My plan to quit smoking

[Someone here]

I didn't smoke for the past two weeks . I have made up my mind . I don't want anything to do with this habit anymore . I decided to quit cold turkey. I used to  smoke about half a pack a day for 5 years. But I've made the decision. Enough is enough . I'm scared shitless of what kind of damage I did to my lungs and to my body as a whole in the last 5 years . I started smoking in high school to impress girls . Didn't know its gonna escalate to a hardcore addiction similar to drug addiction.  I'm not joking. This shit is as addictive as hardcore drugs (although I never touched drugs like heroin, I smoked weed once and it just made me feel dizzy and almost drunk and brain fog ).

I expect by the end of 2023 I will be completely smoke free and finally liberated from the chains of this habit .

So..my plan to quit is as follows:

1-Spend a few days getting mentally prepared to quit. Really getting to the mindset that this shit Is a life and death situation. Its extremely important to quit .

2-Understand that i can NEVER EVER smoke again. Not a single cigarette, not a single puff. When i start bargaining with myself on how it's okay to smoke I must  remember there is no such thing as 'just one' or 'just a drag'. Smoking will not make me happy. I Just need to accept this as the truth.

3- Be happy about quitting. I'm not making a sacrifice, I'm kicking an addiction. I should focus on what I gain from quitting not what i lose. I will lose the temporary high that I get from smoking .but I will gain safety from lungs  cancer and cardiovascular diseases. 

4-The trickiest part is getting in the right mindset, but once I'm there it's golden. Nicotine will be completely out of my system in 3 days, after that I will be getting over the psychological addiction. If i get particularly antsy  i must find something to distract myself with .like  a lot of walks (i eat a whole lot, unfortunately for my waist line so waking can burn those belly fats ).

5- i must Keep track of how much money im saving. I must look at how much money I'm wasting on buying cigarettes. If I could save that money each month ..I would have a decent amount of money that will help me to open a house and getting married in a few years and getting my shit together in life . I'm thinking of using that extra money that I waste on buying cigarettes to join a gym.

6-i absolutely MUST find an alternative.  And here I need your help ,guys . What could be the alternative?  It can't be something unhealthy.  I thought of video games ,junk food ,porn, sugar (candy)etc..but in my view these are also unhealthy. Not sure if they are as terrible as smoking but I need a healthy alternative. 

(I will update every day here how it's going with me ).

Thank you for reading and any advice appreciated ?. 

[Michael569]

@Someone here perhaps a complete change of scenery? How much money do you have saved? Could you, for example, go travel for 6 months across south east asia?

Traveling can open your mind and help you get a different perspective on subjective issues.

Eradicating smoking in an environment that favours status quo and that does not like to rock the boat will be difficult

[Someone here]

1 hour ago, Michael569 said:

@Someone here perhaps a complete change of scenery? How much money do you have saved? Could you, for example, go travel for 6 months across south east asia?

Traveling can open your mind and help you get a different perspective on subjective issues.

Eradicating smoking in an environment that favours status quo and that does not like to rock the boat will be difficult

I actually went to Thailand few months back looking for hookers and prostitutes lol. Its a beautiful country .but I had to come back to India for college
I think it  depends on my  budget and my tastes. Thailand can be as cheap as chips if i go the budget route. I will find a hostel bed for as little as US$10 a night, and a four-star hotel room for $40–50. Even a five-star room can be had for as little as $100 , although you can pay way more at the very high end. 
And the nice thing about Thailand, it is suitable for all budgets. I Don't expect rooms for ten dollars a night . Ten dollars, big breakfast included, free parking. The lowest price in Thailand. Also I get the information from  Booking. Com.

Financially speaking, I want to use the  money that I usually used to buy smoke for other things, such as gym membership, books or other stuff that might help my personal development.

Environmentally speaking, I can mitigate, though insignificant. I think when i stop smoking, I  will also stop harming those around me who don’t smoke (passive smoker). It might have insignificant effect, but sometimes it might surprise you.

[Someone here]

@Michael569 btw ..any detoxing protocols to apply that can help clean my body and reverse the damage of smoking over five years? 

[Asayake]

Good luck! Coming from someone who has quit daily heavy weed use twice my best tips for you is to eat a lot of carbohydrate rich foods like fruits and rice/potatoes so you get blood sugar spikes that will help lower your cortisol levels, as well as help your body make more dopamine. And cutting down on fat radically/excluding oils as this will improve your body's ability to use sugar/carbs. Your body is going to go through a period of lower dopamine so you should distract yourself with other activities that give you that dopamine that are healthy.

Going on walks or light excercise like yoga or jogging will help you in multiple ways. It will give you a release of feel good chemicals that help compensate for the temporary dopamine deficiency. It will also help flush out your lymphatic system, getting rid of detox waste products.

Drinking sufficient water will help your kidneys run clean, aim for close to clear or clear pee every 2-3 hours. If you have a dry mouth, drink more water. You can experience dehydration symptoms especially in the beginning.

Expect withdrawal symptoms to get better progressively but they might last for a few weeks. It could take 3 months before you start to feel normal again if you have mental cravings starting out. But your symptoms will likely improve in big increments from the 4 week mark onwards.

[LastThursday]

Keep away from people who smoke! The only way I quit was when I changed jobs (and city) and nobody around me smoked. Keep away from activities where people might be smoking around you. Distracting yourself when you get cravings is critical, but after a few weeks it's a lot easier. Maybe chew gum instead. If you "accidentally" buy cigarettes, then throw them away at the first opportunity (a public bin is best). 

Personally I found chewing nicotine gum helped a great deal with cravings, and it was way less addictive. But obviously it's not cold turkey.

I've been smoke free for seven years. I spent the previous 28 years smoking on and off, the longest break being a year or so. It's hard.

[Nilsi]

13 hours ago, Someone here said:

6-i absolutely MUST find an alternative.  And here I need your help ,guys . What could be the alternative?  It can't be something unhealthy.  I thought of video games ,junk food ,porn, sugar (candy)etc..but in my view these are also unhealthy. Not sure if they are as terrible as smoking but I need a healthy alternative. 

Get serious about lifting weights; Learn how to fight; Start a YouTube/TikTok Channel; Get serious about your dating life

Pick whatever suits you and stick with it. Dont make this overly complicated. Your mind wants this to be complicated - that way its easier not to change. Dont allow this!

[Roy]

You've already done two weeks, that's quite impressive. Keep it going!

[Someone here]

18 hours ago, Asayake said:

Good luck! Coming from someone who has quit daily heavy weed use twice my best tips for you is to eat a lot of carbohydrate rich foods like fruits and rice/potatoes so you get blood sugar spikes that will help lower your cortisol levels, as well as help your body make more dopamine. And cutting down on fat radically/excluding oils as this will improve your body's ability to use sugar/carbs. Your body is going to go through a period of lower dopamine so you should distract yourself with other activities that give you that dopamine that are healthy.

Going on walks or light excercise like yoga or jogging will help you in multiple ways. It will give you a release of feel good chemicals that help compensate for the temporary dopamine deficiency. It will also help flush out your lymphatic system, getting rid of detox waste products.

Drinking sufficient water will help your kidneys run clean, aim for close to clear or clear pee every 2-3 hours. If you have a dry mouth, drink more water. You can experience dehydration symptoms especially in the beginning.

Expect withdrawal symptoms to get better progressively but they might last for a few weeks. It could take 3 months before you start to feel normal again if you have mental cravings starting out. But your symptoms will likely improve in big increments from the 4 week mark onwards.

Thanks man for the tips . Highly appreciate it. 

OK I got it, eat more carbohydrates, drink plenty of water ,and any form of physical activities. 

I understand the point about water.. I think it can help flush out toxins and chemicals from my body. It may take some time, however, depending on how long i have smoked. Which is 5 years .i will Try to drink 6-12 cups of water a day. This can also help boost my energy levels, which is important especially if that I relied on cigarettes to make myself alert.

Thanks again. ? 

[Someone here]

17 hours ago, LastThursday said:

Keep away from people who smoke! The only way I quit was when I changed jobs (and city) and nobody around me smoked. Keep away from activities where people might be smoking around you. Distracting yourself when you get cravings is critical, but after a few weeks it's a lot easier. Maybe chew gum instead. If you "accidentally" buy cigarettes, then throw them away at the first opportunity (a public bin is best). 

Personally I found chewing nicotine gum helped a great deal with cravings, and it was way less addictive. But obviously it's not cold turkey.

I've been smoke free for seven years. I spent the previous 28 years smoking on and off, the longest break being a year or so. It's hard.

Trust me when I say this. Nicotine gums contain nicotine. What’s bad about cigarettes is that they contain nicotine. So eating gums instead of cigarettes is no good. From one nicotine product I'm passing to another. Better is i try not to smoke at all. This will not happen in a day, but will take time. I must be patient. I thought about First trying to reduce the number of cigarettes. But it didn't work too well.i get back to smoking a pack in two nights or so . I think the only option is cold turkey. Enough beating around the Bush

Fortunately none of my family members or the people I hang out with I'm college smoke. So that’s gonna help me avoid passive smoking that might trigger an urge In me to smoke .

Thank you ? 

[Someone here]

10 hours ago, Nilsi said:

Get serious about lifting weights; Learn how to fight; Start a YouTube/TikTok Channel; Get serious about your dating life

Pick whatever suits you and stick with it. Dont make this overly complicated. Your mind wants this to be complicated - that way its easier not to change. Dont allow this!

I'm not making it complicated. It IS COMPLICATED.  Maybe you lack frame of reference to understand how addictive smoking is (I assume that you didn't smoke before ).

But yeah I will definitely try to build a healthy set of habits that motivates me to quit.  Especially sports .I can't be fit for sport with a lungs filled of nicotine shit .

I will Forget about cutting down, especially because i have low self control. All I'm doing is torturing yourself for no reason. Pure masochism.

The only way to quit is cold turkey.  I must Put my current pack of smokes (which i didn't get rid of it yet).under the kitchen faucet, get them nice and soaked, and then throw them in the garbage. I don't  have a stash hanging around fortunately. 

Thanks ? 

[Someone here]

7 hours ago, Roy said:

You've already done two weeks, that's quite impressive. Keep it going!

Yeah man . Thanks for the encouragement. 

However..I think two weeks are nothing compared to the long years I used to smoke in . I smoked all day everyday for about 5 years . My body must be terribly damaged . I visited a doctor to get a scan on my lungs to see if I'm on my way to having a heart attack and thank good my lungs are still healthy and functioning.  However the doctor kept scaring me of getting throat cancer if I continued to smoke .especially that I take all the smoke down my throat..I don't release. I just enhale (no exhale for the smoke ).

 I think Any self-respecting doctor will not judge me for smoking. It’s an addiction and they will understand that.
He most likely respect the fact I'm determined to quit. and he assured me that its not too late for me.  I made sure my respiratory system isn’t damaged beyond help.

Thanks ?. 

[Nilsi]

2 hours ago, Someone here said:

I'm not making it complicated. It IS COMPLICATED.  Maybe you lack frame of reference to understand how addictive smoking is (I assume that you didn't smoke before ).

But yeah I will definitely try to build a healthy set of habits that motivates me to quit.  Especially sports .I can't be fit for sport with a lungs filled of nicotine shit .

I will Forget about cutting down, especially because i have low self control. All I'm doing is torturing yourself for no reason. Pure masochism.

The only way to quit is cold turkey.  I must Put my current pack of smokes (which i didn't get rid of it yet).under the kitchen faucet, get them nice and soaked, and then throw them in the garbage. I don't  have a stash hanging around fortunately. 

Thanks ? 
 

I was addicted to smoking myself. I quit a few months ago. Make of that what you will.

I would quit for a few days and then get myself another pack: "I can just turn it down a notch;" "Smoking isnt that bad anyways," "I just LIKE smoking;"...

Your mind will come up with all sorts of nonsense.

I was constantly soaking packs in water, after having smoked just one cigarette. It was a costly ordeal. 

As long as you are fully commited to quitting, you will eventually get there. You just have to persist and not give in to the temptation.

Edited November 30, 2022 by Nilsi

[A_v_E]

 

[Average Investor]

When you stop smoking, you body is going to be in a big lack for dopamine. You will need something else to increase your dopamine until your body has a more recovered baseline. I used candy, when I was quitting vaping to help me. I was using lifesaver mints and probably playing a good amount of video games. It still sucked a bit, but this made it much easier for me to quit. I also ended up completely quitting added sugar after and have only consumed some by mistake a couple times over the past several years.  

[Roy]

10 hours ago, Someone here said:

However..I think two weeks are nothing compared to the long years I used to smoke in .

The issue with overcoming any habit is that humans are very forgetful, or rather our ego is and it will play games in order to hold onto the habit. What you need to do is create a reminder for yourself that serves as an inspiration and vision for your future.

Something physical would be great, like a poster/message on your bedroom door. Or the screensaver on your phone.

Let me know what you come up with 

[Brandon Nankivell]

Nice

[Javfly33]

On 29/11/2022 at 9:05 AM, Someone here said:

 I'm not joking. This shit is as addictive as hardcore drugs (although I never touched drugs like heroin, I smoked weed once and it just made me feel dizzy and almost drunk and brain fog ).

 

Yeap. Don´t understimate cigarettes. My father used to have a smoking heroin habit for +25 years on and off, he said the real poison was the cigarettes. He also told me that at one heroin detox house he was, he was having a panic attack not because wanting to go out to go score some heroin but to smoke a fucking cigarette! So know you are dealing with a tough fucker...not to scare just to let you know the fight will be sneaky.

I myself quit cigarettes some years ago and I remember the cravings and seduction of going back would go in flashes. I would have 1 week super good without not even remembering it and then I would crave it. It went like this for some time. I would say (in my experience) at the 2 Month the cravings completely went away and I didn't wanted to smoke ever again... 

I did smoke from time to time afterwards at parties, and very special occasions though, I must be a weird case...eventually it would give such crazy anxiety and bad move even smoking 1 cig that I just completely got disgusted by it and don't see the point at all in taking something that makes me anxious and tastes bad.... Bad yeah it's nice you don't want to smoke ever again...just remember quitting is sometimes not linear. 

Also don't be scared to be close to smokers, you will eventually have to resist that craving sooner or later (you being near a smoker a wanting a cig too) so becoming comfortable with it until you don't want it.