How I did it: I quit cold turkey  because I had a stroke that was caused by high blood pressure.

the things that have helped me to stay off cigs:

• I remember the time BEFORE I smoked.  I see myself getting through the day --happily-- not depending on smoking, and I know that if I did it then, I can do it again. (I smoked heavily for about 12 years)
• I distract myself IMMEDIATELY.  Either I pick up my cross-stitch, or I get engrossed online. Whatever.  I've found that if I just move my feet, even, away from where I'm standing, it doesn't take much for me to get distracted. lol
• Every time I get an overwhelming urge to light a cigarette, I remind myself that it will pass.
• I also take deep breaths, just like I'd be doing if I were taking long drags on my cig.
• I chew a LOT of gum. Every single time I get the urge, I pop in a piece.  It really helps.
• For every day I don't smoke, 5 bucks goes into a jar.  I'm thinking I'll have enough to finally go to Europe within a year.

Lessons & tips:

• The urge will pass.
• The urge will not kill you.
• Take deep, slow breaths when the urge hits, and blow them out slowly, just like you do when you smoke.
• Keep a lot of gum on hand.
• Remember a time when you didn't smoke.
• Give your hands something to do. 
• Think short term;  Just for today, don't smoke. Or just for this hour, or minute.  Get through the minutes.
• Celebrate each victory. 
• Say what you think instead of stifling it with a cig.

We get all stressed about the idea of quitting because we're giving up something that's stood by us like a friend for a long time. It's been our comfort, our Teddy Bear, our blankie. 

The truth is, you really can do it, and if you change the way you look at it, it won't be as hard to do as you fear.  Honest. 

It's kind of like taking a different route to work when you've been driving the same one for umpteen years.  You have to consciously remind yourself not to take that turn but THIS one, to keep going straight instead of following the curve.  It takes repeated trips before you stop taking the old route automatically, but eventually you stop having to consciously remind yourself.

Same thing with stopping the habit of smoking.
We use it when we're mad, when we're bored, when we're sad, disgusted, fed up, excited, agitated, lonely, or we just want to fit in. 
We don't have to.  We can find other ways to deal with stuff that don't make us wheeze and cough.

Note:  if you're like me and you smoke to shut yourself up, ask yourself, "Why should I poison myself for wanting to say what I think?"

Resources: The number one thing that helped me:  knowing people loved me and were so scared when I had my stroke.

It doesn't make sense to me to try to quit smoking by ingesting nicotine in other ways. 

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Aug 23, 2010, 11:29AM PDT | 1 comment | 1 cheer