Tips To Use When Trying To Stop Smoking...

[SharonA]

There are so many wonderful tips being shared that I wanted to start a thread just for these ideas.

Please list the best tips you have used, are using, or have read/heard from other people/sites/articles. Please remember...If you use a direct quote from a printed source, give that source credit at the end of the quote.


I will start with one tip that really helped me:


I discovered that the one thing I needed to do while stopping was to find something without calories to take the place of smoking. That is when I came up with the idea to use a straw to replace the cigarettes when I was alone and at home. I took a drinking straw, cut it to the size of a cigarette and used it whenever the urge to smoke hit. I would hold it in the same manner I did a cigarette, draw on it like I did a cigarette, blow the "smoke" out like I did cigarette smoke, flick "ashes" off of it into an "ashtray" with the same motion I used with cigarette ashes. I continued using a straw for quite a while until I found that I no longer needed it.

Okay...It's time for your tips. :)

[VickiB]

The straw is a good idea. -I did basically the same thing with a dum-dum. Even blew out imaginary dum-dum smoke!

It seemed to me that smoking was made of far more "habits" than just the addictive nicotine. There was the oral fixation, those empty hands, even the hand-to-mouth habit, and of course simply the routine of 'having a smoke'. After smoking for 27 years with a 2 pack a day habit, I knew it was going to be tough. I used the nicotine gum to wean from the actual addiction. The dum-dum filled most other habit voids.

Another necessity for me was to remove myself from other smokers. Difficult, as my hubby still smoked! He was understanding & supportive of my wanting to quit, and to this day still goes outside and out of my sight when he smokes! Other friends & family were not so understanding though, so I intentionally 'took a break' from them during this time.

I want to encourage and say hooray for all who are stopping smoking! Be good to yourself, be strong (you know you are!),...You CAN do this!

Vicki

[LeeAnn]

I quit my pack-a-day habit six years ago w/ the help of an on-line program that is free! It's called "Freedom from Smoking."

http://www.ffsonline.org/

It is a behavioral intervention program. I don't know if the program is exactly the same as it was when I quit smoking, but it had some assignments that I thought were veryyyy cheesy---such as writing a goodbye letter to cigarettes. I thought it was totally stupid BUT I had tried to quit "my way" in the past and nothing I did had worked, lol, so I decided to do every single thing this program told me to do, whether I thought it stupid or not. It turns out that letter I wrote evoked a lot of emotion I didn't realize I had until writing it and I remember feeling like I was saying goodbye to my best friend. I remember sobbing like I was saying goodbye to the love of my life.

What I liked about the program is that you start it *before* you actually quit smoking, six weeks prior to quitting I think. They have you thinking about your "key" cigarettes and how you are going to handle those times of the day. It gives you ideas, such as how to substitute other activities or rituals.

The best part is that they have message boards where you can talk to people who are quitting (or have already quit) who are supportive and understand what you're going through. My husband could not relate to my addiction at ALL (as he never had a single cigarette in his life) and it was so nice to talk w/ people who understood how difficult it was.

This program recommends quitting cold turkey but I admit that I used Wellbutrin for two months and I feel that helped somewhat, but it was still the hardest thing I ever did.

Before I quit, I promised myself that I would quit NO MATTER WHAT. No matter what stresses came my way---that I would learn to deal without nicotine. And I'll be darned---the towers crashed down a few weeks later on Sept. 11 and my husband's army reserve unit was deployed only 3 days later, on Sept. 14th. In January my grandmother died. And I somehow managed to stay committed to staying quit.

I remember feeling so empowered after quitting--on top of the world, like I could do anything. I believed in myself again! It gave me a confidence that I hadn't realized I had lost....

[tigger_gal]

congrats with the new baby that you will be having very soon :) my nephew is due today but still hanging out inside where its warm.

great tips, I hope one day soon I can quit !

[ICNDonna]

Definitely stay away from smokers. There's enough nicotine in second hand smoke to keep the addiction "fed."

Donna

[SharonA]

Here is a Tip that was given on another Thread on this Board:

When I quit, I tried to find things to do that took both hands so I couldn't smoke. After dinner, I would head for the kitchen to wash pots and load the dishwasher --- it's hard to smoke with both hands in water!

[ICNDonna]

Another tip: When thinking about quitting, don't think about the rest of your life --- think about just one day at a time. It's easier to quit for 24 hours than it is to quit for the rest of your life. And when you make it for one day, then try for two.

Donna

[SharonA]

Buy your last pack of cigarettes and use a magic marker and label it "last pack...ever" so you see it every time you pick it up.

Get rid of the cigarette lighter you use (buy a fire starter to light your gas).

Start talking and thinking like a nonsmoker.

[mary124]

Donna's suggestion is very good. My husband quit cold turkey almost 3 years ago, (of course, at this time he had some testing to do and he couldn't have coffee or cigs for 24 hours!!) After he was finished with the testing, he said "you been wanting me to quit smoking, so I am!!" and he did right there. Since then he said he feels better, and can breathe better than before; sleep better, etc. - plus besides saving money on cigs he is also saving $$ from buying allergy medications!

[Claredale]

I was watching Oprah the other day and she and Dr Oz were talking about quitting smoking. Dr. Oz said about the same thing as Sharon, have a quit date and plan for it. He also said that every 4 cigarettes that a smoker smokes, people that are around you on a daily basis, are getting the nicotine of 1 cigarette.

My dad was a very heavy smoker. I saw him many times light one cigarette from the one he was finishing. My brother started smoking with my dad at the age of 12. It made me sick because my brother was born with pretty big hole in his heart and didn't need anything to make his heart work harder, but my dad still allowed him to smoke Pall Malls. I never smoked a single cigerette, mainly because I saw how my mom physically reacted to cigarette smoke. Her eyes swelled up to the point of almost being closed, even if she just drove his car for the day. She also had walking pneumonia more than I could ever count. Once they divorced and she made my brother smoke outside only, plus she limited his cigarettes (He was special needs and died of brain and lung cancer at the age of 42). My dad was in the Navy, but we never moved around once I turned 3, mainly to keep my brother in a stable environment due to special schools and doctors and to be around her family.

Huge congrats for all that have been able to stop smoking and hang in there for the ones that are making the choice to quit.

Hugs, T83

[Berkshire Road]

My FIL did something interesting that I have not heard anyone else mention. He got a big, wide, clear glass jar, and every cigarette he smoked, he put the butt of it in the jar. Fairly soon he had this big jar full of butts and it looked so disgusting that he never wanted to see one again. And he just stopped.

[SharonA]

Tip:

The one thing that has helped is drinking TONS of water. Everytime I want to smoke I down a bottle of water. I keep bottles of water everywhere. Maybe that will help you.. I know my bladder feels better. Smoking made my bladder pain twice as bad....
__________________
Nina

[ICNDonna]

One thing that helped me was that after the first four days, I started telling everyone around me that I had quit! I'm such a stubborn person that once I did my bragging, I flat out refused to give up. :)

Donna

[SharonA]

Here is a very good tip from Donna...

When you REALLY want that cigarette --- take it out and look at it --- then ask yourself if you're going to allow that little round stinking thing rule your life! If the answer is a resounding "NO" --- break it in two pieces, put it in the garbage and have a drink of cold, cold water --- after you have patted yourself on the back.

[Acechaser]

Here are some things that helped me quit. I got a cup of ice and used the other hand to pick up and eat the ice with. I also did as someone else suggested and took it one day, one hour, one minute at a time. I started using the patch in the morning when I got up so that I already had 8 hours behind me. I only used the patch for 5 days and then just quit. I constantly told myself that cigarettes were not my friend and they did not comfort me. I didn't write a letter but did something similar, I took my time getting that last cigarette out of the pack, then I told it how it's been a good friend and always there for me, that they comforted me during good and bad times. I lit it and enjoyed every last puff and then I said you're not my friend any more and that was the last of it.

It's been 7 months since I quit and after smoking for 36 years it's the greatest thing I've ever done. Every time I wanted a cigarette I would tell myself to move forward instead of backward. I knew the craving would pass if I could just distract myself. It worked every time. There's a website that has a gadget that helped me too, it shows you how many days you've been quit and how much money you've saved and how much time you've added to your life. The site is www.quitnet.com.

I'd also like to thank all of you ladies for such a wonderful site and such good advice. I was just diagnosed with IC in Jan. and this site was such a big help to me. I'm not a big poster on most websites but I do visit here almost every day.

Best of luck to all of you who are trying to quit smoking and to all of us hoping for a miracle some day.

Lisa

[SharonA]

Lisa...Thank you for your tips. I am sure they will help everyone who is trying to stop smoking. Would you please give me a date (month, year) when you stopped so I can add it to the Former Smoker's Board. I am adding you name right now. Congratulations!!!!!!!

[Acechaser]

SharonA, thanks for adding me. My quit date was 8/22/07.

[ICNDonna]

Congratulations, Acechaser!

Donna

[Judith56]

ONe thing I did that was a big help was to not wash one of my ashtrays. It reeked of old cigarette, so when I wanted one I just would take big smell of that ashtray. The smell totally repulsed me and made not want to smoke. I also would go for a walk every time I wanted to smoke, or get on the computer, play solitaire, anything that kept me busy, especially my hands. I had a friend that everytime she wanted a cigarette, she would brush her teeth. It reinforced for her how nice her and clean her mouth felt with out having a cigarette. Another thing I would is smell my hair and be happy it still smelled like shampoo and not cigarettes. It is also VERY important to change your habits. I used to smoke in our basement, so I just stopped going down there and after dinner I would immeadiatly do the dishes instead of having that after dinner cig. My house was so much cleaner when I was quitting:lmao:

[SharonA]

These are all great tips, Judith. Thank you for posting them. :)

[Judith56]

:) Thanks Sharon.I hope they can help someone else.

[icpuzzled]

I quit smoking 8 yrs ago. It took me a whole yr to actually kick the habit. I tried the little bit that goes on the end of your cig, the gum, the patch until one day I got up and I coughed up tar and decided this was the real day. I went to see an accupunturist and she put some needles in my ear one of the points was called the 9th gate. I swear it felt like I was walking on clouds. This woman was a 85 yr old Chinese woman who knew her stuff well. Little did I know I would be back to her for my IC later that yr. I bought myself some lolly pops and replaced them where I kept my lighters. One bowl on the coffee table, one by my bed, my computer and the bathroom. I dumped any left overs in my purse and made sure I always had them on me. Today I would have to make my own due to candida I don't eat sugar anymore. I didn't care about gaining weight at the time that would come next. Once I figured out my yeast it seemed like the lbs just came off anyways. I came in here because I am trying to get my BF to quit but the main thing is that you have to want to quit. You have to quit for you and the moment you really want to quit the easier it is. I also had been living in LA and it was easier to quit there because you can't smoke everywhere.

[SharonA]

icpuzzled...Congratulations for becoming smoke free and thank you for the "suckers" tip. I have added your name to the ICN Former Smokers List.

[ICNDonna]

It's really nice to see new names being added! Congratulations!

Donna

[NewLife]

The best tip that helped me was don't treat setbacks like failures. In other words, if you slip and have a cigarette after you quit, don't go back to smoking after that. I slipped 3 or 4 times after I quit 1.5 years ago, but now I am completely smoke-free and think it was a stupid habid. I can't believe that I used to be so attached to my cigarettes that even psychoanalysis could not help me quit :) If I quit, anyone can do it! :)

[SharonA]

NewLife...Congratulations!!! If you will post the date you stopped, I will add your name to the ICN Former Smokers List. :):):)

[NewLife]

SharonA, I stopped on Earth Day in 2007. I think it was April 21st or something like that.

[SharonA]

NewLife is now listed on the ICN Former Smokers List. *applause...applause*

[TheMorningStar]

Here's a few resources that I just found to help.
I just quit today but it's wonderful to have all the support from here and these places!

http://www.lung.ca/protect-protegez/tobacco-tabagisme_e.php

http://bc.quitnet.com
This one is geared specifically for people in British Columbia, I'm a member under the same user name I have here.


http://www.lung.ca/about-propos/provincial-provinciales_e.php
This link will take you to other provincial resources

http://www.quitnow.ca

These are all Canadian sites but I don't think they discriminate!

[SharonA]

Thank you for the links. :) How are you doing?

[amaranthe]

I have heard making a list of all reasons you want to quit and keeping it with you all the time helps. List things like how it turns your teeth yellow (even the caps and crowns) and how the crowns, caps, bridges etc. cannot be whitened EVER, they can only be replaced, which is usually prohibitively expensive. Also, the inconvience of smoking now, and how there are so many places you can no longer smoke. Of course the price of cigarettes, the toll on health (listed one by one), bad breath, smelly clothes, house, hair, car, etc., how you dont want your kids to grow up and smoke and you want to be a good example to them, higher insurance rates, cigarette burns from accidents, and all the other reasons you have. List all of them and carry the list around with you and look at them several times a day to remind you why quitting is so important to you and to remind you all the things the cigarrettes have taken from you already and will continue to take from you as long as you smoke. Oh, and for single smokers, dont forget to add that there are lots of people that wont date a smoker.

[TheMorningStar]

Sharon,
I'm not doing too bad. Feeling pretty tired and lethargic today. Survived my brother's birthday party just fine. Only a few minor cravings. Left a little early on purpose so I didn't drink anymore(only had 3 bevvies with dinner over like 4 hours) which ALWAYS makes me want to smoke. REALLY wish I could just stay home today but we have friends to visit(he is in the process of getting diagnosed with Chrone's)*sigh*. Tomorrow will be the real test, back to work with the boss who hates me!:woohoo:
:lmao:

[SharonA]

amaranthe...Thank you for the list. It is really very good. :)

[SharonA]

TheMorningStar...Just remember to take it minute by minute, hour by hour. When a craving comes, take several deep breaths through your nose and slowly release it through your mouth. Not only will it help relieve the craving, but it will help calm you down, also.

Difficult situations always happen no matter the cause. It is part of life and also working at a job. When you find that you are thinking of reaching for a cigarette to settle your nerves...get up and go get a drink of water, walk around a bit, stretch, go to the restroom and brush your teeth...anything that will take your mind off the craving.

Here is something that might help when you don't think you can go one more minute without putting a cigarette in your mouth. In the mornings or evenings...Cut up some celery, carrots, bell peppers, anything that is close to the size of a cigarette, is IC safe for you and takes a while to eat, put them in a plastic bag and carry it in your purse. Then, when you feel the urge, reach for that instead.

Remember...You can do this!!! (((Hugs)))

[Mrs. Mizera]

I have been a smoker for 15 years, and am using Chantix and it works AMAZING! Anyone who really wants to quit and they have already made that decison for themselves should try it because it works.


Note from ICNDonna: Chantix works for some, but can have some serious side effects. Be sure to talk with your doctor about all of your medications before taking this one.

[rainbowlady]

I rolled my own smokes. I filled a tube with paper . I pretended to smoke it. I sucked air threw the filter and pretended to blow out smoke and tapped it on my ashtray. I did it for 4 days after that I didn't need it any more. Good Luck to all. Keep trying, you can and will do it.

[SharonA]

Your method is similar to my straw method. How long have you been smoke free?