Summoning all former ashtrays

Life in Recovery
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Hey everyone,

so I’ve been trying to quit smoking since after my surgery and I’m struggeling to maintain a long term sobriety streak.

My question now, for all of you who smoked and quit successfully:

What tips can you give a late twenties cripple with a huge smoking problem (a pack a day)?

What did you do in early sobriety to keep stacking these oh so glorious smoke free days?

Looking forward to hearing from you and anything goes.

Might complain a lot early on, but will do anything that’s suggested.

Thanks in advance and take care! :slight_smile: :waving_hand:

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Nicotine was a really weird thing to wrap my head around for quitting

Its like
I quit
I smoke
I feel fine
I quit
Repeat

I used nic replacement
If i didnt i would have saved a sht tun of money annnd nicotine withdrawal, insted of lasting 1 year and 6 months would have been much quicker.

For me
The blurred vision and cotton mouth got me struggling most days
It was a constant, hey it wont hurt if i smoke, reminder

Looking up info was pretty much pointless. I really didnt care about facts

@JonasE , can i call you friend
My friend i didnt believe i could till i did.
Weather you want to stop or dont want to, if you quit long enough with like pretty much servere self reflecting to help, cravings and withdrawal will not be, but turn into a thought you just let go of

I smell my co workers smoking
I tell them i like the smell of a fresh burning cig. Always have. But the withdrawal and craving isnt there. Insted of driving myself crazy forcing my new pattern, at those times i think they smell good a cigg is just not in my pattern and i just dont want to do it

Believe me i did for a long time
Believe me, i dont crave or withdraw anymore

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Try to do it mindfully. Go to your smoking spot and think about why you are holding a cigarette, what you are breathing in, how you smell, how you look, what you are feeling and thinking and what benefit you are seeing. Keep doing this. Break the “I smoke because I smoke” mentality and start to think about why you are doing it.

Other tips: The Easy Way by Allen Carr has helped me stay nic free for 3ish years.

Today I was at my sister’s house and she is an indoors smoker. Sometimes when I see or smell people smoking I have to remind myself, sometimes audibly, “I don’t do that. I used to but I don’t anymore”.
It’s a tough addiction but put the time you put into smoking into quitting. Day by day.

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And if you get pissed. Like mad at someone, like me.. dont smoke AT THEM

Refuse to
Just win

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Quitting was hard for me. I had to stay away from smokers. I went on hikes where it was extremely inconvenient to cave and grab a pack. I hiked until I was exhausted. sleeping was the easiest time for me to rack up time. Long hikes and sleep and getting up and out early so I couldnt buy a pack. back to the mountains. repeat. it finally stuck. I pushed myself hiking. I wanted to breath better so I pushed myself. Gasping for air helped the cravings.

I held my breath during intense cravings. It helped. It also made me tired.

Everything made me want to smoke. I couldnt sit still and not smoke for a few weeks and longer. I broke many bad habits like too much time on my phone. I quirt social media. because I couldnt do those things and not smoke.

Getting any time was priceless. I knew after failing many times how hard it was to get a week. I decided I couldnt start over anymore. i hung onto that week and every day after.

I still get cravings. Crabbing with all of the smokers was tricky this year. Like drinking, its easier for me to not be around it at all. Quitting was one of the best things I have done. I wish I would have quit sooner.

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Glad to hear you’re trying to cut out smoking from your life!

I smoked cigarettes for about 5 years before I completely switched over to vaping, and at the height of me smoking cigarettes I was at 1.5-2 packs a day, so I understand how much time and money goes into smoking so much.

I only have 4 months nicotine free, but I have found that a substitute for the oral stimulation, as well as the hand to mouth movement was very helpful when craving to smoke hit hard. I personally used Equate brand interdental bushes, the soft plastic didn’t damage my teeth and I was able to toss them after I chewed them up. Toothpicks could also be a good option! I’ve heard people recommend hard candy as well, but I never tried that so I can vouch for it personally.

The first few days were the hardest for me. Every minute or so I’d reach for my e-cigarette. Not having it there felt like I was missing something, like my phone or wallet. After a few days of dealing with nicotine withdrawal I started to do that impulsive action less and less. Having the alternative to put in my mouth was crucial at this point. After a month, the cravings became a lot less intense, almost to the point where I’d only crave when I smelled smoke or did an activity that went hand in hand with vaping. Now, I’ve put the alternative down and thankfully only rarely feel the urge to vape in moments of intense anxiety when my brain wants some “relief”!

Quitting nicotine was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, I hope that you are able to made the same decision and experience the same benefits I’ve felt since quitting like being able to breathe easier, feel less reliant on the substance, and save some money as an added bonus!

I complained so, so much early on. It helped me to talk about how intense the craving were, and how much the feeling of withdrawals sucked. I’d rather you complain here than choose to smoke. I’m looking forward to seeing you stack up smoke free days! :smiling_face_with_sunglasses::call_me_hand:

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I tried it all.

I’ve tried cold turkey, the lozenges, the gum, and the patches.

I managed to quit cold turkey twice.

This past year(+) I literally couldn’t make it a few hours without having a menty b…

The quickest way to detox from nicotine is cold turkey. Day 3-7 sucks a lot. I experienced physical pain and got the “quitters cold”:sneezing_face:.

For many reasons, it wasn’t sustainable for me this past time.

So, I used nicotine patches.

It relieved the physical cravings so I could actively work on the mental side…how to learn to mentally function without them. Which is easier said than done! But I’m glad I used the patches. It helped ease my way through detox and helped me create a smokeless life routine… I’m almost 2 weeks without nicotine and didn’t realize it! :laughing:

My advice: try, try again!

Oh, and absolutely complain about everything! It’s a requirement. You get a “get out of jail free” card when you’re quitting smoking. So that you’re not consumed by it, I do suggest starting and ending your day with counting your blessings.

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This is so valid! I didn’t realize to what extent I was enslaved to smoking until I didn’t have it anymore. Everything was a trigger!

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This is so real.

I used to get discouraged because I’d say how hopeless quitting smoking was. Either I spend my days wanting a cigarette or wanting to quit. Hating them and loving them at the same time.

But, it didn’t take very long at all for me to find emotional and mental freedom. There are days that are so much easier than others. For me, it’s the happy days that’s the hardest. I have to stay mindful, and I also have to audibly self talk. :laughing:

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Search “Grumpy A-Holes… “ and you will come up with lots of no smoking stuff on this site. I quit smoking after smoking for a very long time. I also quit smoking after wanting to quit smoking for a very long time. I quit after using nicotine replacement products for a very long time. For me personally, the patch, and all that just upped my nicotine level, I would smoke 10 cigarettes when I shower and change the patch and it didn’t work for me. I spent lots of money on the nicotine replacement products and continued to smoke.

for many people who have the mindset to follow the directions it might work.

For me saying ‘no more’ is what worked. I also was on an Internet site and I read a lot about the addiction. I saw all these people who were just like me wanting to quit smoking and having an impossible time but then succeeding.

I thought if they can succeed, I can succeed.

I saw people who had three days and I thought that’s never going to be me, but I’m going to hope that maybe it is going to be me.

I was so used to constantly failing that the idea of actually being successful was hardly in my head

Once I made up my mind that I did want to quit and I stayed glued to the “quit literature” and the “quit people” there who also were doing it, it became something that one second one minute one day at a time I did it.

I was always grateful that I did.

I have never for a second wished I was still a smoker. Trust me it wouldve killed me.

Smoking kills. If it doesn’t kill you right out, It’s going to slowly kill you in one way or another. .

I never hear people go oh darn I really wish I hadn’t quit smoking.

For me, one of the biggest helps was chewing lots of chewing gum. Lots and lots of chewing gum, it gave me something to do with my mouth.

For me once I got away from it just for a little bit I could see that I could do it and then if I stuck with it, I could do it.

In my years and years prior of trying to quit I never even went a whole day.

Remember the acronym NOPE. Not one puff ever

I will go over to the other thread and I will mention you there so you can find the thread.

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My biggest emotional issue with smoking was that I used it to deal with being angry, and I had to figure out how to be angry without cigarettes.

Nicotine replacement therapies did not work for me. I used Chantix finally, but be aware that it comes with possible psychological side effects, like suicidal ideation. My biggest reaction to it was very weird dreams.

The other experience I had with quitting was that I started eating. Whether it was just having something in my mouth, or a physical manifestation of anxiety, depression or spiritual hunger, I don’t know. But that weight gain finally motivated me into the gym, and training, and running, and onto my triathlon journey. So I am grateful for it.

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I love this so much!

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@ICanAndWill

Compliments of @Mno

( It’s my kitty cat once upon a time )

Not One Puff Ever

SIS - Smoking is Stupid

DFS - Don’t f@cking smoke

:grin:

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Another by @Mno

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Back when I quit there was a wonderful online community called Quitnet. It was similar in function to TS and was full of no smoking inspiration, tips and tricks and kind caring people on the same journey. I learned a lot there, including NOPE.

Allen Carr’s book was revelatory. Sugar Free Life Savers helped the oral part. Changing my driving route to/from work and break routine helped…I took walk breaks. I cleaned my car and especially that nasty ashtray. I tried the gum, lozenges, patches…they helped me get off cigarettes, but kept the nicotine in my system and I needed that out. I cleaned my house, a lot.

I was in a quit and relapse cycle for years. The thing I kept doing was I kept quitting. Whenever I would relapse, I would quit again as soon as I was able. Keep quitting. Eventually I went on Wellbutrin for a few months and I was so so so so sick of my smoking by then, it helped push me over to staying nicotine free. And what I really learned was that horrible anxious feeling in my body that I needed a cigarette was actually nicotine withdrawal and all the smoking did was feed it. I guess most people figure that out earlier than me, but it was a lightbulb moment for me.

It was a long painful process, but eventually it stuck. What I realize now is I needed to do the work of what I was smoking at (my feelings) and I needed to get okay with feeling supremely uncomfortable or agitated or upset. It took me many years to do that. It is okay to feel those feelings, they will pass if we let them.

I also relied heavily on walking. Idk if that is available to you, but if there is a physical element you can add in, doesn’t matter how simple or elaborate, just finding something physical you can turn to …it can help. Meditation or listening to guided meditations when feeling anxious may also assist.

It can be done. :people_hugging:

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I used Chantix. It caused a bowel obstruction that resulted in being hospitalized. That experience was enough to finally say fuck it up I’m done. It’s been 3.5 years now

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I had a Chantix dream that I was at a sunny busy outdoor pool and I would pick a person, take them home with me and cheerfully dismember them while I whistled while I worked. I can still remember waking up thinking, I would never do that.

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I also had another Chantix dream where I made out with the older alcoholic I saw out and about around town. This was the dream that disturbed me enough to stop. Not dismembering. Kissing an annoying regular.

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Chantix dreams are the worst.

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