What Method Of Quitting Smoking Was Most Successful For You?

[Chicog]

Those nicotine patches are awesome. Put them over your eyes, and you can't find your cigs.

Actually, just reading this thread has reminded me it's time for a cigarette break.

[briandanes]

well i know about 6 people who stoped smoking after reading "Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking" book.

[pluto_manibo]

Cold Turkey. 23 yrs smoking and smoke free since January 2011. I can't stand the smell of smoke now!

[telldem]

Everybody always begged cigarettes from me at work. So one day, I said I'll show them... And I quit Smoking.

That was 25 years ago.

[feest monty]

i found the most successful method was not to put them in my mouth.

[JoeThePoster]

For me it was trying to light up underwater.

[h90]

just stopped with will power. Always keep in mind, the worst is the first week, than it will be easier, remarkable easier after 10 days and almost done in 14 days.

One hard week is in my opinion easier than a week long lighter fight with it.

But what is for me good might be hard for someone other, everyone is different.

[OldChinaHam]

I fell in a hole, and I have not had a cig since.

This method is too extreme for some, but it is better to fall in a hole once than die of emphysema.

So far, smoke free for 8 months.

Sometimes I get the urge, but not too often.

The great thing about quitting in CM is that so many here are anti smoking, and few smoke, the outcasts.

I think this time I have finally kicked the smoke habit.

[globin]

Why stop using nicotine?, just switch to Swedish snus or snuff or chewing tobacco, snus is made and sold locally in Thailand. A simple search will find it for you, it is reasonable priced, delicious and doesn't affect your lungs. You may have digestion issues, gum issues or bowel issues but these will pale in comparison to lung issues. I have none of these problems after 40 years but some do. Lungs are for breathing your digestive tract is for taking in nutrients and performance enhancing additives. Experiment! not all oral tobacco products are the same, find one that suits you and your life style....you can jog, bicycle or workout with snus, try that with a cigarette in your gob... if you need to use your fingers to feed the butt into your mouth, find a tit to suck.

cheers

Happy Breathing

[rexall]

Sat 8 Feb 2014, 10:40 pm

It took me five years of stopping and staring to finally quite for good. That was 30 years ago. I tried many of the strategies and aids including hypnosis, and aversion therapy, although in those days they didn't have gum or patches or so called electronic cigarettes. I have to say that all of the stuff that I tried was effective . . . and none of it was effective! I was always stopping and starting; two days, two weeks, two or three months a few times. Once I stopped for an entire year, and then relapsed.

I have to say that of all the things I tried, aversion therapy was decidedly the most effective. To this day, I have never, ever again smoked five cigarettes at time in an enclosed space, drooling and crying into a big ash try full of butts while receiving mild electric shocks to my arm! Hallelujah! Actually, I did stop smoking for six weeks after that, so it actually would count as one of my more successful attempts. At the time, if I had known what I write about below, I probably would have quit for good.

Ultimately, I think, you have to be "ready" (whatever that means), and if you are, then all of the aids and strategies and methods can be helpful. Still, there is ultimately that "moment of truth" (or moments of truth) where you are tempted to light up, but choose not to. In that sense, it is all "cold turkey" no matter how you edge up to it. Sooner or later, by whatever mean, by hook or by crook, you just just have to stop and stay stopped! For me, tapering was always a failure and waste of time. Stopping smoking was for me more difficult than stopping drinking and other drugs.

If I knew then what I know now, some things which might have helped me be more successful sooner:

1. Learning something about addictions, and realizing that nicotine is profoundly addicting, on the same level as heroin or cocaine.

2. That as an addiction, there can be no "moderation." Total and complete, life-long abstinence is the only path to recovery, which means that even after weeks or months or years or decades of being smoke-free, you cannot have even one little puff "just to see what it would taste like after all this time." I relapsed after a year of being smoke-free, and it was "curiosity" and a weak moment of temptation that did me in. One puff lead to reactivating a two-pack per day addiction within a couple of weeks. The most insidious thing was the "honeymoon" phase for a few days during which I imagined that I had magically overcome my addiction, did not feel compulsive, and thought that I had arrived at a place where I could "take 'em or leave 'em!" Ha! As that brilliant, 20th Century philosopher Bugs Bunny often said, "What a maroon!"

3. For me, the acute withdrawal phase (anxiety, irritability, insomnia, feeling spacey and vulnerable, lack of concentration) reached it's peak after two hours without a cigarette, and just stayed that way for about two weeks. It was predictable. I learned that if I could just tough it out those two weeks, the worst of the symptoms dropped off fairly quickly. Then, staying smoke-free, was just a matter of being vigilant, careful, and remembering my commitment. The trick is not taking that first puff after you have been smoke-free for awhile. It's the first puff that does it.

4. There is nothing "un-natural" about being smoke-free. Many people start at such a young age and smoke for so many years, that smoking seems like the "natural" thing to do. However, that is a distorted thought. The fact is that for 14 years before I started smoking, I was felt perfectly comfortable and natural as a non-smoker. It was a non-issue, obviously. As my smoke-free time passed, I began to regain the sense that being a non-smoker was perfectly natural and normal, and that my 20 year detour into compulsive, self-destructive behavior was the strange and un-natural thing.

5. I think little is gained by scaring oneself over cancer and heart disease, debilitating illness and premature death, although certainly those things are more than a little important. However, everyone is aware of those issues, and if they were effective as deterrents, no one would smoke! One thing, however, that was very helpful to me was reminding myself that lungs are not hollow balloons or bellows. In fact, they are not hollow at all. They are in fact solid, like a sponge, honeycombed with networks of air sacks and blood vessels, ranging from large to microscopic, passing through the most delicate,moist, vulnerable tissue in the body. And where the air sacks meet the capillaries the "Miracle of Life" occurs as oxygen passes across a delicate, gossamer membrane into the blood stream. Medically speaking, this process is almost magical. All the crap in cigarette smoke (as well as other sources of pollution) mess with this miraculous process BIG time, and toxins get stuck in these spongy, delicate tissues and are slowly transported by the blood stream to every cell in the body. Think about that every day for awhile, and just before you light up!

6. Cravings are not Hitler! Cravings uncomfortable. Sometimes, very uncomfortable . . . but they are not all-powerful, and they are temporary. Just because we have a craving, does not mean we have to act on it. Cravings are not dangerous or damaging unless you act on them. They make you feel uncomfortable, but don't kill you, and don't force you to do anything. You can say "No!"

7. Of course, all the obvious, common sense advice is very important as well. Stay hydrated, get lots of exercise. Massage and steam are affordable luxuries in Thailand; take advantage of them! They help.

8. Although it may sound like torture, try to avoid sugar, salt, caffeine and booze during the acute withdrawal. Textured veggie protein is helpful and contains no sugar, salt and minuscule fat. You can eat as much as you want. I found using cinnamon sticks as a "dummy" cigarette to be very soothing and helpful. Enormously helpful. You can puff on them as if they were a cigarette, suck on them and get a little, spicy taste all day long, with no sugar or salt.

9. Finally, stop fiddle-fuc_king around and just do it!

Good luck! This will be one of the best decisions you have ever made in your life!

Edited February 8, 2014 by rexall

[rexall]

Sun 9 Feb 2014, 7:39 pm

This choice "Will power/Cold Turkey" is badly constructed. Will power is necessary regardless of the methods and strategies you employ; whether it is various kinds of tapering-off schemes, hypnosis, aversion therapy, or nicotine substitutes. "Will power" is given a bad rap in popular psychology these days. But that is erroneous. Will power or self-discipline or whatever you want to call is is absolutely necessary in effecting behavioral change. The idea "Will power doesn't work!" needs to be re-phrased and clarified as "Will power ALONE doesn't work." meaning that the most effective way to accomplish behavioral change is via a COMPREHENSIVE program that involves cognitive, emotive and behavioral, lifestyle, and environmental strategies. Just as a small example, even if you have very strong "will power," that might not protect you from relapse during the acute withdrawal phase if you continue to hang out drinking at bars where everyone is smoking, or if you leave ash trays and tobacco products and paraphernalia laying around the house. In the beginning, at least, for some people, it may be necessary to make very radical environmental and lifestyle changes to gain and maintain abstinence. Nearly every smoker can and probably has stopped for periods of time. And that's good! However, it is the maintaining abstinence and protecting oneself from relapse that counts in the long run. You know the cliche, "Stopping smoking is easy! I've done it dozens of times!" That was certainly true for me!

After 24 hours of this thread, by far the leader is: Will power/Cold Turkey @ a whopping 61.29 %

Second is a rather puzzling.................................. Other:.............................. @......................22.58%

Third..................................................................... Electronic [email protected]%

Two of the rest managed............................................................................................................3.23% x2

[rexall]

hoSun 9 Feb 2014, 8:14 pm

Sorry to disagree. I am not a doctor, but from what I understand, lung cancer is a "cake walk" compared to oral cancers which are caused by snuff and other tobacco products taken by mouth. Google some images of oral cancers if you want to see how devastating the aggressive forms of this horrible disease can be. In addition, the toxins, "tars" and other cancer-causing substances in snuff, over time, are transported to every cell in the body and have various negative consequences. Nicotine, no matter what from is is used in (smoked in cigarettes, inhaled in "electronic cigarettes," chewed as in gum, absorbed through the skin as in patches and snuff) is a powerful stimulant that--like cocaine and methionine--elevates blood pressure, accelerates heart rate. Over time, this can led to hypertension, heart disease and in susceptible individuals, heart attack and stroke. Obviously, occasionally use is not the big concern, However, if you need to keep your blood-level of nicotine constant, as many addicts do, then it is a problem. A BIG one.

Obviously, all of these effects do not happen to all people. However, the statistics are alarming enough to serve as a strong warning to anyone considering oral tobacco products as a "safe" substitute for smoking tobacco.

This approach of substituting one addictive substance for another (methadone for heroin) has a long history and is of dubious value. Some people have the funny idea that "Indonesian" cigarettes made with cloves are safe because they are organic and the the cloves offer some anti-cancer properties. It's "funny" the nutty ideas people will adopt to protect their precious addictions. Actually, so called Indonesian cigarettes can take down an elephant! They are not in any way "safe" and are certainly not "safer!"

Go figure!

Why stop using nicotine?, just switch to Swedish snus or snuff or chewing tobacco, snus is made and sold locally in Thailand. A simple search will find it for you, it is reasonable priced, delicious and doesn't affect your lungs. You may have digestion issues, gum issues or bowel issues but these will pale in comparison to lung issues. I have none of these problems after 40 years but some do. Lungs are for breathing your digestive tract is for taking in nutrients and performance enhancing additives. Experiment! not all oral tobacco products are the same, find one that suits you and your life style....you can jog, bicycle or workout with snus, try that with a cigarette in your gob... if you need to use your fingers to feed the butt into your mouth, find a tit to suck.

cheers

Happy Breathing

[MAJIC]

E-Cigarettes seem to be working for me,it's now been 7 months since I gave up,and not a single puff of a normal cigarette. it hasn't been that difficult(with the support of the occasional puff of E-Cigs,which I have been steadily lowering the nicotine content down to 8 mg. eventually I will have to quit E-Cigarettes,but at the moment i'm slowly,losing the need to use them,and sometimes go a half a day without thinking about smoking at all!

So encouraging results up to now,but I must keep reminding myself: I am an addict to smoking and always will be!

[rexall]

MAJIC, glad the e-cigarettes are helping you cut down. You are making a really positive choice that will effect the rest of your life! However, as you wisely point out, no matter how slowly and how successfully you taper off, sooner or later, you are staring at the same old "cold turkey," the same "moment of truth" when you simply have to make the choice not to take that next e-cigarette or whatever nicotine delivery system you happen to be using.

Keep up the good work!

[a99az]

Stopping is easy, I knew a guy who stopped at least twice a day. Like I told him the hard part is not starting again.

I stopped, 30 years ago. I just decided that it was a dumb thing to do and stopped cold. No patches or silly dummies to suck on. I just stopped and never started again.

[h90]

Stopping is easy, I knew a guy who stopped at least twice a day. Like I told him the hard part is not starting again.

I stopped, 30 years ago. I just decided that it was a dumb thing to do and stopped cold. No patches or silly dummies to suck on. I just stopped and never started again.

I did the same a couple of times (successful stopping), but every time after a while I tried one again. But after a couple of times I learned it....The point of not smoking is to not smoke.....

[Fall En Angel]

Many times I tried to stop smoking with great effort of will. Failed! Finally I have succeeded with the help of these herbs. Now 11 months I have not smoked.

[Naam]

What Method Of Quitting Smoking Was Most Successful For You?

none

[somchaimaidai]

Alan Carr book worked for me

[likewise]

What Method Of Quitting Smoking Was Most Successful For You?

none

Same here mate, my issue is that I really like smoking, having a beer with a cig, lovely.

Then again being 43 now, always done sports and this seems to be getting harder and harder coz of lack of breath .

But as said I just like my smokes.

[shadmo63]

6 weeks now - sort of cold turkey - I read half of Alan Carrs book, if thats considered a method. I also visited a couple of websites http://whyquit.com/ with good information (like the Marlboro man died about my age from lung cancer). He claims cold turkey is the most successful method by far and your small poll would back that up (31/69 currently) Still get the urge occasionally but it passes quickly. Just too expensive nowadays at $20 a packet here in Oz, and at 50 after 35 odd years it was just time. Maybe those revolting pictures on the packets helped a bit too. I tried Zyban once but was allergic to it and did give up (read all of Alan Carrs book that time) in 09 for six months before having just one cigarette when drunk. Just one. Don't do it!!

[jayceenik]

I started putting on some weight at 40. At the time I knew nothing about calories and dieting so I got myself a few books about sensible eating and striving for good health. The better books all had a chapter about the ill effects of smoking. Scared me seriously. At the time I was a 10 to 20 smokes a day Marlboro smoker. I quit cold turkey after reading a few of these books, threw away what cigarettes and cigarillos I had left and never wanted to smoke again. It was easy.

I had quit a couple times before for a year at a time but that last time was the real one. Obviously I wasn't too much addicted.

[rexall]

Sun 23 Mar 2014, 9:17 pm

Congratulations on 6 weeks, Shadmo! You have probably bought yourself a longer, healthier (and cheaper) life. You are out of the woods now, but your most dangerous enemy at this point is complacency. I relapsed after a year of being smoke-free due to the simple little thought "Gee, I wonder what one would taste like after all this time?" And I found out too. Two weeks later, I was back to a 2 pack per day habit, and it took me another few years before I finally nailed it permanently, nearly 30 years ago now. OP have posted here how easy it is to start again, even after decades of abstinence. The well-respected ABC News anchor, Peter Jennings, was smoke-free for 20 years, but relapsed under the stress of covering the 911 attacks. Three years later, he was dead from lung cancer. Whatever this "addiction" thing is--and everyone his entitled to his own theory--it is clear that it NEVER goes away, never gets "cured," but can be permanently arrested with vigilance and a proper understanding of the nature of the beast, or the disease, the conditioned response, embedded grooves in the gray matter, or whatever you want to call it.

I am pragmatic enough to support whatever works to stop smoking. However, I think it is worth pointing out that whatever method one chooses ("cold turkey," tapering, nicotine substitutes such as gum, patches, "eCiggies," sooner or later ALL methods become cold turkey. Sooner or later, it is just you and the choice to pick up a cigarette . . . or not. If you consistently choose "not" long enough, you will stop . . . and when you stop it's cold turkey no matter how many "eCiggies" you have taken up to that point. It is also worth pointing out that nicotine is a dangerous, addictive drug. It may be marginally healthier and reduce the risk of cancer to substitute a non-tobacco nicotine delivery system for cigarettes, but it far from safe and healthy over the long-term. I "guess" I support so called "harm reduction," and support someone switching to a non-tobacco nicotine delivery system if that is the best they can do. It certainly is kinder to those people who were previously the victims of the smoker's second-hand cancerous smoke. But that still leaves the door open to hypertension, heart attach and stroke, and insulin tolerance which leads to diabetes and other major problems. Nicotine also messes with neurotransmitters which regulate mood, arousal and sleep cycles. So, use these products if you must, especially if they help you to stop permanently, but go into in armed with knowledge, not naiveté.

Congratulations again, Shadmo. You have given a great gift to yourself and your loved ones!

6 weeks now - sort of cold turkey - I read half of Alan Carrs book, if thats considered a method. I also visited a couple of websites http://whyquit.com/ with good information (like the Marlboro man died about my age from lung cancer). He claims cold turkey is the most successful method by far and your small poll would back that up (31/69 currently) Still get the urge occasionally but it passes quickly. Just too expensive nowadays at $20 a packet here in Oz, and at 50 after 35 odd years it was just time. Maybe those revolting pictures on the packets helped a bit too. I tried Zyban once but was allergic to it and did give up (read all of Alan Carrs book that time) in 09 for six months before having just one cigarette when drunk. Just one. Don't do it!!

[MAJIC]

Just a quick up date,not to brag of course, but I have now gone nine months without one single puff on a real cigarette, as for the Electronic cigarettes? i am slowly reducing the nicotine content,which is down to 8mg,and really feels like puffing fresh air. So i can go many hours,or half a day,with out bothering,at all,or having withdrawal symptoms.

Well it's another 3 months,and then I have gone a full year without smoking. I am now quietly confidant that this milestone is a foregone conclusion,there is no way I will ever smoke again,that fact seems to be firmly rooted in my Subconscious.

I'm no Hero, in fact when it comes to a lifetime of smoking,and giving up,i'm weak as P***,so if I can do it anyone of you can!

[Thai at Heart]

Leaving Thailand and contemplating paying 8.00 GBP a pack was the clincher. Tried quitting various ways, but cold turkey in the UK in the winter worked easily.

Who really wants to stand outside in the rain every hour or so. I don't feel much better or worse really, but the amazing thing is I can smell cigarette smoke from about 50 yards away.

I must have wreaked of cigarette smoke. Thank God I stopped.

Edited March 23, 2014 by Thai at Heart

[MAJIC]

Don't know if you like a beer Majic ?----but I HAD to stop having one {or 2 } when I finally decided to quit --as a "beer & a fag" went together--- whether I was at home -or in the pub-- took a while --but I can now go and "socialize " without the temptation of " lighting up "

Bucko

I call Beer and cigarettes "Partners in crime"

[MAJIC]

Sat 8 Feb 2014, 10:40 pm

It took me five years of stopping and staring to finally quite for good. That was 30 years ago. I tried many of the strategies and aids including hypnosis, and aversion therapy, although in those days they didn't have gum or patches or so called electronic cigarettes. I have to say that all of the stuff that I tried was effective . . . and none of it was effective! I was always stopping and starting; two days, two weeks, two or three months a few times. Once I stopped for an entire year, and then relapsed.

I have to say that of all the things I tried, aversion therapy was decidedly the most effective. To this day, I have never, ever again smoked five cigarettes at time in an enclosed space, drooling and crying into a big ash try full of butts while receiving mild electric shocks to my arm! Hallelujah! Actually, I did stop smoking for six weeks after that, so it actually would count as one of my more successful attempts. At the time, if I had known what I write about below, I probably would have quit for good.

Ultimately, I think, you have to be "ready" (whatever that means), and if you are, then all of the aids and strategies and methods can be helpful. Still, there is ultimately that "moment of truth" (or moments of truth) where you are tempted to light up, but choose not to. In that sense, it is all "cold turkey" no matter how you edge up to it. Sooner or later, by whatever mean, by hook or by crook, you just just have to stop and stay stopped! For me, tapering was always a failure and waste of time. Stopping smoking was for me more difficult than stopping drinking and other drugs.

If I knew then what I know now, some things which might have helped me be more successful sooner:

1. Learning something about addictions, and realizing that nicotine is profoundly addicting, on the same level as heroin or cocaine.

2. That as an addiction, there can be no "moderation." Total and complete, life-long abstinence is the only path to recovery, which means that even after weeks or months or years or decades of being smoke-free, you cannot have even one little puff "just to see what it would taste like after all this time." I relapsed after a year of being smoke-free, and it was "curiosity" and a weak moment of temptation that did me in. One puff lead to reactivating a two-pack per day addiction within a couple of weeks. The most insidious thing was the "honeymoon" phase for a few days during which I imagined that I had magically overcome my addiction, did not feel compulsive, and thought that I had arrived at a place where I could "take 'em or leave 'em!" Ha! As that brilliant, 20th Century philosopher Bugs Bunny often said, "What a maroon!"

3. For me, the acute withdrawal phase (anxiety, irritability, insomnia, feeling spacey and vulnerable, lack of concentration) reached it's peak after two hours without a cigarette, and just stayed that way for about two weeks. It was predictable. I learned that if I could just tough it out those two weeks, the worst of the symptoms dropped off fairly quickly. Then, staying smoke-free, was just a matter of being vigilant, careful, and remembering my commitment. The trick is not taking that first puff after you have been smoke-free for awhile. It's the first puff that does it.

4. There is nothing "un-natural" about being smoke-free. Many people start at such a young age and smoke for so many years, that smoking seems like the "natural" thing to do. However, that is a distorted thought. The fact is that for 14 years before I started smoking, I was felt perfectly comfortable and natural as a non-smoker. It was a non-issue, obviously. As my smoke-free time passed, I began to regain the sense that being a non-smoker was perfectly natural and normal, and that my 20 year detour into compulsive, self-destructive behavior was the strange and un-natural thing.

5. I think little is gained by scaring oneself over cancer and heart disease, debilitating illness and premature death, although certainly those things are more than a little important. However, everyone is aware of those issues, and if they were effective as deterrents, no one would smoke! One thing, however, that was very helpful to me was reminding myself that lungs are not hollow balloons or bellows. In fact, they are not hollow at all. They are in fact solid, like a sponge, honeycombed with networks of air sacks and blood vessels, ranging from large to microscopic, passing through the most delicate,moist, vulnerable tissue in the body. And where the air sacks meet the capillaries the "Miracle of Life" occurs as oxygen passes across a delicate, gossamer membrane into the blood stream. Medically speaking, this process is almost magical. All the crap in cigarette smoke (as well as other sources of pollution) mess with this miraculous process BIG time, and toxins get stuck in these spongy, delicate tissues and are slowly transported by the blood stream to every cell in the body. Think about that every day for awhile, and just before you light up!

6. Cravings are not Hitler! Cravings uncomfortable. Sometimes, very uncomfortable . . . but they are not all-powerful, and they are temporary. Just because we have a craving, does not mean we have to act on it. Cravings are not dangerous or damaging unless you act on them. They make you feel uncomfortable, but don't kill you, and don't force you to do anything. You can say "No!"

7. Of course, all the obvious, common sense advice is very important as well. Stay hydrated, get lots of exercise. Massage and steam are affordable luxuries in Thailand; take advantage of them! They help.

8. Although it may sound like torture, try to avoid sugar, salt, caffeine and booze during the acute withdrawal. Textured veggie protein is helpful and contains no sugar, salt and minuscule fat. You can eat as much as you want. I found using cinnamon sticks as a "dummy" cigarette to be very soothing and helpful. Enormously helpful. You can puff on them as if they were a cigarette, suck on them and get a little, spicy taste all day long, with no sugar or salt.

9. Finally, stop fiddle-fuc_king around and just do it!

Good luck! This will be one of the best decisions you have ever made in your life!

Excellent analytical Post!

[MAJIC]

What Method Of Quitting Smoking Was Most Successful For You?

none

Same here mate, my issue is that I really like smoking, having a beer with a cig, lovely.

Then again being 43 now, always done sports and this seems to be getting harder and harder coz of lack of breath .

But as said I just like my smokes.

I liked smoking as well,especially with a Beer,but it's taken me most of my life to realise cigarettes and smoking was a lying false friend,destined to kill me!

[MAJIC]

6 weeks now - sort of cold turkey - I read half of Alan Carrs book, if thats considered a method. I also visited a couple of websites http://whyquit.com/ with good information (like the Marlboro man died about my age from lung cancer). He claims cold turkey is the most successful method by far and your small poll would back that up (31/69 currently) Still get the urge occasionally but it passes quickly. Just too expensive nowadays at $20 a packet here in Oz, and at 50 after 35 odd years it was just time. Maybe those revolting pictures on the packets helped a bit too. I tried Zyban once but was allergic to it and did give up (read all of Alan Carrs book that time) in 09 for six months before having just one cigarette when drunk. Just one. Don't do it!!

Agreed! that one cigarette is the most deadly one.....ever!

[Thai at Heart]

Sat 8 Feb 2014, 10:40 pm

It took me five years of stopping and staring to finally quite for good. That was 30 years ago. I tried many of the strategies and aids including hypnosis, and aversion therapy, although in those days they didn't have gum or patches or so called electronic cigarettes. I have to say that all of the stuff that I tried was effective . . . and none of it was effective! I was always stopping and starting; two days, two weeks, two or three months a few times. Once I stopped for an entire year, and then relapsed.

I have to say that of all the things I tried, aversion therapy was decidedly the most effective. To this day, I have never, ever again smoked five cigarettes at time in an enclosed space, drooling and crying into a big ash try full of butts while receiving mild electric shocks to my arm! Hallelujah! Actually, I did stop smoking for six weeks after that, so it actually would count as one of my more successful attempts. At the time, if I had known what I write about below, I probably would have quit for good.

Ultimately, I think, you have to be "ready" (whatever that means), and if you are, then all of the aids and strategies and methods can be helpful. Still, there is ultimately that "moment of truth" (or moments of truth) where you are tempted to light up, but choose not to. In that sense, it is all "cold turkey" no matter how you edge up to it. Sooner or later, by whatever mean, by hook or by crook, you just just have to stop and stay stopped! For me, tapering was always a failure and waste of time. Stopping smoking was for me more difficult than stopping drinking and other drugs.

If I knew then what I know now, some things which might have helped me be more successful sooner:

1. Learning something about addictions, and realizing that nicotine is profoundly addicting, on the same level as heroin or cocaine.

2. That as an addiction, there can be no "moderation." Total and complete, life-long abstinence is the only path to recovery, which means that even after weeks or months or years or decades of being smoke-free, you cannot have even one little puff "just to see what it would taste like after all this time." I relapsed after a year of being smoke-free, and it was "curiosity" and a weak moment of temptation that did me in. One puff lead to reactivating a two-pack per day addiction within a couple of weeks. The most insidious thing was the "honeymoon" phase for a few days during which I imagined that I had magically overcome my addiction, did not feel compulsive, and thought that I had arrived at a place where I could "take 'em or leave 'em!" Ha! As that brilliant, 20th Century philosopher Bugs Bunny often said, "What a maroon!"

3. For me, the acute withdrawal phase (anxiety, irritability, insomnia, feeling spacey and vulnerable, lack of concentration) reached it's peak after two hours without a cigarette, and just stayed that way for about two weeks. It was predictable. I learned that if I could just tough it out those two weeks, the worst of the symptoms dropped off fairly quickly. Then, staying smoke-free, was just a matter of being vigilant, careful, and remembering my commitment. The trick is not taking that first puff after you have been smoke-free for awhile. It's the first puff that does it.

4. There is nothing "un-natural" about being smoke-free. Many people start at such a young age and smoke for so many years, that smoking seems like the "natural" thing to do. However, that is a distorted thought. The fact is that for 14 years before I started smoking, I was felt perfectly comfortable and natural as a non-smoker. It was a non-issue, obviously. As my smoke-free time passed, I began to regain the sense that being a non-smoker was perfectly natural and normal, and that my 20 year detour into compulsive, self-destructive behavior was the strange and un-natural thing.

5. I think little is gained by scaring oneself over cancer and heart disease, debilitating illness and premature death, although certainly those things are more than a little important. However, everyone is aware of those issues, and if they were effective as deterrents, no one would smoke! One thing, however, that was very helpful to me was reminding myself that lungs are not hollow balloons or bellows. In fact, they are not hollow at all. They are in fact solid, like a sponge, honeycombed with networks of air sacks and blood vessels, ranging from large to microscopic, passing through the most delicate,moist, vulnerable tissue in the body. And where the air sacks meet the capillaries the "Miracle of Life" occurs as oxygen passes across a delicate, gossamer membrane into the blood stream. Medically speaking, this process is almost magical. All the crap in cigarette smoke (as well as other sources of pollution) mess with this miraculous process BIG time, and toxins get stuck in these spongy, delicate tissues and are slowly transported by the blood stream to every cell in the body. Think about that every day for awhile, and just before you light up!

6. Cravings are not Hitler! Cravings uncomfortable. Sometimes, very uncomfortable . . . but they are not all-powerful, and they are temporary. Just because we have a craving, does not mean we have to act on it. Cravings are not dangerous or damaging unless you act on them. They make you feel uncomfortable, but don't kill you, and don't force you to do anything. You can say "No!"

7. Of course, all the obvious, common sense advice is very important as well. Stay hydrated, get lots of exercise. Massage and steam are affordable luxuries in Thailand; take advantage of them! They help.

8. Although it may sound like torture, try to avoid sugar, salt, caffeine and booze during the acute withdrawal. Textured veggie protein is helpful and contains no sugar, salt and minuscule fat. You can eat as much as you want. I found using cinnamon sticks as a "dummy" cigarette to be very soothing and helpful. Enormously helpful. You can puff on them as if they were a cigarette, suck on them and get a little, spicy taste all day long, with no sugar or salt.

9. Finally, stop fiddle-fuc_king around and just do it!

Good luck! This will be one of the best decisions you have ever made in your life!

Excellent analytical Post!

Indeed, this memory of being completely nicotine free and feeling normal was a strong one.

It is in Alan Carr's book and was a very powerful memory. I enjoy very much going through a day without being pulled here or there to have a cigarette . it's nice to be fully engaged in the now.