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submitted 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) by mistahbenny@lemmy.ml to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

any piece of advice is welcome

P.S. Thanks to all the people that have taken their time to help me (and not just me, but others as well). It is much appreciated, and, from what I‘ve read, the „cold turkey“ method seems the most appealing to me. I‘ll quit smoking today, on the 7th of November 2024.

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[-] NauticalNoodle@lemmy.ml 3 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

If I can offer you one piece of advice on quitting tobacco it's this: Understand that it may be possible that you don't succeed at quitting on your first attempt. That is okay. Most people don't succeed quitting on their first attempt. What is important is that you keep trying to quit.

There are many different strategies for quitting. Mine involved switching to vaping and mixing my vape juice so that I gradually weened myself off of the Nicotine two years later. Prior to that I tried using Rx Chantix which worked until my prescription ran its course. I also tried the gum with very little success, but that's not to say it won't work for you, it might. Explore your options.

[-] acid_falcon@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago

Yo that is what I'm doing. I appreciate hearing that, it's heartening, I used to smoke a pack a day.

I've been cutting my juice with plain VG/PG so I'm at half of the nicotine of the average juice.

[-] The_Jewish_Cuban@hexbear.net 3 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Other people have tried gum and not had it help them. I find it pretty helpful for me so far. I'm now two weeks in and I only chew 2 pieces a day now. Only have it when smelling others' cigarette smoke triggers my cravings. Overall, I'm gonna try to quit the gum by the end of next week.

I will note that I seem to have way easier of a time with nicotine withdrawal than other people I've talked to.

[-] brad_troika@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago

Cold turkey is what works for most people but if you tried it and failed many times don't be afraid to use nicotine replacement in some form, medication ( I used Champix and I've quit successfully 3 years ago) or even therapy. You'll find online a lot of people who say that you only need willpower which is true if you have it but just depressing if you don't making your situation after numerous quit attempts worse and worse.

There are plenty of websites with concrete plans and tips on how to do it, all of them with good advice but you have find out what works for you and what doesn't. There are also some apps that can help you track your quit process, the health benefits of quitting and reward you.

Since you told nothing about your previous attempts if you had any or how long youve been smoking and why you want to quit I can only give some general advice:

Every day you don't smoke is a win. You need to find out why smoking hurts you, why stopping smoking would help you. Choose a plan, stuck to it and if you fail learn from it.

[-] hitwright@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago

Nothing worked for me until Covid came and I've stopped seeing my friends who smoked. Best of luck on your endeavour!

[-] electric_nan@lemmy.ml 3 points 3 weeks ago

One day at a time. Every time you want a cigarette but don't give in, you have built strength. Use that strength to better resist the next urge. Really internalize that what you are doing is strong and powerful. Each victory accumulates and supports those to come.

[-] mistahbenny@lemmy.ml 2 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)
[-] Acters@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago

I hear sucking on a lollipop can help.

[-] tiredofsametab@fedia.io 2 points 3 weeks ago

I used chantix back in the day, but it also required me basically not leaving the house for a month to really get there. When and where I quit for the first time (I would later start dating a smoker and relapse, then quit again), smoking was still allowed indoors and I had a huge association with drinking and smoking. Same for certain other places and situations. I basically had to do everything I could to avoid those. It got easier with time.

[-] AnarchistsForKamala@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago

I used nicotine pouches for a year then cold turkeyed at day 365

[-] Moah@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 3 weeks ago

I read Allen Carr's book "easy way to quit smoking without willpower" and took a drug called Chantix (prescription drug here in Sweden and my first doctor didn't want to prescribe it because all I needed was willpower according to him). The book helped with the habits, the drug removed the cravings and I've been cigarette free since then. It was my third or fourth attempt, and it was BY FAR the easiest. Ignore everyone telling you to quit cold turkey, to have willpower or whatever else, and get Champix prescribed to you.

[-] mistahbenny@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 weeks ago

might consider that, thank you

[-] Sir_Kevin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 3 weeks ago

You already have! Congratulations! That last one, was the last one. Throw away the rest, you're done.

[-] kbal@fedia.io 2 points 3 weeks ago

Get yourself a good nicotine vape rig. The kind that has a big tank so it'll last all day and you can use whichever flavoured vape liquid you like best. Switch to that 100% of the time, right away, no exceptions. Don't worry about how to quit vaping until you've gone without smoking for at least a few months.

It'll be hard, but not nearly as bad as it is if you try to quit both smoking and nicotine at the same time.

[-] alphacyberranger@sh.itjust.works 2 points 3 weeks ago

Talk about placement

[-] BCsven@lemmy.ca 2 points 3 weeks ago

Both my parents were longtime smokers, my dad quit cold Turkey after 25 years. My mum quit cold turkey after about 45. They both seemed fine with it, maybe some nicorette gum at first but they dropped that quickly. With my dad having 20 years smoke free ahead of my mom, his health is way better. He is active. My mom needed some heartwork done.

[-] GhiLA@sh.itjust.works 2 points 3 weeks ago

Two ways.

  1. Get a crutch and pretend you quit.

This can either be vaping, snus, nicotine pouches, the patch, anything.

  1. Cold Turkey

Quitting one morning by just never smoking that day.

That's all I know.

[-] pr06lefs@lemmy.ml 2 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

I tried quitting a number of times. Not easy, and demoralizing when you fail. You may have to try several times too.

When I finally did quit I had decided to put off my first cigarette in the morning as long as possible, reasoning that sleep was the longest I'd go without nicotine. One day I went the whole day.

A friend quit at the same time as me, using the gum. Six months later she was still using it, and gave up and started smoking again.

Probably helps that I had quit drinking by then as well. Pretty hard to drink and not smoke, for me.

[-] superkret@feddit.org 2 points 3 weeks ago

I quit smoking successfully a few years ago, after at least a dozen unsuccessful attempts.
Here's what was different the time I succeeded:

I changed my mindset. Basically, I told myself that I won't ever smoke a single cigarette again in my life, no matter how shitty that makes me feel.
The trigger for that mindset was a common cold that left me breathless for 4 weeks.
And the key to success was the realization that:

1.) I'm not addicted to cigarettes, I'm addicted to nicotine
2.) Nicotine by itself isn't all that harmful
3.) Whenever I have a craving, I can just chew a nicotine chewing gum
4.) Nicotine by itself isn't even that addictive

So I bought a whole lot of nicotine gum, and whenever I felt the slightest craving I popped one in.
After about 2 weeks the cravings subsided (cause nicotine isn't actually what makes you addicted).

[-] upsiforgot@programming.dev 1 points 3 weeks ago

I'm neither an expert nor do I smoke. But from what I heard, quitting smoking has two major points- one being the nicotine addiction your body has built up. The second one being your 'emotional addiction', I.e being used to smoking as a tool to decompress, socialize, take a break, fight boredom etc. which is embedded in your routines - this one might be harder to fight. Maybe try to identify those things and find alternatives, start installing different ways to cope and simultaneously take care of your bodily addiction via gums, patches, whatever is the right way for you.

[-] datendefekt@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Just stop!

But what helped me: often smoking is part of a daily routine or ritual, so mix up your routine. Take up a new hobby or take the bus instead of the car. Go for a walk after lunch. Giving up smoking is a big change, so don't be afraid to make big changes. Get new clothes. Make new friends. You have discarded your old identity as a smoker. Still smoking? Doesn't matter! You already want to stop - you're becoming that person already.

And don't be so hard on yourself if you have a smoke now and then. Be conscious of what situation or routine triggered the reflex, and change it in future. If you have a smoke every few days or weeks, don't sweat it, you've broken addiction as far as I'm concerned!

[-] jaypatelani@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 weeks ago
[-] AEGIS2317@feddit.org 1 points 3 weeks ago

my accidental 2 step program: 1: switch to these "heets" and the "iqos" and smoking no normal cigs. 2: when i got sick and wanted to smoke i couldnt stand the taste of these things without vomiting. They basically ruined tobacco for me, i never touched a cigarette after that and i stopped smoking one and a half year ago :)

[-] muad_dibber@lemmygrad.ml 1 points 3 weeks ago

Read or listen to Allen Carr - how to stop smoking. There's an audiobook on torrents.

[-] orvorn@slrpnk.net 1 points 3 weeks ago

I quit cold turkey about 5 months ago after smoking for a decade. Might start again, might not. I still get cravings. If I do start again I'm going to make myself learn to roll them by hand instead of buying packs so that it's cheaper and takes more conscious effort.

[-] AnnaFrankfurter@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 weeks ago

Nicotine patches. It gives your brain what it wants with little to no adverse effects

[-] Death_Equity@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago

The problem with patches is you don't satisfy the oral aspect of the habit so you may need to chew gum or sunflower seeds to replace the act of smoking.

Nicotine gum or pouches may seem like a simpler option, but you can up your dose frequency too much to be able to ween off effectively if you do not have the willpower to keep to a plan.

Gum and patch also means you can not use a patch after a while and mindfuck your reptile brain into thinking the gum is what it wanted and not the nicotine patch.

Educate yourself about what smoking does to your body. Imagine it on every inhale. Make yourself really hate it. Set a specific end date in the near future (but keep it to yourself, you don’t need outside pressure). In the meantime continue thinking about how much you hate smoking. Then stop cold turkey.

If you miss smoke breaks with others at work or whatever, just keep hanging out with them but don’t smoke. If they ask about it, don’t say you are trying to stop, say you did stop.

[-] GroundedGator@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago

I vaped for quite a while. Got a bit addicted to the tinkering and the juice hunting. It can be a fun hobby which probably makes it a bad way to quit if you're anything like me.

I worked myself down on the nicotine levels until I was at zero.

Relapsed back to cigarettes after not having vaped for a few months due to stress.

Finally stopped cold turkey. Didn't go back to vaping just decided it was time.

Things that ultimately helped:

  • Having a reason to quit that I could remind myself of daily as an affirmation.
  • My partner was also quitting, I needed her to stop and needed to be there to support her efforts.

If I was going to do it again, I'd probably look into Fum or something similar. Probably add some nicotine gum at the start to ease the chemical addiction.

[-] socsa@piefed.social 1 points 3 weeks ago

Just stop doing it. You won't quit until you really want to stop, and then it's actually kind of easy. You hear this from a lot of people who quit, that all the circumstances and programs and nicotine substitutes are kind of secondary to the mental aspect of it.

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[-] sunbrrnslapper@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago

I went cold turkey with the help of Wellbutrin. Best of luck!

[-] sunzu2@thebrainbin.org 1 points 3 weeks ago

Find other ways to cope when you get the urge, ie vape etc

Or big balls daddy cold turkey it

[-] Hegar@fedia.io 1 points 3 weeks ago

First time I quit i was sick and cigarettes tasted awful for a week, so I figured if I had already gone a week without I might as well quit. Whenever I got a craving I thought about how disgusting they tasted with a cold, and imagined spongey lungs filling with black tar till I gave myself a shiver of disgust.

I started up again years later while traveling, then quit for good while visiting my parents for 2 months - I know I'm too embarrassed to smoke around my parents.

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this post was submitted on 05 Nov 2024
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