I want to quit smoking: What worked for you?

@mfv, good for you. It's never too late to quit and it seems like now is the right time for you. There are many approaches to successfully quite smoking. For some a gradual decrease helps, especially with aids like nicotine patches or quit medications. Others find cold turkey works for them.

But one thing that helps many people is to have others to support you along the way. So, I'm tagging fellow members who have quit to join you on your quit journey. Members like @mcmurf2 @merpreb @iandunlop @bluelagoon @marylou705 @frane1939 and more can share their quit stories, inspirations and motivations. Together, you got this.

MFV, what or who is your motivation to quit?

@mfv- Good morning and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Congratulations on your desire to quit smoking. It's a big step towards being healthier you for sure. The reason that I stopped smoking almost 24 years ago was lung cancer. I had been coughing up specks of blood and had a horrible cough. At the time I knew that I had to quit and was more worried about that than cancer.

When you stop smoking you will immediately begin to feel better. Your breath will clear itself of smoker's breath, your nails will whiten and your clothes will be fresher after you wash them. I loved all of those things but the withdrawal was a tough one. I used a patch for about a week and then went cold turkey. Cold turkey is the quickest way to stop smoking. Depending on your strength of character, determination and physical make-up will also determine how successful you will be. I was a very heavy smoker, two packs a day for 35 years. But I did it. If I did it, you can!

Why have you chosen this time to quit?

Fear is the greatest motivator. I was hearing about people developing lung cancer (including a family member) and I quit cold turkey. It wasn't easy - as my husband continued to smoke. But he had the good grace not to smoke in front of me. That was 40 years ago. Today, I can smell smoke blocks away and find it most unpleasant.

Try chewing on a straw. Or try chewing gum

My name is Alex I have begun working at an addiction treatment center since my recovery. It gives me much pleasure to be part of this community and be able to give back to those still struggling. If you or someone you know is looking to recover or struggling with their addiction I'm happy to help find a treatment center right for them. The treatment center I work for is not for everyone and I understand that however, my only goal is to help those looking to recover.

I used to smoke 2 packs a day. I started wheezing one day and said to myself this is ridiculous at my young age. I quit cold turkey and it was tough but I made it. It took me about 30 days to break the urge to light one up. One other tip is stay away from bars and people who smoke while you are attempting to quit. Change your behavior and start walking 2 miles a day. If you have friends who smoke stay far away from them. Good luck!

I will also need support, it's gonna be tough but I know the time is now. My biggest motivation is: wanting to live life with my daughter and not miss anything in her life because of my bad choices. I love her immensly.
Second, it smells and I hate smoking in public, I feel embarrassed by myself! 😄 I will have to go cold turkey. So any support will be awesome!!!!

Good morning @lroestorf. Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Good for you. I quit 24+ years ago because I found out that I had lung cancer. I have never been so afraid in my life. But, I didn't quit right away- I mean, how could I do this without cigarettes? I finally came to the conclusion a week prior to surgery that I could do it without cigarettes. I was more afraid of dying than giving up cigarettes. I also had a child and family, but it really broke down to being way too afraid of dying, for me.

This thing about coming to Connect is that you aren't alone. All your support, suggestions, love, and caring are right here. But this is a tough thing to do. I'm not going to gild the Lilly. You might not feel good at the beginning and some cravings can be very overwhelming, but you will no longer stink and you can clean out your drawers, coset, and car! And your health, well you just won't believe how great you will feel!

What got me through post-surgery and cravings was a mantra that my husband said to me when I was whining. "You will die if you smoke". Pretty powerful, eh?

I quit about fifteen years ago, and in my experience there is no one single thing that will work. It took a multiple of changes being made to my daily habits. I'd also suggest putting the idea that there is quick approach aside ending an addiction as powerful as nicotine is not an overnight process. Many people myself included are almost blindsided by cravings long after we thought we'd overcome the addiction.
Here are two things that worked for me:
One; is physical exercise; something works your lungs. It felt terrible to begin with, but as I get in better shape, and farther away from the last smoke I found it helped me stay motivated to quit.
Two; keeping my hands busy was important early on. I had an advantage here, as I play music for a living and practicing involved my hands.

Good luck,
Phili

Hi Lorné, Having someone to inspire your quit can be really helpful. You've got my support too. How are you doing?