I've been a smoker since I was 14, and I am now 31. This is my 3rd smoke-free day and even with the patch I get the urge to punch people. Any ex-smokers have any tips to keep me from ending up in jail? I was addicted to other things when I was younger and surprisingly this is a harder habit to kick. Any real advice would be much appreciated. By real advice I mean other people who have been in the same boat. Please share your experiences.
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Just quit smoking. This is hard!
- Thread starter Pinnach
- Start date
You need strong will power and the motivation to carry that out. I've quit using the patch before and as Joe said, you need to take it one day at a time. Eventually the cravings will decrease. Took me about a month to get over it. I took it up again, but I smoke when I want to, I don't smoke at work and I don't smoke at home, just in between when the mood strikes. If I'm drinking on the other hand... forget about it.
Slim Jim
Well-known member
Try to surround yourself as much as you can with non smokers for the first few months. Keep active that keeps your mind off it. Everyday you're smoke free. put the money saved in a jar, watch the money build up. It's a lot of small things that help you through it. I smoked for over 20 years, then quit cold turkey, Been smoke free for 21 years now.
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Thanks guys. I'm trying to take it 1 day at a time. My only motivation at the moment is that I want kids and don't want to have any as a smoker. It's hard to be around non smokers because most of my friends smoke. I know I can do it, I kind of just made this thread just to vent.
theraymondguy
Well-known member
Clean and detail your car's interior. Take vacation if you have it. Ditch the patch, it's not doing you any good.
abkdt41
Well-known member
as hard as this may sound
you need to avoid the friends that smoke
spend some alone time
i quit back in september of 2011 and the first month is the hardest
it does get easier - take it one day at a time and find a constructive hobby to occupy your time that would be filled with smoking
you need to avoid the friends that smoke
spend some alone time
i quit back in september of 2011 and the first month is the hardest
it does get easier - take it one day at a time and find a constructive hobby to occupy your time that would be filled with smoking
If you have a smoking schedule like I used to (after meals, middle of afternoon, etc), use that 5m and walk around the building. You get some exercises in while forgetting you need to smoke. If this isn't an option, I usually just sit there, take a few deep breaths as if I'm taking a long drag of smoke.
I was agitated for 2 or 3 weeks when I stopped smoking, I told my friends at the time that I'm going to be an ******* trying to pick fights, and apologized in advance.
You can do it, I'm almost 3 years smoke free after smoking for 14yrs.
I was agitated for 2 or 3 weeks when I stopped smoking, I told my friends at the time that I'm going to be an ******* trying to pick fights, and apologized in advance.
You can do it, I'm almost 3 years smoke free after smoking for 14yrs.
I just got my truck detailed, so it's already clean. I'm going to the in-laws cottage the first week of September, which could be either really good or really bad. I think mentally I need the patch. I've tried to quit before and the closest I got was with the patch.
I also started when i was 14 and I also quit at 31.
Smoking is mostly a habit (and of course an addiction) I found that when I was having a hard time, I grabbed a smoke and fake smoked, never lighting it up.
Going out for a drink to a bar is the worse so i also stopped drinking lol
Once i went a few weeks without smoking, I chain smoked 4 in a row and got so sick that i never smoked again. Each person is different, you need to find the thing that will help you
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lol I made my wife promise not to leave me.
She said "don't worry, I'll be extra c*nty!" Gawd I love her!
I gotta say, reading some of your comments are making me feel better than I thought. Thanks GTAM!
age 14 - 42, was at 2 packs a day and went cold turkey 16 months ago. Grin and bear it; another day or two and the poison is out of your system, then the rest is just habit adjustment. I was pretty much homicidal for a few days, so limited social life is very well advised for the first week, lol. The big motivator is to remind yourself that today is hard, tomorrow is easier.
Congrats, OP, on Day 3! That's a *VERY* big step! The first few days are the hardest, and it gets easier as the days go by. The longer you can hold off your cravings, the better your chances of staying smoke free.
I quit cold turkey 16 years ago (and have not touched a smoke since). It look me about a dozen tries before I finally kicked the habit. And, now, I can't stand the smell of smoke and don't have any cravings for nicotine at all.
What I found helped was keeping small goals, taking it day by day (as others have mentioned). Initially, my goal was to not smoke for a day, then my next goal was to not smoke for 3 days, then a week, then 3 weeks, and so on.
My advice is this: be mindful of your cognitions. Your mind will come up with any excuse for you to light up and smoke (eg, you might be thinking "oh, just one cigarette won't hurt" or "I'll just put this unlit cigarette in my mouth...that won't hurt", etc). The next thing you know, you're back to smoking again. Bottom line: don't trust anything your mind tells you.
Good luck!
I quit cold turkey 16 years ago (and have not touched a smoke since). It look me about a dozen tries before I finally kicked the habit. And, now, I can't stand the smell of smoke and don't have any cravings for nicotine at all.
What I found helped was keeping small goals, taking it day by day (as others have mentioned). Initially, my goal was to not smoke for a day, then my next goal was to not smoke for 3 days, then a week, then 3 weeks, and so on.
My advice is this: be mindful of your cognitions. Your mind will come up with any excuse for you to light up and smoke (eg, you might be thinking "oh, just one cigarette won't hurt" or "I'll just put this unlit cigarette in my mouth...that won't hurt", etc). The next thing you know, you're back to smoking again. Bottom line: don't trust anything your mind tells you.
Good luck!
Thanks!
That is pretty much what happened last time. I had quit for almost 3 months and figured some single malt and a cigar with some friends wouldn't hurt. Within a week I was back to a pack a day.
Note to self: don't listen to self.
This is good. Keep going. Be strong.
Me: started at 11. Constant 4 lrg / day. Killer Greens. (5 packs on a long day) Quit at 37.
22 years clean. I also used the patch.
Day 4 is going to be a bit scary. WILLPOWER. That's all you need.
After day 4, things (cravings & the desire to kill) will ease a little bit every day.
I wish you success.
Thank you. Did you find it any harder after you stopped using the patch?
motoride777
Well-known member
just think about how much money you've spent on cigs since 14. you can probably buy a ducati with that cash
From what I remember, there were three levels. 21 14 and 7. I do remember for sure, that I didn't use the #7 patch for the final week. I was good to go.
My incentive was five dollar bills. I put every single one in a box. When I felt like buying something I would normally not been able to afford, I'd use the 'fins'.
Mind you, we are nearly a cashless society now. Back then (22yrs ago) atm's were few and far between.
Find something (if you need to, like I did) to keep you off that crap. Like I've told many: "if I can do it, anyone can".
My incentive was five dollar bills. I put every single one in a box. When I felt like buying something I would normally not been able to afford, I'd use the 'fins'.
Mind you, we are nearly a cashless society now. Back then (22yrs ago) atm's were few and far between.
Find something (if you need to, like I did) to keep you off that crap. Like I've told many: "if I can do it, anyone can".
E-Cigarette FTW. It really does help with the urge, you don't even need nicotine in it. Just the physical act of sucking on something and blowing smoke is really enough to subside the urge. My buddy just went from pack and a half a day to nothing without even trying with an e-cig.
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