Does anyone here smoke cigarettes?

...has anyone else quit smoking? how did you do it and how long has it been?


if you're still a smoker, do you want to quit in the near future?


cheers

Paneristi I used to be a heavy smoker for around 10 years. I know that what hooked me up to nicotine wasn't only the obvious physical addiction I had to it, but also the routine.


I decided to go cold-turkey before a 6 hour flight and take advantage of both the 15 days of a foreign environment and the lack of routine associated to them. And it worked. It wasn't easy, but I wasn't exposed to routinary things I used to associate with smoking, which definitively helped.

SerialSinner


Routine? You mean the craving wasnt the hardest part but that its just 'habitual' ? ie thinking you need one verses actually addiction...how many days before the worst part was over?

I smoked for 10+ years also.


If you can get through the first three days you should be ok. Go stay with a friend for a weekend or get someone at home to be your support person so you can whine to them, but they won't let you smoke.

Paneristi, while the cravings perpetually lingered in the background during the first week, I experienced very strong craving peaks during and after the week while doing things that reminded me of smoking.


For example, sitting in a cafe and giving the first sip to a cup of coffee. Or sitting at home after arriving from work. This is what makes us cave into smoking again regardless of the nicotine levels in the blood, hence the benefits of breaking the routine.

SerialSinner and Tarlac :


Gave up from 2000 -2009 when I quit alcohol...then started again 6 weeks ago due to becoming unemployed.

Gotta kick this fast,,,

Ouch, it sounds like you did the same thing that I did. I quit a ten-year smoking habit a few years ago when I quit drinking. Like you, a subsequent period of unemployment drove me back to smoking. I won't lie to you, quitting the second time can sometimes seem more challenging. However, what got me through it was remembering that I had done it once and could do it again. I also ramped up the sprint workouts when quitting for the second time; completely winding my lungs helped deter me from wanting to inhale smoke.

"I also ramped up the sprint workouts when quitting for the second time; completely winding my lungs helped deter me from wanting to inhale smoke"


Been trying that - it works for about 3 hours the worst time ins the evening....must change my routine ..

Thanks SHINE

I smoked for 16 years, I quit 8 years ago, I was going on a very long bicycle tour, fully loaded. So it wouldnt have been very good for the lungs trying to haul me and my bike up mountains still with a smoking habit. So I have to say that in the given hierarchy at that time, giving up the smoking was easy as there were so many other things to think about, next food, next camp, how long and hard the days ride etc. I was a 20 a day smoker too. I absolutely detest the smell of cigarette smoke now, even on peoples clothing.


So perhaps a major distraction and/or keeping busy like you would with an IF would help?

I quit three years ago. I find that whenever I'm dealing with a habit I want to change I need to first prepare myself, by changing my subconscious. Your subconscious acts like an autopilot and wants to keep the status quo. If you are smoking, your subconscious is going to think. "Smoking is what we do." And it will look for ways to influence you. Such as, "We usually smoke after dinner, why aren't we doing that now?"


So, before I actually quit, I work on changing the status quo. I set a quit date two weeks out and then think everyday about how I want to have clean, healthy, lungs. I tell myself this over and over throughout the two weeks.


When it comes time to quit, I continue those thoughts. I also, keep in mind that it takes about 48 hours for your body to overcome the physical addiction. When the cravings hit, I do a count down and let myself know I just have x amount of hours before the physical addiction is gone. I can do this.


After the first 48 hours, then you just tell yourself. The physical addiction is gone. I did that. I'm going to have clean healthy lungs. I beat the the physical addiction. I can beat the mental cravings. I'm stronger than the craving.


I quit cold turkey, as I needed to move past the physical addiction as quickly as possible.


BTW. I smoked for about 12 years.


Also remind yourself, that smoking because your unemployed only makes your situation more stressful, because your wasting money on something that is going to kill you.