I must stop the smoking. (exercise, jogging)

[dub dub II]

Hold on, before I begin, let me light one up.

Ok, I am on my last packet of cigarettes. Marlboro Reds, if you're interested.

I've been smoking for 6 months, around. How I got started was pretty stupid...I'm not a stranger to the wacky stuff. Anyway, blunts change it a bit, so I first started with nicotine like that.

I stopped the wacky, it made me wacky, but I'd smoke both for the affect.

And, I kept on with the nicotine.

I smoke because of stress. When feeling agitated, I can get away and do the deed. But I can't do it any longer.

I don't like the way it ages me.

Obviously it's not healthy.

I can't afford it.

And, also, girls.

So, no longer.

I've attempted once in the past. I got snappy. Angry. Didn't like that, so I regressed.

I'm hoping this'll be a nice platform from which I can snap.

I can't continue smoking. So, last 4 cigs, and I'm done for good.

I need suggestions on how I can "get away" without the cigs. Also, the bonding that occurs among smokers. In everyday life...

[LittleDolphin]

Tips:

--use a placebo like a stalk of celery or a Tootsie Roll Pop
--avoid your smoking friends/co-workers until you're strong enough to be around them
--drink lots of water to flush nicotine from your system
--get lots of aerobic exercise to relax yourself
--avoid situations where you liked to smoke such as drinking coffee/alcohol
--go to hospital and ask to visit patients who smoked with COPD/lung cancer/asthma
--when really craving a cig, do a substitution exercise such as walking/jogging/biking

remember:

You're much bigger than a cigarette and you're strong enough to quit. And never bum one or take another puff.

Go forth, my friend, and be smoke free. Picture your healthy pink lungs instead of black, clogged and wheezing ones. And fresh breath instead of stinking breath.

[hothulamaui]

first get past the detox. if you need to use a nicotine replacement do it. the patch worked great for me. if you don't smoke very much I doubt you would need the strongest patch.

remember a crave has a start a peak and an end. it last a minute or so. drink water, take a walk, anything but a smoke. change the way you think about smoking. it is not a stress reliever, you don't deserve a smoke for not having smoked for a few days.

get busy filling the time you used to smoke with something you enjoy. save the money you would spend on smokes and do something for yourself. tooth picks and 'smoking a cut in half straw helps a ton.

good luck, you can do it and you will be glad you did.

finally hold your quit in high regard. one day, one month, one year. whatever do not allow junkie thinking to let down your guard and start smoking again.

[Jrsygrl51]

I was raised in a house full of smokers, so I started when I was young. QUIT NOW, don't look back. I am happy to say, that I stopped cold turkey 10 years ago. My mom died of lung cancer ( 40 plus years of chesterfields) and dad had copd. My younger sister has emphysema (and chain smokes still) You can do it....just chew gum.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by LittleDolphin

You're much bigger than a cigarette and you're strong enough to quit.

That's the key right there.

Tell yourself that every minute of the day and believe it.

I smoked for 30 years, 30 cigarettes a day or more. It's been almost three years since I quit. The longer you smoke, the harder it is.

You are bigger than a cigarette. Don't let that little cancer stick rule YOU. You are strong enough. Big and bad enough to quit.

Go forth young grasshopper.

[jambo101]

Giving up cigarettes can be the toughest thing you'll do in your life, the solution the easiest just dont ever smoke a cigarette ever again,problem solved.
However the tough part starts to happen about an hour or so after you've quit when your bodies need for Nicotine starts urgently reminding you it needs its fix, analyze this feeling very well as its the wall you will somehow have to deal with to quit successfully. whatever plan you come up with it has to knock the wall down so you can be free from the dead end street of Nicotine addiction, After smoking for almost 40yrs the bomb that took my wall down was when the price hit $10 a pack,any logic i tried to tell myself that smoking was ok died with the reality that the product was no longer in my price range and i refused to continue being ripped off because i was addicted.
The fight continues, its been 3 years since that convenience store clerk asked me for $10 and 3 years since i smoked my last cigarette, sure i still feel like having one but i know that having just one it will be all over in less than a week and i'll be back to smoking 2 packs a day.
Find a way to put that nicotine monkey on your back down with extreme prejudice as he's eating you alive both physically and financially.

[R_Cowgirl]

Heres a little known fact: nicotine and seratonin connect to the same receptors in the brain. That means you get a calming hit when you smoke. One thing that might help is to have a different way to get that happy feeling. 5HTP is something you can take that supports your seratonin levels. So do all the things recommended above and add 5HTP to your daily vitamins. You can find it at a health food store. I smoked for 14 years. I quit as a 30th birthday gift to myself. Never looked back. That was 30 years ago! Smoking ages you. Quit now and your body will get so healthy that it will look like you are reverse-aging. It takes awhile, but it is absolutely worth it.

[danielpearl]

smoking is both, a physiacl addiction and a psycological habit. Quiting smoking means to eliminate the regular fix of nicotine, to which your brain has got addicted, therefore quiting will cause your body to face some physiacal withdrawal and cravings. To quit smoking you firstly should make your mind ready to deal with the nicotine withdrawal symtoms. Once you have committed yourself to this cause and stand by this that "there will be no turning back" then all the tips and tricks that are discussed above will be helpful otherwise will go in vain.

[longnecker]

Many people will not agree with my answer. However I was a 3 pack a day chain smoker. I have not had a cigarette in over 20 years. Decide to cut down on the amount you smoke until you have it down to zero. When you want a smoke pop some thing in your mouth. I bought candy bars by the box or go some where where you can't smoke. DO SOME THING.Now here is what worked for me and I had tried for many years to quit. Decide to cut down over a period of time For me it was the 9 months of my wife pregnancy . I went from 3 packs to 2 1/2 and so forth. When you quit and you have that cig you have failed and consider that you are smoking again so right back to it. When you are cutting down if you have less than you smoked previously you are winning and feel good about your progress.
I have had coworkers tell me this will not work. They used the patch . Went through withdrawal and I know they are back to smoking because they stink.

[skel1977]

Good luck quiting. I smoked for 20 years and finally quit. Im into my 3rd month of being smoke free. The cravings still come and go. I quit using chantix and have never felt so good. Just remmeber when you get cravings they usually go away after 2 or 3 minutes. Just have to get through 2 or three minutes. It gets easier. I even crave one now just because i am talking about it.