Stopping this nasty habit

[dawnmn]

O.K. I'm thinking about quiting smoking what is the best way to stop. Start slowly or go cold turkey? Help I've tried this sereval times and it's never worked. I'm thinking I'm ready.

[moose53]

Hi, Dawn.

Congratulations!! Wanting-to is the first step.

Let me tell you what worked for me. (I started at age 12 and smoked for 32 years. By the time I quit I was up to 2 packs per day ... sometimes more.)

I smoked Marlboro's and when my husband was around, I smoked unfiltered Lucky Strikes.

I tried several times to quit when I was married and just couldn't. Hard to stop when everyone around you is still smoking.

Finally, 20 years ago, I decided I was going to stop. So ... for one month I switched to the lowest tar and nicotine cigarette on the market, which was Carleton at the time. I smoked as much as I wanted ... sometimes 3 packs a day ... sometimes even more until I lost my voice.

After one month of smoking the low tar and nicotine cigarettes as much as I wanted, I quit.

It wasn't hard this way. I didn't go through horrible withdrawal symptoms and mood swings like I did when I tried to quit half a dozen times before.

I haven't smoked in over 20 years. Can't stand the DA** things now. As a matter of fact, 8 years after I quit smoking, my ex-husband died from naso-pharyngeal cancer which they say was caused by smoking the unfiltered cigarettes for so many years. My EX started smoking when he was 8. Losing him, seeing what he went through -- how he suffered -- reinforced my decision to quit 100 times over.

This part is funny: I learned how to cook while I was a smoker. I COULD NOT stand my cooking after I quit smoking http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/moose53/MINIS/SHY/girl_blush.gif. I had to learn how to cook all over again -- mainly adjust the spices.

It's hard work. This method was easier for me than it was to stop biting my fingernails.

It can be done. And every single day that goes bye where you realize you've added another day to your not-smoking list of days, added more money to your piggy bank, got rid of the horrid smell in your hair and your clothes -- it just makes you feel so STRONG and so EMPOWERED!!

Good luck http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/moose53/MINIS/HUGS/grouphug-d.gif

Barb

[Nana4&cntn]

Hey Dawn

I quit on my birthday this year, I turned 50 in August. I asked my Doc for a prescription of Chantix, I had to pay it out of pocket, but that was a whole lot cheaper than a carton a week. The Chantix is about $100.00 per month.

I took it for a week before my quit date. But I also called the American Cancer Society. They sent me 3 books and scheduled an interview, I told them the date I wanted to quit, then asked me to put it off one more week so I could go thru the first book, and the info she gave me over the phone. The same woman called me on my quit date. I had one slip about 3-4 days after I quit, I found a cigarette and felt so quilty and sick at the same time.

The people here have been wonderful! Barb was one who's story helped me a lot, plus all the ladies in the Emotional support, the ones who have stayed the longest are Jingle and teddiebears.

We have been doing role call each week, I think I am late starting this weeks, please join us there! It truly has helped me. It's been about 3.5 months. My house and hair smell a lot better, but when I opened my winter clothes and christmas ornaments still reek of smoke, but I am getting better.

Good Luck and really try the American Cancer Society, those sessions really helped!

I am here most days and will start a new roll call.

Kathy aka Nana4&cntn

[waves]

Hi Dawn,

This post is really about quitting when one is depressed, not so much in general. Smoking and depression have always gone hand in hand for me. Other than that i have been an on and off smoker all my life... having gone long periods 3 months to a year and a half without smoking.

Anyway, I just saw Pati's comment on the other thread, and thought i'd add my experience. I'm reposting to this forum since i guess it's where it belongs.

I feel quitting when depressed can be a double edged sword, but it all depends on how you approach the quit, and your relationship to the smoking, when you are depressed.

My most recent quit was several months ago. Amazingly, i did so when i was depressed. i had significant negative results with attempting an aggressive quit, both in terms of smoking and in terms of depression. I made an initial attempt and failed - first cold turkey, whereupon i lapsed back, then i tried to reduce and instead ended up smoking more which was disheartening and knocked my mood down worse.

So i decided not to quit while i was that depressed. Even my pdoc agreed when we discussed my situation. I recognized that i wanted to and needed to quit, and decided i would quit when the depression lessened.

See, personally, when i'm depressed it always seems like, if i'm not smoking, i start, and if i am... well, i either smoke more or do so more "assiduously" ... i feel very attached to it. Removing that is a pressure, or can be. Even tho i decided i needed to quit, i also decided that was a bad time for pressure.

When i started feeling a little better - still depressed but not as - i started smoking less... on purpose... i would quit for a few days and smoke for a few days... and overall less. the non-smoking duration would increase sometimes. but it was variable, and i was flexible. i did not set firm goals, such that there were no real "lapses" that i could call such. i simply reminded myself that i was "on a good path" and allowed myself to feel good about that. but i made an effort to make it longer and longer without cigarettes (talking a day or an hour, or avoiding having one when i wanted one... handling each impulse).

The fact that i was improving in spite of still being depressed actually gave me a morale boost. But at the same time, the knowledge i had leeway right then, in recognition of my own state of depression, and its link (in my case) with smoking, also helped me avoid states of guilt. I was allowed "not to improve" as well. What counted was trying, and that gave me a sense of satisfaction, or i would have put it off again till feeling "more" better.

So in short, i guess my advice is, if you really desire to quit, right now, do try it, but emphasis on the "try" and give yourself credit for every single time you do not have a smoke when you want one... that's what it's all about. Placing emphasis on results could set you up for feeling worse, if you don't achieve or if you have lapses.

You know yourself, and what works for you (some ppl can only quit cold turkey for instance), so take all this with a lump of salt.

The main caution is not to create a situation for yourself where you are adding difficulty - either by failure or lapses in quitting, or by withdrawal and "missing" your smokes after a cold turkey or a short taper.

Best wishes to you, whatever you decide. And don't worry. Once you decide you need to quit, you can somewhat pick your timing to suit you... but you will eventually do it, even if it is hard.

Finally, I give you credit - and give yourself credit! - just for having this idea, this desire, at this time, whether you act on it immediately or choose to wait a little, because it shows you are caring for yourself... that is a very positive thing; i am happy to hear of that. :)

take care now, and be gentle with yourself

~ waves ~

p.s. in the past, when not depressed, i've been able to quit cold turkey and other times not. at the "not" times, i've used gradual techniques, time and place restrictions. i will post more on that if you want. but for the here and now of where you are, i felt the above experience was the most relevant.

[Nana4&cntn]

Waves, I agree with you in a lot you say. I am chronically depressed and have tried so many times and may have to try again at some point. I was almost obcessed about it, that is a first. I have always looked for a good reason to go back to it, not this time.

Dawn, I will be seeing my pdoc tomorrow as I am showing signs of Bi Polar, which runs, it fairly gallops in my family. I have very high highs and very very lows, to the point of being in an abyss. I am on so many meds it is scary.

I have been very tempted to try a smoke again, got to the store to buy a pack and kept telling myselp by rote repeating, I am a strong healthy person, I don't NEED cigarettes! I moved out of the line and headed for the door, then kicking myself for not buying them anyway. This was during a horribly low period and I did it, I came home with out cigarettes! Any other time I would have gone thru with buying them. I truley felt a sense of joy and sucess for the first time in forever!

Dawn, I know you can do this, it may take several times to get there, but you can do it.

Take care and reach out anytime you need or want to.

[teddiebears]

I have been very tempted to try a smoke again, got to the store to buy a pack and kept telling myselp by rote repeating, I am a strong healthy person, I don't NEED cigarettes! I moved out of the line and headed for the door, then kicking myself for not buying them anyway. This was during a horribly low period and I did it, I came home with out cigarettes! Any other time I would have gone thru with buying them. I truley felt a sense of joy and sucess for the first time in forever!

CONGRATULATIONS, KATHY!!!! :D I am so proud of you for not giving in to those "urges" to buy a pack of cigarettes. You've invested too much time and effort to let that old "stinking thinking" get the best of you after all that you have already accomplished. ;)

I, too, have been dealing with manic-depression in my life. Actually it's been over 40 years. I have also been suffering with chronic, major depression for many years now. Unfortunately I am quite med-resistant, not to mention being overly 'sensitive' to medications in general and very often I have severe side effects that most people never experience. So my medication list for these mental illnesses is limited, but I do use quite a number of medications for my heart and lung (COPD) problems.:rolleyes:

Sorry - I'm getting off track here. I mainly wanted to give you support and a BIG THUMBS UP for walking away from the store without buying cigarettes. :) And I can honestly say from my own personal experiences that smoking cigarettes doesn't impact (positively or negatively) on depression or bipolar disorder or panic or generalized anxiety so there is NO VALID REASON to smoke them or use them as some sort of "crutch" because that's just an excuse our addict uses to get us back to the addiction. :( :( :(

Hang in there Kathy... and you too Dawn! Please feel free to post here or PM me if you'd like. I'll do my best to be here more often in the next few weeks so I can be the support (crutch?) you can use to get you through those tough times. ;)

[Nana4&cntn]

Teddiebears, Thank you so much for the things you said to and about me!:) I have struggled, but an on the way to be a forever non smoker, ,any thanks to you and jungles for hanging with me the past nearly 4 months.

Dawn, I believe you can quit! It is a lot of time and energy and bargaining with yourself. Please read everything you can get your hands on. And please continue to come here, join in the Roll Calls posted each week.

Please let us know when you quit!:D

Take care sweetie,
Kathy

[jingle]

FINALLY :D I have a computer back!! And a telephone and a TV. I don't NEED a TV or a 'phone but life has not been easy without a computer.
And I'm moved (well, sort of) into my new little condo ... all alone, almost no furniture but all my precious power tools and that stuff, yadda yadda.

Dawn - nice to meet you :) I hope you can quit. It's a whole new world when you do! I was a dedicated smoker.... I smoked at least 3 packs a day for over 40 years and I LOVED them. Then I learned I had to have ~shudder~ a bunch of long, hideous, hospital stays for ~more shudders~ brain surgery.

It was going to be a long, rough time and being desperate for a smoke would make it even harder. So I prayed for help and got it. And I used those stickers (I can't remember the name) for a month or two. I haven't had a cigarette for over 3 years ..... brain surgery twice, breast surgery, an ended marriage, lots of serious trouble.

If I had ever believed that a single cigarette would have ended or even helped any of the pain or trouble I would have smoked it...... but it wouldn't.

Of all things - my quitting has made me feel big, brave and strong.

[dawnmn]

The first try I failed big time. Only lasted two days. I'm going to try again soon. I brought the gum and hopefully that will help me. You would think that I would have the will power to stop smoking since it's what my mom and mother in law died from. :(
I think I'm getting there where it's time. I feel that I'm not enjoying smoking anymore. I think that's a good sign.

[snowmelts]

The first try I failed big time. Only lasted two days. I'm going to try again soon. I brought the gum and hopefully that will help me. You would think that I would have the will power to stop smoking since it's what my mom and mother in law died from. :(
I think I'm getting there where it's time. I feel that I'm not enjoying smoking anymore. I think that's a good sign.
quit i
i0 couldnt before i hzd czncer xo i knows its hard its hard let me tell you chemo will poisen your tzste buds so bad you dont want a cig anyway
i got dx lung cancer jzn 5 znf no cig ince also spin odd brain tumers dx 01-05-0905-09stealling my sight. havent wanted one since it took my sight chemo iz unbelievably nasty