[ilikecats]

I started smoking a couple of months ago, and I think I'm starting to get addicted. How do you stop being addicted? I don't know if I want to quit completely, but I don't want to be addicted either. What do I do?

Addictions don't work that way.



We can choose to not indulge them, but they never really go away.

[notz]

Have you examined why you are smoking? What made you light up?

What made you start in the first place?

[ilikecats]

I started because I had always been drawn to smoking. I thought it looked cool, and I liked the smell. And I decided I just didn't care about the health issues anymore, I just wanted to do it.

[notz]

How do you feel now?

[ilikecats]

I like smoking, but I don't like that sometimes I feel like I have to do it. I just want to be able to do it when I feel like it, but without feeling bad when I don't do it.

[notz]

Nicotine is a pretty powerful drug. You may not be able to only smoke when you want to. It has a proven track record of getting the upper hand. Tough call.

[ViktorImalow64]

I stopped several times in my life with stretches that went on for multiple years. At the moment again I unfortunately started smoking again.
But there are a couple of ways you can try to stop smoking:
a) Set a date you want to stop and happily smoke until then like a madman which should actually give you a head start because by the time you reach the set date and you probably oversmoked and are actually looking forward to stop. Then its a about surviving about the first 3 days where you will have to fight with the physical dependence and after that it will be mostly about replacing your old rituals where you used to smoke with new modes of behavior. It wont be easy but once you have done it its rewarding in so many other ways. More money, improved life expectancy, away with that smokers cough, the need to step outside every hour or so to have that smoke and the list goes on. That would be the cold turkey approach.

b) Use nicotine gums. Smoking cigarettes is much more addictive then regular nicotine gums so once you switched over from smoking cigarettes tapering down nicotine gums is a cake walk. I tried that approach once as well and it worked very well. You still will have to fight your old rituals/habits though. But as time goes on the urge to smoke grows smaller and smaller.

Now on thing to keep in mind most smokers have not succeeded kicking their habit on the first run or their second or third. It might take you some multiple attempts but keep in mind just because you failed once or gave in once into the urge to smoke a cigarette don't throw away you whole plan you have set out to kicking your habit. Its just a minor setback and go straight back to your plan and keep following it.

[Renat1995]

Have you experienced that you want smoking when you just get bored?
If so, it is the first signal of addiction. The best way to resolve it is to get busy everyday, and then smoke on cigarette in the evening.

I use to think it was cool when I was younger, But now that I am older its not so cool any more, I have COPD and have to be on oxygen and cant breath like I use to, I wish I never started the damn things, I still smoke but am setting a quit date, It is a really bad addiction to quit and 7,000 chemicals you are putting in your body, My plan is to excersise every time I want one wear the patch and either get the gum or lozenges because the patch isnt strong enough for me, Drink lots of water and save all my money, I am not going to claim this disease, I am going to beat it, I wish you the best of luck and just keep your hands busy too, Treat yourself good, Reward yourself, Dont let the tobacco ruin your life like it has so many others

I meant to say dont let the tobacco companies ruin your life like it has ruined so many others

[PumpkinPieHead]

The best piece of advice I can offer is to wait as long as possible once you awaken to indulge in a cigarette. Your body has already been off the nicotine for several hours so pushing it even farther will wean you off of it nicely.

[notz]

There's a lot of information in this forum that will be very helpful to anyone who is thinking of stopping. Check it out! You'll be glad you did.

[ccrown25]

Ive always thought that addiction is mental as well as physical. Your body becomes physically dependent upon something and your mind craves it. Once you stop, you get withdrawal which is a shock to your body that the steady stream of whatever it is has stopped.

I quit smoking about six years ago when they outlawed smoking in bars here in MD. Im not much into the bar scene anymore but back then I remembered thinking that I was not about to go stand outside in the freezing cold just to smoke a cigarette and then have to go back and do it again in another half hour. I was able to back myself down slowly and then with the help of patches (and anti-anxiety meds) I was able to quit completely.

You might want to go and have a talk with your Primary care doctor. He/she can give you ideas and I have also heard a lot of people say good things about chantix as well. Its worth a shot and I am sure they have had patients come to them before wanting to quit smoking. If you want to quit now, the sooner is the better!! My father is a life long smoker (30+ years) and once you get that far in, there is almost no stopping.

[amulet]

Originally Posted by Anonymous37842

Addictions don't work that way.



We can choose to not indulge them, but they never really go away.

t
True for me. 62 now, battle with smoking since 22. Sometimes I win, most times I'm still trying to win.

[amulet]

Originally Posted by ilikecats

I like smoking, but I don't like that sometimes I feel like I have to do it. I just want to be able to do it when I feel like it, but without feeling bad when I don't do it.

Wish I could do the same. Just when I choose not when addiction requires!