I quit smoking a month ago...
 

...but I still get nasty cravings. My eyes have a tired burn most of the time. Whenever I get stressed, I immediately want to smoke a carton.


This is horrible, but so far I've managed to stay strong.


....Any pointers? :confused:

when I quit smoking (the first time) I would always carry a pack of gum around with me. I'd also try to get at least 30 mins extra sleep and to do stuff outside more.. just worked for me. Good luck on quiting.. maybe one day I'll quit again hehe

When I quit, I bought myself a package of dum-dums. Whenever I had a craving, I ate a dum-dum, and it helped a bit. I found it to be a little better than gum, because you have something hanging out of your mouth anyway, kinda cigarette like.

COngrats on making the decision to quit! (think of all the money you'll be saving)

black licorice --

Worked better than any nicotine gum...

(and I always had something in my hand -- Every so often I do make cigarette motions with a pen, a chop stick, a rolled up piece of paper, but it keeps me away from cigarettes, I just liked the feel of something in my hand.

Yuck! :(


Really? :D The things you learn.

:throws a big piece of black licorice at Bill:

I just quit 2 months ago. It was pretty bad at the begining but got easier.

What worked for me was thinking that if I started again, I'd eventually have to quit again. And then I'd have to go through that first hellish week again. You're already halfway there man, and if you start up now you just wasted a month of your life feeling shitty.

Trust me though, it does get better. :thumbsup:

oh the possiblilties!! :D

I used liquorice root, man that stuff is gross. For the first fortnight I also used lozenges which helped but it took several months to feel 'safe' enough to go to a pub. The craving never goes but i feel proud that I managed to beat it, and smug :)

Looking at pictures of black lungs also helped. I kept a timetable of changes in you body after you quit, http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/aha/umtobacc09.htm, I also joined an internet support group. They all understood and were very very supportive.

I will say one last thing, if you succomb and have a smoke then consider this - you are not a smoker again but a non-smoker who happened to have a cigarette. Its just a blip and it doesn't mean you have to start again. Think of the shit you went through in the first few days, if you give in now you *will* have to repeat that in the future.

You're free of it now mate, and you can stay free.

David

Damn, I quit about 6 months ago after smoking for 8 years. After the first few weeks, it wasn't that bad. Now I can even hang around friends that still smoke and go to bars and stuff. It'll get easier Spritebox, just give it time. Good luck.

That's what it's all about, and I'm not talking about the double-entendre. Whenever I would start having a nic-fit, I'd get a glass of water or juice to drink. Holding the glass kept my smoking hand busy and drinking keeps my mouth busy. If you do that and just take a few deep breaths whenever the cravings hit you should be okay. Just keep your eyes on the prize and stay smoke free.

I bought a bunch of caffinated lolly pops. Keeps my hand and mouth busy, and the caffeine gives me a boost of energy. Plus, they're tastey.

the secret is to space out smokes, gradually lowering your intake.
you end up getting down to the essentials. you know, the one after supper, the one with morning coffee, then you just have to space those out by waiting a little bit after you want one till you actually have one.
take it from me, i've quit several times.

I quit about 7 months ago, and my problem was more of the social and psychological addiction. I didn't get drunk at bars or anyplace where I knew people would be heading out for smokes now and then for a couple months. it was hard, but I feel much better now, there are still temptations, but overall I don't want them anymore

jeez, i've been trying to quit like crazy. but, i just cant help myself. i love the flavor. thats about the only thing i like. is there cig flavored candy???

god help me, i'm such a loser

You could soon move to Australia - two states have just outlawed smoking in pubs and clubs, coming into affect (I think) in 2007.

AAAAHHH - a smoke free pub - who could ask for more? :thumbsup:

I quit about 2 years ago... besides the 40 lbs I let myself gain, I couldn't be happier about it! For me, the key was making myself accountable to someone else. I could easily dissappoint myself, but letting someone else down was harder. So I cut a deal with my wife.

The cravings went off and on for the first 6 months, then got bad again as I approached the 1 year mark (no idea why). Since then, nothing. Doesn't phase me anymore... wheeew....

Keep it up!!! TOTALLY WORTH IT!

Woohoo! Congrats!

I quit back in Jan of '00, so I know your pain. Believe me, it will get easier.

I used Altoids. Everytime I wanted a smoke, I just ate an Altoid. Even kept them in my breast pocket just like a pack of smokes. Worked very well.

I wish you luck. It is SO worth it!

I quit, started again, quit, started again. One day I woke up, mad at myself for being so weak, got mad at the cig companies, got mad at the advertisers, got tired of smokers caugh. Threw the last pack I've ever owned in the trash and have never smoked one since. That was 27 years ago. Do I still want one now and then? Sure. Do I dare? No way. One would put me back on that path again. I know this about myself so I do not go there.

Hang out with friends that don't smoke. Take up a new sport. Find something you can do to distract yourself. Remember it is a dirty vile chemical dependent habit.

All of these sugestion here are good. Find those that will work for you and don't go back.

I quit just over three years ago, after being a 10 pack-year smoker. Cold turkey is the ONLY way to go.

Drink lots of water and find something non-fattening to munch. I chose sunflower seeds and promptly put on 10 pounds. :(

Nothing simultaneously kills the habit and the cravings quite like tar poisoning.

I've never smoked but my bf does. He quit cold turkey two summers ago because he was in the states and he didn't like the taste of the cigarettes there. Started smoking again when he got back home in the fall.

He tried to quit again a couple months ago using Zyban, but he feels it didn't really do much for him.

Any tips for how I could support him when he tries to quit again?

Luckily for me, when I quit, it was right when I left to go to a UCLA camp to hike the San Gorgonio Mountain. I met a girl there who I immediately had a crush on, and threw away my pack of cigarrettes as soon as I heard her say, "I don't like guys who smoke." The trip lasted about a week, but not smoking all that time and being distracted at the same time gave me confidence that, as long as I can distract myself, I won't want to smoke anymore. Haven't had one cigarrette since.

Then again, I only smoked for a year and a half.

i dont know ANYBODY who has really quit. tough luck - once youre addicted your addicted

Just be as supportive as you can, and don't get pissed at him when he acts like a dick.

That's the key.
Since it's been a month, you're over the physical addiction, but the psychological habit is still entrenched - that's why things like licorice (they make red, too) and suckers work so well - it reinforces the hand-to-mouth actions of smoking.

Good luck - the cravings will get weaker and less frequent. You've conquered the hardest part. Congratulations.

/pack-a-day for 25 yrs until Jan '98

My friend Steve quit and used toothpicks as his "new hand to mouth" habit. That seemed to help him, plus his wife was threatening to leave him - if he didn't quit. Now when he visits, I make sure I have a bunch of toothpicks in the jar & I hand him those to chew on. It worked well and he's over 'smokes', but now he's addicted to toothpicks. Go figure.

I'm over smoking...until I travel to Europe for a visit. Geez, Everyone there still smokes like it's no big deal. Then I quit all over again upon my return.

Wish I'd never started way back in my teens! So it goes.

Best of luck mate! An ex of mine quit partly because i cant stand cigarettes, She wanted to quit for ages but apparently (like somone else said) used me as someone to be accountable to. Hope this helps!

congrats on quitting, I quit using Zyban about 3 years ago I guess it is now and chewed gum non stop, plus I ate everything in sight that helped tons, but even now I still would like a smoke with my morning cuo of coffee.

It'll get easier just don't give up, just remember it will get easier

Happily I didn't accept any cigar from my friends when I was a young man. Now I am a healthy person...

Read my journal. I just quit chewing tobacco after 21 years. I am taking Wellbutrin to take the edge off and it has been very helpful. The hard part is doing the same things you normally do without having a smoke. Try changing your daily patterns. For instance, if you normally take a smoke break at work at 9:00am, work till 9:30am and go for a walk instead. Or do some other activity that takes you away from the normal pattern of smoking while you do it.

They must often change, who would be constant in happiness or wisdom.
-- Confucius

I quit many years ago and haven't had a cigarette since. It all came down to making a decision and sticking to it; mind over matter.

Now I've quit drinking coffee, tea or any other source of caffeine & sugar. That was two weeks ago and not a drop since! Feels goods.

Check out this thread I wrote about my boyfriend who is trying to quit at the moment, some interesting advice here:

http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=83198

From what I have seen so far, cold turkey is the best option, my boyfriend is having a hard time getting through it without having one or two a day...

as for cravings, keep yourself busy and use your willpower! There is no easy way out.

This is from a brochure I give to my patients that want to quit smoking:


• Find a support person that you can call if you go through a rough patch. This person will be there to encourage you and cheer you on.
• Repeat an affirmation to yourself such as, “I am a non-smoker.” Or “I am saving enough money for a vacation.” Or “I’m making my body healthy.”
• Ask others to respect your decision and your boundaries: don’t smoke in your presence or announce their intention to do so.
• Drink water all day. Frequent sips of water will keep your body hydrated; dehydration will lead to cravings, so keep a bottle of water handy.
• Avoid coffee. Not only does this trigger a habitual desire to smoke, but coffee also is a diuretic, which can lead to dehydration and more cravings.
• Avoid sweeteners of all kinds. Sugar and sweet foods can also lead to dehydration and more cravings.
• Snack on carrots, celery or other veggies. Cut them into sticks for oral satisfaction. The added roughage will aid in cleansing the body.
• Squeeze the juice of ½ lemon and mix with warm water. Drink this first thing in the morning and last thing before bed. This will speed the liver’s recovery and assist in detoxifying the nicotine from the blood.

Remember!

Cravings only last 2 minutes! There are many things you can do during that time such as:
• Do dishes, clean, keep your hands wet or busy; you won’t be able to smoke, you’ll think about it less and your home will look great!
• Phone a friend
• Repeat your affirmation
• Prepare/ eat your veggie sticks

I hope it helps, good luck and congrats!

The first thing I learned to say in Icelandic, "Ekki Lakkris"

good luck with the stopping smoking. The hardest for me was the after meal cig. Once I got rid of that the rest was easy....