How hard is it to quit smoking?
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I’m planning on quitting starting Aug 21st. My reason is so i can live longer for my child, plus he has asthma and i don’ t want the cigarette smoke in my clothes anymore when he breathes it in. Another reason is gas prices are so high now and between gas prices and buying cigarettes i spend at least $80-$100 a month. This will be my first time ever doing this, i don’t even know how to quit or avoid the cravings. I really can’t afford the smoking cessation classes (don’t know if i spelled the word right lol) i just want to do it on my own. I already know that the nicotine gum won’t work because i already chew gum when i’m smoking a cigarette. Need advice please and thank you to all!
I have people that will support me, like my boyfriend (he wants me to quit also), co-workers, my mom said she’ll support me but she smokes too and i live with her, i know other family members will be willing to help me.
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June 22nd, 2008 at 8:01 pm
Not hard I’ve done it several times,GOOD LUCK!
June 25th, 2008 at 2:14 am
It’s a piece of cake…when you finally put your mind to it. (It took me 40 years, but I finally made it. I’m convinced that it’s a psychological addiction.)
June 28th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
try transcendental meditation
July 1st, 2008 at 2:47 pm
Hard as hell. I quit for four years after I vapor-locked back in ‘99. Started up again, stopped, started, stopped…half a pack a day habit now. Nicotine’s more addictive than heroin.
Good luck.
July 1st, 2008 at 9:30 pm
The first year is horrible
July 2nd, 2008 at 1:02 am
Its hard. Work your way up to it. For awhile before you quit , everytime you smoke convince yourself that it makes you want to throw up. It ll make it easier.
July 3rd, 2008 at 1:44 pm
just because you quit smoking wont mean you live longer…you could still get hit by a bus tomorrow…saving money, not smelling, not making your child smell it, those are good reasons
i quit cold turkey where as my husband has tried to quit three unsuccessful times…it really depends on the person…try one way, if it doesnt work, move on to another until you find what works
July 5th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
The Difficulty in Kicking the Habit
Smokers may have started smoking because their friends did or because it seemed cool. But they keep on smoking because they became addicted to nicotine, one of the chemicals in cigarettes and smokeless tobacco. Nicotine is both a stimulant and a depressant. That means nicotine increases the heart rate at first and makes people feel more alert (like caffeine, another stimulant). Then it causes depression and fatigue. The depression and fatigue — and the drug withdrawal from nicotine — make people crave another cigarette to perk up again. According to many experts, the nicotine in tobacco is as addictive as cocaine or heroin.
But don’t be discouraged; millions of Americans have permanently quit smoking. These strategies can help you quit, too:
July 5th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
o thats really good that u have people to support u but it is so freakin hard. its like that whole temtation thing.
July 7th, 2008 at 3:59 am
very hard for me I just slept for three day and after that all the nicotine is out your body and it should be alto easier to quit
July 7th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
I have heard it can take up to four attempts but I also know people, my husband and father included who just decided one day and that was it…I wish you well the first few days are the worst by the end of the first week you’ll feel better and its all down hill from there….goodluck!
July 8th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Wonder how your child got asthma? Hmmm…
If thats not reason enough to stop….
You dont need to wait until the 21st…Just start doing something positive like running…Smokers all seem so crabby because they know it’s bad for them but no will power to quit…
Good Luck…Go run…Stop today !!!
Do it for your child !!!
July 10th, 2008 at 3:58 am
it is not all hard, why do you want a later date, decide, and stop it right now.
July 10th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
I quit recently with the support of my husband and coworkers. I started when I was 12. I’m 20 now. It’s still hard. But the worst part is over in the first week. Best of Luck. And you are going to feel sooo much better.
July 11th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
You have all the good reasons to QUIT smoking, especially the one for your child. Congratulations! It’s a mental thing. DECIDE to quit and stay with that decision. Identify the cravings (when you must have that stick), be strong and avoid them. Once you break the habit/pattern, it is easy. Good luck.
July 13th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
You never get over wanting a smoke, but many people are able to overcome that. I wish you well.
July 16th, 2008 at 6:04 am
Hard for some, like me. This is my I don’t even know how many times I have attempted to quit. But I have just started again today to try. It’s been rough I’ve been up 3 hours and haven’t stopped craving one yet. But I have to quit last night my chest hurt so bad after a smoke that it hurt to even raise my arm. Good Luck you’ll need it I really hope you suceed for your child’s sake. I don’t know what advice to give really because I have failed so many times. The only thing I can say is mind over matter!!! When your craving a smoke take a walk, do something anything to get your mind off the craving until the next one comes. They say if you can get through the first 3 days you’ve beat the worst part.
July 16th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
huge effort – took me 3 times to quit – last smoked Oct 2000 – picked up 40 lbs, only recently took off
I am 50 now and think I would be in a lot worse shape if I had not quit – but it is not easy by any means
My advice? Go cold turkey, without patches or anything else – and don’t drink!
If you can make it a month you should be in good shape
July 20th, 2008 at 6:52 am
THINK OF YOUR child everytime you want to smoke.
according to psychologists one way of changing is motivation.f u have a strong motivation to change, change will likely to happen to you.
July 21st, 2008 at 3:54 am
don’t know, never tried.i’m 2yrs into my 5th decade of smoking.
July 24th, 2008 at 4:14 am
Pretty easy if you’re really willing to quit. Impossible if you’re simply thinking that it makes you spend money, it’s unhealthy, all that…
July 25th, 2008 at 3:53 am
no…my boyfriend quit cold turkey!!! I was so proud of him
July 25th, 2008 at 10:08 am
It’s pretty hard for some people… maybe not as hard for others. The one thing that’s going to make it work is for you to have the will power to get through the urges to smoke (that’s the nicotine addiction). I think it’s awesome that you are doing this for your child and very smart. I have asthma because my parents smoke and it’s been a burden my whole life. Maybe you can just avoid being around others that smoke for a little while so your not as tempted, and find things to occupy your time so you don’t smoke ‘cause your bored. Just make the commitment and stick to it… forever. You will have more energy, feel better, sleep better, smell better, live longer and your non-smoking friends will appreciate it. Why are you waiting until 8/21? Maybe you need to build up the will power? If you’re going to quit, just do it… cold turkey and make it the priority of your life until your through it.
Good luck, breathe well.
July 26th, 2008 at 12:46 am
Why wait for August 21st? Do it now; don’t put it off any longer.
For much of the people trying to quit it’s most difficult. Having the will, the motivation, and the determination to quit for whatever the reason may be, is the first step.
Rid your house of all ashtrays and tobacco products. Take plenty of vitamin C, drink grapefruit juice regularly, if you can, and brush your teeth immediately after every meal.
Stay busy, because your hands and your mind is too used to having them filled with a cigarette. Hard candies work well too.
Psyche yourself to the point that smoking will never be an option for you–that it is detrimental to your lifestyle and your loved ones. But watch your temper–you can lose it quickly during the throes of quitting.
Good luck.
July 28th, 2008 at 1:35 am
Well let’s see…I quit smoking when I got pregnant with my son. Started back up since hubby was smoking, and it helped with stress. I stopped smoking when I was in the middle of my pregnancy with my daughter and then started back up b/c of family stress. I quit smoking when I found that it increases my running time (I could breathe better). Then I started back up when I realized that I wasn’t going to join the military and it wouldn’t make a difference.
Is it hard? For some I would imagine. For me? Yes, but only if I’m like stressed out and have no other way to de-stress. No, b/c I know that smoking is just a bad habit I picked up b/c it was the only one I didn’t mind having. But you seem to have a perfect reason to stop. Though I have to say my mom has asthma and that hasn’t stopped my father. It’s really up to you and your willpower. You have to remember why you are quitting and keep this in mind when you get the urge. To be honest, I don’t get the urge. Smoking for me is a concious decision. I decide to stop and I decide when to start back up. I’m also lucky b/c I’m allergic to cigarettes. So when I don’t I get no withdrawal symptoms.
I’m smoking now. Why? It’s my way of getting out of the house. Smoking is my way of just blowing off the stress of my life. But the moment I see that it is getting in the way of my goals, I will stop. For some people, like my hubby, he can’t just up and quit. He has to get help and support. Me, I just go, “okay, jack, it’s time to stop smoking.” I stop. And my reaction to it, is just as if I had never smoked before.
But that’s me.
July 29th, 2008 at 11:50 pm
Its difficult, but you have some very valid reasons to quit. Which should help see you through the toughest part. Which is the first 2 weeks on average.
Nutrition Depot or other health food stores sell a “Tobacco Detox” Drops you put in your drink and food which help rid your body of nicotine and starve off cravings for cigs. They also have the supplement which comes in gum form which people use to help anxiety issues. which you may or may not have. I used both the first time I quit for a year. Don’t know why I even started back, it wasn’t for the cravings more of a hanging out drinking with my buddies kind of thing. But I’ve quit again. Good Luck. And don’t be discouraged if you start back, just build up and quit again.
July 31st, 2008 at 1:43 pm
My friend stopped smoking by using the patch.
I think you will be able to do it because you show a true desire for it and you know that it isn’t good for you or your child. So that’s a good thing. It might be tough at first, but remember that you’re doing it for your son and for your own health and you’ll find the determination to do it.
August 2nd, 2008 at 3:13 am
Been there………………I stopped and started 3 times. Reason, I enjoyed smoking. Now when I stopped enjoying it, I didn’t want to smoke anymore. I tried cold turkey twice, didn’t work. The last time I just tapered down by eliminating the enjoyment factor. How did I stop enjoying it……well, I limited myself to smoking only outside. I changed to a light light brand of cigarettes. I no longer carried cigarettes with me or kept them where I could see them all the time. I kept a list of all the bad things related to smoking and a list of all the reasons I should quit and I read it several times a day. I made a point to look up pictures of black lungs related to smoking. Brother, that one will get ya. Especially when I had the urge to light up. I tried to add to this list on a daily basis. If I didn’t it wasn’t the end of the world. Nicotine is the problem here.
Let’s start out by saying, you are addicted to nicotine. That’s one of the hardest legal addictions to break. There are negative and positive factors involved in breaking an addiction and habit. (Positive) It’s wonderful that not only do you have two important reasons for stopping, yourself and your son, but that you have support from those around you. (Negative)The bad thing is that your mother smokes and you live with her. To stop an addiction is hard, to stop when someone around you still participates in the source of your addiction adds negative impulses.
You are going to want to smoke, pure and simple. Seeing someone else seemly enjoy a cigarette and just smelling the smoke will add to your discontent and you will want to smoke even more. You’ve got a hard battle a head of you with this one.
Can you afford the patch? If so invest in this it will help relieve the withdrawal. Yes you are going to go through withdrawal. After a while of not smoking you will begin to cough up brown phylum. Don’t worry this is all part of the getting clean.
The State of Georgia has online help with people that want to quit and I believe the feds might have something online also. Look it up. Check with your state online and see if they have a program to help, most states do. They are usually free.
One thing for sure, YOU CAN DO IT but you’ve really got to WANT to do so.
If all else fails, may I suggest; if you have the urge to smoke, stop and think first, weigh out all the factors, rationalize, compare what you have and what you want. Think think think before you act. This will slow some of your cravings down. I use to keep lifesavers on hand, this helped. You will have to find your own niche and I truly believe you will. You might lose a couple of battles but the main objective is to win the war. You sound as if this is war. Be strong and may the luck of the Irish go with you. Yeah, I”m Irish.
August 4th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
yes quitting is hard especally the first 3 weeks but the best way to do it is, to wake tomorrow and just not smoke any more. you have to do it cold turkey. no patches no gums none of that tobacco company funded BS that just keeps you addicted. you just have to stop and stop suddenly. thats how i did it and it worked fine. after the first 3 weeks you in the clear as long as you have the support you were talking about.
August 7th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
damn near impossible
August 9th, 2008 at 12:06 am
To start quitting is a pretty good idea. You’ll find usefull info there.
Good luck !
August 11th, 2008 at 3:30 am
I am 28 years and have smoked for 14 years. I have lost both of my parents, my father to throat cancer 15 years ago and my mom to lung cancer 3 months ago. After watching both my parents die from smoking i decided it was time to quit. June 10th 2006, at 7:30 pm, 57 days ago was my last cigarette. For the first 2 weeks I used the 21 milligram nicoderm cq. IT WORKS! After 2 weeks I found I didn”t need anything at all. I have not smoked yet.
Trust me when I tell you your child will than you for it, when your here to them graduate, get married, have their first child and the second.
You have a good reason to quit, carry of picture of your child and every time you want to smoke take out that picture and stare at it until the craving passes. YOU CAN DO IT!!!!! Good Luck