Ask HN: How did you quit smoking?

[dasht]

I know this is a little off the topic of how to make a great start-up but I figure it's on-topic for mutual support and for an issue that prbly effects many of us stressed out types. How did you quit smoking and is it a complete fantasy to imagine getting it down to like, 7 or fewer per week when starting from an accidental habit (roughly half-pack / day, in my case).

[cycojesus]

I read a famous quit-smoking book on the advice of my (still smoking) brother. I was dubious of the thing, feeling all superior and thinking that I was too smart to be changed by a small cheap book. I was wrong. i finished to book and quit, just like that, went cold turkey. no craving, no withdrawal feeling, nothing. I even did what you should never do which is to smoke just-the-one to see, didn't fall back. It amazes me that I never ever think about smoking. I just have these meta thoughts sometimes when I smell cigarettes about how I should feel something about it but don't.

It's a truly amazing book that read in a few hours and simply states very simple facts about smoking, the kind that you know but refuse to know. It force you to reconsider your smoking. That cigarette in the morning feels good? (no it doesn't) The one after lunch? (neither)... Step by step you naturally come to realize that every justification for smoking, all the fear of withdrawal, all the drama around smoking has no foundation.

You can just quit. Don't mess around with excuses, just quit. Next time you want to smoke just think "Not worth it" and forget it. But read the book.

EDIT: Allen Carr https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Allen_Carr

[pmjoyce]

I can't recommend the Allen Carr strongly enough. It simply changed my mindset on smoking and quitting in such a fundamental way that I couldn't help feeling great about stubbing out my last smoke and actively looked forward to some withdrawal pangs.

You don't use any nicotine replacement (gum, e-cigs, patches...) and it's not stressful like the willpower method (I tried a plethora of different ways to quit in the past) and the process is quite quick. I procrastinated on reading the book (looking back I was afraid) but eventually decided to bite the bullet and book myself in for a 5hour group clinic session.

The session took place in December 2008. I walked in at 9am afraid, skeptical and wondering whether I was really in the right frame of mind to quit. I extinguished my last cigarette at 2pm that day and have felt great about it since. I know I sound like an evangelist but this is one product I'll shout about. Colour me a fanboy.

Ping me if you would like more details.

[riledhel]

great book. quit smoking after finishing it also. at least search youtube for his videos and then go buy the book.

[NginUS]

When I quit it was cold turkey, I'd keep saying to myself, 'You only _think_ you want a cigarette' to stay reminded that really I don't. Plus, a couple years earlier I watched my father die of lung cancer, although he never smoked- so as bad as that was, it helped to an extent. I assure you, it's NOT how you want to go.

[pstuart]

I quit many times in many ways, each time because I wanted to stop smoking. It was only when I didn't want to smoke that it actually stuck. Maybe that's too zen-like, but that's my story.

Unless one is a chipper (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chipper_(tobacco)), it's an all or nothing thing. Just let go.

[RoyceFullerton]

I have quit three times now for more than a year each time. I have a really addictive personality so it is all or nothing with me. When I start back up I am quickly back to a pack a day in no time. I have quit twice with patches and most recently with a prescription drug called Champix or Chantix. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varenicline) They all work, the key is once I have quit, I can't have just one cigarette, or else I am back (all or nothing).

Just pick a method and don't let you talk yourself into having just one. After I turned 22 I realized it was about time for longterm damage to start and it wasn't socially cool anymore at that age.

Good luck!

[klancaster]

I was a 3+ pack/day smoker for many years. Quit cold-turkey 27 years ago. I had tried Shick (electric shock aversion therapy), some sort of injection, you name it. Just quitting finally worked. Many days of being non-functional, but I've never gone back.

[headstorm]

I smoked for nearly 25 years, mostly at a pack a day or more. Several winters ago, I ran out of money except for rent and food, and had no other reason to leave the house besides cigarettes and exercise. Depression prevented the latter, and I told myself that I wasn't up for talking to strangers for the former.

As my supply dwindled, I rolled the butts into second generation cigarettes. And then those into third generation. Finally I ended with a fourth generation cigarette, the nastiest thing I've ever smoked - and it took me days to finish it.

That cigarette, plus overwhelming amotivation to leave home, was my cold turkey route to quitting successfully after hundreds of tries with other methods.

[japanesejay]

I've been a smoker for 10+ years and quit cold turkey.

I actually tried chantix first and took it for a week and started getting depressed which lead to suicidal thoughts. I should have looked up the side effects first (duh! i know). Anyway after that crazy little mind f*, i just told myself that im going to quit cold turkey. Quitting cold turkey is rough, it sucks, its not easy but you gotta go through it. There are no shortcuts, no easy way out and no excuses. Just realize that once you truly commit, it gets easier as time passes. Its hard to believe that it gets easier when you're going through it but its true. For me (as well as other HNers), being stubborn I think was a key factor in getting over it.

Things that helped me cope: - Drink juice, real 100% not from concentrate pineapple juice helped me "cleanse my palette". - Stop over eating / eating greasy foods. It was a HUGE trigger for my smoking craving. Find your triggers and try to avoid them. One thing that really sucked was I had to stop attending my daily starbux sessions. Change is sometimes good. =) - Be in the right mind set. It helps if there is someone to support you. There are support groups and sites out there. Let your pride/ego go and ask for help. At least you can be somewhat anonymous online. - I hear running/ working out helps but I'm not much of a workout guy. Yoga and breathing exercises do help. Look up "breathing Yoga" to learn some techniques.

Again, there are a lot of resources out there to help. I hope that you got some good insight in this thread. Good luck!

[aklemm]

After trying to quit several times, I never got to a point where the cravings were manageable. It seemed I would have to learn to live with the cravings, so two years ago I attempted cold-turkey and made it two months while wanting a cigarette most of the time.

Then a great thing happened; I started to think about it less and less. After 4 months I almost never thought about it, and cravings were very rare. The two or three cigarettes I've tried since quitting tasted just awful and made me nauseated.

Good luck.

[mxyzptlk]

> After trying to quit several times

I think that's an important point. Even if you don't quit this time, you have to keep trying.

I tried to quit at least six or seven times before finally succeeding eight years ago. The last time, I used nicotine gum for about a week. Before that, I had quit for up to a month, more than once, with help from either the patch or gum. All my relapses came during social situations.

[jeebusroxors]

YMMV:

I was up to a pack a day when I quit. I begun by realizing my habits. About once an hour I'd get up and go outside for a smoke.

When I decided to quit (the first time) all I did was delay to my next "appointment". In other words - get to work at 7am, 8am comes around and you want to go smoke. At this point I would squirm, fidget and think about the smoke, but not actually do it until 9am. Continue this process through out the day. I also kept my associative smokes (getting in the car, finishing a beer, having a coffee etc) in tact at this point. These served as a familiar refuge from the shock I was going through during the day.

I did this for a week or two (until it became easy), then applied the same process (recursion!) to my current habits.

Somewhere along the line, when I felt comfortable I took out some of the associatives (only have a smoke when I drive to work, not coming home).

I kept repeating this until I was down to 2 - 3 a day, then one day (without prior planing) said I was going to make it the whole day. I don't think it worked, but I kept trying every once in a while.

The first time I used this process I quit for a few months. The second (and current time) has been about 8. I still want to smoke from time to time.

Once again - YMMV but I didn't really WANT to quit. I liked smoking, but my unparalleled stubbornness helped me get through.

[junkbit]

I had an A5 piece of cardboard on my bookshelf in full view and every Monday I'd put another mark on it with a felt tip in groups of 5 like |||| + \

The idea was to have four rows of 13 notches for the 52 weeks of the year.

After about 6-7months I didn't need it anymore, but I still keep it to this day as a memento. It really helped to look up at it every time I had a craving and think 'look how far you have come'

It will be four years in October since I stopped smoking. I smoked for half of my life from 13-26

[iacvlvs]

Every time someone would tell me that they used to smoke or that they'd quit, I'd ask them how they managed it. Over time some started smoking again, some didn't, and a pattern emerged.

The critical factors I identified were a public commitment to stop smoking and a definite future date to quit.

Having the date set in advance, a few months away, gives you time to mentally prepare yourself, gets you used to the idea of becoming a non-smoker, and adds a very helpful fallback of "I really want to smoke, but I'm not going to throw away all those months of effort".

Making a public commitment (i.e. telling everyone who'll listen that you'll be quitting on [date]) makes your quitting date a bit more important, meaningful and harder to change your mind about as it approaches. It also increases the cost of recidivism: you'd have to admit you failed.

My doctor was one of the people I told about my intention to quit. He offered to prescribe a course of Zyban and I believe it made a huge difference. Just make sure you find out how long you're supposed to take the Zyban before quitting, and start taking it sufficiently in advance of quitting day.

Good luck!

[kxs]

It was cold turkey for me too. I didn't have any money left and no tobacco in the house. So I just stopped. I used to smoke quite a lot; usually hand-rolled cigarettes (non-filter) and about 35-40 a day. (Had been smoking for about 2 1/2 years up until then) It was rough the first couple of days, but it got better pretty quick. I tried to distract myself, with some video games, worked out pretty well, played for hours straight.

But I haven't had much problems quitting any habbits thus far. Overall I get hooked quite fast, but if I try to ignore and overcome the need for e.g. playing Quake Live( or something like that) I seem to don't care anymore after 2-3 days. (until I play again)

I still want to smoke from time to time, because I really liked it, but the desire usually vanishes 10min later.

[thecircusb0y]

Buy gum instead, and chew. Seriously. I won't say I quit smoking completely, because I have a cigar on holidays or during celebration, but I haven't bought a pack of cigarettes in years. When my mother was diagnosed with cancer, It really made me think, so I went cold turkey and I chewed dentyne ice peppermint gum whenever I wanted a cigarette. Eventually the store bought cigarettes really became gross to me, and the only tobacco I have now is cured tobacco from a smoke shop, sheisha, or a good cigar. Other then that, my daily routine absolutely rarely includes smoking. You don't need a cigarette when you drive. You don't need a cigarette when you drink. You don't need a cigarette to walk to the car. You don't need a cigarette.

[jasonrojas]

I quit cold turkey last year. August 28th it will be one year exactly. I have been smoking off and on since High school. All off times were accomplished just by not smoking. Every time I have started back up It was not a big deal. I guess this time it is different, I came to the conclusion that smoking does nothing for you, it spends your money, that is all. I replace smoking with cycling, nothing too major but definitely something positive. As for your goal of getting to X perday, bad idea, you always fail, I always failed, every smoker I know fails at that goal. If you are going to quit, then quit. Wht is stopping you from quitting completely?

[gexla]

For me it's not so much a physical addiction as it is a habit. I'm a web developer and I feel like I have to smoke to think through a problem or for an excuse to step away from the keyboard for a few minutes. I need to find an alternative.

[3fiddyz]

Been off cigarettes for a few years now, and never want to start up again, specially with the super high prices we pay in Australia now, a pack of 20's are almost $15 AUD.

I quit by using patches for 3-4 days to get over the worst of the withdrawals, then went turkey, it's rough, but you just have to suck it up, try to exercise a lot, tell all your friends your quiting so they will hassle you if you fall off the wagon, think of the money your saving and try to stay positive, the first week is brutal.

[pavelludiq]

i smoke about 1-2 cigarettes a day. Sometimes it rises to about half a pack if im in a social setting. Since im a nerd, thats rare(maybe once a week). Every time I've smoked more than a pack a day, heavy drinking was involved.

Maybe im one of the lucky ones, I'm not as addicted to smoking as i am to caffeine, I can go for days or weeks and not bother to buy a pack(unless i know that there will be heavy drinking tonight), but if i miss one daily cup, well i believe most HN-ers know whats it like to have your whole sleeping schedule messed up for days.

Smoking i actually enjoy, i enjoy good coffee too, but im more worried about the withdraw, i was never worried about nicotine withdraw, so i don't conciser it a real addiction, not like coffee at least. Im not in a rush to quit, but i am careful, i don't want a second habit to turn into a hard addiction.

Or maybe it has and im just rationalizing my addiction. A tip if you really want to quit: don't rationalize, there is no rational reason to smoke, i smoke because i enjoy it, and the joy is just a chemical reaction in my brain. Don't rationalize, there is no rational reason. Just quit and be done with it. Don't think too much. Best way to kill an addiction is to starve it.

[dasht]

I'm really appreciating all the reports.

One of the folks in my dental office suggested (a) use mouthwash and, ideally, dental floss after each lapse; (b) make a chart and track your progress - make a game of it. That kind of jives with the patches, lozenges, etc. and adds some twists.

Seems stupid, doesn't it? Don't want to smoke? Well, then don't! But... some know... it's easy to make a long series of "Ok, just one more."

[cycojesus]

I don't agree with the "make a game of it" approach. It sets you for failure as it keeps the smoking in your thoughts constantly. It also makes a lot of drama about something that is really very easy, want to stop smoking? just never light that next cigarette, never. Forget that next cigarette, forget smoking, forget all the reasons that makes you think you have to smoke and forget all the drama about quitting. What ever the situation the next cigarette will make it worse. (see my other comment too)

[jolan]

I switched to an e-cigarette All the sensation of smoking without the carcinogens and smell. More info here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_cigarette

And here's where I order my gear from:

http://www.puresmoker.com/

[starkfist]

I smoked 1 pack a day for about 6 years. I used the Alan Carr book and just quit one day. For me, the most important part of the book was being informed that I didn't just have a bad habit, I was a drug addict. I don't like the idea of being addicted to something.

[technophiliac]

i "accidentally" quit.. had no intention of quitting permanently but i was working two jobs at the time.. i measured how much time i was losing to smoking.. 5 min/stick.. that it'd be good if i was being paid for that time instead; like another hour or so a day.

i used nicotine gum to avoid the trip outside to smoke.. at least i could get my nicotine fix while still in front of the PC.. was like this for months then transitioned to ordinary gum.. that's the time when my will was really put to the test.

worked for me.. never smoked another cigarette since i went down this road.. nicotine-independent now for two years.

btw.. i've been a heavy smoker (1.5-2 packs/day) for 22 years straight, before this.