How did you quit smoking?

I quit 20 years ago, cold turkey which stuck after several tries.

I read a book...I think it's the same one mentioned here...that basically said not to tell yourself "I can't smoke" but "I choose not to smoke".

That's what worked for me. I won't say it was easy, and there's still times I remember how enjoyable it was but the cost to your health and pocket is just not worth it. Not to mention there's hardly anywhere legally left to smoke in public these days (in Australia at least).

 

As a long term shareholder of Altria and Phillip Morris I would like to thank all the smokers, cigar and tobacco users. The returns have been phenomenal and with dividends over 5% it is like the gift that keeps giving year after year. Thank you from me and my kids.

 

LOL lugubrious

 

I can strongly recommend the book that's been mentioned here already -
Alan Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking.

Like all smokers I'd tried quitting a few times (you know the old joke - Quitting is easy, I've done it several times!) but always went back to smoking. The reason? I 'gave up' something I 'enjoyed'. The Alan Carr book makes you realise that you don't actually like smoking and that by quitting you're not 'giving up' something you (think) you 'enjoy' but rather you're being liberated from a wretched albatross.

I LOVED quitting smoking and I LOVE being a non-smoker now. Don't miss it at all.

 

I'm a third of the way through the book. I'm already getting the feeling that this guy is on to something. He has a certain way of putting things into the proper perspective. The Amazon reviews of this book (over 500) are pretty hard to ignore.
Thanks to Vicki for bringing this to my attention.

Bless all,
Ron

 

Yes it is liberation from an oppressor.

There is a passage in Already Gone by The Eagles that sums it up.

So often times it happens that we live our lives in chains.
And we never even know we have the key.

Bulldogs and his fellow shareholders can sit on it and swivel....

 

rondrums I have heard it is a very difficult habit to kick so I wish you strength and determination. May you be smoke free soon. I know your health will thank you a lot.

 

Hang with people that do not smoke and stay away from places that allow smoking. If they are near you they will tempt you and non smokers will support you with words and their actions.

 

That's great to know, because I enjoy every single cigarette and have never really wanted to quit, I still really don't because I really love it, but on a deeper level I know it just might kill me one day and need to quit for that reason.

 

you're very welcome Ron, I should be getting mine today and I hope it does the trick for both of us. To response to your other post yup Ima baaaad girl lol, I got MM when I was around 13 and started smoking at 17. Back then all I was told was now that you have MM you will always have it. In all the years since Doctors never told me stop smoking because of MM, now every doctor I go to tells me stop smoking for all the other reasons..

 

My mother in law passed away in 2009 from lung cancer that had metastasized to her brain. I know we all gotta die from something, someday, but every time I see a young person smoking (or anyone really) I just want to shake them. It was a terrible, terrible death. Not at all peaceful the way most of us would hope to go. I only say I hope you are able to kick this thing, Ron. We're all pulling for you.

As for how to kick it? Only cold turkey worked for me. On some level I used the same kind of thinking it sounds like that guy who wrote that book used -- I just woke up one day and said "I don't want to do this anymore" and convinced myself that cigarettes disgusted me. It worked. They did.

 

"I only say I hope you are able to kick this thing, Ron. We're all pulling for you"

Should read, "I only say this to let you know I hope..."

 

I QUITCOLD TURKEY NOV 11,1981. IT WASN'T EASY BUT WORTH IT

 

Go figure doctors. The doc who has been treating my Meniere's and my allergies has never once said anything about my smoking--UNTIL I decided to do Stephen Spring. I guess he figures if I'm going to drop all this cash, I'd better make sure I'm not doing anything to mess up the treatment.

The Carr book is cool. It's all about psychology and attitude. You can smoke all you want while you're reading it. At the end, it's up to you.

Hope it works for you. Hell, I hope it works for me, too. This is going to be a bitch (Alan Carr would not be happy with my attitude!).

Ron

 

^^this^^

I know several people who felt the same way. Perhaps, conveniently, I may not have noticed as it was already an emotionally taxing time in my life when I quit.

Another tip; there's been good evidence provided that suggests after a certain period of time, smoking amplifies hand mouth habits. Personally I handled this by spending unusual amounts of time under my girlfrie... not really forum appropriate ...chupa chups & julienne carrots also came in handy. To have something in constant reach to mouth may decrease the stress of quitting smoking.

 

That didn't come out right at all.

 

I get the idea......

 

That would work for me! ;D

 

Actually, the Alan Carr book doesn't recommend "replacements" like food and mints, gum, (girlfriend) etc. He says they just remind you that you can't smoke. Glad it worked for you.

The last time I quit, I was burning through like 4 packs of Velamints a day. And I still wanted a cig!!!

 

Haha. I have the imagery of someone attempting to express their joy of quitting smoking, while unable to speak due to an excessive amount of mints in their mouth.

'what? Mo quot moking! *mints fall out while smiling'