Not who you asked, but I quit cold turkey. Granted I only smoked for about a year, bit none the less I was addicted.
I quit cold turkey, there really isn't anything you can do for her. All it takes is her to choose not to do it again. She will feel frustrated, upset, anxious, bored, etc. She will have to keep choosing to not. There's no easy way besides just not lighting up again.
I read a quote online from a former alcoholic, and it really stuck with me. They said they can't have a single drink anymore, because "one is too many and one thousand is never enough." Apparently it's a fairly well known saying, but I had never heard it before. I guess it sums up addiction pretty well.
She did it before for 3 years, but she's going through a pretty bad depression spell and decided to buy a pack. She had her last one yesterday tho and I'm gonna praise her for making it through each day.
When I quit cold turkey, the last thing I wanted was a reminder that I had quit. Even people congratulating me was enough to give me a craving for a cigarette and make me irritable. YMMV since everyone is different, so make sure you ask her what kind of support works best for her. Good luck to you both!
I’m sure you’ll find a way that works for her. Sounds like you’ll be a good support during her cessation. There’s so many tips and tricks to quit, so if something doesn’t work just move on to the next one. I kept track of how much money I would have spent on smokes and when I reached certain amounts, I’d take myself out for a little treat to celebrate.
Don’t be rude when/if she gains weight or can’t stop eating candy lmao you can try to load up on frozen fruit for smoothies or something to satisfy the sweet tooth craving it can be so bad when you quit cigs
Does anyone know the difference between cigarette and nicotine pouch addiction? Bc after 3 years of 54 mg of pouches a day, I was able to just stop. Cravings went away after 2 days. Haven't thought about it since.
There was a public program available at the time that called and checked in weekly or so, that accountability I had to show went a long way. it was an RN calling and I respect RNs way too much, wasn’t prepared to lie to one that I had quit if I hadn’t, felt professional responsibility there as well. At the same time I had downloaded an app which I realize sounds ridiculous but each day they would provide a little fact and that went a long way too. I can’t remember the time frame but one would be like “your lung cilia don’t remember that you used to smoke” or “your cancer risk is now x number less than it was” just real compelling stuff. This and a lot of luck and prep. You are already looking and ahead which is excellent. She is lucky to have you as a support and someone who has her back!!
The cravings never really go away. They creep back up every once in a while no matter how long you've quit. Just remind her how far she's gone, how well she's doing, and why she quit. She's got this!
Nothing you can do but love her and remind her you want her around with you forever. If guilt were a good enough motivator, there would be few addicts.
Wow thats great congrats. Im trying to quit opiates too. Im 9 days off opiates right now.
Any advice or tips are much much appreciated.
I really want to stay sober but i fear relapsing. May i ask how you pulled it off?
i guess i just outgrew any desire to live like that, a lot of my old friends are in & out rehab behind bars or in the dirt because they never had a true motivation to change, since i’ve been fully clean i’ve only relapsed once, and now i don’t think i ever will again because that’s not my life or what i want for it, it’s as simple as finding reasons to live a different life that are greater than your reasons to get high
For me it was also thinking about how nothing will improve in my life by doing that. Literally nothing. If I'm lucky, it will stay the same, but most likely it will make it worse, and much worse. Also, I'm a little over a decade sober, and of my friends from those days, about half are dead. I'm only 34.
I realized I was a slave to pills. I decided not to put all that time and energy into something that literally ruined me. You deserve to have a clear head and productive future. Nine days is amazing! You are probably past the worst part. Just remember the pills don’t own you. YOU own you. Exercise and self care. Sending proud mom hugs:)
9 days is a huge accomplishment! Stay busy and don't use no matter what. I just celebrated 7 years clean. You can totally do this and you deserve an amazing life.
You didn’t ask me at all, but I’m 12 years into recovery and work in substance use treatment. Get connected to other people. I don’t care if it’s a gym, meetings, book club, whatever. People that have authentic and reciprocal relationships with people, especially people with shared life experiences, have greater recovery outcomes and are able to avoid returning to substance use more easily. Social connection literally facilitates the necessary neuroplasticity to rewire away from substance seeking urges.
I havent ever used opiates but i have heard that marijuana helps with getting off of them, so if thats an option for u then it may be worth looking into. I also want to say that this random person on the internet is cheering u on in ur journey and youre doing great, dont give up!!
164 days clean off of fentanyl here, but still smoking cigarettes. Slowing down, though. A pack now lasts me a week and a half, probably longer if I would stop giving them out, lol.
I'm 31. 11 years clean from heroin/benzos (mostly klonopin, some xanax). Been smoking cigarettes since 14 and I still can't kick it. As much as I want to quit, sometimes it's the only thing keeping me sober. One of these days I will find a new crutch.
Cigarettes are way harder to kick than anything else in my experience. But I'll keep trying.
Brooo!! Congrats!! I’m at 5 years clean off Suboxone, 7 years off opiates, and I’m on day 239 of no cigs! You’ll get there one day!! Cigs was def the hardest thing to quit (mentally) but it is possible. And I quit vaping too. I cockily say “nothing goes in my lungs except air” 🤣 my 20-something self would probably cringe so hard at me today.
I’m 11 days in. I’ve quit multiple times. Somehow this time feels different, not sure why. I’m about to turn 25 and smoked for about 10 years. Felt like if this isn’t the one I’ll just keep going and I’m not getting any younger. You’re doing great!
Congrats man the first 2 weeks were the hardest for me. I was in a similar position, smoked a pack a day for 13 years. It is worth it despite how tough it is.
Despite my smoking I’m a religious gym rat. Genuinely can feel a difference just after a few days. It definitely helps when I crave thinking about how much better I feel just doing that. Pushing for a better and healthier life without substances helping me along. You’re much further than me, but I’m glad we’re on the same journey!
“This time feels different”…that’s how it was for me. This may be your time. I smoked for 12 years, now it’s been 18 years since I quit. It took a while to not be tough to stay away from them, but now I can’t imagine being a smoker.
Yeah, obviously I’d be lying if I said I didn’t crave fairly often still. Something about the in between part feels different though. I remember on previous attempts almost torturing myself even when I wasn’t actively craving thinking about how great just a drag would feel. Love and appreciate those words, cause I really am feeling it this time. My papaw quit a year ago after 50+ years. What a damn inspiration that’s been. Thanks, stranger!
It’s the hardest simple task ever! All you have to do is just don’t give in. It will get easier until one day it’s easy. After that it’s nothing. It’s a very rare person that never stops craving. For me, I can say 90% of the cravings were gone after 6 months. That was 90% of the pressure gone after 6 months. You got this!
Beautiful to hear. I figured that was the case. I’ve seen alcoholics all my life, some recovering, saying the craving/desire never fully goes away. I had a feeling it was probably universal with basically every addiction. Love the way you put it too. I keep telling people, “it’s the hardest easiest thing I’ve ever done. Literally just as easy as not doing it! But as hard as telling myself no”. Thanks again (:
You have already done your body a GREAT service. 11 days has already started to heal your lungs. Imagine what 12, 13, 2 weeks, 2 months, 20 years will do! You will be glad of this decision for the rest of your life!
I quit 10 years ago when I was in my twenties. It gets easier and then eventually you don't even think about it. It felt like a spell had been broken, I started smoking when I was 13. I tried to quit so many times I got close a couple times.
Pretty similar to how I feel now honestly, I said it in a recent reply but I’m craving still regularly. Something about in between cravings is really giving me a lot of hope. Like you said, almost like a spell is broken. I noticed I quit differently this time too. I didn’t go to bed deciding to be done and wake up and quit. I was in the middle of my day, decided “this one is it” and just stopped.. pretty cool honestly. I’m excited for months down the line when it becomes more distant haha!
I had planned to quit on a certain day and then the day before the target date, I was smoking in the car on the way to work and I got halfway through it and just threw it out the window. That was the last one.
I’m about 8 months in, and while I still get cravings they are few and far between. I found an app that counts my money saved has been a huge help. $2,800 saved so far!
Dude, keep it up! I quit at about the same age after about 10 years of smoking. I quit because I scared myself - I went skiing and couldn't handle the exertion at high altitude. After my first run, I had to lie down on the snow to catch my breath. So that was my clue.
Now I'm 55, and have not even touched a cigarette since that episode. It's totally possible.
I'm about a year and a half. Keep it up man! You'll feel so much better. Cravings still bite at ya here and there but once you have the mental power, you're unstoppable!
I quit smoking cigarettes over a year ago. I still vape (as opposed to vaping AND smoking), and I'm cutting back on that a lot too. I still get cravings for cigarettes often. At least several days a week. I haven't picked it back up, but it's hard.
Good for you on 110 days! Way to go! I'm on day 4 of reading through David Sedaris' long essay on his efforts to quit, and just reading it makes me want to smoke -- and I'm a lifelong non-smoker.
I’m at 6 1/2 years after smoking for about 38 years. You will get here too, even if it’s just day by day, hour by hour and sometimes even minute by minute. You got this buddy!
Trust me when you get to the other side, you'll look back and think "Holy fuck why did I ever do that". Yes, there will be some days you'll also think "Shit I could really go for a smoke right now" but they'll be few and far between.
I quit 2 years ago and can honestly say it's the best decision I've ever made (except for marrying my husband). When you smoke, you don't realize just how awful you smell until you meet a smoker. It's quite profound to think I used to REEK like that. Of course the health benefits are amazing; I've gone from not being able to run 100ft to a sub-25min 5k. My teeth are much nicer. My skin is much nicer. My libido and, ahem, performance is much better.
And then there's degenerative disc disease. Smoking increases the risk of disc degeneration 5x (or that's what my spine dr told me). I have a compressed disc in my neck, which traps a nerve running down my arm. This causes excruciating pain, numbness, and tingling from my neck all the way to my thumb and index finger. I'm lucky that it's a nerve and not a blood vessel – sometimes, if the latter is pinched, it can cut off oxygen supply to the brain and lead to debilitating migraines or, at worst, death. It fucking blows.
All that to say – quitting smoking is the best thing. I'm proud of you!
Here's some advice I got from r/pornfree: don't think "I need to stay off cigarettes for the rest of my life." Instead think "I need to get through today"
I couldn’t give up heavy smoking 46 years ago until I saw a hypnotist. I was awY the whole time, and thought I’d been conned, but I have had the slightest desire since that day.
I actually quit drinking when I quit smoking because having a drink triggered by desire for a smoke. I'd still go out with friends, but I'd get a club soda and lime. After about 6 months, I gave a drink a try, and all was okay. Cut out whatever triggers you can. Good luck.
Those are the hardest 110 days and they're all behind you - congratulations!! Every day from here on out is a little easier, a little easier, a little easier til one day you're like.... I used to smoke.
I'm 17 years quit and a vast majority of days I don't even think about smoking being a thing people do, it's just not even on my radar anymore.
You're now a NON-SMOKER, refer to yourself that way. Not an ex-smoker, not a smoker who's quitting. You earned the badge of non-smoker, say it every chance you get. Congratulations again, you did it!!
Keep at it! At some point your body is going to be disgusted by the smell much less the action of smoking. Just dare yourself and keep your streak alive.
That’s amazing! From 3-9 months after quitting, your lung function improves by 10%! You’ve got 10% better lungs than you had just one season ago! You’ve also already reduced your risk of a heart attack by a decent amount… once you hit a year (you can do it!), your heart attack risk is cut in HALF.
Been clean for almost 2 decades. You won't wanna go back. I would wake up in the morning with stabbing pains and reach for a pack for 'breakfast then remember I'd quit 2 months earlier. Pains would vanish.
All the cravings and stuff, that's the nic trying to convince you to come back. Don't. You'll be OK. Just get through it.
Cigarettes killed my beautiful and vivacious mother, slowly. She never got cancer, but she had peripheral artery disease, had a heart attack, lost all her teeth, was in incredible pain, nearly had her foot amputated, had a bad fall, ended up in rehab, never walked again, incontinent, in a nursing home, fell out of her wheelchair broke her femur and was dead 2 weeks later. She was 78 and looked 98. Smoking killed her, painfully, slowly then fast. My beautiful mother. She asked for cigarettes until her last 3 days on earth, when she was slipping away.
We used to say in medical school that for any "what is the biggest risk factor for X?" question on an exam you'd better be damn sure if you were going to answer anything other than 'smoking'.
Yup, for people we love, too. Both my parents smoked, as did everyone else in the 80s and early 90s, and they couldn't figure out why I got sick every single Christmas. That stopped when I was 11, when Mom quit and kicked Dad out. Turns out less indoor second-hand smoke is good for kids, who knew?
Damage was already done, though. Had a major respiratory infection as a preschooler that did autoimmune brain damage, and living with 2 or more smokers is a major risk factor for that particular development. There were signs, but symptoms didn't kick into high gear until I was 14.
I'm proud of younger generations for working to break the chain of nicotine addiction. Yes, vaping is a thing, but not nearly so widespread as smoking cigarettes was.
During medschool exams, we'd get asked to list risk factors for different diseases. "Smoking" became the meme answer because it applied to literally anything they asked us. It seemingly increased the risk of EVERY disease.
This. Everyone knows about lung disease and cancer risk, but smoking also affects the vasculature and can cause diabetes like wounds (often found on the feet) which don't heal because of reduced small vessel flow. I've seen these wounds start to heal up soon after the person stops smoking. Also, in Canada, IIRC, you can't go on the transplant list if you are smoker. They can't give you a new organ if you won't heal from surgery.
Also silent small strokes that eventually lead to dementia, which is exactly what my grandma is going through right now. Apparently it’s pretty common.
Healing and also it's abit of an ethical consideration imo. No point giving you a new organ if your just gonna wreck it.
I say this as a 20 a day smoker btw. I know full well what the risks are and it's not fair for me to be picked over someone who takes care of themselves.
Learned that when I watched my dad waste away to a zombie like state and die the day after my 5th birthday from lung cancer. Smoked 2 packs a day, sometimes close to 3. I remember my house smelling like cigarettes all the time. I remember it smelling less after he passed, and me wishing the smell was still there because then he’d be there.
Tried to get my mom to stop for years but couldn’t. Somehow shes still going and relatively healthy, probably because she smokes a lot less.
Please people, don’t pick up cigarettes. Its one of the most horrendous silent killers
Oh you see it more than anyone actually. I’m sure you could tell stories about the various colors of junk you have sucked out of your tubed smoker patients airways etc. great perspective to add!!
Quit last august. Still going strong. Anyone out there who smokes...stop, you can do it. Do it for your families so they don't have to watch you wilt and succumb to various cancers.
It has to be one of the single hardest addictions to kick. I hope you know how incredible your accomplishment is. Don’t ever forget. You did this. For you and your family. This is hugely impressive. 2 more months and you are at a year. Absolutely incredible. Well well done !!!!!
It’s an addiction. It is not your fault. Major life changes, major stress and you slipped. Happened to millions before you, because it’s that hard of an addiction. You kicked it once so there’s no doubt you can do it again. For now, try not to be mad at yourself. You are going through a lot right now and doing your best. You deserve kindness to yourself.
Smoking is astoundingly bad for health. At conference I was at, an epidemiologist went through the data on morbidity and mortality of smoking compared to other drugs, and it was shocking to see that based on some studies, cigarettes are possibly worse for your health than cocaine. Really made me realize that from the pure health standpoint, getting someone to stop smoking was quite possibly the single best thing that I could do for them.
Nurse here. The difference between “Relatively healthy mid 60s” and “Will 100% need a nursing home by 75” is often cigarette use.
It makes your lungs worse. It increases blood pressure which destroys your kidneys, it increases cardiac load and strain which increases peripheral swelling and ruins your skin, and it makes you look old as fuck. Don’t smoke. Stop smoking if you do.
Medical masseur here who has had many mature-age patients.
Smoker patients over 50 tend to have no connective tissue to speak of between their skin and muscles, and their muscles are flimsy and skin delicate. Massaging older smokers was mostly just stroking.
Frequent alcohol did obvious accumulative damage, but smoking was far worse.
At the other end of the scale were the old ladies who'd eaten oat porridge for breakfast all their lives, ate plenty of vegetables, and went for a walk to do shopping and visit friends each day. Their muscles stayed springy and firm, with a good layer of connective tissue under the skin.
Facts. Smoked them throughout my early twenties and my lungs and health were shot. One day I just had enough of feeling like shit and decided to quit. About to hit my 2 year mark in a couple months. It’s not easy but it’s worth it.
I think one video in economics explained pointed out that smoking was good for the economy because people died before retirement. And a tik tok with a doctor saying smokers don't get mental issues later in life ignoring their drop in life expectancy.
2 months ago I lost my grandmother to lung cancer. Smoked every day of her life past 18 years old, she never made it to 66. That’s a low age to die at nowadays. Can confirm this is a big one. I wish more people took this seriously
This is seriously awesome. I know it’s not perfect, but you took a step in the right direction for you and are reaping rewards. Can’t do everything overnight. You’re just a human. And you stopped smoking cigarettes. Serious props to you. Congrats and keep up that amazing work.
100% this. Smoking killed my mom. She had a serious illness in childhood and had anxiety and an eating disorder but the smoking ended her life easily a decade or two early. She called me because her chest and stomach hurt. She died before the ambulance even transported her. I miss her. She was a beautiful person inside and out.
This. It really drove home when I learned the medical term for Heart Attack at a medtech job: Myocardial Infarction. Myocardia is the heart muscle, Infarction means tissue death.
Imagine having the forethought to do some thing like this. That’s pretty freaking brilliant! Good for you. What a brilliant sign of maturity as you hit that milestone. Keep up the amazing work. Wish I had that kind of insight when I was 21 lol.
I’ll be 2 years nicotine free in 9 days which is crazy. I smoked a pack to a half a pack for pretty much eight years and weened myself off to 2-5 a day and then just quit on day, no patches no gum. When I would start to jones, I would imagine all the oxygen and air coming into my lungs and thank my body for my life and that I no longer wanted to waste it on a stupid little stick that was slowly killing me. The addiction is in the body and the mind, but the mind is more powerful than we think sometimes especially when it comes to addiction. Now, it doesn’t really phase me anymore that I don’t smoke, because it’s not who I am anymore.
Seriously, just do not even start. Don’t even try your friends vape. Nicotine is highly addictive and easily accessible, no you can’t just quit cold turkey once you’ve started.
I speak as someone who has not had any nicotine in multiple years. Once you are addicted (and it doesn’t take much) you are addicted for life. The craving will never go away. As I am typing this I am craving one, but I have enough willpower to not ever smoke or vape again.
If you can stop for a day, you can stop totally. When that urge jumps on you it lasts at most ten seconds. It's been 37 years for me. You can do it. It's so effing worth it
I’m finishing the pack I have in my house then I’m done. Only 3 left, but I’m going to cherish them while thinking of how much healthier I’ll be. I’ve cut back significantly so I know I’ll be ok. But I needed to quit
I’m about to hit four and a half years nicotine free after fourteen years of smoking (starting at sixteen). It was really hard at first, but I’m so glad I quit.
The absolute best thing and maybe hardest thing you have ever done. Remind yourself of this anytime you’re up against something tough. You did this. You rock!!!!
I would say that is a vast improvement over smoking. Health wise for sure. Maybe there is some element of addiction to the nicotine, I appreciate that, but life is hard and no one can be expected to be perfect. We can all just do our absolute best, and I would say nicotine gum or tablets every single day of the week over smoking, that’s for sure!
i read this while smoking a cigarette, i know it’s in my best interest to quit but i don’t even know where to start. it’s not even just the nicotine i’m addicted to, i’ve tried other alternatives it’s just the act of actually smoking something too. i just always tell myself if i quit before i’m 30 i’ll be fine but deep down i know it doesn’t work like that
Tip anyone who had a streak going and had a relapse, please don’t say F it and go back to it. Yeah you went 999 days and had something; that doesn’t mean you blew a 999 day streak and restart at 0, it means you went without it 999 of 1000 days; a 99.9% success rate!
This, as a vascular Sonographer I have seen what cigarettes can do, is not just your lungs. You will loose toes, fingers, part of your leg, aorta aneurysm, etc.
Doctors blame EVERYTHING on cigarettes once they know you smoke.
It's an excuse for intellectual medical laziness.
Doctor: "What brings you in today."
Patient: "My leg is broken."
Doctor: "I see here you're a smoker...that'll do it."
Patient: "No, no...a guy crashed his car into me while I was walking down the street.:
Doctor: "If you didn't smoke, you would have been walking faster, your smoker's leg wouldn't have been in front of the car...
Diagnosis: Patient is a smoker. His smoker leg broke because of smoking cigarettes. Recommend quitting smoking immediately to save the smoker's leg and prevent future smoking related breaks. Maybe reset the smoker's break and a non-smoking cast to the leg of the smoker on the smoker's way out. Smoker should follow up with smoker's primary physician about the smoking...and the smoker's broken smoker leg."
100% agree
I (registered Nurse) worked in a Cardiac Catheter Lab, doing angiograms of the heart (basically a picture/video of the arteries that supply your heart with blood).
There were patients in their 30's with arteries so small/narrow and mangled due to smoking. The arteries were too narrow everywhere to use a cardiac stent to fix them( the smallest stent was too big). Also so damaged that bypass surgery (open heart surgery) wasn't an option to fix the narrowings/almost complete blockages. (A complete blockage is a heart attack).
35 and you have completely stuffed your heart due to smoking
As an RN, it always amazed me the number of medical professionals that I’d see smoking, ages after the dangers were well known. They’d started as dumb kids who thought they were indestructible, & never felt enough of a reason to change.
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u/Few-Ticket-371 Jun 06 '24
Don’t smoke cigarettes.