I have been smoking since I was 15. Yes, I know, it's terrible. i don't need anyone to tell me all the risks of it and how bad it is or I shouldn't have started so young etc.. I am almost 25 and I want to quit, but I want to know physically what is going ot happen like as far as coughing stuff up. Also, if there are any suggestions to something that can help with the cravings. Thanks =)
Suggestion:
those desires to smoke are called cravings.. people in support groups have some tools to deal with them.. one of my favorites is known as the 5d's
Distract (do something else) for instance its hard to smoke doing dishes
Delay (i don't need one right now).. continued delays = a quit!!
Discuss you did that by asking the question, people in support groups do it in meetings or e-mails
Drink Water, it helps reduce cravings, and flushes toxins
Deep breathe, most smokers only breathe deeply when inhaling!!
the good news is that i now have been quit for over 5 years.. i quit trying to quit alone, and joined a support group.. i attend nicotine anonymous meetings both locally and on line.. on line voice meetings are he as close as your computer, and you can attend while still smoking, before actually attempting a quit.. however you decide to quit good luck, there is simply no wrong way to quit!!
Nicotine Anonymous is a Non-Profit 12 Step Fellowship of men and women helping each other live nicotine-free lives. Nicotine Anonymous welcomes all those seeking freedom from nicotine addiction, including those using cessation programs and nicotine withdrawal aids. The primary purpose of Nicotine Anonymous is to help all those who would like to cease using tobacco and nicotine products in any form. The Fellowship offers group support and recovery using the 12 Steps as adapted from Alcoholics Anonymous to achieve abstinence from nicotine.
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I've been using electric cigarettes for a few months and they have helped my hubby and I in our quest to quit. I know that legally they are not allowed to be considered stop smoking aids, but they really do help.
It was very easy to cut back, within a week we went from a pack a day to a 3-5 cigs a day. The hard part was choosing to stop the regular cigs completely. I looked at it like this, I am only smoking a few a day anyway, I might as well just not buy another pack.
Although, I am still addicted to nicotine, I have been cutting my nicotine levels back in steps (like you would with the patch). I am to the point now I use 2 different carts Low and 0 nicotine. I know there is controversy surrounding them, but to me anything has to be better then the 4000+ chemicals I was inhaling.
My biggest problem when I tried to quit using the patch & gum was it didn't help with the physical addiction, the hand to mouth action. I smoke ecigs like I did regular cigs so it takes care of the hand to mouth addiction.
It also has saved us money. It costs me between $30-$35 a month to smoke
My uncle smoked for 20 years and i remember when i was little to tell him to stop.
He quit a year ago and hasn't smoked since. He used to smoke a packet a day, and he was still able to quit, so this shows that it is possible. I think the main thing is that you really need to want to quit. You need to resist the urges. At first stay away from smokers because they might tempt you. I think using some products such as nicorette patches is good too.
Make sure that you see your doctor for more info and good luck.
I agree with DD. Champix is amazing, it stops the receptors in the brain that crave the nicotine and you just don't want a cigarette. if you go to your doctor they will refer you to the stop smoking counsellor and you will be prescribed Champix, it really does work. the only downside with stopping is a bit of constipation as cigarettes help you to go to the toilet; but this will pass – literally-!
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