flipping ell!

[Spidey2721]

i hate quitting smoking. even more so when i dont want to. i mean i truly do enjoy have a smoke. yes i KNOW its bad for me. so is waking up in the morning not that argument here. reason i quitting is the damn government decided to double the price of a pack of smokes. (makes me wonder what they are going to tax the shit out of next) pisses me off to no end. i am on the patch and it does pretty well. although i still find myself really really wanting one at times. anyone else in my boat? any of you that quit have any tips or tricks you can give me? thanks.

[Danielle]

If you come up with anything good, let me know. The patch just made me sick... and quitting cold turkey- not for me. I'm trying to gradually cut back, but not sure how thats really working out either.

 

I know what you mean about enjoying it. Suuuuuucks. Good Luck to you though.. hope it works out

[Radio Flyer1647545514]

I quit for like 3 weeks after I got sick and then picked it up again by socially smoking.

 

DON'T SOCIALLY SMOKE AFTER YOU QUIT!!!!!

Replace your cigarettes with something else like gum. I felt sooo much better when I wasn't smoking for those 3 weeks and now my tongue always feels like I've got some nasty stuff just sitting on it.

 

Cigarettes taste good to your mind, but they really don't. That urge you feel to smoke is just a trick.

180 dollars extra a month in your pocket is better than the cigarettes.

[KennyFKINPowerz]

HA HA I have been unsucessfully trying to quit smoking for the last 4 years. I am down to about 2-4 cigs a day now.

[Dr. Pomade]

I used to smoke, tried many years to quit without much success, and then finally quit with the aide of medication (i.e., buproprion, which is generic for Wellbutrin/Zyban). I've also done a fair amount of reading on smoking cessation and know a bit about the physiology and psychology related to nicotine. So, I'll type what comes to mind here and hope it's worthwhile.

 

Research indicates that those who successfully quit smoking actually try and fail to quit smoking several times before actually successfully to quit for good. In other words, statistics say that, if you've tried to quit smoking and failed, you're in good company, as the path to successfully quitting is littered with multiple, unsuccessful attempts.

 

Nicotine is an exceptionally addictive substance from a physiological perspective. Pound-for-pound, some research ranks nicotine as being as addictive, if not more so, than crack cocaine and heroin, two of the more infamous heavyweight drugs. Some people who smoke are more susceptible to the physiology of nicotine, whereas others are less susceptible. This means, in other words, some people will be more "addicted" physically to smoking than others. Some people contend that smoking is "all in your mind" and quitting is simply a matter of willpower. Those people are idiots and don't know what they're talking about. Sure, some people can smoke a ton and just quit whenever they feel like it and seem to have no problems with smoking cessation - good for them. That doesn't mean quitting smoking is as easy for everyone else as it is for them.

 

Those who are highly susceptible to nicotine physiologically may require pharmacotherapy to assist them in quitting. This is where things like nicotine gum, the patches, and pills (like the aforementioned buproprion) come into play. Don't hesitate to ask your treating physician about these treatment options - they may be exactly what you need to eventually quit.

 

There are, of course, several psychological factors to consider in smoking cessation. One of the things that was most prominent for me was the "void" created when I quit smoking. Think about it: when you smoke, your life revolves around cigarettes. I loved smoking when I first got up in the morning, and it was usually one of the last things I did before bed. I smoked after every meal. I definitely got my smoke on after sex. About every hour on the hour, I'd have to find time to have a cigarette (or else I'd start to experience withdrawal symptoms - nervousness, distractibility, etc.). I'd smoke whenever I drove. And smoking was ALWAYS there when I'd drink or party. In essence, smoking is firmly entrenched in your life, and, when you give that up, there's a fairly massive void that is left in its wake. For me, when I quit smoking, it was like I broke up with a girl that I had dated for a really long time: a girl who was, let's say, awesome in bed, was there in all the good times and bad, but ultimately just not good for me in the long run. So, in a way, quitting smoking can kind of feel sad. So, anticipate the void, embrace it a bit, and then quickly set about finding new things to occupy your time. It's not really that hard - we're creatures of habit, so give yourself a new habit to fill the psychological void and, after a few days, the void should be filled.

 

I hope this helps. I may write more as it comes to me. In any event, there are my two cents.

[Guest Hal]

I wish I had tips, I smoked my last pack and then never bought another one. I'm one of those lucky people who can quite whenever. Good luck.

[Casper]

I used to smoke, tried many years to quit without much success, and then finally quit with the aide of medication (i.e., buproprion, which is generic for Wellbutrin/Zyban). I've also done a fair amount of reading on smoking cessation and know a bit about the physiology and psychology related to nicotine. So, I'll type what comes to mind here and hope it's worthwhile.

 

Research indicates that those who successfully quit smoking actually try and fail to quit smoking several times before actually successfully to quit for good. In other words, statistics say that, if you've tried to quit smoking and failed, you're in good company, as the path to successfully quitting is littered with multiple, unsuccessful attempts.

 

Nicotine is an exceptionally addictive substance from a physiological perspective. Pound-for-pound, some research ranks nicotine as being as addictive, if not more so, than crack cocaine and heroin, two of the more infamous heavyweight drugs. Some people who smoke are more susceptible to the physiology of nicotine, whereas others are less susceptible. This means, in other words, some people will be more "addicted" physically to smoking than others. Some people contend that smoking is "all in your mind" and quitting is simply a matter of willpower. Those people are idiots and don't know what they're talking about. Sure, some people can smoke a ton and just quit whenever they feel like it and seem to have no problems with smoking cessation - good for them. That doesn't mean quitting smoking is as easy for everyone else as it is for them.

 

Those who are highly susceptible to nicotine physiologically may require pharmacotherapy to assist them in quitting. This is where things like nicotine gum, the patches, and pills (like the aforementioned buproprion) come into play. Don't hesitate to ask your treating physician about these treatment options - they may be exactly what you need to eventually quit.

 

There are, of course, several psychological factors to consider in smoking cessation. One of the things that was most prominent for me was the "void" created when I quit smoking. Think about it: when you smoke, your life revolves around cigarettes. I loved smoking when I first got up in the morning, and it was usually one of the last things I did before bed. I smoked after every meal. I definitely got my smoke on after sex. About every hour on the hour, I'd have to find time to have a cigarette (or else I'd start to experience withdrawal symptoms - nervousness, distractibility, etc.). I'd smoke whenever I drove. And smoking was ALWAYS there when I'd drink or party. In essence, smoking is firmly entrenched in your life, and, when you give that up, there's a fairly massive void that is left in its wake. For me, when I quit smoking, it was like I broke up with a girl that I had dated for a really long time: a girl who was, let's say, awesome in bed, was there in all the good times and bad, but ultimately just not good for me in the long run. So, in a way, quitting smoking can kind of feel sad. So, anticipate the void, embrace it a bit, and then quickly set about finding new things to occupy your time. It's not really that hard - we're creatures of habit, so give yourself a new habit to fill the psychological void and, after a few days, the void should be filled.

 

I hope this helps. I may write more as it comes to me. In any event, there are my two cents.

 

Great info. I quit for a few days, but slowly started back. I'm still nowhere near what I was smoking. I'm at about 5-8 cigarettes per day, down from over a pack a day. I've thought about using medicine to help, but Wellbutrin made me.... well, let's just say I'll never take that drug ever again. If you're depressed, don't take an anti-depressant. That's my life lesson.

 

Anyways, I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with any other meds to help quit smoking?