Any tips on how to quit smoking?
Basically just what the title says. I've been at it for a year or so now, and I really hate it.
Now, this may seem cliche.. but, throw your cigarettes away. If you really want to quit smoking (and have the willpower to do so), I still believe the best way to do it is to just stop doing it, then live through the next shitty week or so of withdrawal. At some point or another you'll begin feeling normal again without having to smoke cigarettes.
Willpower is key. You have to really want to quit smoking to quit smoking. If your heart isn't in it, all the nicotine patches/gum in the world isn't going to help you. You have to want to, and then just do it.
Willpower is key. You have to really want to quit smoking to quit smoking. If your heart isn't in it, all the nicotine patches/gum in the world isn't going to help you. You have to want to, and then just do it.
I've never smoked -- except for trying just the one (or two) when I was young -- so this comes from friends who have managed to stop smoking.
One thing that helps is to have a clear, specific reason to stop. Not just "I don't like smoking so I want to stop", but "If I stopped smoking then I could ...". There are plenty of health reasons to stop smoking which are clearly not enough of a deterrent for many people.
A friend of mine stopped the same day when he found out that a girl he fancied disliked smoking... (who he subsequently dated.)
Another friend's tactic was to save up all his cigarette money (or "fag money", in UK English, where "a fag" is a "a cigarette".) for almost a year to buy something he really wanted but felt he shouldn't buy as he had more pressing (and boring) things to spend his money on. In the UK a 20 a day smoker spends approx. £2000 a year (approx $3000 US/CAN/AUS), which is quite a lot!
(How much does smoking cost?
http://ks2.smokesnojoke.org.uk/content/Economics.aspx )
Whatever the reason is, it's got to be important to you.
From: 97 Reasons to Quit Smoking
http://www.health.com/health/condition-article/0,,20210803,00.html
Andy
PS One the flip side, I had an acquaintance who failed and failed and failed. He was a counsellor (or counselor) who, among other things, helped people to quit smoking... But I don't think he ever had a good enough reason to stop.)
One thing that helps is to have a clear, specific reason to stop. Not just "I don't like smoking so I want to stop", but "If I stopped smoking then I could ...". There are plenty of health reasons to stop smoking which are clearly not enough of a deterrent for many people.
A friend of mine stopped the same day when he found out that a girl he fancied disliked smoking... (who he subsequently dated.)
Another friend's tactic was to save up all his cigarette money (or "fag money", in UK English, where "a fag" is a "a cigarette".) for almost a year to buy something he really wanted but felt he shouldn't buy as he had more pressing (and boring) things to spend his money on. In the UK a 20 a day smoker spends approx. £2000 a year (approx $3000 US/CAN/AUS), which is quite a lot!
| A person who smokes 20 cigarettes each day will spend nearly £50 every week on cigarettes. During a year, that adds up to more than £2,000. |
(How much does smoking cost?
http://ks2.smokesnojoke.org.uk/content/Economics.aspx )
Whatever the reason is, it's got to be important to you.
From: 97 Reasons to Quit Smoking
http://www.health.com/health/condition-article/0,,20210803,00.html
| 3. You'll be smarter than Goofy. |
Andy
PS One the flip side, I had an acquaintance who failed and failed and failed. He was a counsellor (or counselor) who, among other things, helped people to quit smoking... But I don't think he ever had a good enough reason to stop.)
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1) Have something at the ready and plenty in stock to replace the craving for smokes. Celery sticks, carrots, snacks, whatever it is.
2) Depending on how heavy of a smoker you are, get into an activity to curb the immense rage that may come after a few days. Preferably something physically active. Whatever it is, don't sleep/nap it off.
The top two points are meant to keep your mind off the subject. The less you think about it, the easier it is to deal with it. Don't be around people/at places that are smoker friendly. Stay away from people that try to sabotage your attempt(might want to consider that a "forever" deal) and keep support close by.
I'm driving the point that you need to find ways to keep ciggs away from you (the thought of it and the thing itself). Don't think you can just do this with sheer willpower alone, imo that's quite a rare feat. There's a reason the industry is a multi trillion venture. Most smokers know that smoking is bad for them, but you know, nicotine.
3) Have some form of checklist to track your daily progress. A simple tick on a calender for each day you didn't touch a cigg can be some kind of "reward". Make a big deal out of that.
If it's too crappy of a reward to you, think of something that suits.
4) Make it count and be serious about it like how andywestken has described. Just bear in mind that each time you fail, it's just gonna get harder the next time.
5) Don't regress when you succeed. Quitting means quitting. Not stopping for a month, or even a year, it means forever.
http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-life-lessons-you-only-learn-through-quitting-smoking_p2/
Pretty much a down-to-earth look at what it's like to quit smoking.
2) Depending on how heavy of a smoker you are, get into an activity to curb the immense rage that may come after a few days. Preferably something physically active. Whatever it is, don't sleep/nap it off.
The top two points are meant to keep your mind off the subject. The less you think about it, the easier it is to deal with it. Don't be around people/at places that are smoker friendly. Stay away from people that try to sabotage your attempt(might want to consider that a "forever" deal) and keep support close by.
I'm driving the point that you need to find ways to keep ciggs away from you (the thought of it and the thing itself). Don't think you can just do this with sheer willpower alone, imo that's quite a rare feat. There's a reason the industry is a multi trillion venture. Most smokers know that smoking is bad for them, but you know, nicotine.
3) Have some form of checklist to track your daily progress. A simple tick on a calender for each day you didn't touch a cigg can be some kind of "reward". Make a big deal out of that.
If it's too crappy of a reward to you, think of something that suits.
4) Make it count and be serious about it like how andywestken has described. Just bear in mind that each time you fail, it's just gonna get harder the next time.
5) Don't regress when you succeed. Quitting means quitting. Not stopping for a month, or even a year, it means forever.
http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-life-lessons-you-only-learn-through-quitting-smoking_p2/
Pretty much a down-to-earth look at what it's like to quit smoking.
| Depending on how heavy of a smoker you are, get into an activity... |
If you're a computer games player...
| 9. Quitting is a plausible excuse to play computer games. A 2008 survey commissioned by online game maker RealNetworks suggests that playing games online can help distract people from smoking. |
Also from: 97 Reasons to Quit Smoking
http://www.health.com/health/condition-article/0,,20210803,00.html
Andy
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| andywestken wrote: |
|---|
| playing games online can help distract people from smoking. |
Waiting for post "How to stop playing online".
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| Basically just what the title says. I've been at it for a year or so now, and I really hate it. |
I'm going to tell you the trick right now--quit in the most difficult situations. Those are what you need to overcome because they'd be the cause of starting back up later...
For example, if you feel the need to smoke while driving--you either have the willpower to quit smoking and drive around a lot or you are not going to quit. Quitting and avoiding driving for a while is only postponing the difficult part until later (where many people ultimately fail).
Good luck.
eat a pack of cigarettes - most people will become extremely nauseous at just their smell thereafter (lit or unlit).
| 9. Quitting is a plausible excuse to play computer games. |
That's true. I often feel like smoking a cigarette when I'm in the middle of doing something at the pc (games or programming 99% of the time) but since I'm focused I tell myself "I'll finish this and then do it". And then I forget it until I'm the middle of doing something else.
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