Hi everyone. I've joined this group because I need to quit smoking. I've tried so many times throughout my life, but I've never been able to keep it up. Normally, I just go it alone when I quit - I go cold turkey and don't really speak about it to anyone. But it has never worked. So I'm trying something different this time. I'm actively seeking for help. Tomorrow I will quit smoking, hopefully for good. I've bought some patches, another thing I've never done before. And I'm appealing to you all for help. I think I need that. I don't know why I have so much trouble quitting. All my friends seem to have done it with ease. But I can't. It upsets me so much, but I just can't. So if there is any advice or hints or help or just general support you can give me, I would massively appreciate it. I really want to do it this time. Thanks in advance.
Please help me quit smoking. Please.: Hi everyone... - Quit4Life
Please help me quit smoking. Please.
Thing is that you can understand the benefits of not smoking, like saving money, better health, not smelling of smoke etc, but you have to WANT to quit smoking for it to work. Good news is, you genuinely sound like that what you want.
I quit ten months ago, here's how:
Vape! Omg this nifty little gadget was instrumental. I had patches on standby for special occasions like parties or the pub or whatever, but mostly it was all vape.
I bought a MV (multivape - that's the brand) for £25 and was on it non stop. Nicotine hit from a cig is instant, from a vape I found it was about 15 minutes, so you have to be a bit proactive. I definitely went over the top to begin with, but I didn't smoke, that's the goal right. 1.1 %or 1.2% nicotine should do you to begin with, but as long as it works, don't worry. You're not getting tar or smoke or smell.
Fruit! I definitely ate more (or rather, snacked more) and made an effort to eat grapes or sliced apple. Cut grapes in half - it's not the actual eating, but rather the hand-to-mouth action, so lots of little bits is the way forward.
App! I got one called smokefree, which helped me track how much I was saving, kept a bit of a diary (for the first month) and recorded cravings. Really helped to visualise your progress. It also lets you know milestones (£10 save, 100 cigs not smoke, £50 saved, 1 week not smoking etc)
It's kinda silly, but those "badges" you earn really motivate you and remind you your on course.
It's hard - I'm still finding barriers now. Last few weeks I've had cravings actually, after none for like 9 months, so I've ordered some running shoes and I'll replace the cravings with something healthy. I hope it works, but more importantly, I've overcome worse cravings than this, and you can too.
You've got this, be strong, keep yourself out of stressful situations where possible, and above all, get a vape for that hand-to-mouth habit.
Good luck!
Thank you so much for your reply, Rainygrinch - it's great advice, and I definitely appreciate your words of encouragement. It's only Day 3, but the patches seem to be working as my cravings are much lower than previous quitting attempts. I'm also using the Smokefree app and you're 100% right that those little badges and daily notifications are genuinely motivational! I did try a vape once before but it didn't really work for me - something about it just felt kind of hollow and superficial - but if I run into trouble I'm willing to give it a go again based on what you've said. Thanks again.
Like you i have tried so many times and keep going, if you lapse , dont beat yourself up, just keep mindful and be open and honest with those around you how it makes you feel. I,m still lapsing the odd cigarette after 4 months but after 40 years of smoking i have made great progress. The vape helps me. I find its now the habit more than the nicotine and its just relearning all the triggers thats when i use the vape or a walk. Im also trying to lose weight and sometines i feel like a monster if i get stressed. Its good to know im not alone.
Hi blackdam8 - thanks for your reply. It's hugely appreciated. I'm on Day 6 now and still going strong. I thought the weekend especially was going to be tough because of all the free time (and because it was when I always smoked the most), but so far so good. I think the patches have been a big help to ease the cravings and just generally keep smoking off my mind. Good luck with your own journey - 4 months is incredible! Good work!
Hi I'm Master Splinter,
The Plain Simple Facts are? If you want to quit, I mean Really want to quit nicotine? Then you'll do it! You wont stop nothing if you still want to smoke nicotine and stuff?
But cool I'm happy you got 6 days so far? According to this
Me I'm 45yrs old and I have to quit All nicotine and All carbonated/caffeinated drinks? So I'll keep you updated bro? I hope you do it this time? Keep me updated of hows it going? Went clean n sober for a good amount of time?
But I know that's a easy thing to do? It means nomore coffee or Mountian dew anymore? Ok man sorry to make this reply so long? Good luck n keep me updated I'll be 7 days behind you with quitting both of those? So I'll kit with on this and I'll help you out if you'll help me out also?
MasterSplinter
Hi Master Splinter - thanks for your reply. My post is from back in September, and I'm over the moon to say that I've now been smoke-free for nine months! It's the longest I've ever managed to quit before, and I'm confident that this is the one, that I'll never go back to smoking again. I think you're totally right that so much of it depends on whether or not you genuinely want to quit nicotine. Well, this time I did, genuinely, and it worked. It sounds like you've got the same mentality at the moment. Good luck with it and definitely keep me posted on your journey. This is a great website with loads of support, and I found it massively useful. Have you added a post yourself about quitting? I'd really recommend it, everyone gets behind you and gives you a good morale boost. In terms of the actual quitting itself, I used nicotine patches to help wean me off the smoking - I ended up using them for six weeks, decreasing the dosage every two weeks, and they really worked for me. Anyway, good luck with it all, and definitely keep me - and everyone here - updated with how you get on. Cheers!
I was a full blown hopeless cigarette addict for almost 30 years. The longest I could go in that time was 13 hours without smoking. That's only because I was on flights between New York and Tokyo. (12 hour flight time and 1 hour through customs). 39 days ago, I was diagnosed with very late stage 1 COPD. They told me if you quit right this second you have a chance of it slowing down to a point where you wont need to be on O2 for another 15 years or so. If you don't, you'll be dead in about 12-15 years.. I quit that moment.
What really helped me was not to make a big deal out of it. Don't put a big "Quit Day " on the calendar, just do it. I had a bottle of wine the night before and and said, fuck it. Lets try it! I put on a patch and suck on those nicotine losenges. The next morning I really didn't need to smoke. They really will help if you really want them to. I also installed an app that tells me the money im saving. So far over 700 dollars.
The first 2 weeks were the worst, it felt like I had a bad breakup with a long time lover. There was a lot of depression and sadness. And my brain was giving me an all out assault of reasons why quitting was just a waste of time.
Once after the 8th day, I woke up coughing up what looked like fluid from the exorcist, and I could smell cigarettes from across the street, I knew it was worth it. I eat better now, I wake up earlier, I actually exercise and can breathe again. Di I miss it? Absolutely. I always will. But then again I miss my ex in Thailand who used to beat me up when I would mess up the laundry. Good luck to you lad! I wish you the best. If I can do it, you can!
Hi James - thanks for your message. Very inspirational. I've now been smoke free for a full seven weeks, and never felt better. The patches definitely helped. I completed a six week course of them and, even though I still get the occasional (but rare) craving, I know it'll be gone soon. I'm definitely feeling more confident that I can keep this up than I ever have before. Good luck to you with everything, and thanks again for taking the time to message me.
Hi hows it going now? You say you used the patches, a six week course? Im on the patches and im told its 12?
Hi Dawny8day - thanks for your message. I can very happily tell you that a few days ago I passed the 3 month mark of not smoking. I've never felt better or more confident about my ability to keep off the cigarettes. That doesn't mean I'm 100% craving-free yet (last week, my mates came round and, after a few beers, started nipping out for a fag - I got pretty bad cravings then; also, I'm a little nervous about how I'm going to get on during New Year's Eve), but the few cravings I have are easier to manage than they have ever been before. As for the patches - you're absolutely right that the recommended course is 12 weeks. However, after 2 weeks of using the 21mg patches, I felt I was ready to step down to the 14mg. Then, 2 weeks later I felt the same and went down to the 7mg and, 2 weeks later, I felt ready to come off them altogether. This is what worked for me, but I have friends who needed to do it for the full 12 weeks. You just need to find whatever suits you best. Good luck with your journey! And keep us all posted on here - I found this community to be really helpful.
Hey my buddy quit smoking cigarettes, by replacing nicotine with medical marijuana or CBD flower or oil?
It's how I've quit allot of things that I was doing wrong and just smoked green instead?
Plus its easier to quit nicotine with weed or CBD? I was addicted to pain pills and quit them by smoking medical marijuana or CBD flower or oils? Idk if you want to try this way to quit or not? But I Have to quit nicotine and all Caffine and carbonated drink to I have to have neck surgery? Already had 4 lower back surgeries? Ok well idk if this will help you out? Its something to think about, for quitting nicotine? You can try vaporizers to? Like get one filled with a 3mg container? For about 2-3 weeks. Then go to a 0 mg? Because your still inhaling but there's no nicotine in it?
I need help 2 maybe we can help each other
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