Having a hard time quitting

I worked with so many of those nurses. We stood outside a cancer hospital and smoked.

I quit in 2001 after watching my grandmother die of emphysema.  I am currently watching my mother die of COPD.  As she's losing herself due to oxygen deprivation. I applaud your efforts. I know how hard it is. I recommend 1) literally writing down the reasons you are CHOOSING to quit and keep them with you.  On your mirror, at your desk, where ever your going to see it.

2) In "those" moments, reframe your thoughts from "why can't I? I want one" to "I am choosing to do this for my health, child, mother, future, etc." Insert motivation of your choice. It's a switch from victim looking for a reason to check to one of empowerment and strength.

3) Have an oral substitute.  I ate those red and white candies like crazy as a replacement. Some use gum or carrots.  Helps to break the physical habit. 

4) Have a support system to help!

BEST, best of luck!

-Anne

I'm so sorry.  I watched my mother die of COPD and it was just horrifying to watch someone slowly suffocate over a year.  Her panic attacks, her inability to breath, and the really bad days where the CO2 would build up and she would have dementia.  This was all at the ripe age of 64.  

So, I'm sorry you are going through this with your mom.  

I smoker for over 40 years, the Dr. prescribed chantix for me and within 5 weeks I was smoke free and I haven't even thought about smoking for over 2 years now!

I've been nicotine free for 5 years, and I smoked for well over 20.  It is one of the hardest things I have ever done in my entire life, and I know the frustration that you're going through.  You're right, there is not magic pill and there is no easy way.  I will tell you how I did it, and what helped me.

So, when I quit, I used the nicotine patch.  I wanted to take the edge off of the nicotine withdrawal while I worked on breaking the actual habit of smoking.  I had a smoking routine, and found it hard when the time for smoking came up.  So, for the first month I completely quit smoking and just used the patch.  Then I got pissed off.  I was so frustrated that I was addicted.  How could I allow this drug to try to rule my life?  Instead of being tempted by cigarettes, I got angry and stubborn and said **** you a lot.  Fuck the cigarettes, I would not give in.  I wouldn't allow this thing that was killing me to rule my life.  The patch helped take the edge off, and as I got used to not going out on my breaks at work, and not smoking on my drives or in the car at all, it got easier.  I white knuckled it a lot, but once I got like a week out it turned into "well, I just went through all this pain and frustration for the last week, so if I smoke now that will be for nothing." 

I'm a pretty stubborn person by nature, and once I directed that stubborness and got pissed off, it really helped get me through it.  I was able to stop using the patch after about 4 weeks, and I haven't had a cigarette since.  Not one.  

I do still get the urge, if I'm out with friends or sometimes if I am with someone who smokes.  But, I know that I can never have another cigarette again, or I'd instantly be sucked back in.  I love my health too much for that.

Good luck, and sorry for the novel.

I quit smoking in 1998 for 10 years and then started again for three.  I've been cigarette free since 2011. 

However, I chewed the nicotine gum.  The first time I quit, I used Wellbutrin and the patch.  The second time, was the gum.  It was impossible to get off of that gum.  Luckily, my surgeon still did the surgery.  I quit the gum the day of surgery.  I figured it would upset my new stomach and I would be on pain meds and I could quit.  It's gone ok.  

My advice is to find what works for you.  Google ideas.  Come here for support when you want to smoke.

Oh - and there's this awesome book called "The Power of Habit".  Basically, it explains habits as a cycle.  You get a trigger and your brain then makes you do that thing.  It is not a conscious decision.  In fact, habits are stored in a different part of your brain.  Which is why they are so hard to break.  Consciously you know you need to quit.  Your rational brain is all for it.  BUT, it is fighting that part of your brain (lizard brain) that stored that habit.  There is no amount of willpower in the world that can overcome the lizard brain.  It might for a while, but eventually, your conscious brain gets tired and the lizard brain wins.

The only way to break a habit is to transfer it.  When you get the trigger, you need to develop a new action.  Make it easy.  At least as easy as smoking so your brain can link the association.  Also - the old habit never dies, which is why it is so easy to start back up.  If you can create a new action for the trigger, at least it might override it.  

For me it was the nicotine gum.  I've now replaced it with regular gum.  

Hope this helps some. 

I smoked for over twenty years and have been quit for 13 years; not even one puff since 12/26/03.  It was my third serious attempt at quitting.  The advise I have is hard to follow, but it worked for me. 

First, the online community Quitnet helped me more than anything else.  What a fantastic resource.  I strongly recommend it.  Second, it really helped  me to remember the numbers, facts and data.  For example, nicotine stays in your system for only three to four days.  What this means is that the actual physical symptoms of withdrawal are pretty short-lived.  For me, nicotine replacement (gum, patches, etc) were not part of my plan as they would only prolong the physical dependence.  I liked knowing this, even though the emotional withdrawal was worse!

I had many mantras that I repeated over and over to myself, for months and even years.  The big one was, one puff now is a pack a day next week.  Another was, the only way to quit smoking is to not smoke, which I know sounds quite patronizing as advice, but as a mantra it worked well.

Good luck.  Go to Quitnet.  You'll find excellent support there.

Yes. I'm a member there. I agree. It's an awesome tool. Thanks.

just do it or die real simple

The same could be said to you about all of your bad eating habits - how'd that work out?