Advice on how you stopped smoking.?

Quitting smoking is a great opportunity to learn about ourselves.

Congratulate yourself on having the desire to stop - then you are over the worst, but still need to maintain your resolve. It's just so easy to start thinking that just one won't hurt, but it does. Just one achieves nothing except feeling the need for another. Whatever you do, don't have just one. Beware - alcohol will weaken your resolve.

Here's a few home-brewed tips that might be useful.

It's not just nicotine addiction - there are 50+ chemicals in cigarettes. Also the main problem is habit.

We have been used to having body sensations which we translate as 'my body needs something', which we have attempted to satisfy by having a cigarette.

When we try to stop smoking, we still get these 'my body needs something' sensations, and we still feel that we want a cigarette. We have to train our body to be more selective. When we feel we need something, we have to work out what it is that we actually need.

A glass of water is an excellent substitute if nothing else comes to mind, as it helps with the clearance of the toxic substances in our body. Another good substitute is a bag of salted peanuts, used in combination with the water.

Another thing to do is to find an activity which occupies the mind or body. Go swimming - nobody wants to smoke while they are swimming. Slowly, as our body adjusts and translates the 'want something' feelings into something other than cigarettes, then the feelings begin to go away. We know its not a cigarette that the body really needs, because as soon as we've had one we still have the feeling, and want another!

We will have a few bouts of feeling or even being short tempered. We must try to bite our lip, and control; ourselves. Recognise the short temper as being the removal of toxins which are trying to find a way out. They went in through the mouth, and they try to get out that way to. We must learn to keep our mouth closed, and force the toxins out the other way.

After we have stopped for a while we will begin to feel that just one wont to any harm.

All that leads to is a desire for just another one. We must guard very strongly against the desire to have just one.

Ok Blondie, here goes.

Smoked for over 30 years, the last 10 years, 2+ packs a day. I started even before there were warning labels on cigarettes. Tried and failed to quit many times over the years. Used hypnosis, wellbutrin, the patch, lozenges, gum, pin holes in the filters, plastic filters, tapering off, cold turkey, herbs, adversion therapy, and finally, the inhalers.

Please don't listen to anyone who tells you that you "have to be ready" or "have to have willpower". Believing that is probably what took me so long to quit. It's a defeatest attitude. You will quit "your own" way.

I quit on April 11th, 06. Here's what I did. I decided to try again. That was scary enough. Then I got on the internet and read everything I could find on quitting. Looked for tips, tricks, success stories. Anything that would keep me focused on my goal and prepare me mentally. I did that for about a week. I made myself a list of reasons for quitting. I listed possible health issues, not being able to enjoy eating in restaurants. I lived in L.A. at the time so that was another incentive to quit. I listed the money I would be saving and what I could use it for. My list got pretty long.

When I finally felt that I was ready, I decided to try the inhalers again so I got a prescription for them. You can use (or not use) whatever you want. You might not feel you need any other help when you're ready to give it a try. Bottom line, for me, it was a matter of psyching myself up.

I threw away the last of my cigs and started using the inhaler. You can get addicted to the inhaler by the way, and I knew that, so I wanted to wean myself from them as fast as possible. It took me a couple of weeks, but I'm finally free.

Try not to use food to replace the smoking. Use an enjoyable form of exercise or sport instead. Or maybe find a craft that you enjoy. Keep your hands busy.

I hope some of this helps you. Try as many times as it takes. You haven't failed until you've given up. So don't give up.

Prepare Your Mind to Quit. First, you must convince yourself that quitting is worth the effort. Plan a Quit Date. Choose a quit date, and mark it on your calendar. Before the quit date arrives, get rid of ashtrays, matches, and lighters. Clean all your clothes that smell of tobacco smoke. Plan activities for your quit day. Dealing With Withdrawal. During the first few difficult weeks, eat low-calorie foods, and drink plenty of water. Some have found it helpful to snack on raw vegetables, such as carrots or celery. If you exercise, you will help offset weight gain and soothe jittery nerves. Avoid places and situations where you will be tempted to smoke. Remain an Ex-smoker

The first three months are the most difficult, but even after that you should, when possible, avoid smokers and situations that may tempt you to smoke.Resist the temptation to have "just one cigarette." If you relapse, quit again. Millions of smokers have successfully quit. With determination and persistence, you can too!

I gave up smoking two yrs in the past and it used to be the toughest factor I have needed to do. Don't give up instantaneously, scale down first cos you'll suppose greater that means, possibly check out a few nicotine patches or gum? a few men and women say it is helping others now not, however you'll do it. Try and uncover some thing else to do you probably have a yearning, do a project with a view to preserve your brain busy, ultimately with plenty of will vigor it's going to paintings and you'll be rid of cigarettes. Good Luck!

My husband smokes a lot. It makes me tired, he coughs all the time, smells like an ashtray. He is 46 years old now, so it’s dangerous for him to smoke. Many middle aged men have health problems and even die early because of smoking. And i want my husband to be healthy and live a long happy life with me. I bought him a book few years ago, but he says he is to lazy to read and has no time for that because he a drives truck. How can i help him? Some recommendations? Any help would be highly appreciated

This is just my opinion,but it worked for me.

First make sure it isn't at a very stressful time in your life.

Second,psyche yourself up for it,maybe a week in advance and set a date.

Third,you may need to change routines,example:I had to switch from coffee to tea because the habit of lighting up was very strong during the times that I had a cup of coffee,just out of habit.

Get support from loved ones,let them know that you may be a little edgy during this time so they can ignore it if you are a bit grouchy.

And lastly,accept the fact that it will be one of the hardest things you have ever done and don't beat yourself up about it.

Good luck!

Try keeping your mouth occupied, like chewing gum or eating snacks.. it helps reduce the urge of smoking..

Try exercising everytime you have a sudden urge to smoke on weekends..

All the best and hope you succeed!

this may sound silly but i gradually weaned off, smoked less and less each day until finally i went 2 or 3 days with out. then i had one more and went a week without. then i had one and got soooooo sick cause i hadnt had one in a week that knowing how sick it made me feel makes me NEVER want to have one again! 2 FULL weeks and counting.... ;)

You just quit. They only people I know who actually quit smoking didn't use anything but pure will power. Good luck to you.

this is going to be really wired but it worked for me buy a carton of cig's or two place them outside in the sun for a month when your month is over smoke nothing but those cigs they will be so stale make sure you smoke them all, every time i tried to smoke after that it left a stale taste in my mouth