Ex smokers...tips wanted

[catland]

Quitting is hard. I've been there. But it is one of the smartest decisions that I have ever made (starting smoking was one of the dumbest ones).

What helped me included:

Sugarless gum. I purchased Trident by the multi-pack.

A "cigarette" pacifier. I just took a small piece of paper and rolled it into the shape of a cigarette and put a piece of tape on it. A straw cut in two might work also. I could then go through the motions of holding, or even taking a drag off of a cigarette and this would look silly, but get me through a craving and help calm me down.

Throwing out any remaining cigarettes so that I wouldn't be tempted.

I think though, that the mental part of it is most important. You have to QUIT smoking - you can't delude yourself into "quitting" smoking. Either you are a smoker or you are not. The people that I've seen be the most successful are the ones who quit and don't look back. They don't bum a drag or a smoke from a friend or just cut down to one or two a day.

To paraphrase Yoda "Smoke or don't smoke - there is no try"

[AbbyMom]

Quitting is hard

I disagree! Quitting is easy. I've done it at least a hundred times!

Seriously, I have not had a cigarette for 2-1/2 years. This time it's sticking. And the reason why is just what Catland says:

I think though, that the mental part of it is most important. You have to QUIT smoking - you can't delude yourself into "quitting" smoking. Either you are a smoker or you are not. The people that I've seen be the most successful are the ones who quit and don't look back. They don't bum a drag or a smoke from a friend or just cut down to one or two a day.

Once I said NO MORE NO MORE EVER! I was on the road to being smoke-free.

Laura, some people have a really, really, difficult time quitting because for them the addiction is part of their psyche...the physical part isn't the problem, it's the mental. It took at least a year for me to stop thinking about "having just one cigarette" especially when I was under stress.

When you're ready, put down that cigarette and say NO MORE EVER and mean it! NO cheating! No bumming! EVER!

Good luck to you. Sorry I can't help with the weight gain issue except to agree with the others that exercise is your best option.

[Edwina's Secretary]

Next month will be five years since my husband and I quit. He used the gum... I used Zyban. It worked for me. I stopped wanting a cigarette in about two weeks. It was still VERY difficult but what a godsend for me!

[Karen]

When is the "quit date?"

I have never smoked. I'm an asthmatic, have been since childhood, so always knew that for me, smoking would be a really painful, prolonged and stupid way to die!

I have watched and tried to be helpful when others quit.

One friend's doctor told her to throw away her lighter and any matches in the house. Then she could hold a cigarette in her mouth when she had a strong craving, but would have nothing to light it with.

Lollipops worked for another freind - they're cheap, and are vaguely similar in that you can hold the stem in your fingers like a cigarette if you want.

For everyone - diversion diversions, diversions. In your case, maybe buy a journal, and every time a strong craving hits, make yourself sit down and write out a page or story for your descendants to read someday - things you want great-great-grandbabies to know.

You also have an advantage - Pet Talk! We're all pulling for you!