Let me balance out my previous professional post with an extremely unprofessional post, because I am a very cyclical person.
Today marks day 3 of no cigarettes. No, I am not searching for congratulations, I am searching for tips.
HOW DOES ANYBODY QUIT COLD TURKEY??!
Writing, coffee, sex, wine…these are a few of my favorite things. You know what else they are? The best pairs to a cigarette.
Lord help me.
Health > Happiness, right?
It’s bloody hard. I only stopped with the use of nicotine gum. I’ve been on it for over 10 years now! So, I guess I’m still addicted.
For some reason nicotine gum makes me sick to my stomach, maybe I’ll try a patch. I’d like to say I did it cold turkey, but hey, I’d also like to say I never did it to begin with.
I’d also like to say I had a cigarette waiting outside for me… 
I feel for you. It’s really hard. I gave up once before by reading Alan Carr’s book on How to stop smoking. I was very dubious at first as it tells you to smoke while you’re reading it and that by the time you’ve finished it, you’ll want to give up. I couldn’t wait to finish it. I quit for about 3 years that time.
What makes me the most discouraged is hearing all my family and friends’ accounts of quitting, how it doesn’t get easier, the cravings always there, and it takes a mental toll on you for quite some time. Which is sort of the vibe I am getting from you as well.
I just wonder if it really is worth it, mentally. Obviously it is physically, my lungs would attest to that.
I’ve got to admit, I deleted a couple of sentences in my last comment which attested to your astute assumption. I don’t think it does ever leave you. I would never encourage anyone to smoke again, but your friends and family are right. It’s probably not what you want to hear. I know it’s mental torture. Drink copious amounts of water. I never wanted a cigarette after that. I did and still do after wine and coffee. Fuck it! Go and have one. You’ve suffered enough. 😳
I appreciate honesty more than sugar-coated encouragement with these things, though, so thank you! I have made a point to leave my money at home today so I won’t be tempted to get some on my way home, so I am doomed to be bitchy all day!
Just over 3 months for me, and after almost 40 years as a smoker. Yikes! I’ve been leaning on Nicorette logenzes, and they really do help. And Jolly Rancher hard candies for those smoke breaks. The gum and the patch never worked for me, but these seem to smooth out the edges for out for me. Mostly it’s been determination. I tried quitting several times before, but this is the longest period of non-smoking for me. I reached the point of ENOUGH, and so far so good. Yeah, people will tell you that the addiction never really goes away, but three months is a stepping stone. Or three days. Congratulations… it’s tough and three days is great! And being bitchy (or moody or short-tempered) is gonna happen. It does get easier… or at least not so frigging hard. Stack up your days and you’ll start feeling better about it. And sincerely, all the best!
Wow! 3 months seems so out of reach to me right now, congratulations on making it that far after being used to the habit for so long. That truly does amaze me, great determination! I bought some hard candies today and even have a back up of the gum. Coffee time is feeling incomplete this morning, but overall I feel more in control than I did yesterday with the craving. (Because in all honesty, I stole a puff of my mother’s cigarette yesterday, and that little moment of cheating pissed me off). Thanks for the advice!!
You’re welcome and good luck!
Every person is different. Don’t assume that because those around you tell you one thing you need to do the same. Some will always find it harder than others, some will always have cravings others wont have them as much. Some will give up 10 times other will give up once. Most of all never let anyone else discourage you. If you are giving up for your own reasons forget about what anyone else says and concentrate on your reasons.
For me I thought I couldn’t give up while working night shift in the truck, but that was only partially true. Sure smoking kept me awake while driving those long hours but it was only an excuse. Problem was I didn’t realise that, or didn’t want to realise it until we were expecting our first child. It was then I realised I was finally ready to give up, until then I was just making excuses that I could easily ignore.
In the end I kind of gave up cold turkey, but I forced myself to cut down to only one an hour, then only one every two hours. I made myself go outside for every smoke and I wouldn’t smoke in the car.Then when I was down to about eight a day I just got to the end of a packet and didn’t go to the shop. Obviously the want to give up was there at the time so it worked better than previous times but the forced cutback also made it easier to not get another packet. From day one of giving up it just got easier not to think of them because I kept busy.
In nearly ten years they only time I have felt like a smoke was a few months after I gave up, the morning our first child was born. My wife and I had been up for thirty two hours and the second I walked in the door (coming home to have a shower) I could smell my mother in law smoking on the patio. I was so desperate for a smoke at that stage but had a shower instead.
I have never had the same craving again, so it is entirely possible not to have cravings but if you do find something else to do, think of something else, changing the situation you are in, just do something different.
Very good points! I did the same with cutting myself back a little at a time, but for some odd reason it made me smoke more than usual in the past year I have been doing it. I guess I don’t like when even I set limits on myself. So my 4 a day turned into a chain smoking session of 6 a day, because I only smoke after work in the evenings, once with my coffee, and every moment when drinking. So the cutting back turned into cold turkey this past weekend after my drunken suggestion to quit led to my fiance throwing out our last pack. Thank god (or gods or whatever you believe in) for his willpower, or this girl would be finding it very hard to find other things to do instead of smoking. We went outside to smoke before and play with our outside dog, so now I will just go run around with him instead each time!
Also, great willpower on the day you were so sleep deprived and stressed, I probably would have had one right after I gave birth personally. (Just kidding).
For me it was all about finding something else to do. I know I’d still find it hard to drive a truck all night without smoking, so I don’t. I knew early on if I went on a drinking binge I’d have wanted a smoke while drinking so I didn’t put myself in that position. Will power no doubt has as much to do with it as the want to do it in the first place but removing oneself from the situation where smoking is the norm is the easiest part of giving up.
Playing with the dog is a good change, doctors will tell you it’s good because you are getting exercise but I’ll tell you it’s good because it takes your mind of actually smoking, maybe not the first time, but each time it will get easier.
These days I can sit in a room with everyone smoking and I don’t feel any urge to smoke, even if I am drunk. Doesn’t happen to everyone but that also doesn’t mean it can’t happen for you.
Update after the weekend: I went out for more than just a few Saturday night and had a cigarette and a half, though they kicked my ass. 1 slip up (and a half) in a week and i’m feeling okay with it overall. Back to planning other things to do that don’t involve getting too drunk!
Most people have slip ups. Even those who give up cold turkey have often tried giving up before and not succeeded. Hypnotism is about the only way I’ve heard of that is a one step cure all but even that can fail. Every other method is a step by step process even giving up cold turkey.
Having only one and a half and still wanting to give up today is a good step forward but don’t punish yourself too much for one weekend. Congratulate yourself on the rest of the weekend. In a game like smoking it’s all about the little wins not the losses.
Did you happen to have a problem with being short of breath more often after you quit? I am winded in situations I normally wasn’t before, and I don’t know whether it’s a lack of cardio lately or the smoking after-effects.
No but I also wasn’t very active I was still recovering from shoulder surgery that didn’t work and I had a number of physical restrictions put on me.
I’d probably been off them for six months before I did anything more than just casual walking.
Keep someone close with you. If they really care for you, they’ll make this journey easier. Tell them when it’s really hard, tell them when you can’t hold it any longer. Promising to someone that you’ll stop makes the desire to break the promise much harder. Thanks for sharing and good luck!
In my opinion it’s not some glorious badge of honor to quit cold turkey. It’s a badge of honor to quit no matter what! What I mean by that is don’t get so caught up in saying you quit cold turkey. It doesn’t make you any stronger or weaker if you need to use some sort of gum or patch to do it. The end result is all that matter with this. Find what makes the transition easiest for you. Why suffer? Hope you get what I’m trying to say here. I wish you the best of luck with quitting your habit and I’m rooting for you!
throughdanielleseyes 
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