WK/48 Group Discussion: How To Motivate Yourself To Quit Smoking & What Steps Did You Take?

[MarylandQuitter]

How to motivate yourself to quit smoking and what steps did you take?

 

 

[El Bandito]

I was fairly typical I think, in that I chose to ignore the obvious risks and damage associated by tobacco.

 

I ignored them because I was addicted. I ignored them because I was frightened.

 

I was frightened of failing.

 

So, I would laugh, I would tell people 'Live life! Enjoy every moment! We all have to die some time of something.'

 

I bought Allen Carrs book 'the EasyWay' and I read it. (Not for the first time)

 

I sat down and really thought about smoking. About mortality. I thought about my wife. About how she had moved away from her beloved London and her beloved family to support me and my work. I thought about COPD. I thought about my wife as a carer. I thought about dying. I though about my wife all alone.

 

I decided that I was right. We do all have to die of something. We should enjoy every moment. Did I really enjoy smoking? Did I need to hurry my death along?

 

No. And No.

 

I simply followed the instructions in the book. I chose a date. I committed to quitting smoking and celebrating that quit immediately.

 

I quit on vacation. My wife still smoked. So on the first morning, after breakfast, we carried on our routine and went up to the terrace for our after-breakfast cigarette and espresso; the obvious difference being that I did not smoke. She was worried, watching me from the corner of her eye. Me? I was fine. I quit.

 

As the vacation continued, my wife decided that she would quit too, and smoke her last cigarette before we got the flight home.

 

Did I crave? Yes. Sometimes.

 

Did I sometimes rely on support from like minded people online? Yes (mostly lunatics here!).

 

How do I feel now? Absolutely fantastic.

[SueBeDoo]

I kept picturing my kids growing up without their mammy, they were what I quit for, I watched videos on you tube of people dying from lung, throat, mouth cancer etc

I changed my morning routine because that was always the hardest for me, my favourite smoke was first thing in the morning when kids were still asleep, so I'd get into the shower first instead and put loads of body moisturiser on, I found when I smelled yummy it really helped keep the craves at bay because I didn't want to ruin the nice smell with the stench of cigs.

[Sazerac]

I was self motivated for the first week.  I quit just to see if I could.

Then, I 'discovered' Joel's videos,  they are now on site HERE .

Once I educated myself about my addiction

there was simply no turning back.

I had many patterns to change and one by one was able to dissociate the tobacco habit from my life, 

sometimes by tricking myself, sometimes through education, sometimes through fierce will, and sometimes just slogging through one more smoke free day.

Commitment to NOPE and education were  two major motivations..

[MarylandQuitter]

In one of Joel's videos he says that he hopes to screw up smoking for us forever. lol  It's true because once we know the truth, we can never look at smoking the same, even those who go back to smoking.  Yep, Joel screwed up smoking for all of us.  I'm going to find that video because it's a good one.  :)

 

My motivation to quit was out of extreme guilt that I was robbing my kids of time with their father because I was on my way to an early death.  It's this very reason that I told my doctor that I wanted to quit and could quit but I enjoyed it too much (he laughed at that called me on my bullshit).  When I told him that my daughter was the most important thing in my life he responded "No she's not.  Smoking is the most important thing in your life so don't sit here and tell me that your daughter is because she's not.  You're an addict and the only reason why you're not out stealing to feed your addiction is because cigarettes are legal."

 

Wow.  Tough words to hear but it made me look at smoking in an entirely different way.  For the first time I had to admit the truth that I was an addict.  He cared enough to piss me off to get me to save my own life.  After I left his office I remember lighting up a cigarette and thinking that smoking will never be the same again.  I thought about what he said and he was right.  I was putting smoking before my family because of all the times they wanted me to stay indoors to play a game, watch a movie or do something else and I had to get up and leave them to go and inhale poison. 

 

As soon as I quit this huge weight was lifted from me and that burden was gone.  Sure, I may die from a smoking related disease or I may not but I do know one thing for damn sure; I will not die a smoker.  I used to smoke.  That is all.

 

If you're lurking and are thinking about quitting, please realize that you're an addict just like a junkie or an alcoholic.  Treat it like and addiction and take control back of your life.  As soon as you quit you'll feel better.  Focus on how your blood no longer is polluted with carbon monoxide, your blood pressure lowers and you instantly are less likely to die of a sudden heart attack.  Do you know how many people are found dead with a cigarette next to their body?  A lot.  They died as they were puffing on a cigarette.  I don't know about you but I wouldn't want to be found dead that way. 

[Devil Doll]

" You're an addict and the only reason why you're not out stealing to feed your addiction is because cigarettes are legal."

 

 

 

This. Newbies do me a favor read this one sentence to yourself over and over. Then go over and watch these documentaries. When I was in the throes of withdrawal I wondered "how the hell is this legal?!?!" many times.

We are all addicts but the good news is that we can break free once we become educated. 

[Kristin]

I got really bad pneumonia and refused to go to the hospital like my doctor wanted because I knew they wouldn't let me smoke. I came home and tried to smoke the rest of the night sick as hell and coughing up a lung with each inhale. I stood there in the parking lot (only place I was allowed to smoke at my apt) and it hit me. I like breathing, and I am too damn smart to be standing there hacking and desperately trying to take a drag,looking like a sick fool instead of in the hospital getting better. At the very least my kids deserve better than that in their mother.

 

After that I just started one hour at a time. On day 6 I found you guys and now I am heading to a month with loads of education and support.

[babs609]

when i found out my daughter was pregnant with my first grandchild....this little angel right here..

 

 

that's when I vowed that this little girl was never going to know her mom-mom as a smoker.  I kept my promise and will continue to do so.  Unfortunately...she spends much time at the back door asking her pop pop to come inside.  That's sad...and I am so grateful that's not me. 

 

I picked up the dusty Allen Carr book on my shelf that had periodically haunted me...and I started reading...again.  This time though...I was smarter and searched for online support...and found it...along with the Joel videos...which i watched...over and over and over again.

[NayNay]

What made me decide to finally give up smoking was when I went for my yearly eye exam (diabetic so have to go yearly) and I did not hear the usual "everything looks great; no sign of diabetes in the eyes."  Instead I heard "there is some very slight hemorrhaging from the diabetes in both eyes".  When I went home, I researched how to stop the progression of this eye vessel hemorrhaging and everything I read said QUIT SMOKING....DO NOT SMOKE...NO SMOKING.  So, since I value my eyesight, I decided to make a plan that day.  My family and I were going on a cruise vacation to the Pacific Northwest in mid-May, and I vowed that when I came back from vacation I would quit that weekend.  

 

I chose to use an e-cigarette to quit.  I had tried every method out there (except drugs like Chantix) and never succeeded much beyond a day or two.  I also knew in my mind and heart and soul that I had to succeed this time in order to improve things for my health.  I did quit that weekend, and I have not had not one puff since then.  I do still use an e-cig; perhaps not as often as I did in the beginning.  I do not use nicotine in my e-juice, just the juice.  When I'm stressed or just getting a craving (which are getting very weak now), it's there and I use it.  I have been nicotine free for 6 months and plan to continue the remainder of my life.  I know at some point I will stop with the e-cigarette as well, but until I feel confident I can go without it, I will continue with it.

 

I hope this helps someone out there who is trying to decide to quit or not.  Quitting was the best decision and best action I've ever taken in my life.  I always thought it would be impossible for me because I was that addicted.  But I found out that if you really are resolved to being smoke-free, then you can conquer anything.

[Doreensfree]

Although I had smoked for 52 years....I had never considered my self as a drug addict.....

To me I was just a smoker....

It was Allen Carr who motivated me .....he made me see smoking for what it really is...

All the excuses I had used over the years...

He made me take a long look at myself....and question what I really was getting out of it.....

It turned out to be nothing....

I made a promise to quit to special people in my life....and I intend to keep that promise...

[Sazerac]

bumpity bump

[c9jane29]

I set a date. I circled it in red and told myself daily that was the day I would quit smoking.  (Mother's Day was close enough and appropriate as my kids were a big factor in my decision.) 

I made a quit list and put it right at eye level on the fridge...read it daily; it's still there and I still do:)

The day before I quit, I divided what was left in the pack I had (you know, the ol' romance). I actually smoked my "last one" at 6:30pm that Saturday at my mom's. 

Then that was it. I was a non-smoker the next day when I woke up, and have been ever since.

Plus, I read like a crazy person about nicotine addiction and learned that I'm no better than any other drug abuser. 

 

[JB 883]

Realizing that I was now over 40, I figured it's probably a good time to quit taking my health for granted. That was the nagging thought that was always on my mind every time i lit up.

Plus, I had racked up a few "four hour quits" over the years.

 

Steps -

One thing that helped was hearing someone I know say "I gotta have my ambien!" I thought, "Am I as hooked on tobacco? That's pitiful!" I mean jeeze!

I wondered what life would be like without needing a cigarette all the time. I chain smoked when I wasn't at work. Last time i wondered what it would be like to do something big, my life

changed for the better.

 

So I was gonna quit on Oct 2nd 2017 but of course it only lasted four hours. I thought, "Alright, I will allow myself three cigarettes a day (down from 30) but Friday I need to quit quit. I gave away the rest of my smokes (about three packs worth), got rid of my cigarette machine (one of those top-o-matic type machines) and cigarette tubes, and that Friday Oct 6 at 5:30 AM, took my last hit.

 

I was highly motivated to quit. I was having problems breathing, I was coughing a lot, breath rattling at night worse than ever, I was scared. I used to joke that I would probably die by age 60. But that meant less than 20 years to live, if my guesstimate were accurate. 

 

If the "11 minutes off your life per cigarette" average is anywhere close to true, I have lost about three years. No big deal but the years I am around will be better without smoking those stupid-ass cigarettes.

 

What does my doctor say? Besides telling me to get my diet under control (groan), she says my lungs sound perfect. I doubt they ARE perfect but at least they are not getting worse.

 

[gonfishn21]

I would light up in my car on my way to my office. Three drags in, I would be coughing up a lung and put it out. 5 minutes later, I would be relighting it, and hacking again. Once I finally made it through a few, I felt fine. On the way home, I looked at the pack. Only three left. After these three, I will quit. And of course, I stopped and bought a carton. After doing this a few times, i again was on the way home and looked to see again I had three left. This time I forgot to get the carton. I was out on my deck. I looked up and asked God for the strength to make the decision.  I promised i would go through it all on my own if he just helped me decide. BOOM! I felt it immediately.  Call it inner strength, or Divine intervention.  It does not matter to me. I did not smoke those last three. I threw them out. A week later I joined QSMB and never looked back.

Edited October 16, 2018 by gonfishn21
Mis spelling

[brand.new.ela]

I never thought about health, was also lucky enough not to have serious issues. My impulse was new perfume that nobody could smell on me because of the cigarettes stench. Besides, i was feeling heavy and ugly. In other words, vanity made me quit

[Reciprocity]

51 minutes ago, brand.new.ela said:

I never thought about health, was also lucky enough not to have serious issues. My impulse was new perfume that nobody could smell on me because of the cigarettes stench. Besides, i was feeling heavy and ugly. In other words, vanity made me quit

Hey Ela! Any reason that brought you here and to this quit is a great reason  (Vanity included!!)

You will soon be stepping over the threshold of the Lido Deck. How frickin' great is that!!

[Wayne045]

On 11/24/2014 at 5:10 AM, El Bandito said:

So, I would laugh, I would tell people 'Live life! Enjoy every moment! We all have to die some time of something.'

 

I heard this many times from smokers and in fact used to say it myself, then I realized:  Yes, we have to die from something, but we don't WANT to die do we?   So why hasten our death by smoking.

[Sazerac]

I put the cash for a packet of smokes in a jam jar every day and gleefully watched it grow. 

I kept the tally on a pad of paper, in one week I had a hundred bucks !

[brand.new.ela]

14 hours ago, reciprocity said:

Hey Ela! Any reason that brought you here and to this quit is a great reason  (Vanity included!!)

You will soon be stepping over the threshold of the Lido Deck. How frickin' great is that!!

I agree! Feels great and I've never been prouder of myself

[Sazerac]

Quitting smoking, while may be challenging at times

is ultimately do-able and wasn't as difficult as anticipated.

 

I committed myself to quitting 'for a year', jumped into it as an adventure

and it turned into a most rewarding one in so many ways.

[Doreensfree]

Made a promise to myself ....Take smoking off the table no matter what .....this meant no more excuses to light up ....ever....

[Sazerac]

Bump

[Doreensfree]

Bump

[JimHannoonen]

I few days before I quit, I took a bunch of cigarette butts from the butt-pile in the backyard and put them in a mason jar and put that jar on my desk (I work from home).

 

After I quit, I would open up that jar every once in a while and take a big whiff. It was so disgusting I would literally gag.

 

I only had to do that a few times.

[jillar]

Once I came to terms with the fact I needed to quit I motivated myself daily by giving myself pep talks about how so and so was able to quit and if they could so could I. I also said over and over again that all good(?!) things must come to an end and thought of all the other things I had outgrown or gotten too old to do like dirt bike riding or going to amusement parks.

And the steps I took to do it was pretty much just not smoking in my usual places. It wasn't until after I quit and started googling my recovery symptoms that I found my first forum at about three weeks quit and got other great clues like my beloved JAC (jillars air cigarette)