Giant Bomb, Help Me Quit Smoking.

I Haven't made a proper blog in a long time, and I figured getting a little personal here would help me out. I haven't been a smoker for too long, but I'm doing my best to stop this horrible habit. I'm starting to catch myself out of breath walking to up stairs and developing a "smoker's cough", along with my bank account being eight bucks emptier whenever I buy a pack of cigarettes. This has to end.

Quitting smoking is difficult. I've tried before, went smoke free for about three weeks and caved. I'm aware of the numerous quit smoking tips online, but I sort of wanted to open up a discussion with any other Giant Bomb users who have quit smoking, or are also in the process of quitting. Maybe get some tips about how to cope with trying to quit. I've tried going cold turkey, which really really sucks, but it seems the most effective method of quitting. A few of my friends also smoke, and I'm trying to get them to quit with me. Sort of a support group, so nobody tempts the others.

Anyway, that's all. Any advice for quitting would be greatly appreciated.

I Haven't made a proper blog in a long time, and I figured getting a little personal here would help me out. I haven't been a smoker for too long, but I'm doing my best to stop this horrible habit. I'm starting to catch myself out of breath walking to up stairs and developing a "smoker's cough", along with my bank account being eight bucks emptier whenever I buy a pack of cigarettes. This has to end.

Quitting smoking is difficult. I've tried before, went smoke free for about three weeks and caved. I'm aware of the numerous quit smoking tips online, but I sort of wanted to open up a discussion with any other Giant Bomb users who have quit smoking, or are also in the process of quitting. Maybe get some tips about how to cope with trying to quit. I've tried going cold turkey, which really really sucks, but it seems the most effective method of quitting. A few of my friends also smoke, and I'm trying to get them to quit with me. Sort of a support group, so nobody tempts the others.

Anyway, that's all. Any advice for quitting would be greatly appreciated.

Every time you think of smoking, take a shot....WAIT DON'T

DROP THAT CIGARETTE DIRTBAG.

I was a pack a day smoker for 12 years and I quit cold turkey 2 years ago. The only thing that really made me do it was that I truly didn't want to be a smoker anymore. I wasn't quitting because of health reasons, being stigmatized, or being inconvenienced all the time, or for any of the reasons that you think "I know I should do it because..." Quitting is very hard physically and mentally and every time I had a craving I just thought to myself, "Go ahead and have a cigarette, just admit to yourself you will be a smoker for the rest of your life." And that worked for me. I don't know if any of that will help you. Good luck though.

Start hanging around pregnant women/babies. You won't be able to smoke out of fear of ruining their lives with second hand smoke.

In all seriousness, I wish you good luck.

Maybe you could print a picture of a dude who had to have his throat sliced open because he smoked too much. That's a thing, right? Every time you feel like you need to smoke, look at it, and remind yourself that you don't want a throat-hole.

I heard E-cigs work pretty well. Looks those up.

@MooseyMcMan: I was thinking about keeping a folded up piece of paper in my wallet with "QUIT SMOKING, DUMB ASS!" written on it.

@runcrash: That's the mentality that's urging me to quit. I'm 21 and the idea of continuing this habit into my later years scares the hell out of me.

Only losers smoke, and smoking is for losers!

I dunno, that's something I heard from my grandmother once years ago. I could tell you to stop smoking, I could be all high and mighty like that.

But before I do that I should stop eating so much shitty fast food and drinking too much pop.

Eh, I found it pretty easy. Just decided to stop one day. Feels good, man. Feels real good.

I quit smoking by not buying cigarettes. Don't get me wrong, I still smoke when it comes up. Being technically still a smoker helps. I only smoke a pack or two a year (which I buy). In short, I don't buy cigarettes (except for special occasions, like going on a bender). I don't mooch cigarettes. They also taste like shit now. Only enjoy them when I'm well shitfaced. It's been about 3 years since I was a full-time smoker.

Have some self-respect man. Don't fight your smoking habit. Own up to the fact that you're a smoker, and can never undo what you've done. Just don't buy them anymore. Spend your money on liquor and whores or whatever... videogames.

basicly everytime you crave a cigarette do something to take your mind off it and it will usually go away after 2-5 min. when i first quit smoking i took a week off work and every time i craved a cig i either eat a carrot instead, ran a bunch, went to the gym ad played games. basically just something that occupied my hands and kept me from thinking about it. after 3 days i diddent want one, but a lot of people say that still after several years they still have the craving but just not in the same way. also a good advise is save the buds and ashes and smell it when you crave the stink of it can put you off. also a good advise is talk to your doctor he/she might have some pills that you can take in case its hard to stop.

i stopped smoking for about 8 months until all kinds of bad shit fell down around my ears and that basically made me start again.

good luck

Try going the patch route & easier when hanging out with non-smokers. Plus consider how much money you're wasting on the things. At least with booze problems you can always just put the booze in with many things to cook with instead of drinking it to enjoy it but smoking has really no other uses. As this is a video game related site you could always find some game you just despise, and every time you smoke you have to play that game for one hour, I can only imagine the horrors this could create as there are some really bad games out there.

Then when you quit, go nuts on the next steam sale & buy everything you can with the money you've saved up as a treat.

I smoked for 5 years and the Allen Carr method worked for me. http://www.google.com/products/catalog?rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS472US472&q=allen+carr&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=11565542622509845503&sa=X&ei=IeKhT4XvCoSc8QTHx_j1CA&ved=0CEQQ8wIwAg

The Easyway to stop smoking.

also if your broke there is an audio book of it you can torrent. i know its wrong but its for a good cause.

@Breadfan: I'm not a smoker, but since we are a community of gamers, addiction isn't something that is foreign to any of us. The only advice I could possibly give you that has the potential of working out is: replace the actual behaviour or smoking with something else (something healthy, preferably).

For example, instead of lighting up whenever you get the urge, chomp on a carrot or even a toothpick... something to somewhat mimic the act of smoking. Do whatever you can to take your mind off the behaviour and you'll gradually find yourself weening off the nasty habit. It won't be easy, but that's just the way it is when it comes to rewiring your brain.

@Zacagawea:

Stop smoking cigarettes, or I'll kill everyone you've ever loved.

One of the more creative stop-smoking solutions I've seen.

I've been trying to quit for 3 years. I really need too. I've been smoking way to damn long and I know its killing me. I wake up with coughs that make me throw up a lot. Its terrifying.

I am not against smoking or anything, but I feel my current life is a poster for why you shouldn't smoke.

It's not cool, and you wake up coughing so hard you throw up. A lot of gamers are smoking nazis, though, so just gonna say I'm not looking for sympathy. Just wanted to say I know what you mean, OP- its damn hard to quit.

I do not have good enough will power- need to level up again =P

Focus your money and energy so into a hobby or refining another skill (lifting weights or drawing or so on) that you don't even have time to think of cigarettes.

If you get the urge, just watch the anti-smoking ads that are on TV now.

You can do it, duder.

go look up images of what smoking causes. i just looked and got a little disgusted with it.

do something that can keep your mind off of smoking.

Eat an apple or a slice of an apple when you have the craving.

My girlfriend quit (she quit before we started dating, I can't be with someone who smokes on the regular; however i don't care about peoples personal habits when they aren't around me fulltime). She used a trick where she would cut a straw into the length of a cigarette and inhale and exhale with that; the action calmed her down.

Also found out what makes you smoke. Some people have habits that feels natural to them; get in their car (smoke), leave the house light up, etc. Try to recognize those and find other things to do. And obviously chewing gum.

Look at medical images of smokers' lungs.

Every time you would have bought a pack of cigarettes, put that money into a large jar. When you can't stand being without a cigarette for one second longer, pour it out and count it.

Run. Or walk. Start moving in the open air.

Write a list of the reasons you're quitting and put it in the places you usually get cravings. Make it a forceful list, something that will make you angry or excited in your pursuit. Not, "for my family," but rather, "because I AM GOING to play catch with my grandkid."

Ask friends to keep you accountable, people who will call you up after work and ask if you smoked that day. Find friends who will get mad at you if you did and ecstatic if you didn't.

Good on you for going for it, and best of luck to you!

@Breadfan: I started smoking when I was around thirteen and became a regular smoker shortly after turning 18 tore a ligament and broke my leg smoking helped past time. A few years ago when I was around 24 I realized that I was up to 2 packs a day and needed to stop and sorta quit cold turkey since the first three weekends I'd smoke while drinking but I stopped that also when I realized how dumb it was that when I wake the next day and my friends would offer me one I'd say no I'm not drinking so I don't want one but to cut to the chase what really helped be above all else was staying busy. I would go for a walk or watch Netflix oddly Netflix is what I credit with stopping but once you reach a certain point the cravings stop and it gets easier for me the only time I really want to smoke is when I see anti smoking commercials.

TL;DR Read Above

P.S. Stay Busy and keep yourself occupied.

My dad quit cold turkey. His suggestion (to a friend of mine who smoked and wanted to quite) was to try to keep as busy as possible - he called smoking something you do when you're doing nothing. I know this isn't first hand knowledge, but I figure every bit helps. Best of luck to you!

Toads won't find you sexy when you smoke

I've never smoked but I've known lots of smokers who always say they need to quit. My first response is always, "why don't you just not buy them"? It seems pretty easy to avoid cigarettes if they're not always sitting in your pocket. Everyone seems to roll their eyes at this idea though. Is the urge to smoke so strong that this isn't even a possibility?

Surround yourself with cigarettes then don't smoke any.

I've never been addicted to snigerlettes, but here's some advice, it's pretty simple and worksish right. So whenever you want to smoke, every single time you want to, yeah, don't. So when you want to do it, don't do it, very simple.

@Breadfan: Wife just quite cold turkey. It's just a matter of gritting your teeth and bearing it, that's all. Keep yourself busy, buy an economy sized pack of (regular) gum and try to do it when you'll have two days off in a row cause the first three days are, as you well know, the worse.

I have a suggestion, try to remember how many packs of cigarettes you've smoked in your entire life. Then, add up how much money you spent on them, and print out the numbers, one number per piece of paper, and tape those numbers on the wall somewhere that you see every single day, or even tape multiple copies where you live. Then every time you have that urge you can just think about that number and how you never want to add to it.

Quitting is extremely difficult. The good news is that it is entirely possible. People have already mentioned this, but:

1) Keep a record of the amount of money you save by not smoking.

2) Consult your doctor for help. But be careful of what doctor you go to - don't go to a doctor who is in the pay of those people who manufacture nicotine patches. Nicotine patches can work, but all too often I see doctors use them as the first solution. As a medical student, I've done the research - nicotine patches are far from harmless. They're nowhere near as bad as cigarettes, but they don't come without their own cost and side-effects. While some smokers need the patches, your doctor shouldnot use them as a first line therapy.

3) You'll notice that when you stop smoking, your lungs will improve. Stopping smoking won't undo all the damage that smoking has done, but your body can recover from quite a bit of the damage. Take advantage of this - run, jog, do rock-climbing.

4) You need to tell everyone that you want to quit and you need to get them to watch you. This is the most helpful bit of advice I can give you. Friends, family members, your doctor, your co-workers - tell them firmly that you are stopping smoking and that you'll appreciate it if they can keep an eye on you.

5) Immerse yourself on the dangers of smoking. It can be really hard to wonder why you're going through the pain of quitting (and according to most smokers, quitting is one of the most painful experiences they've gone through) - but if you constantly read up on the dangers and remind yourself of why it's worth it (and it totally is) each and every day, that will help.

Why would you want to quit? Smoking is fucking awesome.

@brophdog said:

I smoked for 5 years and the Allen Carr method worked for me. http://www.google.com/products/catalog?rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS472US472&q=allen+carr&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=11565542622509845503&sa=X&ei=IeKhT4XvCoSc8QTHx_j1CA&ved=0CEQQ8wIwAg

The Easyway to stop smoking.

also if your broke there is an audio book of it you can torrent. i know its wrong but its for a good cause.

THIS!!!

im a very skeptical person and was not convinced a book would do any good after all my failed attempts. but after smoking for 20 years i listened to this audiobook at the begining of the year and have not touched a ciggarette since.

and its not like im gagging for one and counting the days. i just don't want to smoke anymore and i know i will never smoke again.

its amazing and i can't recommend it highly enough.

Buy a big bag of lollipops, every time you crave a smoke, just open up a lollipop

@Dethfish said:

I've never smoked but I've known lots of smokers who always say they need to quit. My first response is always, "why don't you just not buy them"? It seems pretty easy to avoid cigarettes if they're not always sitting in your pocket. Everyone seems to roll their eyes at this idea though. Is the urge to smoke so strong that this isn't even a possibility?

It is an addiction you realise, it's not like someone saying "Ugh, I need to stop eating cheese and onion crisps.", "Well don't buy them then." It does come across as kind of a silly thing to say.

As someone who's been smoking for over a few years now, I wish you all the best man, but smoking's the bomb. I hoard a lot of things from ocd and I've got every single packet of tobacco I've ever bought (only casuals buy straights, rollies are for men), it's fairly insane to look at, just hundreds upon hundreds of packets. It doesn't make me feel bad though, probably should.

Just stop, but every day you would have bought a pack of fags, put the money aside and when you have enough money to buy a video game, buy that instead. Sure, you might fail now and then, but as your video game collection grows, you will be that much closer to quitting as you are getting a reward for not smoking.

I remember from my childhood being very repelling against cigarettes. Both my parents were smokers, and i nagged and nagged for them to stop. Ironic enough, i started to smoke in the beginning of high school, but never became addicted. I heard nicotine gum has helped alot of people, though.

There was a radiolab episode about a woman who stopped smoking by making a pact with her friend. The friend was to give some amount of money to the KKK if she smoked again and apparently that worked.

@Seedofpower said:

I heard E-cigs work pretty well. Looks those up.

Are you sure about that?

On topic though, I never started smoking so I can only tell you from second-hand experience to NOT buy anti-cigarette plasters or gum. Plasters do nothing, while the gums create an addiction of their own.

 Thanks for the advice, everyone. 
 

@WalkerTR77

There was a radiolab episode about a woman who stopped smoking by making a pact with her friend. The friend was to give some amount of money to the KKK if she smoked again and apparently that worked.

Why would you want to quit? Smoking is fucking awesome.

 Henceforth, if anyone sees me smoking a cigarette, please; punch me in the throat, tackle me to the ground, or throw a moderately sized rock at my face. It would be greatly appreciated.

@breadfan: Hey I'm wondering if you managed to quit and/or how easy/hard it was. I've recently quit after about 8yrs with the help of not leaving the house for a week and my copy of Mass effect

Quiter!

I quit smoking. Not going to lie: it was a shitty time to go through, but it needs to be done. You know this to be true. I tried to quit once and succeeded. I have no idea what advice to give you. Think about the future? Maybe. I didn't even do that. I thought about the present. 'I don't want to rely on this today' is what I thought. I never thought 'I need to be off this shit by tomorrow'.

But then, I started smoking in a messed up period of my life. Probably the most messed up. It was something to fall back on and enjoy in my life. The rest of it was hell. I got out of it at some point and that meant smoking needed to go as well. I'm an active person. A sportsman. I value health more than the average person. Smoking didn't fit in my life anymore. It needed to go. It had to be done.

I can't imagine how you would quit if you secretly didn't want to quit. The most powerful motivation to quit is the motivation to quit itself. Similar to how to most powerful motivation to work out/exercise, is the will to go and exercise itself. Not the eye on health or whatever else. Thinking: 'I need to work out because it's healthy', or 'I need to work out because I want that type of body' is always an inferior motivation to straight up: 'I need to work out' period.

I'm no expert, but I think it's all about mental placement. I don't know if you can control it. Depending on that; smoking can both be the hardest thing you'll ever do in life, or as it was for me, just a thing you're doing.