How To Quit Smoking

I am HIGHLY addicted & need LOTS of help!

They make tips to insert your cigarette into that filter out the tar & nicotene….oops! wrong kind of tips! lol
These are the techniques that helped me. I quit for my daughter, btw.
And remember, that by asking this question, it means that you want to quit, eventually. Try "cold turkey" first. I mean really try it. Just resist "the reaching mechanisms." Feel that urge inside your body. Become familiar with it. Experience the discomfort. But don't indulge it. Let it happen. If you can resist it for five minutes, the urge will pass. But trust me, it will return. But as time goes on, it will return at less frequent intervals.
Your lungs will itch. Your muscles will ache. You will feel like crying. You will feel a sudden urge to scream. You feel like driving your car into the surf at 100 mph. You want to pick up a bowling ball and bowl 301. You will think you just gained 5 pounds. Your mind will play tricks on you. It craves that drug and as you are thinking about it, you will try to convince yourself that you cannot live without it. You will hear yourself telling people around you this very thing. Be prepared for all this, as it will happen. They should make a movie about it.
And bear in mind that you are not attempting just one thing here. You are actually tackling several habits at once when you are trying to quit smoking. All those 8 or 18 triggers have to be overcome, one-by-one.
But it will be worth it! So as you slowly quit and cut-down:
1) only buy one pack at a time.
2) Switch brands - lower tar, lights, generics
3) Tell a friend or co-worker that you're trying to quit. You need to hear yourself say it.
4) Don't empty your ashtrays.
5) As you light each one, tell yourself, "This is hurting me."
6) Don't buy a new lighter when your current one runs out.
7) Throw away all the smoking pharaphenalia like designer lighters and leather cigarette-pack holders and all those branded items like T-shirts and beach towels that promote smoking.
Stop collecting those "points" and "rewards" you see in some major-brands.
9) Place your pack in the other room, out of arm's reach, so that it is inconvenient and you have to make an extra effort to smoke the next one.
10) Always ask others if they mind if you smoke. This is a big one.
Good Luck! It feels so much better to breathe fresh air DEEPLY AGAIN when outdoors. You notice all these little things that you had denied yourself before. And you get this extra energy back, and the foods you love most taste SO good. And you feel really good about it.
I quit January 2005.

edit: I'm giving a thumbs-up to the other answerers who are encouraging.

1. Why does the sun lighten our hair, but darken our skin?

2. Why can't women put on mascara with their mouth closed?

3. Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?

4. Why don't you ever see the headline Psychic Wins Lottery?

5. Why is abbreviated such a long word?

6. Why is a boxing ring square?

7. Why is it considered necessary to nail down the lid of a coffin?

8. Why is it that doctors call what they do practice?

9. Why is it that rain drops but snow falls?

10. Why is it that to stop Windows 98, you have to click on Start?

11. Why is it that when you're driving and looking for an address, you turn down the volume on the radio?

12. Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor and dishwashing liquid made with real lemons?

13. Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?

14. Why is the third hand on the watch called a second hand?

15. Why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called rush hour?

16. Why isn't there a special name for the tops of your feet?

17. Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food?

18. If you throw a cat out of the car window, does it become kitty litter?

19. If you take an Asian person and spin him around several times does he become disoriented?

20. Is it OK to use the AM radio after noon?

21. What do people in China call their good plates?

22. What do you call a male ladybug?

23. What hair color do they put on the driver's license of a bald man?

24. Why do they sterilize the needle for lethal injections?

25. Why do they call it a pair of pants, but only 1 bra?

26. Why is it called tourist season if we can't shoot at them?

27. Why do you need a driver's license to buy liquor when you can't drink and drive?

28. Why isn't phonetic spelled the way it sounds?

29. Why are there Interstates in Hawaii?

30. Why are there flotation devices in the seats of planes instead of parachutes?

31. Why are cigarettes sold at gas stations where smoking is prohibited?

32. Have you ever imagined a world without hypothetical situations?

33. How does the guy who drives the snowplow get to work?

34. If the 7-11 is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, why does it have locks on the door?

35. You know that indestructible black box that is used on airplanes? Why don't they make the whole plane out of it?

36. If a firefighter fights fire and a crime fighter fights crime, what does a freedom fighter fight?

37. If they squeeze olives to get olive oil, how do they get baby oil?

38. If a cow laughs, does milk come out of her nose?

39. If you are driving at the speed of light and you turn your headlights on, what happens?

40. Why do they put Braille dots on the keypad of a drive-up ATM?

41. Why is it that when you transport something by car it is called shipment, but when you transport something by ship it's called cargo?

42. Why don't sheep shrink when it rains?

43. Why are they called apartments when they are all stuck together?

44. If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of progress?

45. If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the terminal?

1. Why does the sun lighten our hair, but darken our skin?
dunno but i'll go with the theres melanin in our skin but not in our hair?? (seriously.. dunno)

2. Why can't women put on mascara with their mouth closed?
cuz it wouldnt be the same?? it might go on crooked if we closed our mouths. it messes up the equilibrium of the application…(lol)

3. Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?
Never thought about that before… maybe cuz it needs the air to harden? It's not getting much of a breeze in there.

4. Why don't you ever see the headline Psychic Wins Lottery?
Apparently.. (this i DO know) there's some kind of "moral code"…."ethics" if you will that makes it a big NO NO to use the "gift" for that type of "personal gain".

5. Why is abbreviated such a long word?
So that you think about it enough to ask it out loud to see if someone else knows the answer so you can feel satiated..lol

6. Why is a boxing ring square?
so they'd have a "corner" to retreat to.. Where they gonna go in a circle?? (duh..lol)

7. Why is it considered necessary to nail down the lid of a coffin?
Ok.. i guess (again, i know this one).. something about back in the days they tied strings around peoples fingers because i guess when people fainted, went into a coma, etc they were PERCEIVED as dead…but were really just unconcious and the tied string was connected to a bell that would ring if the person was still alive after a few days.. I guess they nailed it so they could safely dig em out rather than have them try and open it on their own and have the dirt cave in on them thus suffocating them……or so i heard thats what thats all about.

8. Why is it that doctors call what they do practice?
uh, practice makes perfect? lol.. There's a new method coming out all the time.. they're no longer in school so they gotta learn how to do it somehow.. so they gotta practice on us living folks.

9. Why is it that rain drops but snow falls?
Rain is heavier…(something about density..

10. Why is it that to stop Windows 98, you have to click on Start?
Really?? i always ctrl, alt, del'd myself…lol

11. Why is it that when you're driving and looking for an address, you turn down the volume on the radio?
I've never done that.. but I DO however turn the radio down when i'm parallel parking..but that's only cuz i wanna HEAR when i'm hitting the car behind me…lol.

12. Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor and dishwashing liquid made with real lemons?
dude.. where does baby oil come from?? nobody knows.. you don't ask no questions.. you just use it blindly and move on.

13. Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?
I think you just answered your own question on this one.

14. Why is the third hand on the watch called a second hand?
cuz it tells the seconds of the day?

15. Why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called rush hour? Cuz everybody "rushed" out of work to get wherever they're going thus jamming up the streets and highways.

16. Why isn't there a special name for the tops of your feet?
wow… dunno.. ya got me there…(simply FEET aint good enough for you?? ) lol

17. Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food?
Ya know, it's funny.. my cats NEVER ate mice.. my DOG however treats it like its a delicacy.. like its CAVIAR or somethin..he LOVES them!!

18. If you throw a cat out of the car window, does it become kitty litter?
I'd imagine it would be "kitty litter".. but by that, not only would you get the littering fine..but i'd imagine one for animal cruelty as well.

19. If you take an Asian person and spin him around several times does he become disoriented?
Not sure what that means so i can't come up with a witty comment. (was i being witty with previous answers? i hope so.. i was aiming for it).

20. Is it OK to use the AM radio after noon?
yea.. sure.. why not.. who's gonna know anyway.. nobody listens to that band anyhow..

21. What do people in China call their good plates?
HAHA!!! good one… no witty come back for that one.. that's a stumper right there…lol

22. What do you call a male ladybug?
MR bug?

23. What hair color do they put on the driver's license of a bald man?

WOW.. i could say stuff but i'd probably get banned.. so NEXT…

24. Why do they sterilize the needle for lethal injections?
Never understood that one.. maybe they thought it would be cruel to kill him WITH the ebola virus?? lol.. dunno

25. Why do they call it a pair of pants, but only 1 bra?
again.. just put em on.. don't ask no questions.. its just one of those things you just come to accept in life.

26. Why is it called tourist season if we can't shoot at them?
Cuz tourists aren't GAME?

27. Why do you need a driver's license to buy liquor when you can't drink and drive?
well, you DON'T "need" a drivers license.. you can get it with any state issued ID…(where do YOU live? and remind me not to go THERE…lol)

28. Why isn't phonetic spelled the way it sounds?
again dont ask, don't tell

29. Why are there Interstates in Hawaii?
So they could mess with our minds man.

30. Why are there flotation devices in the seats of planes instead of parachutes?
cuz they don't want you to drown after falling 30k feet out of the air into the water.. that would just be cruel and unusual punishment.

31. Why are cigarettes sold at gas stations where smoking is prohibited?
they sell minute cards for cell phones too even though you shouldn't use it while pumping…but the thing is, just cuz you buy it there doesn't mean you can USE it there.

32. Have you ever imagined a world without hypothetical situations?
THE HORRORS!!! no.. that's unimaginable.

33. How does the guy who drives the snowplow get to work?
why in the snowplow of course

34. If the 7-11 is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, why does it have locks on the door?
dunno, we don't have one in my area.. don't know procedure and protocol.

35. You know that indestructible black box that is used on airplanes? Why don't they make the whole plane out of it?
i myself asked this question and i think i recall something about the material it's made out of isn't conducive to what's needed for flying….(or was it the weight?? lol.. i can't remember).

36. If a firefighter fights fire and a crime fighter fights crime, what does a freedom fighter fight?
i'm gonna go with freedom

37. If they squeeze olives to get olive oil, how do they get baby oil?
definately answered this earlier before i even saw this one.

38. If a cow laughs, does milk come out of her nose?
nope….grass does.. you see all that "cud" they be chewin??

39. If you are driving at the speed of light and you turn your headlights on, what happens?
uh, you can see better? dunno

40. Why do they put Braille dots on the keypad of a drive-up ATM?
ok.. you got me there again.

41. Why is it that when you transport something by car it is called shipment, but when you transport something by ship it's called cargo?
why park in a driveway and drive on a parkway.. you just do.. again, don't ask no questions.. just accept it.

42. Why don't sheep shrink when it rains?
cuz they werent put in the dryer.

43. Why are they called apartments when they are all stuck together?
so.. COMpartments would have been better?

44. If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of progress?
uh YEAH

45. If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the terminal?
fancy word for station..

WHEW.. i'm dun.. i'm tired.. i'm goin to bed… hope i cleared some of that up…lol

i really have NO life…

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.

I started taking Champix a week ago, and I think it's working. What has your experience been?

i am on my third week of champix - havent had ciggie… but am very nausious and have loads of gas and am having really weird dreams! cigs actually make me feel sick!
however, on another chat forum, i was told that when you stop taking champix, it is like giving up all over again! I havent reached that stage yet! Enjoying not sounding like a 76 yr old in the morning.
first signs of it working are - round day 8 - you will have noticed your buts are bigger in the ash tray and you just dont feel like smoking as much as b4.
hope this helps, cheers, and good luck!

I have heard yes and no answers on this question from friends and family. My friend said that she bought all one strength patch and she said you can cut it in half to "step down". I am not quite convinced that this will work. Does anyone know if that is a cost effective way to step down or should you just spare the money and purchase the next step down?

I don't think they are suppose to be cut. My boyfriend used them to quit smoking. Patches are time-released, they are suppose to last you a whole 24 hours. If you were to cut a 21mg patch (the strongest) in half that would give you like 10.5mg. Even then, it's not the next step which is 14 mg, and it's still going to be 21mg but it will only last you like 12 hours because you took away the other half.

So, if I were you I don't think I would do that. I know they are expensive. They are about $50 a box here. But you can get a $5 off coupon from the Nicoderm website. And there are usually on sale at stores. There are even generic brands from Walmart, Walgreens, Osco, or whatever drug store you have. Good luck!

I smoke marijuana recreationally but I also currently smoke cigarettes which I would like to quit. I have been considering trying the prescription medications or hypnosis treatments available, but would first like to know if those options would also inadvertently force me to quit marijuana.

your a complete idiot aren't you???? Do us all a favor and just go away and never return.

Ok Here's the deal: I can't take Nicorette losenges spray inhaler or patches. I simply don't smoke that much. I was on Chantix smoking dropped from 1/2 pack a day to 1 cigarette a day. I had to quit taking the Chantix because i was having this feeling of drunkedness. I don't drink. I am afraid to try Zyban or Wellbutrin because of the fact that Chantix supposedly is least likely to show side effects. Ok so today is my first day off the Chantix & that uncontrollable urge for a cigarette is back I wanted one with my coffee and the urge is still there now. I haven't given in & I won't, but the urge is overwhelming. I found a tea awhile back that I could drink that will help. Anybody got some other suggestions? Herbal or cold turkey tips I don't care it's all welcome. Thanks
The feeling of drunkedness was this: Dizziness staggering "Hangover" Headache. I literally could not walk without grabbing ahold of everything in sight & also I kept falling out of my chair.
the key to quitting an addiction (prescription or non) is replacing the nutrients washed out by the drug. In the case of nicotine it works much like some antidepressants with an effect of increased dopamine in the brain. When the dopamine falls…you need to smoke again. Same with antidepressants. Start yourself on Omega 3 fatty acids (at least 1000 mg per day- more if you feel you need it -this will control mood and help rebuild the brain). Also get yourself a good green supplement- flash dried minimally processed product containing wheat grass, carrot powder or barley grass. I would personaly recommend Power Barley formula from www.globaldnasolutions.com (that is the one i use personaly). Begin it slowly and work up to 1 tsp 3x a day. This will take a way all side effects and withdrawl effects- not only from smoking cessation but from any prescription drug. Which means that as you quit you will rebuild and get rid of the addiction …no weight gain or crankyness ususally associated with quiting smoking.

I’m wondering how much will my lungs heal from the damage caused by my smoking heavily for 28 years?

if you have smoked for that long, then you should probably see a doctor to see what type of medication or vitamin you should take to heel them a little. But if you dont, then they will probably get a little halthier in thesense that you will be able to breathe better, but they will not change by too much, but they wont get worse either

i just quit and i always feel angry.has anyone else experienced this and how do i stop it?

You are just missing the feeling and its you telling yourself that without it you cant be in control of situations. Trust me it will be worth it. Just keep the faith.

how may i quit smoking my fianace doesnt smoke and i have goten to the poit where its bothering me and iam getting sick ia 25 and as bas as it sounds ive been smoking since i was 9 please help the yahoo quit smoking support doesnt help ther all looking 4 1 thing if u know what i mean helppppp

mints can be harmful to the lining of your stomach and also cause a cough
Quitting smoking is extremely difficult. The withdrawl makes us not want to, but we know the risks and we know that they are not worth it. For anyone who wants to end their nicotine addiction, check out www.stopsmokingcleveland.com. This is the MOST effective method on the market. It is 86% effective and the details of the program are on the website (no signing up or submitting your information).

I tried this program and it changed my life.