Cold Turkey

[tater03]

So has anyone on here have any tips that will help someone to quit smoking cold turkey? My husband is trying to quit and anything that you have heard that might be of help would be most welcomed. Thanks.

[Jewel]

My boyfriend decided to just quit one day, so he stocked up on hard candy. Every time he had the urge to smoke, he ate a piece of candy. He was so grumpy and aggressive for aboiut three days, and then everything was fine.

[riskey58]

I would love to quit smoking, but I am not to sure if I could go cold turkey. I know people that have and it worked. But for me it is a bad habit, and going cold turkey just seems like something I would not be able to do.

[jason]

Why dont' you take [URL="http://www.oprah.com/omagazine/200511/omag_200511_smoking.jhtml"]Oprah's Quit Smoking Challenge[/URL].

I saw the show. They say smoking is as hard to quit as heroin so going cold turkey is not for everyone.

[tater03]

I had not heard of this challenge. I will have to check it out. Thanks for sharing that one. He has started on the hard candy and gum today. The crabbiness has now officially set in.

[riskey58]

Originally Posted by jason

Why dont' you take [URL="http://www.oprah.com/omagazine/200511/omag_200511_smoking.jhtml"]Oprah's Quit Smoking Challenge[/URL].

I saw the show. They say smoking is as hard to quit as heroin so going cold turkey is not for everyone.

I have never heard of this challenge. What is it and does it seem to work? I would like to try it maybe it will work.

[Jewel]

I think that it does require a lot of patience to quit cold turkey, and I would agree that it's definitely not for everybody. I hear that the nicotine gum is pretty helpful too.

[hurgoll]

wow, I don't know about the hard candy part. So many people gain weight after they stop smoking and then to eat hard candy every time they want a smoke? seems like a huge way to gain weight.

[Jewel]

Well, when you're trying to quit, hard candy can really be soothing. It's healthier than smoking at least. It works, and from what the experience with my boyfriend, weight isn't that big of an issue.

[SageMother]

Using something like Wellbutrin could takes the edge off the cravings, but requires a perscription. I don't see how quitting cold turkey is any better than weaning off, though. I would think that weaning off would give the quitter a chance to deal with weight gain slowly so that they aren't stuck with 50 extra pounds once they have stopped!

[mollyL]

Originally Posted by Jewel

Well, when you're trying to quit, hard candy can really be soothing. It's healthier than smoking at least. It works, and from what the experience with my boyfriend, weight isn't that big of an issue.

I didn't have alot of luck with hard candy myself, but chewing gum really helped with my nerves. I think maybe it was working the jaw that helped. I gave up smoking about fifteen years ago and I am still a gum chewer.

[katharina]

Originally Posted by riskey58

I would love to quit smoking, but I am not to sure if I could go cold turkey. I know people that have and it worked. But for me it is a bad habit, and going cold turkey just seems like something I would not be able to do.

I thought that, too... but it turned out to be the best way for me. Planning to do it "next week" or "on Monday" just never worked for me. I had to get so tired of it that I said "NEVER again!" and it worked that time.

[Green-Moo]

My grandmother, who'd smoked a fair number a day since she was 14, just gave up one day when the price of cigarettes went up. She didn't use anything but willpower & I reckon that if she could, then anyone can. I suppose it depends how motivated you are.

Mind you, I've never smoked so I can't really appreciate how hard it must be.

Green-Moo

[Jewel]

I think that it does not work if you decide to plan when you are going to quit. I think that it's something that you just have to do. You can't think really think about it first.

[ashley88]

Originally Posted by Jewel

I think that it does not work if you decide to plan when you are going to quit. I think that it's something that you just have to do. You can't think really think about it first.

You must not buy any cigarettes in the first place. I quit by doing it cold turkey and forced myself not to buy them, and without buying them i had nothing to smoke, i didnt hang around anyone that smoked so this was easy. There was strong cravings for which i used [URL="http://www.drugdelivery.ca/s3724-s-NICORETTE.aspx"]Nicorette Gum[/URL] which helped alot. Anyway its been 6 months and i have not touched a cigeratte and i feel so bloody good.

[mollyL]

Good on you, Ashley! Once you've kicked the major addiction, you do feel a great sense of empowerment. I felt like I could do anything once I liberated myself from ciggies!

[katharina]

Originally Posted by hurgoll

wow, I don't know about the hard candy part. So many people gain weight after they stop smoking and then to eat hard candy every time they want a smoke? seems like a huge way to gain weight.

There are all kinds of sugar-free hard candies. Like right now I have the sugarless Werthers in the house... 7 or 8 calories each.

[Calypso]

Both my parents smoked until I was eighteen, then quit cold turkey at the same time. My mom quit because she got a bad throat infection, my dad quit because my mom sweetly explained to him that he would be sleeping in the back yard if he didn't. They were both holy terrors to be around for a few weeks, but once they got through the cravings they were back to normal. My dad ate Jelly Bellies by the gallon, but somehow he didn't gain any weight. My mom drank a lot of iced tea and played the piano to keep her hands busy. More than twenty years later, they are still nicotine free!

[katharina]

Originally Posted by mollyL

Good on you, Ashley! Once you've kicked the major addiction, you do feel a great sense of empowerment. I felt like I could do anything once I liberated myself from ciggies!

This is true, yes... but anyone quitting shouldn't try to fool themselves that the craving feeling will go away anytime soon. Even now after nearly 4 years, I walk by someone smoking and get a whiff of the smoke and have to intake my breath remembering... it's just momentary, though, luckily. I just replace the craving thought with "I am SO glad I'm healthier now and never have to go through quitting again!"

[ozzie]

I tried all kinds of things to quit smoking but none of them helped me. Then, I started taking Yoga classes because it seemed like a good exercise for me to try. Well, the breathing exercises and the relaxation and meditation all ended up enabling me to finally quit smoking. I think learning to relax without my cigarettes was the key.