To people who have quit smoking.

[Åmbulance]

So i have been smoke free for three months now. Does it ever get easier? I had/have a pretty set routine throughout the week, and with this routine i find myself craving a cigarette to the point i unwillingly go through the acts of having one. Meaning i will reach into where i used to keep my pack in my car, or will unwillingly walk downstairs to head outside in my house to smoke. I've tried to break the routine up, i suck down mints like it's going out of style.

The urge to have one still seems to almost over power me. So i ask you:

1. How long have you been smoke free.

2. What was the hardest thing for you

3.How did you cope. ( hoping this part helps me out )

[Hammerschlag]

I've never really been "addicted" to smoking, hell, I've never smoked. It's hard to believe that it can get really bad from stories I've heard. Wish I could help! Sounds like you are doing good though!

[Deleted]

I have been smoke free for over 5 years now, the best way I found was to just quit cold turkey. All of those stop smoking aids cost more than cigarettes and still keep you addicted to nicotine, you need to clear that nicotine out of your body ASAP, after that it is purely down to will power.

[Neetz]

I use an e-cigarette with a low dose of nicotine, and have been using that for the past 5 months. I haven't had a proper cigarette since I smoked my last one 5 months ago. The E-Cigarette is probably something you don't need since you booted smoking out completely so just keep up with it. What I would say is that if you're going to suck on mints make sure they are sugar free or it will destroy your teeth. This can however give a laxative effect so try to cut the mints down a bit

The hardest thing for me is controlling my appetite which has completely sky rocketed since quitting.

[Åmbulance]

I have been smoke free for over 5 years now, the best way I found was to just quit cold turkey. All of those stop smoking aids cost more than cigarettes and still keep you addicted to nicotine, you need to clear that nicotine out of your body ASAP, after that it is purely down to will power.

Cold turkey is how i went, been 3 months. I was asking if it got easier, and how did you cope with the craving?

[Deleted]

Cold turkey is how i went, been 3 months. I was asking if it got easier, and how did you cope with the craving?

It gets easier with time, nowadays I rarely get any cravings at all, the smell of smoke is disgusting and repulsive to me. As for dealing with the cravings I just used willpower, swapping one habit for another is rarely a good idea, better to break it entirely.

[Deadvolcanoes]

I used to smoke a pack a day. Now I just smoke 3-5 cigarettes a month, usually while drinking.

Everyone reacts differently to quitting. For some people its really difficult, for some its really easy. Find what works for you, and stick with it.

[Mteq]

i have been (almost completely) smoke free for 2 years now.

i used to smoke a pack a day. i quit with the help of patches. currently, i smoke sigar every now and then (maybe once every 3 months or so) on special occasions.

the hardest thing was probably not having to do anything with your hands. the craving for nicotine causing the mood swings went over after i think 3 or 4 months.

the patches only got me past the first peak. its basicly a two week crash course to get over that first hurdle. i still have the craving occasionaly and i tend to do just find something to distract me, something completely unrelated to smoking. things like; playing a game, browing the web, calling a friend. anything to get my mind of it.

the thing i hated most about quiting was that im one of those people that had a complete matabolism make-over. i gained 10 kilograms in 6 months and im still struggling to get back on weight.

[cFortyfive]

Around ~6 years ago and I still would love to smoke a pack every day.

[Åmbulance]

i have been (almost completely) smoke free for 2 years now.

i used to smoke a pack a day. i quit with the help of patches. currently, i smoke sigar every now and then (maybe once every 3 months or so) on special occasions.

the hardest thing was probably not having to do anything with your hands. the craving for nicotine causing the mood swings went over after i think 3 or 4 months.

the patches only got me past the first peak. its basicly a two week crash course to get over that first hurdle. i still have the craving occasionaly and i tend to do just find something to distract me, something completely unrelated to smoking. things like; playing a game, browing the web, calling a friend. anything to get my mind of it.

the thing i hated most about quiting was that im one of those people that had a complete matabolism make-over. i gained 10 kilograms in 6 months and im still struggling to get back on weight.

I've been eating a lot more as of late as well, but i'm a skinny guy with a fast metabolism, so i'm hoping i do gain some weight. Speaking of which i need more food.

[Underwolf]

It's been 6 years. In the first months I had a tough time too. I even saw myself smoking in my dreams. I think after 4-5 months it started to get significantly easier. Being smoke free for 3 months is a huge step. Don't give up.
One of the things that I remember that helped me was that, when I was craving really bad, I was reminding myself that the damn feeling was temporary and it would go away if I resisted. And it did go away every time.

[Ratatosk]

I tried quitting cold turkey a few times, didn't work. I've now cut down to less than a pack a day down from 2+ a day.

Yeah, not much willpower here, I find myself going for a smoke whenever I'm stressed out even a bit. Will manage some day!

[Gheld]

I've been smoke free since February 2012. Although I went and got myself hooked on "Thrive" brand nicotine lozenges. Which although still not ideal is several million times healthier than actually smoking cigarettes.

I actually used a combination of the lozenges and a nic. free e-cigarette (because you can only get the nic free ones in Canada) and was able to psychologically separate the act of smoking from the act of sating my nicotine addiction. So eventually I stopped using the e-cig because it was pointless. I still haven't been able to get off of the lozenges, but like I said, it's a million times healthier (and about 4 times cheaper) than smoking a pack a day.

I still dream about smoking some times. After years of smoking it almost becomes a part of your personality, but you have to look at what you gain by quitting smoking: You improve the resale value of all your possessions, you are far more attractive to the opposite sex and you all around enjoy improved physical health.

[vindicatorx]

The urge to have one still seems to almost over power me. So i ask you:

1. How long have you been smoke free.

5 months this time, 9 months previously

2. What was the hardest thing for you

being around those who still smoke. honestly once you quit smoke makes me feel sick and fortunately here smoking isn't allowed anywhere on the campus grounds

3.How did you cope. ( hoping this part helps me out )

I don't see my friends who smoke except on holidays.

The crave I am told never fully goes away. My dad quit 20+ years ago and told me every time he saw me light up he wanted one.

[Åmbulance]

Well i do appreciate the feedback, i heard some good tips. I will remain with it, like most of you said, i do feel much better, and my wife now likes kissing me again.

[Liquidatom]

I stopped dipping snuff cold turkey about 2 months ago after a 22 year addiction. The worst part for me is appetite. I want to eat everything in sight, and sometimes do. My friend stopped dipping a few years ago and he said the cravings never really or fully go away you just learn how to manage them. Another friend who stopped smoking said that after 4 months she lost all desire to smoke and never had another craving or eating problem. I guess it just depends on the person. Good luck!

[Cherrytie]

Im smoke free since 4 years now, the hardest thing was not to know what to do with my "free-time" in wich I used to smoke or my colleagues or friends around me which smoked all the time and forced me to join em in their smoking break (I didnt smoke there obviously)
I dealt with it by doing lots of sport and simply keeping my hands and mouth occupied. You can really see how bad smoking is when you are out of breath after 5 mins of running and this was a good motivation.

[Åmbulance]

Im smoke free since 4 years now, the hardest thing was not to know what to do with my "free-time" in wich I used to smoke or my colleagues or friends around me which smoked all the time and forced me to join em in their smoking break (I didnt smoke there obviously)
I dealt with it by doing lots of sport and simply keeping my hands and mouth occupied. You can really see how bad smoking is when you are out of breath after 5 mins of running and this was a good motivation.

Yeah that's pretty much is what led me to quit, my daughter is into sports, so while playing basketball with her i was winded within 10 minutes. Took what cigs i had left, broke them and called it quits.

[Deleted]

Its hard the first few weeks because mostly, you have habits and you don't know what the hell to do with your hands.

But you loose those habits, and its mostly hard in the beggining at certain moments of the day/week. Like when drinking with buddies, at the bar, after eating, with your coffee, etc..

I've stopped smoking for almost 2 years now, it never, never cross my mind. Even when most of my friends go out to smoke I could with them and just talk, but without smoking, thats all.

And there's so many perks to no smoking (better breath, more stamina, clothes/car/appartement that stink cold smoke, money, and money again, i could go on )

Keep going, the worst part is already over, and its worth it

PS : I quit cold turkey and didnt ever smoked again. Just don't. Then will come a point where someone smoking next to you will bother you because it stinks and it makes your throat hurt.

[Frah]

I traded smoking addiction for wow. Option was 5 min walk to get smokes or 5 mins more of wow. Wow won and now ive been smoke free for like 6 years. Who said wow addiction wasnt a good thing?