Quitting after 26 years of smoking

a reply to: wantsome

There is a chemical addiction to nicotine. It takes anywhere from three to five days for that to leach from your body. After that, the addiction is purely psychological...and that's the hardest part to overcome.

You'll need to stay as active and distracted as possible until your mind finds something else to latch onto as a placebo for the comfort of habitual smoking.Most of the time it's purely an oral fixation, so the natural reaction of the mind is to feed it...food, drink, candy, chewing on gum or a straw or a pencil...it's a common thing for people to attempt to assuage the urge with food. That's why some people get fat when they quit smoking. They trade one comfort for another that's just as bad in the long run.

I would strongly suggest that you get a vape pen. Get a good one that creates a lot of vapor, because it mimics blowing out that satisfying plume of smoke. Play around with the flavors. You can even get nicotine infused extracts...nicotine isn't what does the damage anyway, it's the tar and carbon monoxide in cigarettes, and the chemicals they put in the filters and paper.

And above all else, find something that you can do to keep your mind occupied. Focus on the positive effects of not smoking. Do you feel like you can breathe easier? Does food taste better and more flavorful? Do you feel less tired? Those are all positives. Try keeping track of those health improvements in a notebook, so you can see tangible, positive progress as you experience this major life change...because that's exactly what it is.

You've got this.😉

originally posted by: CulturalResilience
a reply to: SaturnFX
Because it's the nicotine that is physically addictive, so it is better to do it without it, if you can. If you can't and you instead use NRT and manage to quit you did it in spite of and not because of. There are much higher instances of those who initially quit using NRT returning to the habit. Cold Turkey is not so hard if you have the right approach, as I can attest to from personal experience.

Your personal experience doesn't matter, much like my personal experience also doesn't matter (I used e-cigs and quit..eventually brought the nic down to 0 on that also)

What does matter is statistical facts. E-cigs are proven more effective than cold turkey, and nic patches
WebMD

I think its best to go with studies and doctors vs guy on internets opinion based on personal experience.

Well i quit in 1993 after 18 years of smoking cigarettes! but i just substituted weed for the cigs and after a year or so i stopped the weed also! much easier to quit the weed! my wife quit in 2005 and just died April 22 of COPD age 57! I miss her so much, please quit as your loved ones will be happy you grow old with them!

ill tell you something odd about smoking .
twice in my life i have had times that i just could not get them .
during these two times I just had no craving for them what so ever .
and yet every time i Try just quitting its been hell .

So just how much of it is just in the mind ?
I do know that once again there could be a time that i just wont be able to get them i also know that i Just wont crave them during that time /
But I am avoiding that time
But you know I can use this knowledge smoking is x and if y is greater then x then you get c square .
And that makes just as much sence as smoking .

a reply to: SaturnFX

Studies that are commissioned by a pharmaceutical industry that makes a tidy profit on NRT products.

I quit my 80 a day habit 10 years ago and haven't looked back, I had the help of Champix to do it but whatever it takes to kick it buddy just do it.

Congratulations, it's not easy quitting smoking by any means. I'm still trying to quit completely but have cutback. Here are some of the things that help me, If your cravings get strong try a mint or gum and sometimes I would hold a unlit cigarette in my hand and mimic smoking it. Look at it like this gaining a couple pounds in exchange for longer and quality of life is worth with it. Don't give in and good luck!

It's always great to hear of people fighting to improve themselves. I had a difficult time when I quite as well, but stay strong and the cravings will get less and less powerful.

Good luck!

originally posted by: CulturalResilience
a reply to: SaturnFX

Studies that are commissioned by a pharmaceutical industry that makes a tidy profit on NRT products.

Nobody who does the studies profits off vapes.

Again, guyoninternet vs statistical reality...people will decide for themselves.

a reply to: SaturnFX
And NRT manufacturers will continue to profit.

originally posted by: CulturalResilience
a reply to: SaturnFX
And NRT manufacturers will continue to profit.

Better than big tobacco

originally posted by: SaturnFX

originally posted by: CulturalResilience
a reply to: SaturnFX
And NRT manufacturers will continue to profit.

Better than big tobacco

Without doubt. NRT/Vaping also goes some considerable way to rebalance the lost government revenue from the reduced consumption of tobacco.

originally posted by: CulturalResilience

originally posted by: SaturnFX

originally posted by: CulturalResilience
a reply to: SaturnFX
And NRT manufacturers will continue to profit.

Better than big tobacco

Without doubt. NRT/Vaping also goes some considerable way to rebalance the lost government revenue from the reduced consumption of tobacco.

Out of curiousity, do you think people use the patch or gum for years on end like smokers? You realize its like a 1 to 2 month step down program, right?

Your argument isn't making a lot of sense

Not everybody is successful on their first patch and gum step-down attempt. Many others replace a smoking habit with a vaping habit.
a reply to: SaturnFX

a reply to: CulturalResilience

The answer is in your own psyche and how you apply it.

I convinced myself that ...

a) You don't want one.

b) There is a whole pack; sitting right there .. if you want one.

c) If you choose to weaken .. THEY REEK !

d) Make your choice.

e) I feeel better. stink less ( still working on that 😉)

f) I don't want one.

They stink ! On many levels ...

That's it exactly. I quit using Alan Carr's EasyWay and all that you said in your post is part of the method. It really does work.
a reply to: Timely