep my posts to a minimum...

Dammit, I was hitting that stage where I was going through three or four cravings a day during my first week after making the decision. Eventually, I just decided to rip them off myself—actually, I gave them to a coworker (looking back, yeah, that was a "lovely gift" to leave on her desk!).
So, let me get this straight: you indulge when life is going great, but what happens when things hit the fan? Do you still reach for one then?
Why don't you try some kind of method... I don't know, anything at all, even if it's just a mental trick... maybe grab a glass of water when a craving hits?
Anything works, just stop linking everything happening around you to the urge to smoke....

Of course, now I probably sound like I'm acting all high and mighty because I've already made it through my own rough patches, but seriously, try getting back to that level if you're hitting three or four a day again.

And check in! We're here for you—even if we aren't always posting!

Dyna said:Dammit, I was hitting phase 3 or 4 a day during that first week after deciding to quit, so I just decided to get them away from me—gave them to a coworker (hmm—"what a lovely gift," I realize that now!).
So basically, you smoke when life is great, but what about when things go south? Do you still light up then?
Why don't you try some method... I don't know, anything at all... even if it's just something you tell yourself... maybe grab a glass of water when a craving hits?
Anything, really. Just stop linking everything happening around you to the urge to smoke....

Of course, I probably sound like a smart-ass now because my cravings are behind me, but just wait until you're back at 3 or 4 a day again.

And check in! We're here—even if we aren't always posting!

thanks Dyna! I smoke when things are good and when they suck. Honestly, I decided to quit once things started feeling better and less shitty (lovely thing to say, right).
Still, I love that line: "... don't link everything happening around you to the urge to smoke ..." there's a lot of truth in that, even if it's a bitter pill to swallow.

This is my first time posting here. I actually quit about a month and a half ago. I’ve noticed that most people spiral into depression and beat themselves up the moment they realize they stumbled and had one, two, or three cigarettes after deciding they were "completely done." They feel like they've betrayed this grand ideal of: "I quit one day and haven't touched a cigarette since..." It seems incredibly important to stop viewing quitting as this perfect, untouchable ideal. For instance, Bobetko is feeling miserable because he increased his intake from an ideal zero to maybe three or four a day... so fucking what? You went from smoking thirty cigarettes a day to four or five. By any metric, that success is massive and freaking huge. That old saying—I think Mark Twain said it—about how "quitting smoking isn't the problem, I've quit a thousand times already," is actually quite useful in its essence. It applies to most people who don't feel "strong enough" to quit instantly (and let's face it, we're all smokers, every single one of us). The core message is that you need to keep quitting, day after day... Plenty of people here have mentioned that they still smoke even after years of abstinence... which means they are still in the process of quitting, perhaps just not as frequently as us beginners. So, you need to quit smoking—more often and more frequently—whether it's for five minutes, half an hour, a whole day, a week, or a year...

A cigarette? No thanks! My coworker couldn't stop smoking, but I nagged him so much about it that he finally decided to quit—and he actually did it! It's been 4 months now without a single puff! That’s what I call true strength of character.
And of course, you have to deal with those "judgmental types" looking on from the sidelines!

I haven't touched a cigarette since January 27, 2002.

Until a few months ago, I was still tracking my days and months smoke-free, but now I've even stopped obsessing over the count.
I'll admit, the urge hits me occasionally, but it’s all about willpower.
Shortly after quitting, I started working out—hitting the gym regularly for about two years now. It really helped. My advice to anyone who has quit or is planning to: start exercising. You can do it at home—push-ups, sit-ups, just stay consistent. Aim for 40 minutes a day if you can, and definitely get some weights. You can start small with 3 or 5 kg sets; they aren't expensive and you can find them starting at $20. Once you're ready, join a fitness center.
Lately, I've been alternating—one month at the gym, one month at home.
Honestly, the exercise played a huge part in strengthening my willpower to stay smoke-free, so give it a shot.

Since quitting, I feel like a new person. One of the first things I noticed right after I quit was the taste of food. I don't know if it's just me, but everything seems to have a different, better flavor now.
Plus, there's no morning coughing fits, and you just generally feel better.
Don't give up. That craving can pop up even years later, but hang in there—it'll pass.

When I quit, I told myself I’d just take it one day at a time. Every time a craving hit, I just grit my teeth and pushed through. I told myself, "Get over it. Don't be a wimp. Don't let some pathetic addiction run your life."

So just hang in there. For me, the first three months were the toughest, then it got a lot easier.

What is with this multi-day non-smoking silence? Or did everyone just decide they don't need "therapy" anymore?

I definitely can't take any credit here! 🙂

Oh man, what a mess!

I hadn't touched a cigarette since last June, but then a month ago, I lit one up and just... gagged. I actually looked at myself and thought, "Come on, you idiot, you can handle this." And now? Now I'm back at it, but only when I'm out of the house—and I'm going through them like crazy! Just one after another. It's disgusting. Honestly, it feels like I'm trying to make up for all the lost time I spent being a non-smoker! 😠

Here's the weird part, though: I absolutely cannot get used to that stale, burnt smell right after a smoke. Maybe it's the stress catching up with me? I really hope I can push through this slump.

Yesterday, I didn't light up once. Not even a single craving. But then again, I wasn't even outside! 😬

Listen, everyone—if you’ve quit before, do NOT give in. Just hang on through those twenty seconds of pure panic. If you don't, you'll find yourself sliding right back into a full-blown habit faster than you can blink!

Cheers to everyone, smokers and non-smokers alike. And for those of you struggling to quit, I'm rooting for you. I hope you join the non-smoking club very soon!

Nathan Taylor3 said:First time posting here. I quit about a month and a half ago... And honestly? I’ve noticed most people just spiral into depression and misery when they realize they slipped up and had one or two—maybe three—after they supposedly "quit for good." They feel like they failed this grand, impossible ideal of "I quit one day and haven't touched a cigarette since..." It seems incredibly important to ditch that perfectionist mindset. For instance, boldpuma89 is feeling like crap because he bumped his dose from an ideal zero to maybe 3 or 4 a day... so fucking what? You used to smoke thirty a day, and now you're down to four or five. By any metric, that is a massive, freaking huge success. That old saying—I think Mark Twain said it—about how quitting isn't the hard part, it's just that he's "quit a thousand times," is actually pretty useful for most people who feel they "aren't strong enough" to stop instantly. But let's face it, we're all smokers, every single one of us. The real message there is that you need to just keep quitting, day after day... Plenty of people on here have mentioned they still smoke even after years of trying to quit... which means they are *still* in the process of quitting, maybe just not as frequently as us newbies. So, you just have to keep quitting smoking—whether it's for five minutes, half an hour, a whole day, a week, or a year...

You hit the nail on the head!

I wonder if anyone else has dealt with this specific moment:

"Hmm, should I light this one up or... nah, maybe not! Just one more and then I'm done..."

When I made that second decision *not* to light up, believe me, I didn't even miss it. Usually, if I do end up lighting one, I finish it feeling like I didn't even really need it anyway!

Or, sometimes what helps me right before I reach for one is just remembering the disgusting taste I'll have in my mouth, or how much my hands will smell, not to mention my hair! Sure, some might argue that if you're in a place where people smoke, you'll smell like it regardless. True, but it's a hell of a lot less than if I'm actually doing the smoking myself!

And one more thing!

I spend a ton of time working at my computer in a smoke-free room, and I just absolutely cannot stand the way my hands stink of smoke! The sensation of that smell... it's just awful. So, I'm sincerely hoping I can pull this off and be cigarette-free again!

Just speaking from experience here!