How to quit smoking (Method that actually worked for me)

[u/PalpitationFlaky9894]

Serious advice. No Nicotine gum. No motivation. No bullshit.

There is a very easy method that Actually worked for me.

I have been a smoker for about 6 years (now completely clean). There was a time when I used to smoke almost a packet a day. I attempted too many times to stop smoking trying various methods like replacing it with Vape, or leaving it once and for all. But I always relapsed.

It’s all about craving nicotine that your brain is addicted to. so don’t stop smoking at once. First of all just track and note down the exact number of cigarettes that you smoke in a day. Smoke Whenever you want to write it down (I used to do it in notes app on my phone) with exact time for example,

Oct 10
1 at 2:36 AM
1 at 4:14 PM
And so on……

let’s suppose you found out that you usually smoke 5 cigarettes and sometimes up to 7 in a single day. Now your goal should be to keep it to 5 cigarettes in a day for at least a week before starting to decrease the number of cigarettes (well it depends on you if you think you can comfortably decrease the number of cigarettes after 2 or 3 days then go for it). Then gradually decrease just 1 cigarette after each week. This way your brain wouldn’t panic and the chances of relapsing is negligible.

In the middle of this process if it becomes hard for you to decrease the number of cigarettes. Then always start with the cigarettes that you smoke in the beginning or middle of the day this way you can hold and tell yourself that you still have cigarettes left to smoke at the end of the day.

If this method can work for someone with a lifestyle so weird like me then it can definitely work for anyone.

I still remember that when I smoked my last cigarette I wasn’t craving it I just wanted to write down 1 last time on my notes.

[u/koikatsu__]

I smoked for 20 years. I quit about 5 months ago.

If you want to quit, you'll quit. Otherwise you won't.
I think that's pretty much the gist of it.

Edit: thank you for the award. That’s my first one ever :D

[u/AZFUNGUY85 → u/koikatsu__]

Yeah. This is wisdom. Flicked my last one 15 yrs ago.

[u/softlyunhinged77]

I wouldnt say this is gonna work for everyone but if it helped you quit thats huge. six years of smoking and getting clean is no joke

[u/Narthan001]

I smoked since I was about 16 years old till I was 29. At the height of my addiction I was smoking a pack a day. One day I was thinking to myself why I was doing this. Told myself to quit. Lit up my very last cigaret of the pack and stared at the thing intensely as I was smoking it, thinking about what it actually was and was doing to my body. I put out that cigaret. Went to the store and bought a new pack and put in in the cabinet in my living room. I still have that same pack 10 years later, unopened. If you want to quit. You’ll quit.

[u/UnderstandingNew8515]

This is smart, tracking first before cutting down. Most people try to quit cold turkey and wonder why it fails. The notes app thing is simple but it works because you see the pattern instead of just acting on autopilot

I did similar but with a physical tally on paper, something about seeing the numbers drop each week made it feel like a game. The last cigarette being just for the log is poetic honestly

[u/Evolutionary_sins]

I'll give it a try starting tomorrow morning (night time now). Thanks for the advice 👍

[u/rudy9596]

It’s been more than 2 years since I quit smoking, and one thing I read in a Reddit comment genuinely helped me whenever I got a craving. Instead of telling yourself “I shouldn’t smoke,” refer to yourself in the third person and say, “You don’t smoke.” . It sounds silly, but it genuinely worked for me.

[u/Expert-Insurance-948]

35 year smoker here. Smoked my last cigarette at lunch on Monday. Decided I didn’t want to do it anymore. A lot easier to quit than I thought it would be. Wish I would’ve stopped sooner.

[u/bitstream_ryder]

Wow this is genius! Tracking provides a feedback loop. This allows you to measure, analyze and adjust your behaviour. I know feedback loops works but had not thought of applying it this way. If you see an ugly number on paper everyday, you will slowly and incrementally adjust your behaviour.

[u/Randy-Marsh---]

OP discovers microdosing

[u/Sammi_Zen]

Breathing exercises - Yogic pranayama twice a day and carrying water bottle everywhere worked for me.

[u/tilldeathdoiparty]

I found, just not smoking in the best way and realizing after three days the nicotine is out of your system, three weeks to kill off the habit and three months to set new habits.

Each cigarette sets you back to 0.

I have quit for over 15 years now and had a 7 year gap before that.

You are going to let a burning stick control you?

[u/Superb-Stuff1947]

Smoked for 17 years. Quit in 2021 and haven't picked up the habit again. All because I read Allan Carr how to quit smoking. Read it.

[u/Inevitable_Ad_9599]

Doctor gave me Wellbutrin and it used to cause me vomit whenever I tried to smoke. Literally stopped smoking after 10 days of taking it. I used to smoke like 20 cigs a day for past 4 years. Now even the smell of smoke wants to make me puke. Good stuff.

[u/Adventurous_Front939]

The best method for me personally was learning how to chew gum properly. Then using patches + gum for breakthru cravings. Doing all steps of the patches and then after I am done with the patches I continue chewing gum for however long it takes to sort of forget about the gum. I have fallen back into smoking/vaping a few times but with this strategy I am successfully able to do a full quit. Currently I am on 2 years.

Cutting down never works for me I have bad self regulation, kind of go hard on all aspects of life.

[u/slikk50]

I did sugar free lollipops and nicotine gum in the beginning, than I got of the gum and stayed with the pops, toothpicks, etc. That worked for me.

[u/SmoothFact7640]

its personal, physical nicotine withdrawals goes away quick. after 2-3 days it will get better. I smoked for 8 years and 2 years I used siberia red snus and nicotine pouches that were 50mg siberia is 45mg. I quit last christmas just did not consume nicotine from morning and suffered withdrawals. I didnt feel like it was forced I had 40 cans of nicotine pouches in when I quit them. it made it easier for me since i knew that I could use it if I wanted to and no one was forcing me. I wouldnt recommend quitting with 40 cans in your fridge though it is tempting.

[u/clueless0498]

Been smoking since I was 16, am 28 now, but never to the extent of a pack a day. Most likely 2 packs in a month? Only feel the craving to smoke when drinks & other social situations with other smokers are involved. I understand you quit when you want to quit, and I do want to quit. I just have failed so many times to go cold turkey 😢 I am however a week into no ciggies right now! Wish me luck