Tips to help me quit this nasty habit

[DarkEnvy]

Ok, i quit smoking about a week ago, so far so good, i did the first days cold turkey, which helped alot, but those are my off days, so i dont recommend going to work cold turkey, if your gonna quit sometime, anyways, its been a week, still cold turkey, iam trying to stay away from any nicotine, its better for -ME- that way, was wondering if anyone has any stress tips, cuz iam bout ready to kill people heh......so far ive tried, gum brushing my teeth to help kick back the cravings.Anything would help, even if its weird, hell i think passed the weird line, brushing my teeth 6 times a day is odd

[Myers]

Good for you!

[Mummu]

it was ya fault that u started smoking........
no see how u get rid of it......

scheiß raucher...... immer diese dämlichen suchties.....


it was the best decission u ver made, to stop this stupidw behavior....
play much, so that u r occupied.......

[Wyldthing]

Here are some of the things that were suggested to me when I tried to quit smoking the first time. Keep in mind that I failed, but not due to these suggestions. I started again because I was literally going insane and had too much outside stress to stop at the time.

1. Try sucking on hard candy (sugarless is a good idea).
(This one worked for me for a while, then the candy got expensive)

2. Chew on the end of a plastic pen (might suggest removing the ink from it first).
(This one was handy and worked great, but then I forgot to remove the ink and my mouth was blue for a week.... yuck)

3. Make the idea of having a cigarette a lot of work, such as any time you get a craving clean something, do laundry, go for a walk, anything active.
(I did this one for about a week, then hurt myself and was unable to continue rampaging cleaning)

Hope some of these help you out.

[Gridfan]

Here is my tips. (says the mega smoker lol)


Focus your mind on something else. the "adictiveness" of the body is minor. It's the mind that is "addicted" to the cigs.

I know that when I'm very focused on something I "forget" to smoke.
(and due to this the "need" to take one gets less)
So find something that let you focus on something and "forget" about the smoking.


Another suggestion (partly tied to the one above) is partly a joke (be warned

Each time you get the craving for a cig. have sex, reach a orgasm.
Within a week you've forgotten there was anything called cigs.
The downside is you'll end up a nymphomaniac,
but some people say THAT is habit one can learn to live with. *grin*

[Mummu]

... btw u remember ya very first cigg?
.... your very very first?
..... do u remember how it tasted?
......u think they done something that it tasts better now?


.......u can try to get realy angry about something, try to get so furios that u dont wanna smoke then...u could get so furios about u, cause u ever started.....

----------------------

and stress isnt an excuse for smoking....getting burned or being realy STUPID is an excuse for it, but not stress.

[Xtrophic]

I guess I am one of the few that have NEVER even tested smoking a cigarette. My mother smoking was enough for me to refuse even trying.

So the simplest solution is to never ever start

If you want to go extreme, have someone lock you up, inside some room with no means of escaping to get that smoke. Since smoking could be described as beeing on drugs, atleast they have the same addiction, only diffrence is that cigarettes are legal "drugs" (or call it poison if you want since that's what cigarettes are, a collection of misc posion and shit). If you look at the checmical composition of a cigarette I doubt you would begin, it's that intiminating.

[Nyxelle]

Hrm, I've never smoked or had the urge to try it... but when you want to get away from something your mind or body is "addicted" to, I'd suggest finding a hobby that would keep you busy. Spend more time with friends (non-smoker friends, anyway. O.o), don't even buy a pack of cigarettes. If you have a pack or so left over from when you were smoking, throw them away. The fact cigarettes are fairly expensive should be enough to discourage you from wanting to buy any if you've thrown or given away whatever you have left (I'd say throw them away, why polute someone else's lungs with them?). If you go out somewhere to eat, go to a place that does not allow people to smoke inside the facilities (we have a few restaurants like that in my area), or simply sit in the no smoking section. Little things like that might help a bit. And I liked Xtrophic's idea.... Read about exactly what they put in cigarettes, you'd likely never want to pick up another one. Everytime you think about smoking one, read the contents again. Print up that information if you have to and carry it in your wallet, purse or pocket. Read up on what exactly it does to your lungs, find pictures. If you've ever seen what smoker's lungs look like, you'll never look at the habit the same way again. At least, I never did. If you have friends who don't smoke, think about what it did/does to THEIR lungs everytime you smoked around them, if you did. If nothing else, I'd hope your concern for your loved ones would also stop you from wanting to smoke. ^_^ So keep them close to you, besides, you really need their support right now.

[DarkEnvy]

Still going strong! Focusing on a few AO goals and a few RL goals, getting to 150 keeps me busy, and iam writing alot more-smile- but mostly music is helping me live through this hard time, its not so bad after the first week, but the real test comes later, its easy to quit for awhile, but its hard to -stay- away(no this isnt the first time ive tried to quit, its the third actually )been smoking for bout 7 years... but thats a good idea DONT START! ITS NOT WORTH IT! young and dumb i guess....

[Mummu]

u never started xtropic.....well there r still intelligent people on this planet.... besides me.........
well.... there is stilll one thing i dont understand...... why the f.... do ppl start smoking?.......but i think i ll never understand this.......it cant be just cause they r STUPID! even the lowest evolved animal runs whhen it sees smoke.........

.......perhaps r smokers just the lowest form of subamoebic lifeform that can be possible............


ja ich bin ein militanter nichtraucher.

[DarkEnvy]

to ask why people smoke is like asking why someone drinks? why does someone jog?why does someone play AO?
why does someone do the things they love? SIMPLE! to get away from stress and the daily grind, nicotine helps stress and for about the first 3 months it gives u a buzzzzz, you start for the buzz and for the realease from stress and get hooked...to answer your question...


"....all of the complicated questions have simple answers...."

[Xtrophic]

I think I have the answer why people begin smoking, well I do have several theories atleast to be backed by my own experience (not smoking though).

1. They begin smoking simply because their friends are, and thus it's "cool" to smoke.
2. Group pressure. When I was in school I was encouraged to smoke by my friends, and was considered not to be as cool as they were. I have always had a will of my own, and no one has ever been able to force me into something, nor try anything I think is wrong. In my brother I see a totally diffrent personaliy, and he has fallen victim to group pressure and have tried both alcoholic (nothing seriously wrong here though), tobacco (cigarettes) and some other stuff I prefer not reveal to you due to the sensitive matter. He has a weaker personality and psyhic than I do, and is a text book example of a person falling victim to group pressure.
3. Parents forbid their kids to smoke, thus encouraging them into to doing something that is "forbidden", and by doing so they think they are cool alternativly rebellious for going against their parents. (Comeon we all know we liked doing stuff our parents said no to )
4. Commercial (not sure about this one though). I am sure some people are influenced by commercials from tobacco companies, and this was true in the past that people begun smoking after watching commercials. Today I don't know about it, other than tobacco and alcoholic commercials are forbidden in Sweden.
5. The tobacco industries have far superior economic means to spread their word than those that work against them, that opposes smoking. This will lead to the success of my 4th possible theory.
6. Some may have tried because they were curious about this thing called "cigarettes".
7. People in development countries are a prime target for the tobacco industry, since there are no one around that knows the risks involved in lighting that cigarette and inhaling the poison.
8. Poeple still live in the past believing "smoking is not bad for your health."

.......perhaps r smokers just the lowest form of subamoebic lifeform that can be possible............

I wouldn't go as far as to call people stupid simply because they smoke. I may go as far as to admit smoking is stupid, but not the persons themself. I know quite a few "smart" people that smoke, and they at times wish they didn't, but it's hard to quit.

Such a comment I would never say. I am glad I didn't start smoking, but I can't really blame or look down at those who do, cause there are so many factors involved in one starting to smoke. Add to this the fact that there are substances in the cigarettes they add that adds to the addiction and makes it a pain in the ass to quit. (Yes, other substances than nicotin).
If this wasn't the case, why would the tobacco companies refuse to release the full composition of a cigarette, with all substances in them? The answer, they don't want to admit / show they are adding stuff that adds to addiction.

So to sum it all up:
Yes, smoking is stupid
No, the people smoking are not necessarily stupid.
Some were "forced" into smoking.

[Mummu]

So to sum it all up:
Yes, smoking is stupid
No, the people smoking are not necessarily stupid.
Some were "forced" into smoking.

well... its not just stupid. its realy stupid.
well... obviusly they r not intelligent enough to do it not...some1 who is not intelligent is stupid...
well..."forced"at gunpoint?

why does someone do the things they love? SIMPLE! to get away from stress and the daily grind, nicotine helps stress

things thay love...they love smoking?.....well... as far as i know from stories from others they thought after there first ciggarett "...maybe i should go in this corner over there and puke a little..."
if u r sitting in front of a fire...and some of the smoke comes in ya direction...u evade it. why do u evade ya beloved smoke?

get away from stress.....ok...this one i realy dont understand.....
1. reason cause i dont get into stress......
2. the reason it get u a little away from stress, is that in the 2-3 min u smoke....u dont think about the thing that gives u stress....so it would be very simple (if u have stress, i m even not total sure what this word mean)
to think for 2-3 mins about well...nothing.....or if thats to hard....something else.....sex...thats somthing ever1 is able to think about.

but the topic of this thread was how to help u not to smoke....
so lets think about what smoking is......
u take some plantparts, roll them in paper and light them up. then u inhale the smoke....(smoke, the thing u would normally try to evade if it comes from somethig else, like a fire...).... now that sounds a little weird....no...that sounds like a STUPID idea. remember that.

[Metalynx]

Great Job Dark...I wish I could quit. Perhpas you will give me a good example. However...to a few of the others who have posted in here..

"the best way to quit smoking is to never start in the first place"

Bullsh*t. Im always fascinated with the people who never have smoked a day in theri lives who use this phrase. It is a addiction. Most (90%) of smokers started when they were 13-15, becasue everyone else was (and yes..it was to be Cool). Tobacco ads..peer pressure and a weak mind got allot of us started. That and for allot of us it tasted good when we started.

Now its reached the level of addiction. The phrase "its all in your mind" is also hogwash. True allot of it is mental, but ther is Definatly a physical addiction ..which for some is rather minor...for others its worse. Its differnt for every person. Anything can be addictive...Hell even Sex. I am a smoker..and have been for more years than I care to admit (15+yrs), and I can honestly say its not only a mental addiction, but tis physical. Quitting is hard, and you have to convince yoruslef to stop, using many tricks and ways (pills, patches, andy etc). Those who have never started are wise in theri own ways and good for them. However it does not give them the rigt to stand upon theri high mountain and lecture those of us who caved into stupid pressures as a immature child, of our wrongs.

Ya it was stupid,,.ya it was dumb. However, ....is it any differnt than the addiction of logging on the internet every day?? Posting endless meaningless posts about subjects that only 3 orther people even understand about?? Over and over again? Can that not be construed as an addiction? What about Logging on every day to a game that you hate?? that you log onto forums and flame every day..that you log onto tjust to greif other players, who have no control over the game itself. Hell thats an addiction. Dont cast stones at those of us who are hooked on a evil drug. ALL of us are addicts one way or another. If any one of you relate to my Internet example.....try quitting for a week. Try not logging on. Or even try to not post on any kind of forum for an entier week.

See how easy it is for you.

(shrugs)

Not intended to be any kind of flame. Please do not take it as much. But I have had allot of these debates about thsi before..and they are always..ALWAYS argued by people who have never gotton hooked. Before you start lecturing think about any of yoru addictions...and how hard it would be to quit.

[Tarryk]

I concur wholeheartedly with metalynx on this one. Also...

2. the reason it get u a little away from stress, is that in the 2-3 min u smoke....u dont think about the thing that gives u stress....

It's painfully obvious you've never been addicted to smoking, because you obviously don't know the first thing about it. No offense, but I would seriously not go around calling smokers stupid when you don't actually know the effects or the cause of the addiction.

Smoking does not make you think about something else. It is not a "high" like other drugs are. Smoking introduces nicotine into the system, which in and of itself is a proven concentration narcotic. It does not kill brain cells, it simply re-balances the chemicals in the brain to a more productive level. It allows for improvement on train of thought, enhanced concentration levels, and efficient mental tasking.

All in all, calling smokers "stupid" is likely the biggest contradiction in terms that there is. Yes, smoking is BAD for you, physically, because of the tar compiled with the addiction that the nicotine causes in it's rebalancing of chemicals. But all in all, anyone who smokes is actually a more efficient thinker than they were before they started smoking.

Granted, the same efficiency can be acquired through different forms of mental stimulation, such as meditation and such, but that doesn't bely the fact that nicotine still does what it does, and it is a physical addiction. If I could quit cold turkey, I would. Instead, I have plans to stop smoking via a nicotine inhaler (which I already have at the ready, when the time comes).

My advice to DarkEnvy is to do what every doctor on the planet has told me. DO NOT QUIT COLD TURKEY. It's painful to your chemical balance and it almost never works. Cut down. Smoke less. Count your cigarettes. Get yourself stressed out over the amount of cigarettes you're having every day, and use it against yourself.

Eventually, over time, you just won't want them anymore.

It is a physical addiction.

Please don't ever call me stupid just because I am addicted to smoking. That's asking for me to unzip and slap my IQ on the table. And ego suxxors.

[Tristalyn]

Not sure if it was mentioned - but stay away from things that you usually did while smoking..

be it the computer, drinking coffee, etc.. anything that reminds you of smoking, drop it for awhile until you calm your cravings.

[DarkEnvy]

Lets see.....tried the patch.....tried the gum.....tried the pill.... tried it all except cold turkey, and i know its bad for my body to quit cold turkey, but its worst to keep smoking......iam sorry, i didnt mean for this post to go all out of whack on the moral/ health issues of smokers and non smokers, dont tell me we're gonna have a smoking and non smoking section in reets now anyways, to all those who felt the need to type a long thing bout how smokers, are stupid, blah blah blah, i mean really, wouldnt it just be better to say, "Good luck dark!" ? Telling me how dumb iam for starting doesnt help, cant change the past, in fact i dont regret starting smoking, becuz of one reason, iam an acheiver...their is nothing like the feeling of acheivment, and i set impossible goals to be met and i obtain them at all costs, when i really set my mind to something i can do anything, no this isnt a after school specail line, its actually true...and if you know me in game you know its also true in game as well Example: Alvin quest, Mk, Tara etc. bleh iam rambling

/me changes the subject back to tips on quitting and pretends everyone who called smokers stupid said good luck dark.....

[Tarryk]

Dark, you dumbass, how could you THINK of smoking! Dumb dumb dumb!

*poke poke, nudge nudge*

Okay okay, I still gotta stand by my routine. Think about it all the time and cut back in the process. COUNT your smokes. Whenever you pick up that pack, be absolutely sure that you know exactly how many you've already had.

Once the day is done, write down the number.

You are hereby ordered to have 1 less than that the following day.

[Wyldthing]

and stress isnt an excuse for smoking....getting burned or being realy STUPID is an excuse for it, but not stress.

Is this supposed to be helpful? Negative energies cast at a person, even meant possatively, do not help.

[Wyldthing]

......iam sorry, i didnt mean for this post to go all out of whack on the moral/ health issues of smokers and non smokers, dont tell me we're gonna have a smoking and non smoking section in reets now

Don't worry about the post turning into a smoker vs non-smoker debate. Sometimes debating an issue can be a good thing, in fact a lot of times people who open their minds to a debate often learn something they didn't know before.

I started smoking when I was 14 years old (19 years), at the time it was not due to peer preasure, it was due to a need for 'something' to relieve the anxiety I experienced just trying to go to school. Smoking did this. It allowed me a way to relax in a country where people of size are considered 'freaks' and 'unnatural'. It became an addiction, just like any other addiction in this world; caffeine, narcotics, alcohol, etc., and it is an addiction I have tried to beat in the past and I will try to beat it again. Eventually I -will- win against the addiction, and my health will be better for it.

For now Dark, you have my best wishes following you. I hope you can kick the habit and rejoice in doing so. Those who don't focus on -that-, should not be posting in the first place.