Tips for quitting smoking!

Patrick Williams said:Generally speaking, cutting back on cigarettes isn't some endless process—I tend to agree with those who say people eventually just slide right back to their old habits.

I wouldn't necessarily agree with that. I’m not exactly part of the group looking to quit entirely, but I will weigh in on this specific point.

About six years ago, I was smoking around two packs a day—it just got to be too much—so I cut myself down to five cigarettes a day. That’s been my limit ever since. I didn't touch any pills, gum, sprays, or patches; I don't know if those things even work, but I suppose willpower and making a decision is what matters 😉.

As of now, I have no intention of giving up those last five cigarettes. It's not that I couldn't—I probably could (most likely, though I'm no expert, I assume 😉)—there were months where I didn't light up once, but... I don't know, for now, those five are fine with me. I don't think it's an excessive amount, yet it's still a small habit 😉 🙂

I’m with Roger Cox10 on this one. Even if you have every intention of quitting, it is significantly easier to walk away when you're only down to five cigarettes a day rather than burning through a whole pack. I know from personal experience. Back when I was smoking a full pack, I’d manage to quit for a day or two, only to find myself lighting up again. But once I scaled back to just five? I could actually hold out for a week, maybe even a month... and look at me now, nearly two years in.

And honestly, even if you aren't ready to kick the habit entirely, it’s better to poison yourself less often than more...

Basically, about six years ago, I was going through two packs a day, but I finally reached my breaking point and cut myself down to just five cigarettes daily. Since then, I haven't touched a single one more than those five. I didn't touch any pills, nicotine gum, sprays, patches, or anything else of the sort; I don't know if those things even work effectively, but at the end of the day, it all comes down to willpower and making a firm decision.

Greetings, Roger Cox10!
Your example really highlights how everyone needs to tackle quitting in their own unique way. We aren't all cut from the same cloth, so there isn't some magic, universal formula that works for everybody, though sharing these personal experiences is invaluable as a roadmap for those looking to quit. In any case, isn't it true that it puts far less stress on the body when you opt for a gradual reduction?

Hey everyone!
I’m cutting back too, though my goal is to quit for good.
Found something actually useful for once.
Check this out...

INSANE ANIMATION: turn up the volume

Taking my last few drags from this final cigarette today... and tomorrow, and the day after, and...

I'm quitting smoking! Enough is enough! I'm throwing away all the lighters, all the ashtrays, everything!

It has to work this time. Period.

😎

I'm tossing out all the lighters, every single ashtray, everything!

Honestly, you're better off...🙂

When I finally quit, I had a whole pack of cigarettes sitting right there on my desk. I guess I almost lost my mind just staring at them for those first few days.
But strangely enough, that actually helped me. After a little while, looking at them started feeling easier and easier. I think I finally felt like I wasn't a slave to cigarettes anymore.

Trust me, sooner or later you'll find yourself walking into a coffee shop where everyone is smoking and there are packs sitting right in front of you. It’s probably best to get through this phase as quickly as possible.

Good luck! 🙂 👍

I am truly proud of myself. I haven't smoked since yesterday. It wasn't even that difficult initially, mostly because I stayed busy doing things outside my usual routine—I spent the entire day outdoors in nature and didn't once think about a cigarette. It wasn't until I got home last night that the craving finally hit... but I managed by devouring every bit of chocolate I had in the house. 😳

stormynomad6 said:I’m actually pretty proud of myself. I haven't touched a cigarette since yesterday. It wasn't even that brutal yesterday, mostly because I stayed busy doing things totally outside my normal routine—spent the whole day outdoors in nature, and the cravings just didn't hit. It wasn't until I got home last night that the urge finally showed up. So, naturally, I wiped out my entire chocolate stash 😳

I get it. We all end up devouring every sweet and salty thing in the house once we quit...
Get yourself some low-calorie snacks ASAP 😁. Those rice cakes that taste like Styrofoam, carrots, celery sticks, bell peppers... they say popcorn isn't bad either. And drink plenty of water. 🙂

stormynomad6 said:Well, that's why I cleared out my entire chocolate stash 😳

Look, I don't really get this part 😕—why swap one bad habit for another? 😕
Anyway, whenever I quit smoking, my appetite completely disappears... 😕 people always claim they start eating like crazy 😕 but I've finally 😁 realized
something.

Roger Cox10 said:Look, I don't get this part... 😕 why swap one nasty habit for another? 😕
By the way, whenever I stop smoking, my appetite completely vanishes... 😕 whereas people always claim they start eating like crazy. 😕 I'm actually quite the opposite... 😁

Lucky people.... I hate you...😁 If only I were the other way around.
I'm sitting here eating cantaloupe, and there's a grapefruit waiting for me next. I'm currently in the middle of an aggressive weight loss phase because my appetite was through the roof for the last few months.😢 🙂 😠

They say smoking is twenty times more addictive than drugs—is that actually true?
As for me, I’ve never touched anything else that came my way. Not even close.
How was the coughing? Well, about nine months ago, I just looked at myself and said, "Get rid of this crap, you don't need it." I tossed them, and that was it. DONE. Not a single one since. I had my moments of struggle, sure, but I had the guts to just say no. That's how you all need to handle it! 👍 👍 👍

This is such a heavy subject to dive into..
I’ve actually managed to quit smoking twice before, lasting about two weeks each time, but I always ended up giving in. It would be something like losing my cool over something trivial, or just telling myself, "Eh, I enjoy this too much, who cares?" I suppose I was always pretty good at finding some sort of excuse to light up again. The most frustrating part of the whole ordeal, though, is that I simply don't have the budget for cigarettes anymore, especially since a single pack costs a ridiculous amount of $17. So, these days, I just buy loose tobacco and roll my own without filters. Honestly, the taste can be absolutely revolting sometimes, but at least I’m only smoking maybe four or five a day since I’m the one rolling them.

On a different note, I did read the book "Easy Way to Stop Smoking," and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone trying to quit. However, as someone else mentioned here, I feel like just reading it isn't quite enough on its own... at least not for me.

P.S.
I’m not entirely sure if it’s true, but I think I read somewhere once that kicking a nicotine habit might actually be harder than breaking away from heroin.

Raymond Turner6 said:Nasty thread..
P.S.
Not sure if it's actually true, but I read somewhere that kicking heroin is easier than quitting nicotine.

Yeah, I also read that cocaine withdrawal lasts maybe 10-12 days, while nicotine drags on for 20-30.. Look, obviously the coke crash is way harder to stomach than nicotine, but the data is still 😲

I used to love smoking—it was my thing—and stopping never even crossed my mind. But lately, it’s been grossing me out, and I’ve started seriously thinking about quitting. First time in my life I'm actually being serious about it. I haven't lit up yesterday or today. Sounds impossible to most people, honestly. I keep getting those same old thoughts you guys mentioned earlier—those repetitive patterns that tempt you to just have "one more." I don't buy into the whole "gradual reduction" thing; for most people, that's just lying to yourself. Of course, I can't stop thinking about it. I don't know if it's physical, psychological, or if I'm just fascinated by the process itself... but cigarettes are just playing in the background of my mind constantly. It's exhausting.

I also cut out coffee, which is a brutal habit to break—I can't imagine coffee without a cigarette. Anyway, my head has been spinning all day. Anyone else deal with this kind of reaction?? I'm eating plenty of fruit and staying hydrated, and I don't want to go out and buy a bunch of extra junk, though that SmokeAway sounds decent—except I doubt you can even find it here in the States.. 😢 Any good websites you'd recommend for this? I've been scrolling through stuff for two days straight now..

Ma, Mom needs to quit smoking once and for all. __ME? I SAID NO WAY! NO CHANCE! Not even a single puff in almost an entire year. That’s what you call pure willpower.

stormycobra28 said:That’s what you call pure willpower!!!!!

😢 Well, clearly that's one thing I'm missing from my repertoire.
I've been hovering around ten cigarettes a day for about two weeks now, and honestly, considering I used to burn through two whole packs a day, I was feeling pretty damn good about myself...
It was supposed to be this massive first step toward a total lifestyle overhaul, but then today happened, and I found some ridiculous excuse to just fall right back into my old habits...
But starting tomorrow.....

stormycobra28 said:People say you need some kind of motivation to quit smoking... well, I say absolutely not! I haven't touched a single cigarette in nearly a year now. I guess you could just call it pure willpower.

So, tell me, do you at least indulge in some weed while you're out in Vegas?😁

🙏 👋 🙂 My dad is such a heavy smoker that I’ve been wondering—is there actually anything out there? I mean, any specific teas, supplements, or even just some kind of remedy that could help curb that constant craving so he doesn't feel the need to light up all the time?

maybe try some garlic

🙂 I have zero willpower 🙂
Everyone keeps talking about how they're quitting, and then my coworker actually goes and does it. He hasn't touched a cigarette in 10 days, while I'm still just sitting here talking about it.
God, I'm such an unstable, spineless loser...

Aesop said:🙂 I have zero willpower...🙂
With everyone talking about how they quit smoking, my coworker actually did it. He hasn't touched a cigarette in 10 days, while I just keep making excuses.
It's pathetic... I feel so weak...

What can I say... I relapsed after 6 days.

I'm so frustrated...

I quit six years ago and I haven't even touched a cigarette since—not now, and honestly, probably never again. I'm just one of those people where once I say I'm done, I mean it. I guess everyone else's mistake is trying to set a deadline, like "I'll quit for a month" or "I'll quit for a year." That's not me. I just said, "This is the last one," blew it out, and I've been done ever since. 😉