The Great American Smokeout Day!

[NicolasA]

Is a very strange name to give a day for quitting smoking given its connotations in the... *cough* ...alternate lifestyle community..

But at any rate! This year.. I'm gonna finally try and kick this damned habit I've had since I was 14 thats caught up with me and.. quite frankly.. its killing me!!

So I'm gonna try and quit smoking again.. I'm gonna try and run with my old method that worked really well, which was cutting down to one or two a day, then buy my last pack.. get down to 12 or so left, and then hide them from myself.. the method behind the madness being this.. If I go to a bar, or a club, or a friends house.. I'm not going to bum a cigarette off someone because I know I have some at home.. Last time it helped me kick the habit for 4 months.. Cold turkey I might add.. but this time I want to go quite a bit longer than that.. I have some fighting goals I need to accomplish and smoking isn't helping me..

So former smokers.. lend me your .02 and share some hints on how you kicked tobacco addiction! I'll take all the advice and/or support you're willing to give me and anyone else than can draw inspiration from this thread!

 

[hihosilver666]

I'm one of those annoying ex-smokers who managed to quit by not lighting any more cigarettes and sticking them in my mouth.

That said, best of luck quitting. You'll feel tons better when you've finally given them up. You'll be healthier, slightly richer and you'll smell better.

My tip: try to focus on what you're getting out of quitting, rather than thinking about wanting another one.

 

[KarlyS]

Jester, how do you go about hiding a pack of cigarettes from yourself? I’ve tried it before but this damn memory thing keeps remembering where I put them.

The way I’ve quit before is I switched from cigarettes to rolling tobacco, they are a lot less addictive in my opinion, I still usually smoke 2-3 a day, but this will be around 10 hours after I’ve woken up. With the rolling tobacco I don’t really get any physical withdrawals, its just the blowing smoke thing that gets me. After a few weeks on rollies its quite easy to go cold turkey. But I keep coming back to them cause of beer, basically its not the same without a cigarette.. for me anyway..

 

[LexiLooHoo]

You will crave a cig. Do something to take your mind off of it.
Always keep a glass of water handy. Want a smoke? Take a few sips of water.
Lots of exercise (d'uh)
Keep things on you to help distract you... small toys, dice, etc. Want a smoke, play with them.

This stuff managed to help me quit for 15 months (then I had surgery, got fat, go depressed, and started smoking again, now on day two cold turkey).

 

[ehrlich]

The trick to hiding stuff from myself is rather simple.. Now me, being the 6'8 lanky bastard I am, tend to normally stash things up high, kinda like you would with your food when camping near bears. So I'll put it in a really obvious place no one would be stupid enough to hide something (but I did) but I'll hide it below waist level!

I had a friend of mine switch from cigarettes to pipe tobacco.. and I think an ounce sized baggie lasted him an entire month and its much cheaper.. but honestly I'd really just kick the damn habit altogether... I'm tired of 4-5 lung infections a year...

 

[EmmanuelS]

Identify the problem times.

For me, one of the worst times was after a meal. So I'd finish a meal with fruit, or a yogurt, or something which just doesn't 'go well' with a fag. Then go and wash-up straight away, rather than sitting around my hands idle and wanting a fag to hold!

Some foods really made me want to smoke, so I avoided things like curries and fry-ups for a while.

The other big problem time was having a few pints, so I'd cut back on going down the boozer until I was over the worst of it.

Good luck!

 

[GURL_PLEAZE]

Every time you feel like a smoke think of the gunk you keep hacking up. Then do a set of as your reward for not lighting up.

If bars and other things increase the cravings. *sarcastic sharp inhale of breath* Don't do those things.

Set up a short sprint zone, time yourself. Then run it every week. Watch your time get faster.

Gonna get gross for a moment.

Make it a point to spit out the gunk you hack up. Look at it, remember it, then follow the idea above. Poke it with a finger, feel it. It'll make to puke. That's a good thing by the way. Impacts the point into your head.


In the end being a quitter will be kewl!!!

 

[outtacontrol]

Just found this one. Hey, DJ first thing you want to do is keep yourself busy so you don't dwell on it. The longer you go without smoking the easier it gets, you've already come this far so why go back?

Quitting smoking was one the best decisions I ever made.

Good Luck.

 

[cupcake3]

At one point three out of five of my employees smoked. I banned it in the office and said if they went outside for a smoke they lost their lunchbreak. two have quit and ones lost 15 lbs so far from not getting a lunch break.

 

[kelverrr]

^ Lol!

 

[HotCouture]

Good Luck bro, and yes find replacements that take your mind off of the fixation. Vitamin, minerals, B-12 and Kava-Kava have worked very well for a few of my friends

 

[msayed40]

Hey DJ, so how is your plan working? I support anyone who wants to quit the habit

If you ever feel the need to light up, come to MAP and insult the hell out of me. It might relieve some of the stress.


Lily

 

[dddbbb]

I've had a couple of employee's give up smoking. They wore a Nic Patch, and kept a
Bic pen in their pocket. You'd be amazed how much of the habit is just having something in you hand the size of the cigarette. If your employee takes this route...take the ink cartridge out of the pen, save everyone the tradegy. Also they did this in teams, we gave them parties at 6 months, if both made it.

 

[elsa]

DJ have you tried out the New "Catalina Room" on Lemon and Douglas down the street from Bob's Chop House? Or you an Uptown Boy, like Bread Winners, Hector's on Henderson...

 

[samidoll123]

It works, and it's great fun, take it from me. Who needs valium when you've got Lily. *gives thumbs up sign*

 

[Dibber]

I smoked for almost 10 years. I started at 15 and smoked regularly till about 24 and completely quit by 25. The best thing that worked for me was an item of motivation. One thing some people use is family. When you get a craving, think about how you're more then likely not going to grow old w/ your family. If your a habit person, find some thing to play with that's kosher in the office or when out in public. aka Pen like previously stated.

Good luck.

 

[Maura]

whoa another D-town MAP head?! I have actually not heard of those places.. I stay on the Ft Worth side of town on the edge of Arlington. North D-town isn't quite my realm of expertise, but anything southwest of that I know my way around very well..

 

[TanyaS]

going on my 9th day everyone! Thanks for the suggestions.. I beat temptation this weekend being around family that smokes.. my plan is working for me so far.. My lungs still feel like butt though...

 

[rogers11]

Congratulations!!! Keep it going you won't regret it.

 

[SallyNoir]

Ft. Worth, Ricks on the Bricks then, that a kewl place, I did some of my forensics study at Osteopathic Medical Center.