Have you read Allen Carr's book yet? It will help you realize that smoking does nothing to help your stress, and actually makes it worse. All of the "stop smoking aids" in the world won't do anything for you as long as you think there is something to be gained by having a cigarette. Once you realize there is nothing to gain from smoking it gets a lot easier.
Try giving him this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Allen-Carrs-Easy-Stop-Smoking/dp/0615482155
You may have to bargain to have him read it, but it’s a first step.
But yeah, he has to decide to quit on his own.
Try the "quit smoking" app. There's too many so here's a link to it.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hcaa.stopsmoking
I guess... What for you makes an app useful for quitting? This one tracks time, $ saved, time saved, cigarettes not smoked, it also tracks health benefits, and has an awesome community of very supportive people.
It'll be 2 weeks for me after today. Good luck on your journey.
Have to look at this in a different way.
Day 6. "Learned something about myself. One of the things I do with mum is smoke. Also, cigarettes taste like shit."
Our brains are so automatic with behavior patterns. If you can change the pattern, you may be more successful. Look at your options. Can you meet mum somewhere else where there is no smoking? Can you meet outside her house if you two tend to sit in the house together to smoke?
If you haven't read it, check out The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. Take what's there and combine it with love and compassion for yourself for trying to quit. Always allow yourself to start quitting again. It can be a gradual process. Remember to celebrate your successes, no matter how small. Small steps forward lead you in the right direction.
This is what keeps me going.
Try that, it's pretty brilliant. In that time, I probably would have blazed through four packs or so.
I traded so much time, energy, health, and money for some hot ash and smoke. 'Tis a shame, really.
The app is called mylastcigarette. You plug in when you started, when you quit, your age, how much you smoked, what type ultralight medium or full strength, price etc and it does the rest. It keeps track of how much money you have saved, how many cigs you have not smoked etc. It was a HUGE help for me and I still check it often. I REFUSE to let that counter reset! I have one other friend that used this app and so far he's been doing great. Another friend found a similar app because he's on android and he's still going strong too.
http://appshopper.com/healthcare-fitness/my-last-cigarette http://appshopper.com/healthcare-fitness/my-last-cigarette
Very happy to hear that. All credit goes to Allen Carr's Easyway. You can download it on Kindle right now for the cost of a pack of cigarettes.
Fully agreed - they have to decide to do it. You can't make them. You can however influence them.
This could be one way to do that: Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking - https://smile.amazon.com/Allen-Carrs-Easy-Stop-Smoking/dp/0615482155/
It has helped me and many others on this sub.
Allen Carr's Easy Way To Stop Smoking
PDF: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B3ugFPnbtHHnQ2w0SlZmSU5kQU0/edit?pli=1
Paperback or Kindle on Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/0615482155/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_x_CABByb1B020ME
I used the exact same method as OP, over 4 years without a puff (or nicotine) now... Upvotes for everyone!! Enjoy your freedom, OP!
It's going to suck, but you can do it. Stay busy, really. Be gentle to yourself. Don't beat yourself up about obsessive thoughts, it's an addiction.
Anne Lamott said in her book, Bird by Bird, "Try looking at your mind as a wayward puppy that you are trying to paper train. You don't drop-kick a puppy into the neighbor's yard every time it piddles on the floor. You just keep bringing it back to the newspaper.”
Good job! I don't have cravings as much, but just thoughts...like "I used to smoke cigarette right about this moment". Then I kind of think about smoking and the "good" thoughts are coming to my head about smoking.. but then I snap out of it and think "WTF am I thinking about? There is nothing good about smoking!"
We have to keep in mind that we are reversing years and years of habit.
BTW, great book I read recently is "The Power of Habit". Great book!
I have issues with failure too...we are both perfectionists, I bet.
The thing is, having made it those 3 days I felt great pride in myself and quite the feeling of achievement that has just continued building. Kind of like "I knew I had it in me all along" (despite my numerous failures before).
This sub is also a great place to share, ask, discuss and it just dawned on me, very much part of the quitting process (like therapy).
If I can suggest another book that I think I'm going to reread: The Power of Habit
I think it's timely as I look forward to 3 weeks, the time it takes to form a habit (or break one).
See you around, stay strong.
Although I don't think that Allen Carr's book is the magic bullet that some people make it out to be there's some points in it that helped me quit for good. The main one was changing the mindset of giving up smoking, as you aren't actually giving up anything. There's nothing to gain by smoking.
A combination of the Smoke Free app & vaping helped me more than what I learned form the book.
It's called SmokeFree. This app, and this subreddit are the reasons I made it through the first month.
You have to find the reason that works for you to actually want to quit. I've tried to quit a thousand times over the last 15 years (didn't try to quit in the first 4 to 5 years) and failed because I wasn't doing it for my own personal reason, I was doing it for someone else or some other external reason. Now I want to quit for me, for my son and husband, for my health, just to prove I can, to save money, etc. And those reasons are truly important to me. It has made the cravings bearable whereas in the past, i would give in with the slightest pressure, this time I've made it through the holidays and with bring inebriated as well as through a fight. Because I want to be a non smoker now. I had to also let go of the way I identified myself (I am a smoker versus I'm a nonsmoker). That was quite difficult for me actually.
Anyway, figure out all the benefits of quiting that are important to you personally. Once you do that, you have your daily reminders ready. I use an app too to track how many days, how much money saved, etc (I think it's caked smoke free). (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.portablepixels.smokefree&hl=en&referrer=utm_source%3Dgoogle%26utm_medium%3Dorganic%26utm_term%3Dsmokefree+app+android&pcampaignid=APPU_1_OLmAVsLJK8LZmwGD_4XQCg)
Nice job man, the more you stop yourself from smoking in the most tempting situations the stronger your will become and you will be able to fight the next urge much easier.
Btw; in case you have android and like using apps, i build the game of Memory inside my newly released quit smoking app to help people pass the time until the urge passes. feel free to check it out and let me know if you have ideas about it.
Three packs a day is a big habit as I'm sure you are aware, Therefore your withdrawal symptoms will likely be more pronounced.
Yes, your friends are right about mouth ulcers and it's not just anecdotal but medically recognized along with your other symptoms you describe.
Yes, it is normal but again yours may be pronounced because of your daily doe was higher.
You're right around the are that it may start to subside. Also be prepare to be constantly clearing your throught as your lung cilia are finally able to sweep out the gunk.
You have to go through hell to get to heaven . If you're on three weeks that is stupendous.
Also if you hear that withdrawal symptoms should vanish after 3 days and therefore "it's as good as it gets" beyond day 4 then dismiss this ignorant myth that unfortunately persists. Nicotine takes 3 days to be totally flush put of the body. People have somehow confused this as the end of the withdrawal symptoms. Nonsense. Withdrawal is the absence of nicotine and entered the most acute stage on day 4 and starts to end about where you are around 3 weeks. You're not totally out of the woods but your nearing the end of the worst.
Good luck keeping on. 3 weeks is one hell of an accomplishment!
I understand how hard it is to quit when you live with somebody who also smokes. Because they're available at any time, it's going to be extra hard to remain nicotine free. The only person you can trust to support you quitting is yourself.
The only thing you can do is not smoke even one. Exercise is a huge help. It will help your brain replace those delicious chemicals you used to get from smoking (as well as a few that are even better). Go for a run. Go for a bike ride. Anything that will keep your heart beating for more than 20 minutes.
Is there a particular snack you like? Go to the store and buy every single one they have. Whenever your roommate lights up, eat one. I recommend apple chips or banana chips because they're healthy and delicious.
Have a smartphone? Download a quitting smoking app that tells you specifically how much money and time you've saved from quitting. Check your stats every time you get that craving. You will be amazed how fast it adds up. If you don't have a smartphone, there's some great plugins for your web browser. Chrome Firefox
Finally, is your roommate smoking indoors? If he is, it's going to be extremely difficult. The smell, especially, is going to be a huge trigger for your addiction. You may want to see if he will consider smoking outdoors. If not, you will unfortunately have to decide if it would be better for you to find new living arrangements.
I've always been an anxious person. That being said, it did go into overdrive a couple months into the quitting process. It really felt out of the blue and was pretty unexpected. You're right, it felt like, hey shouldn't this have been happening earlier... Sometimes I would mistake it for PMS... I'd just get these surges of emotions, sometimes panic, and I know all about the shakiness too.
I tried to see it as just another reaction my body was having in regards to quitting. Deep breaths, making sure I was getting enough exercise (weeks where I wasn't were the worst ones anxiety-wise), talking it out, going for a walk, taking a break for what I was doing. If possible, trying to do 3 things immediately that I love to replace negative thoughts. (I downloaded the app Superbetter. I haven't thoroughly checked it out, but it has given me some good hints...) Or another thing I sometimes do is try my absolute best to concentrate on something I love. I love to draw and can get lost drawing. Sometimes I would get anxious and start to draw, a while later I would get so immersed that I would forget about my attack. Also, I love coffee. With a passion. But I've found that I can't handle caffeine as well as when I was smoking. Maybe this is a factor.
I think it is a normal reaction that your body is having while getting better. But, if it gets overwhelming or is happening frequently, maybe seeing your doctor might be in order. I mean, I'm not a pro, this is just what helped me...
Try reading https://www.amazon.co.uk/Allen-Carrs-Easy-Stop-Smoking/dp/1405923318 It really does work for some people. Helps you realise what a dumb habit smoking is.
Get an app on your phone. My preference is Smoke Free - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.portablepixels.smokefree
I personally enjoy running, and so I focus on the benefits for my health, so try taking up exercise or a sport.
Share the fact you're giving up with your partner and friends and work colleagues. Get proud of your accomplishments. Every day you don't smoke is a big win. Just take it a day at a time.
Good luck. You won't regret it!
This is the app https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.portablepixels.smokefree
It's really nice and keeps track of the time you didn't smoke. Now I got here cause my mission says I have to read reports from smoke quitters
I read The Power of Habit, and author said that you can't quit your habits, you can only remove cues or change routine.
So maybe you came across old cues, like old hobby, place, friends? or maybe you did some routine that was connected to smoking in your brain?
Sorry for the non-human approach, just trying to help :)
Aside from the addiction, you have to address the habit part of it. As you point out in one of the comments you enjoy going outside and smoking a cigarette: so identify every one of those habits that involve smoking and work out a way to still fulfill the habit, but in a different way. Eg still go outside for a break, but instead of smoking, buy a cup of coffee and drink it standing where you'd normally stand, or go for a walk around the block, or check the news on your phone for 5 minutes etc etc.
I recently read "The Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg and it was like a lightbulb moment for me.
So I feel like this is my 4-6th Honest try at quitting... out of 20 failed attempts to make it past 2 days (cold turkey/ no nicotine replacement) ... Ahhh, I only started smoking 6 years ago. The best try I had was with the Vape things.
This time I'm going all out... I got a Zero Nic Vape pen, I'm on the patch all day (step 1), I have the Smoke Free app, I am on here... I have been exercising a lot more AND I have been Meditating for Over A YEAR now.
Read a book called "The Power of Habits" a year ago (that got me thinking) ... if I'm having so much trouble quitting a HABIT... maybe I should focus on getting used to OTHER HABITS TO REPLACE it ��with. And when I was ready, go HARD!
Day 14 done ✅... haven't been perfect, smoked total of 6 in 4 days ((separate times I messed up)) But that's still 10 days smoke free.
������My Point ������ Everyone quits in deferent ways, it's hard, you gotta stay focused, stay driven, and alert to YOUR FEELINGS AND REASONS behind them.
Find ways, things, sayings, ACTIONS, app's... ANYTHING that works and Do You!!!
You can do it, we can do it, WE WILL DO IT... and when we look back ... we will finally be able to say...
I DID IT.... I QUIT SMOKING!!! ��������������
"If you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles... if you do not know your enemies nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle."
Sun Tzu - The Art of War
Congrats on making it this far!
I can definitely relate to this. I found that I was self medicating with nicotine to suppress anxiety among an array of other things. Cionsider it as part of the process of growing.
If you can, try arranging a session with a therapist or counselor. They have a lot of resources to help you manage your anxiety. I am in grad school, so I went to the health center on campus and the RN there prescribed me an anti depressant (Celexa.)
If you don't have access to counseling services and don't want to try a prescription drug, you can always try mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness in Plain English helped me a lot right after my undergrad when I felt depressed and anxious.
One simple thing I found to be helpful is just to feel the anxiety. Trying to push it away or hide from it just makes it more painful. Sometimes just feeling it and letting it pass through can lead to some deep insight into your own life and the things you can do to improve.
No matter what, stay strong! Don't light up no matter what. Keep up the good work!
"Smoke Free". It's free, by the way. You can pay for little missions and stuff, but as a tracker it works just fine without paying.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.portablepixels.smokefree&hl=en
Going cold turkey will surely add some stress in the beginning. So i must say yes, it will make things harder for you if you already have major stress such as studying for finals.
There is a work around for this however; I advise you start quitting now but not cold turkey. In other words "constant reduction".
This way you start doing your body good immediately but avoid the huge withdrawal symptoms. You can use the "Slow Mode" function of my newly released android app. It will create a plan for you configured for however period you like. So set it for 60 days for example and you will become a non smoker after 2 months with much less pain.
Just click Request a badge! here, or on the sidebar.
Just put the date in message body, using the format: YYYY-MM-DD
Minutes later, and you got a badge!
Also, consider getting an app to help track your time. I used myQuitTime, but there are many others available for free. It has been helping me by counting the time, the cigarettes not smoked, money saved, etc.
I am on day 5, according to the app, I haven't smoked 129 cigarettes during that time, saved $64.31, and have added 643 minutes to my life!
We can do this!
Great decision. Cold turkey has been the only thing that worked for me, anything else is just sustaining the habit in one form or another.
Physical withdrawals are definitely real, but so are the benefits. I used this app to track savings and health benefits. It helped me. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bamyagrafik.bamyasoft.sigarayibiraktim&hl=en
Deep, deep breaths. Oxygen will get to your HPA axis and help calm you. Use something like this if you need it. Cold water on your hands and face, or hold a few ice cubes in your hands, or chew ice. Or cry, because it sucks and it's ok to feel that feeling.
Talk to people here about it (on a pet owner's forum, maybe), so you feel less alone.
You've lost a good friend, but you're not alone.
I'm sorry about your cat.
Thanks for that link! Was looking for something familiar. Going to bookmark it. I only had to change a few things around on mine compared to yours, so it seems we quit at around the same time. 4am, Aug 24 for me.
Good luck!
Thank you.. looks like I need to snap out of the despressed state and just take it as it comes, knowing it will be better! I just found this http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/13-simple-steps-to-get-you-through-a-rough-day and it worked. Small steps...!
If it's the case that we 'kind of have to recommend the things that are statistically most likely to help'... then by no means should we ever recommend trying to quit cold turkey which statistically only has a 5% success rate compared to 30% using aids including nicotine replacement such as patches, gum and inhalers. Vaping, in particular, has not yet had any significant success/fail rate studies established yet to compare - at least not that I'm aware of.
I've been using this as well! For me:
Also for Firefox users Quitomzilla is excellent.
Quick google scholar search can take care of that for you. http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&q=marijuana+carcinogens&btnG=&as_sdt=1%2C43&as_sdtp=
And no you don't have to hold it in, but people do.
Congrats on quitting! Sounds like you're doing pretty well so far. A couple random pieces of advice:
Don't let the addiction talk you into having "just one" cigarette. This always paves the way to smoking again.
Use something like Quitomzilla to track how much money you're saving.
Get a badge from the mods. It adds a sense of responsibility to not smoke.
Good luck! You can do this!
Thanks :) The extra cash is definite bonus, here in the UK a 20 pack has gone up to £7 which is about Canadian $11... I treated myself to a pair of running shoes with the money I've saved :)
Quitomzilla is the add-on, its pretty basic, but it helped me :) Whenever I get a craving, I imagine 1657 stubbed out butts in front of me. Thats more than enough to kill any craving now, and worked from about the second week onward.
You mentioned that Allen Carr's book didn't work for you. I had read it once before and it didn't work for me the first time round. 3 months ago, I was about 80% set on quitting, and the book helped nudge me close to 100%. Try everything out, something will click :)
> They will become less frequent and less intense.
Can confirm. I don't remember the last dream I smoked in.
There are a lot of things you can do to improve your sleep. Exercise, go to bed the same time everyday, dim the lights at night, use flux on your computer, don't use phone in bed, etc.
I took this as a challenge this morning. I thought I could google-foo my way to a solution. I am going to find some new hobbies. I promise.
I found this copy. It does download, but I didn't attempt an install. The first link is where I heard of the store. The second link is to the app.
http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/android-app-stores/2/
http://www.mobogenie.com/download-quit-now-my-quitbuddy-808047.html
Companies can pay to be whitelisted by Adblock Plus.
Don't move too far away online from this subreddit. We're here to help you through it.
I was getting annual bouts of deadly bronchitis before I quit smoking. I have had one mild attack in the 5 1/2 years since I quit. You're doing the right thing.
Oh and the badges ... message a mod and tell them your quit date. You'll be put on the calendar and you'll get the beginner's badge. Mine is for over a year.
http://www.reddit.com/r/stopsmoking/comments/a9bcy/now_introducing_rstopsmoking_badges/
https://www.google.com/calendar/[email protected]&gsessionid=XPrS5crCV3WxD9AMOpZ1ow
I like how you say quitting is committing to 'temporary insanity' because it feels like that sometimes.. But everyone says that in the long run smoking does more to increase anxiety than to help you cope: it gives you the added uneasiness of withdrawal, on top of anything you're already dealing with. This makes sense to me, because stimulants that speed up your heart beat, raise your blood pressure and lower your oxygen intake don't sound like useful remedies for anxiety, of all things! Who knows, maybe once you are past the rough part you'll see your anxiety get better just from having quit.
In the mean time, give this a try. It might not be your thing, but it's worth a try for a few days.
I asked my Dr., but he didn't seem to know much on the topic. In fact, as I'm researching, there doesn't seem to be much information out there.
I can't find a simple answer to, "Can cilia become permanently paralyzed due to smoking?".
Most sources say 'no' and that cilia recover within a few days. Another source said that full recovery can take 7 years, but 'a few days' was the most common answer. I can't find anything that says that they can become permanently damaged.
Here's a few sources (with zero citations): one two
So, there's not much solid info (nothing scientific) to go on here. There's controversy regarding how long it takes to fully recover, but I haven't read that the affects are permanent.
Thanks! and Good - you should. I planned out today as my quit day. The book is Allen Carr's "Easy Way to Stop Smoking" - it's a great resource but by no means is the savior you are looking for. Bottom line is, if you want to quit - quit. Go for it, start now with me.
I believe you can dL the book here
Its because you have an addiction. Imagine that you have an ugly, slimy, disgusting monster living inside you. It feeds on nicotine and only on nicotine. Whenever it wants nicotine, it gives you a nudge, like "hey bitch, feed me". As smokers, we are so used to this feeling that we don't recognize it as the monster. We tell ourselves things like "its because I enjoy it". No, you don't. As you say, it tastes like shit. It smells like shit. You're just feeding the monster.
The longer the monster lives inside you, the more harm it makes. Right now, it already gets in the way, doesn't it? You can't do what you want to do because you have to feed the monster.
You are well on the way to hating that monster. Remember that its the monster, the addiction, and NOT YOU. You are not the monster. You don't need nicotine for anything. It provides no pleasure. It doesn't get you high. It doesn't make you feel good. Nicotine only makes you want more nicotine.
You need to starve the monster. Starve the monster and it will die. Sure, it will throw tantrums. It will demand nicotine. It will scream and shout and give you cravings. Every time you deny nicotine to the monster, it gets weaker.
72 hours after your last cigarette there is no more nicotine in your body. After that, it becomes mostly a mental game. Read Easyway. You can download it right now for the price of a pack of cigarettes. It will prepare you to play the game effectively and become a non-smoker.
You can do this.
I have a weird suggestion but maybe your mouth misses having something to do. Since you aren't doing all that chewing anymore. Have you tried maybe getting some lollipops? this could ease the habit of chewing. I use these when I get cravings and they help me till they pass: https://www.amazon.com/Dum-Dums-Original-Pops-Value/dp/B01M9DRD1Q/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=dum+dums&qid=1621437597&sr=8-5
If you go this route, don't forget to brush more often due to the sugar. But they really helped me.
It's Smoke free! A great app that helped me a lot with quitting. There's an ios version as well
hi! i am in a similar situation as you, i am 28 and started when i was 16. i have been out of work sick for 12 days and have not smoked in 12 days just because i haven't been feeling well enough to leave my house. i am starting to feel better and worried that when i go back to work the stress will drive me to smoke again. one tip i got from a friend who quit years ago is to replace cigarettes with chewing on flavored toothpicks. this is the brand he recommended: https://www.amazon.com/Tea-Tree-Therapy-Toothpicks-Cinnamon/dp/B01D1WPSD2
last time i tried to quit i found them very useful. when i was at work, i'd go to the smokers bench on my breaks and just chew on one of them, and it didn't bother me that others were smoking next to me, because the cinnamon smelled/tasted so much better and gave me something to do with my hands and mouth. i only relapsed because i went through a breakup and lost my motivation. not sure if this will help you but my friend said it was the only thing he used and would chew on them all day. they kind of look cool too! good luck, you can do this!
It's not easy at all. But the rewards are with it. Download the app smoke free it helps keep track and seeing how many days you haven't smoked makes you push urges away.
they might, any health food store will have it, make sure it's food grade, it works wonders in getting rid of all the toxic build up in our bodies, it's pretty cheap and you only take 1tsp to 1tbs a day, you can buy a 10lb bag from amazon for cheap
it has tons of other benefits too, i found out about it from other ex smokers as well
It's called Allen Carr's Easy Way To Stop Smoking, you can get it on Amazon here! As for apps, the Smoke Free app is the best if you have an iPhone, really easy to use and shows you how your health is improving each day, etc. Exactly, it's so much easier to do it now and with any luck in 30 years we'll barely be feeling the effects. The struggle is real dude, but totally worth it to quit while we're ahead and enjoy our adult lives without smoking!
Anyone who is thinking about quitting who reads this and is intrigued, I'd really recommend you read Allan Carr's "Easy Way to Quit Smoking". Here's a link to Amazon for the curious. I think it gets mentioned on this sub pretty regularly.
My father-in-law was a 2.5 pack/day smoker for 40 years. He read this and quit immediately. I quit for a good while after reading it, but ultimately relapsed. But, I think the mindset it talks about really makes it much easier to quit. I'm finally making another attempt to quite, and having read this helps me a lot when I think about smoking, relapsing again, etc.
An ozone generator does the trick. You can sometimes rent them from places like Sunbelt or Home Depot, or an even cheaper option is get something like this off Amazon. I bought one about like that specifically for my vehicles, I just run an extension cord to it, sit it in the center console, turn it on, close all the doors/windows and leave it sit for a few hours. Air it out before getting in the truck though, that shit can be a little toxic in enclosed spaces. If you can still smell it, repeat treatment until you can't anymore.
First- definitely take it to the car wash and get it cleaned. Vacuuming out the ash really well will help. If your seats are removable, you might want to try shampooing them and see if that helps.
Second- change your air filters.
Third- I picked up one of these guys on Amazon and it worked pretty well. I had the Orange scented one, and the fragrance was STRONG for a couple of days afterwards. Like, burn-your-eyes strong. I did mine in the winter though and couldn't properly air it out afterwards because of weather so that might have been why. If your truck is really bad, you might want to do another one in a couple weeks. It really worked for mine- got the scent out of the vents and you can't even tell I ever smoked in my car now.
Ps- grats on 26 days!
good job ! I am a developer and i made aan app to help users, it is for android only devices, maybe this app could help new users to start from 0.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.taozen.quithabit
It's called Quit Tracker and is available on Android. I'm not sure whether they have an iOS version.
It's a pretty basic app, but that's all I'm looking for from a tracker.
I read Allen Carrs book till the quitting part and then delayed for a few months. Just listened to https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.juicemaster.stopSmokingIn2Hours and finished the book so I'll say I quit today with you. It'll be easy.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.juicemaster.stopSmokingIn2Hours
That's the app that finally did it. It's not so much that it's a good hypnosis program as I was ready to quit. I actually tried a bunch of other ones, some that I downloaded the mp3 file years ago and another from a hypnosis class I took. The app I used just got to me at the right time and it worked.
Not another puff, no matter what
Phrase borrowed from Smoke Free app https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.portablepixels.smokefree
I'm not affiliated to the app, no connection at all, just enjoying the app and giving recognition
I'm using Smoke Free. A cool app and by using it you have the option to contribute your data for some research on smoking which will hopefully help others one day as well!
I believe it is this app:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.portablepixels.smokefree
(Sorry about the formatting I don't know how to make it look nice)
Edit: It's called 'Smoke free' on the play store if the link doesn't work. It is free although a premium upgrade is available I think.
> But my brain keeps telling me there's no harm in just one and I'm really worried I'll justify "rewarding" myself with one at the end of the day.
All of it. "You are playing cards with the Devil" as my Grandma use to say. You are never going to win.
Listen, I quit a 30 year habit and it was a bitch but you can do it. If you have never read Easy Way to Stop Smoking read it when your strength fails you.
To hijack your hijack, another great book in this same vein is The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. It explains the science of how habits work, why some stick and others don't, and how we can build new habits and change existing ones. Great read.
And this is a great post OP! Saving this one. Thank you.
P.s random but have you ever read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance? What your said about your mind being scattered reminded me of it, there's a lot of wisdom in the book. Anyways do you really believe that before the only way you could focus on stuff was by smoking? Hmm sounds just like the addicted part of you trying to think of an excuse to go back to smoking, it will pass like clouds passing sky, they always do if you give them time.
Good job on making the commitment to quit! I've gone through the same thing and had to try a few times before I finally quit. I see the same thing in you and would like to tell you what I see based on what I learned. I think for the most part you realize that cigarettes are fucking destroying your life. But its the addict in you that keeps holding on. Yes, That's right, i said addict. News Flash, Its not a habit, its a friggin addiction!
Every time something bad happens, the addict in you tells you to take one more smoke, it'll make it all better. Well you know what? It won't! Smoking doesn't fix problems! It can't fix problems! It only gives a momentary feeling that goes away faster and faster with each smoke. Eventually smoking causes you more problems than you had before.
So fuck it man. next time something comes up recognize this and don't let your addict own you. Fucking Take control of your life. It's better on the other side, I promise. You got nothing to loose, and your whole life to gain.
If you like reading I ~~recommend~~ highly recommend you pick up Allen Carr's Easy way to quit smoking.
If you dont like reading, I ~~recommend~~ highly recommend you pick up Allen Carr's Easy way to quit smoking.
It changes the way you look at quitting and makes you look forward to it. Its a big help because you're not fighting the process.
Also look into The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg.
And most important of all, everytime you feel your addict trying to take over, come to thus sub. there's a whole bunch of kewl people here that have gone through the exact same thing. Let us help. And if things are going good, come to this sub and help others. Quitting smoking changed my life bruhh, let it do the same for you!
According to the book "The Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg (which is a great read by the way), changing a habit while on vacation or in a new setting can be a powerful way to break an old habit or make new habits stick. It works because when traveling our normal routines are abandoned while we adapt to our new environment, making it a perfect time to insert new routines or abandon old ones. That being said, it also depends on your personality. Some people become very anxious when faced with change and that anxiety can actually trigger you to fall back on comforting habits.
In my opinion, the best time to quit smoking is now. Whatever comfort you think it gives you is an illusion. In my experience, smoking is the cause of anxiety, not the cure for it. Quit now and use your new environment to start better, healthier habits.
I haven't really been considering books covering the subject of behaviour change (if you could call it that) in a long time, untill I got myself to read Steven Pressfields "The War of Art", which is really inspiring if you want to get something done. I will look for this book and see if I can order it here within a reasonable timeframe. Should I give you the credit for future reference in this case, or to my_vape_self? :)
To be honest, I am very much in the dark when it comes to juicing, but I can see how it has it uses (juices). Even if you wouldn't have a machine for it, do you think it would be possible to make awesome juice combinations? And if so, would you have some recommendations on which combinations of berries, fruits and vegetables which works surprisingly well togehter?
That's actually talked about in The Power of Habit. Keystone habits that people introduce into their routines that unintentionally carry over into other aspects of their lives, having a ripple effect into other parts of life, creating positive change unexpectedly. I hope that's what it's going to turn out to be for you!
That 'empty feeling' is normal and it goes away. I can't even remember how long it was for me, but definitely a few weeks, perhaps up to a month (decreasing in intensity as time passes). What I do know is that I now feel more 'normal' than ever.
In your case, it's not the nicotine since you're on NRT, but the act of smoking that was a habit. Try to reward yourself in different ways, to replace that conditioned reponse. It doesn't have to be anything elaborate, and it may be different things. The book The Power of Habit explains this very well.
You may very well be ok in eliminating the nicotine if you educate yourself about it. It will be 3 days of withdrawal symptoms and then it becomes easier to deal with. I had tried quitting with NRT in the past but this time it was cold turkey after 21 years smoking.
Check out whyquit.com and good luck!
Taking on another healthy habit to break an unhealthy one is great advice. This was a great book if you want to read further: The Power of Habit
I was just reflecting recently...I took up running (I had started to run before quitting, though not consistently and due to reduced lung capacity, not for very long stretches at a time) and it is completely inconsistent with smoking. Not that I ran every time I had a craving in the early days....but I powered through those urges so I could reap the benefits in my running.
To this day, although I wouldn't say that I love running, Ido love the sense of achievement I feel at the end of each completed run - something I would never be able to achieve as a smoker.
You may want to check the book "The Power of Habit". It mentioned your exact situation. A persons quits a bad habit for some time, then a stressful event occurs at which he starts the old bad habit. What the author says is that the missing factor for an everlasting change is belief. Belief in God, belief that one can cope with stress without the need for the bad habit. That this is the thing that can help during those crucial moments. Check it out. I think that this was in the 3rd chapter of the book.
Yep. I was on and off the vaporizer for a while. I stopped using it because it was a pain in the ass, and wasn't really saving me any money (and certainly not any effort).
I also tried setting goals for number of cigarettes per day or whatever. That didn't work for me either, I would just skirt my own rules. The only way I could get off nicotine was to deny myself entirely, and so far that's working.
To keep myself motivated, I'm using the Wishlist feature of Get Rich or Die Smoking. Basically, every cigarette I don't smoke is a step towards a fun new toy (also helps to keep me from spending too much money on fun new toys).
This strong urges will pass and get much weaker in time. Scientifically speaking an urge averages 3 minutes regardless of how strong. So all you need to do pass 3 minutes of time. You can do it for sure, believe in your self!
You can use the Memory game i have in my android app to help you pass the time. My wife starts playing the game and ends up staying there for at least 10 minutes.
Hahaha. Thanks for the compliment my friend!
I call it "EasyQuit". You can download it from the play store here.
Let me know if you have any questions or ideas. There is an email option from inside the app.
I just downloaded one called "Smoke Free", I like it so far.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.portablepixels.smokefree&hl=en
I am 34 hours in so far, and according to the app 70% of all nicotine is gone -- pretty interesting.
QuitNow! for Android looks excellent. Planning to start my quit attempt tomorrow and will definitely consider giving that one a shot.
I wouldn't worry too much about the potential for weight gain, but take very good care of your teeth. Better yet, try the sugar-free ones.
I'm one who is planning to purchase it. Could you please help with the following questions.
I'm planning to buy this. Is this the one?
You mentioned 1-2mg whenever you need it
. How do you measure a 'spray'? This will be my first time using it and it's not a small of money so thought of asking before I make the purchase.
Depending on how long you smoked, it certainly could just be the healing progress. As Frankie said, you also could just be getting sick. Regardless, keep it up and good job on 13 days!
EDIT: looks like it's normal. Healing process!
On the one hand it's a little shitty, but on the other hand they are right. That's the gist of Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking book.
At the core of it, when you want to smoke, you don't smoke. It's really hard at the beginning, but eventually it turns into a habit.
I know that quote, it is funny. Wishing it were true though ;-) Anyway, I still haven't touched a cig, but still want to and I'm still having the worst cravings. There is some shit going on in the family which isn't helping things. But actually it is somebody dying from lungcancer, so you would say it sorta would help with the quitting. But, meh. At work I'm overreacting to EVERYTHING, but I've seen from other redditors that that takes 2-4 months and then is gone. In short: still not smoking, but very depressed about it. Hoping it will look up fast. This helped: http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/13-simple-steps-to-get-you-through-a-rough-day
I haven't tried either of those. I've only tried the NJoy's (the regulars and the Kings), Blu's, and a few others. The NJoy Kings were the best I've had.
I should have stated that I thought the King was the best e-cig, not the cheaper regular NJoys.
The reason I had tried them was because of this article.
Assuming regular, if you were to stack them end to end and base jump off of them it would look something like this.
http://mashable.com/2014/10/13/base-jump-pool/
EDIT: Placed end to end they would be longer than this bridge being constructed
http://www.pjdick.com/jobs.nsf/(web)/2803BAB9150CB05385257114005637EF/$File/_B1K8116.JPG
Imagine all of that in your lungs.... Congrats on breaking free!
This. Also, keep puffing along while you read. Then quit at the end. Boom you’re free.
I read through this one and it worked extremely well :) I recommend taking notes throughout reading it so you can come back and look at all the things you felt like writing down :)
It was those for me and energy+ elixyr filters for rolling and such. Prior to the ban in packs I have simply just gone for pallmall and marlboros, or the elixyr tobacco for rolling. Keep up the good fight though, I hope you pull it through, fingers crossed!
Hi there,
It's been a while since the last time I used it and may have become a total trash as it usually happens with apps.
This is it:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ccswe.SmokingLog
Anyway, for the only thing I used it was to keep track of how much I smoked and had a red, yellow or green notification showing me if i was "allowed" to smoke or not. Nothing fancy.
Good luck!
I too bought a vape........I used a vape mod ,(thr big fuckers) but only replaced one for the other......this time around is much better.... not a mod but a small vape unit with pods. Havent had a smoke in about 2 weeks.....I wont ever light one again....and in due time nicotine can fuck right off too.
any way here's a book that has 4 books in one and is the first 4 books of the series
You may have to change it from canadian amazon.
Theres a ton more books hes written.
As an ex-smoker(10+ years of about a pack a day), here are a few things which helped me (Quit for over 2 years cold turkey) and some words of advice for you:
1) This book was a game changer in how I thought about smoking and was instrumental in helping me quit: https://www.amazon.com/Allen-Carrs-Easy-Stop-Smoking/dp/0615482155
2) Your father probably wants to quit as much as you want him to, but it's a hard addiction. When I was struggling to quit and every time that I failed, I felt even more miserable and it creates a vicious cycle of shame, self-loathing and helplessness. Add loved ones to the mix(I had my family, gf and friends all pushing me) and I always felt that I was letting them down, and it just worsened the cycle.
Best thing you and your family can do in this case is be empathetic towards your father rather than shaming him by calling it a "bad" habit. It's an addiction and it requires support.
3) Have a conversation with him in a non-judgemental way. One thing that really helped me was having a heart-to-heart conversation with my gf and opening up about the addiction and she sat there listening without judging and suggested some ways(again non-judgementally). Having that support added a lot of strength to my resolve.
Lastly, I love your dedication, but remember that eventually it's not your responsibility so don't feel bad if none of these things work. Good luck!
I used the patch and the gum for maybe less than a month. Really saved me, and have been smoke free for almost 5 years.
Also highly recommend tea tree toothpicks!
it definitely happened to me. take some quality magnesium and it should help. Superior Labs Magnesium Citrate - 100% NonGMO Safe from Additives, Stearates, Gluten and Other Allergens - Powerful Dose for Sleep, Headaches, Cramps, Twitches - 1,250mg Citrate, 120 Vegetable Caps https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00V5KT5GO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_X36BAAAVR51EJFE3GA3H?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
this is android and this is iphone app good luck. I recommend pro version
Habitrol Nicotine Transdermal System Patch | Stop Smoking Aid | Step 3 (7 mg) | 14 Patches | (2 Week Kit) | Packaging May Vary https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00XRPSQO2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_BFQQE1V8QWVC8S4HMQAY