Is There Anyone Here Who Has Quit Smoking?

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Permalink Reply by Phoenix44Rising on October 20, 2008 at 12:55pm

Mine would be to have another cigarette, lol. Sorry, I'm useless!
I would actually love to give up though, and plan to do so at New Year. I'm going to use magick to help me (have you tried a spell or ritual of some sort?) and I'm starting Yoga today as it made me cut down before without even trying...
By New Year I'll be back into doing Yoga daily, and have the right mindset to try.
Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by Amanda on October 20, 2008 at 1:46pm

I actually read somehere that it is the worst time in the world to quit. That is when we are the most social and we eat the most. Two of the biggest triggers to smoke. The article went on to say to quit on a day that is just like any other and during a time of the year that you can get out and distract yourself. It was VERY helpfull for me. Just a word of advice if you decide to quit. Good Luck

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Permalink Reply by July Evening Starr on October 20, 2008 at 1:10pm

Ah, my thoughts are with you. This is a real PIA to accomplish.

Drink lot's of water to help flush the nicotene out. Keep your hands busy. Change as many of your cigarette routines as you can. And have your trantrums outside away from your loved ones. Try chanting. Take the frustration out on a project you have put off doing. Like going through your files and shredding things that you no longer need. But remember to praise yourself for being stronger than the desire/craving.

Funny, Whenever I was expecting, I just QUIT. No withdrawals, No anger, No cravings. Now that said, when I have quit when I was not expecting, it was very difficult. On everyone around me. So much so that at one time my then 16 y/o daughter paid a neighbor to go buy me a carton of cigarettes. LOL

Earlier this year I used the Chanix to stop. It worked for the most part but not without some undesireable side effects for me. I did not smoke for over 5 months. But every now and then, I would want a cigarette. When I discussed this with my md, he said that I could have 3 or 4. and then re-start the medication again. I wish I had just toughed it out. When I went back on the Chantix, it did not help. So I am back smoking about a half pack a day.

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Permalink Reply by Siiri on October 20, 2008 at 1:11pm

Cold turkey sets you up for failure. It takes an unusual amount of willpower to do it that way.

I quit by lowering my amount of cigs I smoked by one every two-three days until I was down to zero. Gradual change to the amount of nicotine your body gets is likely to put less stress on your body and mind, and thus help you be more successful in quitting.:)

Monday 10cigs
Tuesday 10
Wednesday 10
Thursday 9
Friday 9
Saturday 9
Sunday 8
Monday 8
Tuesday 7

and so on...

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Permalink Reply by Siiri on October 20, 2008 at 1:28pm

I know you can do anything you set your mind to.:)

I didnt try cold turkey.

I do know though, that few people succeed doing it this way. Most use another more gradual method, or try the patches or lozenges.:)

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Permalink Reply by Gone Baby Gone on October 20, 2008 at 4:26pm

I must respectfully disagree with the absolute statement: "cold turkey sets you up for failure". Each person and their physical and psychological needs are different, but for lots of people, cold turkey works. I am one of them (quit for the last time three years ago this week, cannot, WILL not ever start again). It was not at all easy, but if you are in the correct mind and body set, and can rearrange your circumstances and habitual triggers as kindly suggested by some of the responders here, It Can Be Done. I am living proof, and not known for my willpower in other regards, but I did it.
The bottom line is, honey, you have to do what works for YOU. I am not some big badass braggart just because I was able to pull it off, and sometimes I'm not sure how the heck I did it, but loving yourself and your body (read: exercise, meditation, walks outside, hot baths, vitamins, green and white teas, and L*O*T*S of water), and surrounding yourself with support and positive influence, and keeping yourself busy, all of these things will help you, make you feel fantastic, and get you through it. Goddess Bless You, your Paganspace family is here for you.

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Permalink Reply by Monica on October 20, 2008 at 1:13pm

Sorry I can't be much help, that's one reason I haven't quit yet, I hate the way i feel, I hate feeling like a bitch. I want to quit just haven't done so. I did try twice. once with the patch and once with the lognse (sp?). it worked for a week but i still smoked atleast a ciggarette day. I need to... humm... sorry i can't be of much help.

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Permalink Reply by ema on October 20, 2008 at 1:17pm

After 35 years +, I quit smoking a year and 1/2 ago. It was the hardest thing I have ever done, and I have done some hard things. Giving up nicotine makes one emotional, tired, crazy, somewhat suicidal or even mildly homicidal at times. I used chantix for a while...however I still had to change somethings.

I took 4 days off of work, I drank lots of orange juice and ate a lot of oranges and pomagranates (vit c and nictric acid, which can reduce a few angry nicotine recepter sites) I stayed away from friends and family that smoked for about a month (yes they understood) I stopped going to smoke filled places. When I went back to work, I went for a walk around the inside of the building rather than head to the smoking area. I journaled all my frustrating moments and used it to examine "habits" that provoked a smoking craving, so I could change the habit, avoid the situation and/or find a way to cope. Meditation and calming music daily might give you focus. Affirmations and ritual can help as well. Getting out doors to be walking or running the frustration away worked for me too.

Now I can breath. I gained weight, but I am healthier now even with the extra pounds...my lab work showed my cholesterol and other things affected by cigs were much better. I do have some long term damage done to some areas due to smoking. I can only do some much at this point because of the damage done.

Yes I miss cigs, if I live to 80+ I will start again lol. Right now it feels better not to smoke.

If you can stop smoking, you can do anything. I wish you success
ema

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Permalink Reply by Kate on October 20, 2008 at 1:32pm

I can't read the letter, my computer isn't letting me open it.

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Permalink Reply by Andrew Cash on October 20, 2008 at 1:25pm

Well I really want to pack up smoking, after smoking for 20 years & I am going to go by what Siiri said below, just cut down daily & then hopefully smoke free, I know it's going to be very hard but I want to do it for myself, to be a better & healthier person.
Good luck Kate, I know it's very hard for you & I wish you get back to coping good soon
Andrew

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Permalink Reply by moonchild on October 20, 2008 at 1:42pm

I remember the first time I quit. I couldn't sit still. My sister in laws husband thought everyone was on drugs or something (she quit the same time) He is in the national guard and was doing his 2 weeks. On his way home he stopped at our house to talk to my husband about something. our house was spotless. I was excited to hear the dryer buzzer go off. I got to put cloths away. ha ha. Any way he went home and his wife was the same way. he thought we all lost our marbles until she told him that we all had just quit smoking.

I quit for 8 months. then there was some problems in the family and of course everyone was stressed and smoking and that was the end of that for me. I quit when I found out I was pregnant. Had no problem, but a couple of weeks after he was born I started again. (no i wasn't breast feeding. tried but couldn't)

I have quit again and haven't had one in about a month. It has been easier this time because I had only been having 3 to 5 a day. when i decided to quit I had cut back to one at work and maybe one before i went to bed. But this time I felt ready. It was more of a habit then anything. I would be smoking and think "what am I doing? I didn't even want this?"
My husband is trying to quit. He does good for a few days. then he will have a hard test or something at school and will go buy a pack of cigarettes just for one. well then he has them and knows it so he smokes them. I told him there will always be something that will cause stress one way or another, and he needs to find another way to deal with it. One day at school one of his friends told him he need to take his patch off and chew it or something because he was being an ass.

they say for women its not so much the nicotine, but the habit of the hand to mouth. It does help to keep busy.
I used to chew on the little coffee straws and eat the little dum dum suckers

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Permalink Reply by Kate on October 20, 2008 at 1:42pm

Thank-you all for responding, you're making me feel a lot less alone in this, and I'm sure your advice is definitely going to help.

As for quitting cold turkey setting me up for failure, I don't think it will. I believe I have the willpower to do it, I just have to make it through the first few days, even if it means avoiding everyone I know, including the people I live with (they all smoke, in the house). I have come up with a little strategy for the times when I really I want to give in, I just picture my addction as a big tobbacco CEO throwing a temper tantrum because I'm not paying his disgustingly large salary anymore. It helps a bit.

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