I have been trying to quit smoking for years now but every time I try it never works out. Does anybody know any good ways to cut down and quit smoking permanently. I could really use the help :)

Josh Nicolas

Today renew your pledge to quit smoking... If you have tried to quit smoking and failed before, take comfort in the fact that most smokers fail several times before quitting successfully. View them as part of the normal journey toward becoming a nonsmoker. There are at least a dozen techniques or methods, which help in getting rid of this habit. Click HELPFUL if you want to know details, and in-depth practical experiences and successful quitting. Three most common strategies, if PLEDGE fails are, which I can detail, if you want, for which you will need to write and participate. They are named as -
1. Deep Breathing
2. Taking-in fluids
3. Stay Away From Alcohol, Sugar And Coffee

I have been trying to quit smoking for years now but every time I try it never works out. Does anybody know any good ways to cut down and quit smoking permanently. I could really use the help :)
You've come to the right place. DrBill, who is often on this board, is working on a system to help people stop. I will contact him and tell him to read your post.

1. Deep Breathing - Perhaps The Single Most Powerful And Important Technique: Every time you want a cigarette, do the following. Do it three times.

Inhale the deepest lung-full of air you can, and then, very slowly, exhale. Purse your lips so that the air must come out slowly. As you exhale, close your eyes, and let your chin gradually sink over onto your chest. Visualize all the tension leaving your body, slowly draining out of your fingers and toes, just flowing on out.

This is a variation of a yoga technique and is very relaxing. If you practice this, you'll be able to use it for any future stressful situation you find yourself in. And it will be your greatest weapon during the strong cravings sure to assault you over the first few days.



2. Taking In Fluids:
The first few days, drink LOTS of water and fluids to help flush out the nicotine and other poisons from your body.

Remember that the urge to smoke only lasts a few minutes, and will then pass. The urges gradually become farther and farther apart as the days go by.

3. Stay Away From Alcohol, Sugar And Coffee
Do your very best to stay away from alcohol, sugar and coffee the first week or longer, as these tend to stimulate the desire for a cigarette. Avoid fatty foods, as your metabolism will slow down a bit without the nicotine, and you may gain weight even if you eat the same amount as before quitting. So discipline about diet is extra important now. No one ever said acquiring new habits would be easy!

Nibble on low calorie foods like celery, apples and carrots. Chew gum or suck on cinnamon sticks.

Stretch out your meals; eat slowly and wait a bit between bites.

After dinner, instead of a cigarette, treat yourself to a cup of mint tea or a peppermint candy.



4.Taking An Oral Substitute -
In one study, about 25% of quitters found that an oral substitute was invaluable. Another 25% didn't like the idea at all - they wanted a clean break with cigarettes. The rest weren't certain.

One can use cinnamon sticks, chewing gum or artificial cigarettes as a substitute. You will mostly find that after the first week of being a non smoker, you wouldn’t even need these.

5. Get Exercising -
Go to a gym, sit in the steam, exercise. Change your normal routine – take time to walk or even jog around the block or in the local park.

6.Pamper Yourself -
Join a yoga class or maybe reiki – they're great! Get a one hour massage, take a long bath - pamper yourself. Get yourself involved in a hobby.



7. Ask For Support -
Ask for support from co-workers, friends and family members. Ask for their tolerance. Let them know you're quitting, and that you might be edgy or grumpy for a few days. If you don't ask for support, you certainly won't get any. If you do, you'll be surprised how much it can help. Take a chance - try it and see!

Ask friends and family members not to smoke in your presence. Don't be afraid to ask. This is more important than you may realize.

8. Destroy All Your Cigarettes -
On your quit day, hide all ashtrays and destroy all your cigarettes, preferably with water, so no part of them is smokeable.

9. Write It Down -
Write down ten good things about being a nonsmoker - and then write out ten bad things about smoking. Do it. It really helps.

PS - Click at HELPFUL, if these help and if you want some more advice. There are at least 3 more strategies, which are too EXTREMELY helpful, if you vow to quit, what we call SMOKING. Looking forward to your click!

Josh,

My system for quitting smoking is therapist based, requiring an extensive initial evaluation that isn't possible on line.

I will see what is available in Australia. I have some contact with a Center for Addiction Research (ACAR) there, and will get back to you with what I find. In brief it is my recommendation

1) that you use a gradual reduction approach and
2) one that deals with the complexity of the behavior not simply nicotine addiction, and
3) generally* that all pharmaceutical assists be avoided.

*in some cases, based mostly on patient choice and/or response, nicotine inhalers can be used. Not often necessary.

After checking with ACAR will post the results here. Probably be tomorrow.

If you have any specific questions, be happy to address them

Thanks for all the great responses, I really am grateful for all the help, it means a lot :)
I'm going to be a father in January and I've made it my goal to be a non smoker by then. Thanks for all of your great advice Kahani, and I'll be waiting for your reply DrBill

I used to smoke a pack a day for years, probably more than 15 years. I tried to quit numerous times by cutting down on how much I smoked with the goal being to cut down to nothing. That never worked for me. On January 4th, 2004, I quit cold turkey. My biggest problem I discovered was not really the nicotine part of it. That wore off in a few days really... The HABIT was the hard part. What I mean was that I was used to smoking in the car, after eating, before bed, etc... I found that if I kept a bottle of water with me, I could replace the need to smoke with having a drink from the water bottle.

I haven't smoked since.

Good luck.

Thanks Odinn. I have been trying to mix it up a bit in preparation of quitting. Smoking in the car was my biggest habit, so to change that I started driving manual instead of auto, its harder to smoke when your too worried about changing gears lol. So I've been trying to smoke less in the areas where I used to smoke more, hopefully it will be a bit easier to break those habbits when I go cold turkey

My biggest problem I discovered was not really the nicotine part of it. That wore off in a few days really...The HABIT was the hard part.

Exactly. Viewing cigarette smoking as a nicotine addiction, which is only part of the problem, leaves one unprepared for dealing with what you call the habit. All of the lingering associations that have developed and become an integral part of the process over the years. Smoking is indeed an addiction but a very complex addiction wherein nicotine is but one element.

Congratulations on your success.

How long did it take you to feel at ease, to rid yourself of the habit?

Josh,

I've been looking over some of the programs available in Australia. Seems like there is a lot of government support there, including medications, through something called the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (http://www.health.gov.au/pbs)(PBS), also support groups, sponsors, etc.

I'm not a fan of the pharmaceuticals so I'm trying to see if there is perhaps a Smoke Clinic type of operation.

There is a Quit Coach that would be of assistance in properly planning and designing methods available here (http://www.quitcoach.org.au/Default.aspx?TabId=70). Also, another site called Quit available here (http://www.quit.org.au/tools.aspx). There is also a QuitLine, free from anywhere in Australia where to can speak with an advisor about any aspect of your quit process, available here (http://www.quit.org.au/ways-to-quit/call-the-quitline.aspx).

What measures did you try when you previously attempted to stop?

By the way, breaking the habitual practices, that is, smoking in different places, not smoking in your accustomed places is very helpful. You are right on target there.

Congratulations on your success.

How long did it take you to feel at ease, to rid yourself of the habit?


Me? I was over the nicotine part of it in a matter of days... less than a week. Breaking the physical habit part was about 3 weeks to a month. Using the water really seemed to make a difference for me. When my hands needed to do something, such as holding a cigarette, the water bottle worked fine.

One thing I noticed that did help... really wanting to quit. I didn't just one day say, "Ah, I think I'll try quitting smoking today"... I wanted to quit and thought it out and took this approach.

Me? I was over the nicotine part of it in a matter of days...less than a week. Breaking the physical habit part was about 3 weeks to a month. Using the water really seemed to make a difference for me. When my hands needed to do something, such as holding a cigarette, the water bottle worked fine.

One thing I noticed that did help...really wanting to quit. I didn't just one day say, "Ah, I think I'll try quitting smoking today"...I wanted to quit and thought it out and took this approach.

Your clearance time for the nicotine is right on target.

Hope you don't mind me asking you so many questions but I'm resurrecting a program I developed in grad school. The vast majority of people who quit smoking do so on their own and the success rate is many times that of medically directed programs. I'm interested in those, such as yourself, that have had success. If you would help me with two other questions I would appreciate and believe your experience will help Josh as well:

Did you drink a lot of coffee at the time you quit? And
Did you drink alcohol?

My reason for asking is that nicotine seems to accelerate metabolism of caffeine. When people stop smoking the caffeine often causes sleep problems and agitation because it has twice the effect. Alcohol stimulates the craving for nicotine. Also, did you have an increased desire to smoke after eating a meal? (3 questions. Snuck one in)

Don't mind at all... if it could help at least one person quit, I'll answer all you need.

I don't like coffee but if it matters, I did drink tons of Coke and Pepsi (just recently cut back on that). Didn't really notice any problems with sleep or agitation.

I did drink alcohol at the time. This became difficult for me because I always smoked when drinking beer. I just found that I had to "push through it"... I just kept reminding myself that I was strong enough to not smoke.

I always used to smoke after I ate so that was an issue as well. I did use the bottled water in this case too.

Don't mind at all...if it could help at least one person quit, I'll answer all you need.

I don't like coffee but if it matters, I did drink tons of Coke and Pepsi (just recently cut back on that). Didn't really notice any problems with sleep or agitation.

I did drink alcohol at the time. This became difficult for me because I always smoked when drinking beer. I just found that I had to "push through it"....I just kept reminding myself that I was strong enough to not smoke.

I always used to smoke after I ate so that was an issue as well. I did use the bottled water in this case too.

Thank you. That is very helpful.

The Coke and Pepsi of course contain caffeine and are mildly stimulating.
After eating blood flow increases to your liver and increases metabolism of nicotine (about 40%). That is why people smoke after eating and that becomes part of the habit you mentioned. Physiological as well as psychological.

The alcohol is responsible for near-term relapse in about 50% of cases simply because most people fail to prepare. You made it nonetheless.

I certainly appreciate your input. The medical and psychological community has been so busy telling people how to quit smoking, without success, that we have failed to listen and learn from those that have been successful. Thanks again.

One thing that I can say that I did about drinking is that I tried to stay away from bars and such as it felt more like I "should" be smoking there. I did go a few times though. After about a month, the cigarettes really weren't an issue and I didn't find much problem at that time.

These days though, I guess most bars are no smoking anyway from what I understand... so that may have helped then too.

Anyway, glad I could help, Dr Bill... Let's hope I was able to help the OP as well.

DrBill100:
What measures did you try when you previously attempted to stop?

I have tried the gum and lozenges to cut down. I found that extremely hard to use because it tastes terrible and made me feel sick. The inhaler was a bit better in the fact that I could substitute a cigarette for the inhaler but I also found it irritated me a lot because it wasn't as "satisfying" as a smoke.
My last attempt involved the patches, which were more effective. I didn't smoke for nearly 2 weeks, but eventually gave in and had one. I found the patches irritating and I think in my mind I thought they should be doing all the work to stop me smoking. Ive since realized different. My mind is set now though, I'm going to do it cold turkey, starting Monday. Ive wasted enough of my life on smoking and its time I changed that.

Thank you all so much for the responses guys. Odinn7, hearing about your quitting method and all of your tips have really helped.

And also Kahani for all of your added information.

I'll keep checking to see if you've found anything else DrBill, thanks for all the help.

From personal experience, it took me more than a few tries to stop. What worked for me was training for a marathon, using the Nicorette lozenges, and will power. Of course when I got upset I would still want to reach for a cigarette, but if you just wait it out you will be able to overcome the urge. I don't think there is a right answer for everybody, some have to go to meetings, some have to do hypnosis, some do accupuncture.. but still you have to have an incredible amount of will power. As I said, it took me a few tries and you can't beat yourself up if you happen to slip, just try it again, and again and again if you need to.