I saw three great-aunts and one grandfather die before I was over 18 from cigarettes and related effects, so I never dreamed of starting.
Ask HN: How did you quit smoking?
11–20 of 34 posts
Re: Ask HN: How did you quit smoking?
#12i "accidentally" quit.. had no intention of quitting permanently but i was working two jobs at the time.. i measured how much time i was losing to smoking.. 5 min/stick.. that it'd be good if i was being paid for that time instead; like another hour or so a day.
i used nicotine gum to avoid the trip outside to smoke.. at least i could get my nicotine fix while still in front of the PC.. was like this for months then transitioned to ordinary gum.. that's the time when my will was really put to the test.
worked for me.. never smoked another cigarette since i went down this road.. nicotine-independent now for two years.
btw.. i've been a heavy smoker (1.5-2 packs/day) for 22 years straight, before this.
Re: Ask HN: How did you quit smoking?
#13After trying to quit several times, I never got to a point where the cravings were manageable. It seemed I would have to learn to live with the cravings, so two years ago I attempted cold-turkey and made it two months while wanting a cigarette most of the time. Then a great thing happened; I started to think about it less and less. After 4 months I almost never thought about it, and cravings were very rare. The two o…
> After trying to quit several times
I think that's an important point. Even if you don't quit this time, you have to keep trying.
I tried to quit at least six or seven times before finally succeeding eight years ago. The last time, I used nicotine gum for about a week. Before that, I had quit for up to a month, more than once, with help from either the patch or gum. All my relapses came during social situations.
Re: Ask HN: How did you quit smoking?
#14For me it's not so much a physical addiction as it is a habit. I'm a web developer and I feel like I have to smoke to think through a problem or for an excuse to step away from the keyboard for a few minutes. I need to find an alternative.
Re: Ask HN: How did you quit smoking?
#15I'm really appreciating all the reports.
One of the folks in my dental office suggested (a) use mouthwash and, ideally, dental floss after each lapse; (b) make a chart and track your progress - make a game of it. That kind of jives with the patches, lozenges, etc. and adds some twists.
Seems stupid, doesn't it? Don't want to smoke? Well, then don't! But... some know... it's easy to make a long series of "Ok, just one more."
Re: Ask HN: How did you quit smoking?
#16I read a famous quit-smoking book on the advice of my (still smoking) brother. I was dubious of the thing, feeling all superior and thinking that I was too smart to be changed by a small cheap book. I was wrong. i finished to book and quit, just like that, went cold turkey. no craving, no withdrawal feeling, nothing. I even did what you should never do which is to smoke just-the-one to see, didn't fall back. It amazes me that I never ever think about smoking. I just have these meta thoughts sometimes when I smell cigarettes about how I should feel something about it but don't.
It's a truly amazing book that read in a few hours and simply states very simple facts about smoking, the kind that you know but refuse to know. It force you to reconsider your smoking. That cigarette in the morning feels good? (no it doesn't) The one after lunch? (neither)... Step by step you naturally come to realize that every justification for smoking, all the fear of withdrawal, all the drama around smoking has no foundation.
You can just quit. Don't mess around with excuses, just quit. Next time you want to smoke just think "Not worth it" and forget it. But read the book.
EDIT: Allen Carr https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Allen_Carr
Re: Ask HN: How did you quit smoking?
#17I'm really appreciating all the reports. One of the folks in my dental office suggested (a) use mouthwash and, ideally, dental floss after each lapse; (b) make a chart and track your progress - make a game of it. That kind of jives with the patches, lozenges, etc. and adds some twists. Seems stupid, doesn't it? Don't want to smoke? Well, then don't! But... some know... it's easy to make a long series of "Ok, just one…
I don't agree with the "make a game of it" approach. It sets you for failure as it keeps the smoking in your thoughts constantly. It also makes a lot of drama about something that is really very easy, want to stop smoking? just never light that next cigarette, never. Forget that next cigarette, forget smoking, forget all the reasons that makes you think you have to smoke and forget all the drama about quitting. What ever the situation the next cigarette will make it worse. (see my other comment too)
Re: Ask HN: How did you quit smoking?
#18I smoked for nearly 25 years, mostly at a pack a day or more. Several winters ago, I ran out of money except for rent and food, and had no other reason to leave the house besides cigarettes and exercise. Depression prevented the latter, and I told myself that I wasn't up for talking to strangers for the former.
As my supply dwindled, I rolled the butts into second generation cigarettes. And then those into third generation. Finally I ended with a fourth generation cigarette, the nastiest thing I've ever smoked - and it took me days to finish it.
That cigarette, plus overwhelming amotivation to leave home, was my cold turkey route to quitting successfully after hundreds of tries with other methods.
Re: Ask HN: How did you quit smoking?
#19I read a famous quit-smoking book on the advice of my (still smoking) brother. I was dubious of the thing, feeling all superior and thinking that I was too smart to be changed by a small cheap book. I was wrong. i finished to book and quit, just like that, went cold turkey. no craving, no withdrawal feeling, nothing. I even did what you should never do which is to smoke just-the-one to see, didn't fall back. It amaze…
great book. quit smoking after finishing it also. at least search youtube for his videos and then go buy the book.
Re: Ask HN: How did you quit smoking?
#20It was cold turkey for me too. I didn't have any money left and no tobacco in the house. So I just stopped. I used to smoke quite a lot; usually hand-rolled cigarettes (non-filter) and about 35-40 a day. (Had been smoking for about 2 1/2 years up until then) It was rough the first couple of days, but it got better pretty quick. I tried to distract myself, with some video games, worked out pretty well, played for hours straight.
But I haven't had much problems quitting any habbits thus far. Overall I get hooked quite fast, but if I try to ignore and overcome the need for e.g. playing Quake Live( or something like that) I seem to don't care anymore after 2-3 days. (until I play again)
I still want to smoke from time to time, because I really liked it, but the desire usually vanishes 10min later.