BellaOnline Forums Beauty and Self Self Development New Year's Resolutions - What is Your Plan?

Sue, I'm the self-appointed Quit Smoking Guru! You'll find my posts on the threads here about it, and I also have a lens on Squidoo about it. I was a dedicated, determined smoker of like 28 years and if I can quit, anyone can. It's easier than you think. Here's the gist of it (the cold turkey method): Three days of feeling just dang awful, two weeks of feeling terrible, and then you are a non-smoker. The only thing you have to do then is break the habit and not smoke anymore.

Plus, now there's Chantix and everyone I know who tried it has been successful at quitting.

How To Quit Smoking

And, you'll get tons of support here. No time like the present! Go for it!

Plus, once you do quit smoking, you'll feel like you can do anything!

Thanks Deb. I have thought about Chantix, but some of the things I have heard in the news about it scare me. I know smoking scares me too especially because of the heart disease that is in my family history. I am due for my annual doctor appt. ( I will make the appt on Monday) and I will talk to him about it. I really don't think I can go the cold turkey route, I have tried, also the thing is I want to quit but I don't, Do you know what I mean?

I totally know what you mean. I didn't want to quit. I'd tried and it sucked! I went cold turkey once and lasted like 8 hours. I was miserable. Truly, sick from withdrawal. And, I didn't know that there were ways to make it less miserable--cranberry juice, less caffeine & just understanding it helped a lot.

Do talk to your doctor. From real people, I have heard that it works. People I thought would never quit. I believe in anything that does the job!

But, the truth is that the not wanting to quit is the addiction to nicotine talking. You don't realize how terribly strong the addiction factor is until after you quit. Addiction will lie to you -- you enjoy smoking, you're not "ready" to quit, you'll quit "sometime" when things are less stressful, "smoking relaxes you" and so on. The kicker for me was when I realized my legal addiction was no less an illness than alcoholism or crack addiction or speed addiction. I expect those addicts to get help and kick their addictions because it would improve their health, relationships, careers, everything--and so does kicking smoking.

So, once you get it, you know you have to quit. And, once you realize you are kicking an addiction, and not losing a friend, you set your mind to it and deal with it. It's so much easier than the truly hard stuff in life. Watch some episodes of Intervention on A & E and put yourself & your smoking into the same storylines. You'll start to see it.

It's easier for me to choose a wake up time than a sleep time, so i'll start with that first, but thank you for the suggestion.

Sue, i think some of the best information and support you can get for quitting smoking is from the American Lung Association, and i think i remember they suggest finding replacement habits before you try to quit. Most smokers will smoke after doing certain things or in certain company, or whatever, and they suggest you discover what these circumstances are for you. For instance, if you usually smoke after each meal, you could maybe pick one meal a day now where rather than smoke you can do something else like knit or read or walk or play the piano. Two of my friends told me they only smoke when they drink, so one of them when she wanted to quit smoking, she decided to give up social drinking as well. Each person is different.

But I understand completely that we have to feel ready before changing some habits. That's why i'm considering carefully what i will try to change January first. There are many habits i would like to change, but i don't want to try something where i'll feel completely over my head. I think we usually know on the inside when it's the right time.

Here is a link to the American Lung Association's free online quit smoking program and their online support:

http://www.lungusa.org/site/apps/kb/home/login.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=38973&membershipreq=83912&targetURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Elungusa%2Eorg%2Fsite%2Fpp%2Easpx%3Fc%3DdvLUK9O0E%26b%3D22933

Thank you for your support ladies. both of you are very supportive people and I appreciate it. Deb it's funny you mention feeling of losing my best friend, that is exactly how I felt the few times I tried to quit.

I have asked my husband for a treadmill for Christmas, now whether I get one or not, we'll see, but I thought exercising would help me feel better while quitting, and hopefully keep extra weight away. I never really had a problem with weight until I hit 40 then everything went to pot. Now I can pretty much maintain my weight, where before, I could lose 10 lbs by not snacking at night. I should have quit a long time ago. anyway, I am going to try and I will keep you updated.

Congratulations, Sue. Do go to my squidoo lens

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Good luck, Sue, and let us know how we can further support you.

Thanks Holly and Deb - My doctor can't take me until Jan 29! can you imagine? That's how it is here, because there are only a few doctors who take our insurance, but everyone seems to have the same insurance.

I will try to quit without the Chantix. I talked to someone else who is taking it, and he said the nightmares are awful and real, almost like he is halucinating (probably not spelled correctly). That would make me crazy. I don't like scary movies, or nightmares so i think I will try something else.

too bad they don't have a rehab center for smokers. I would like to check in for a couple of weeks so my family doesn't have to deal with me being cranky! But it will be good for my kids to see so maybe they won't start smoking ever!