Quitting smoking....

[Daisychain]

Seems impossible right now :( I've tried hard, I've used nicotine gum and patches, nothing seems to take away the urge to smoke. I'm 20, have been smoking for 6 years, I smoke roughly 30 cigarettes a day. I'm desperate to stop smoking. Is there anything out there that can help me? All advice is much appreciated :)

[IndieSoul]

Hey, how is it going for you? That's great that you want to quit and are motivated to do it, I don't think I could say the same about me :)

Well, I've heard of a pill that takes the urge to smoke away. Since you've tried basically everything else, you probably need something that's a little stronger. I can't remember what this pill is called, but my dad was going to give it a go to try and quit his smoking.

I wish you good luck quitting and I hope you'll find something that works best for you. I'm sure you'll quit when you're really ready.

~Indie

[Katmandu40]

I've been a smoker for 35 years...a 3 pack a day smoker at that and I just quit 13 weeks ago!! I NEVER thought I would be able to do it, but for some reason it worked this time. I tried over and over again before I was finally able to stop. I used patches and gum both, but then I smoked a lot more than you. The only advice I have is to keep trying...eventually, it will happen!!

[andyhp]

I used patches and an inhalator but it still was far from easy so no comfort there then!

The newish drug that's around is Champix. I've heard recently a few concerns over it though. Some people have reported psychosis and some self harm urges that have actually resulted in self harm. These were apparently people with no history of self harm.

Are you in NI or Eire. If NI then I'm told the NHS support is really good.

Good luck and keep on trying. Even if you lapse a few times you're no worse off than before and you did succeed in quitting for awhile!

[Ants]

I was a two carton a week smoker. That was back in the day. I had smoked heavily for at least 15 of the 20+ years I smoked. I tried the patches and a timer that was supposed to ween you off slowly. I knew I was weak so I wasn't a habitual quitter.
Then President Clinton suggested that he was going to add a $1.00 a pack tax on cigs. I added that up and realized that was real money. I don't know how people continue to smoke at the prices today... but then that was my motivation.
ANYWAY... it was in early Sept. and I told myself I had one month to "enjoy" cigarettes and that I was going to quit Oct.1st. Every time I lit a cig I took that first deep pull and reminded myself that I had better enjoy it because I was quitting Oct. 1st. Each time, when I reached the end of the cig. I realized that I hadn't enjoyed it, I had just smoked it.
Then on Sept. 30th my best friend and I were standing at a fire taking in a great Sept. night. I was drinking some beer and smoking, Bob was just hangin' out. Midnight came and he called me on my pledge to quit on Oct. 1st. I took that one last big pull... you know the one.... just before you have to go back inside where you can't smoke. Threw the cig in the fire, threw my pack in the fire and opened another beer. Bob told me later that he laughed at me that night. He did not believe I could quit, especially while I was drinking. That was my last cigarette.
There wasn't anything easy about it, but by day three I knew I would never smoke another cigarette because I knew I was going to quit sooner or later and that I was NEVER going to go through that hell (the first two days of quitting) again. There is more to the story but that is the essence of it.
I guess the point is that when you truly decide to quit you will find a way. I went cold turkey and am glad I did. I found strength I didn't know I had and to this day I do not have a crutch... gum, toothpick, unlit cigatette.... ect...
Good luck in your efforts.

[Jenny]

How's things going with it Daisy?

I smoked as a teenager to be "cool" but luckily never got addicted. I imagine its very difficult but hope you'll find the strength to stop - there's a lot of help and support out there so don't be afraid to seek it x