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You're on the hardest day, and congrats on making it this far! One of my biggest motivators to quit smoking was my girlfriend, and she has been so supportive of me -- it sounds like this girl you're seeing could be a wonderful ally for you as you quit. But remember that ultimately, you're doing the biggest favor for yourself! You should be proud of yourself for making it this far and own your victory!

I'm not sure if you're familiar with Allen Carr's book, but it was so important to me while I quit and I know lots of people feel the same way. He helps dispel the myth that we actually enjoy smoking. I was really suspicious of this claim at first, but about halfway through the book, my perspective completely shifted and quitting became much easier. Best of luck to you, friend -- stay strong.

So far so good? Did you make it through until now? Updates??

My words of wisdom:

Edited to add: Get this book. Right this minute, like, order it online with overnight shipping or go buy it locally but DO IT. Don't say yeah yeah and then not.... seriously. Even if it's your last few dollars, it's worth it. I tried for 5 years and this is what helped me finally get through the quitting process. http://www.amazon.com/Allen-Carrs-Easy-Stop-Smoking/dp/0615482155

It's really hard at first and it feels like you won't get through it, but you can & will. 3 years non smoking for me, I still have nightmares that I smoked and ruined EVERYTHING. But other than that, I don't ever want to look at a cig again.

1st day is actually easier than the next. Get through 2, then 3. Then you'll be a pro at breathing and finding something, anything else to focus on and not caving in. One-at-a-time.

After a week, well... you can't blow all that progress now. That will become 2, and then it'll be a month.

A MONTH. Compared to the agony of 4 hours? YES. YES.

Then it'll be 3 months and all of a sudden, it's pretty easy to get through cravings, but you'll still have them... just MUCH weaker. (Social things are hard. Don't drink booze.)

Then 6 months. Then a year, then... well at that point, you're good.

Just make sure that you congratulate yourself for not smoking if any REALLY hard life things happen, so that you don't pick it back up as a comfort thing.

Keep going. Get through today, then tomorrow.

Okay one last edit, here's a chart of what happens to your body after quitting, minutes/hours/days etc.: http://www.happycortex.com/happens-body-quitting-cigarettes-infographic/

Congratulations! You have already made the first step.

Many people here have had success by reading Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking. I myself haven't read it.

Your addict brain is going to try to trick you, and it will become increasingly clever in its attempt to do so. One of the first things, it will probably trick you into thinking you really don't want to quit after all. Yes, you do want to quit, you just said so! At some point you'll think "Hey, I haven't had a smoke in quite a while! I should celebrate... with a smoke!", ITS A TRAP! Once you've gone a few days without a cigarette, you might think you're cured of the addiction and that you can smoke from time to time. Nope, you can't smoke anymore or else you will become addicted again. Keep your mind keen on these types of tricks so you don't fall for them.

About the cravings: yes they suck, but they go away after only a couple of minutes. You just need to keep yourself occupied. Some people like gum or sunflower seeds or popcorn or something to keep the mouth busy. Other people like something to do with their hands, like knitting or juggling or speed-solving a Rubik's cube. Exercise is one of the best things you can do both for reducing the cravings and in feeling better overall. Whatever you gotta do, just don't smoke that cigarette you're thinking about. You won't even crave it if you just wait a few minutes.

It will get more difficult before it gets easier, but it will get easier than you can imagine, and your life will improve in ways you can't possibly realize yet! Just stick with it, ok? When it gets bad, come and post here. We got your back.

Hey OP, just passing through from your previous pupper post(Rick Rossy is a canine heartbreaker, btw😍😍😍). I hope you've hung in there and are still smoke-free! I quit nearly 8 years ago after reading a book called The Easy Way to Stop Smoking by Allen Carr. It's actually pretty uncanny, every single person I know who read (and completed, because many start reading and then stop) the book has quit smoking.

He basically undoes the brainwashing smokers have been subject to in such a convincing and empathetic way that you can't really argue against any of his points. I don't want to say too much, but he talks about how he was a 5 pack-a-day smoker who would break down in tears after numerous failed attempts to quit. Then one day he woke up and had an epiphany, told his wife he was done with cigarettes (she was like "Yeah, sure, I've seen this movie before), and then he never smoked again. He would use his epiphany and reasoning skills with close friends, convincing them to quit too, wrote this book, and has helped millions of people around the world quit.

Honestly I can't recommend it enough, and good luck staying smoke-free! It's so amazing later on when you have to think about how long it's been since quitting, just keep your eyes on the prize!

I started smoking at 16 and I was in a similar position when I was 22 and began my first real quit attempt. I told all my friends I was quitting and then was so ashamed when I relapsed like 3 days later that I kept up the charade for 3 weeks before admitting to it. The problem I had was that I just didn't know how to start or even where to look for help. It took me 3 more years and a couple more quit attempts before I came across Allen Carr's easyway to stop smoking

I know it sounds like a fucking scam when someone tells you there is an easy way to quit smoking, but honestly this book does a lot to help reprogram the way you look at smoking. You can buy it for less than 2 packs of cigs on Amazon or get it from a library for free.

The truth is tho that quitting smoking isn't easy. But I never had success until I bought that book and gave it an open minded read from cover to cover and followed the steps. It made the quitting process a whole lot easier when I was able to recognize all the brainwashing that cigarettes and advertisers had done to my brain. The first few weeks I was consumed with the thought of having another smoke but now days go by without me even thinking about cigarettes and when I do have thoughts of them it's just an errant memory rather than a desire to smoke.

In a couple days I'll be two months cigarette free and I couldn't feel better. I've more energy, I'm no longer self conscious about how I smell next to strangers on the bus, I never again have to be berated by a non-smoker for trying to get my nicotine fix (seriously, fuck those people), I've cut out a large source of my shame when I would have to smoke around colleagues, my sexual stamina has increased, and I've something to feel proud of.

Seriously, pick up the book and give it an honest effort because you've got nothing to lose even if you can't stick with it but so much to gain if you can.

I recently quit using Chantix as well. The thing about Chantix is that it's not a miracle drug, it does an amazing job at helping with the physical withdrawal symptoms, but you will have to deal with the mental withdrawals on your own. Just make sure you are really ready to quit smoking before you start taking it.

I recommend reading, The Easy Way to Quit Smoking by Allen Carr, it will really help getting your mind in the right place to quit.

Good luck to you! And don't be alarmed about the side effects too much, I have never experienced anything more than mild nausea.

Don't hope. Don't try. Don't ever think to yourself, "Well I've gone a whole (x) hours/days, that's great! My best so far! I'll have a smoke now."

Put out that last cigarette, and BE HAPPY because you have just quit smoking. You're not quitting, you're not trying to quit. You quit and now you'll have a lot less budgeting worries.

And when you do get that next job, every paycheck will be worth a lot more because it's not going to be reserved for smokes.

If you can spare a few bucks, pick this book up (about $7.50 for Kindle edition): Allen Carr's Easy Way.
Worked for me, and I'm sure a lot of other redditors will vouch for it.

Edit: Only* if you can spare it. This subreddit is full of good folks who give good advice for free.

You can do it.

So sorry to hear this. Really, the best you can do is fight back with everything you have, and quitting is the first step to that.

As for sage advice, I'd say there are two parts to quitting. First is the physical. Your body is all kinds of messed up from smoking, with your dopamine levels completely jacked and your lungs full of crap. You're going to feel like utter death for a while and there isn't much you can do about it. Look at it as a sickness and understand that you've just got to get through it to feel better. Treat it like a sickness also. Get plenty of rest, take vitamins, eat healthy, and get in as much exercise as you can. All of that will likely help speed up recovery and certainly won't hurt.

The second part is the mental. For that, the only thing you can do is try to reprogram your brain. For that, I would highly recommend that you read the thoughts of Allen Carr in his book. If you can begin to look at smoking for what it truly is, a complete waste of time, it can all but eliminate the mental withdrawal from the addiction. This is the hardest part of the quit, but if you can master it, you'll have smooth sailing.

The second advice I can give for handling the mental side of quitting is to utilize a support group of people who have been and are going through the same thing as you. Oddly enough, you just happen to be in the middle of one right now. Check in with us on a regular basis. Participate in the conversation. Share your story and offer whatever advice you can. You will find that doing so will really help you, and we're happy to help you as much as we can.

Hang in there, you can do this.

It sounds crazy I know, but read this book. I first heard about it on Reddit and bought it last year. It sat around my house for a few reasons, partially because I didn't think a book could help me quit.

But I read it and I'm smoke free, happily smoke free. I've quit more times than I can count, felt horrible and always went back to smoking. This is the first time that I don't feel horrible and I'm 100% sure I'm done with nicotine forever.

Good luck!

Buy this book NOW Allen Carr's Easy way to Stop Smoking


(TLDR at the bottom)

I had been smoking for 40 years. I liked my smokes. I enjoyed the time alone outside, it was relaxing. But I knew that I needed to quit. I checked out this subreddit, learned about Allen Carr's book, and bought it April 17th, 2017. I didn't set a quit date, and the book sat on my nightstand for months. I refused to put it away, because it reminded me every day and night that I should read it, and that I wanted needed to quit.

I finally got around to reading the first chapter. It blew my mind. I won't spoil the surprise here, but that first chapter lead me into the next and the next, then I put the book down for a few more months. One day, in early January, I "made it real" by deciding that I would no longer purchase cigarettes.

It's been an interesting 26 days. I know I'm a non-smoker now, but the cravings still come, and once or twice a day they really come strong, but thanks to the support in this forum, and my wife, I have made it this far.

TLDR: With Allen Carr's book, and a lot of support here, you CAN do it! We're all here for you.

What /u/cenosillicaphobiac says is true.

Perhaps buy him the Allen Carr book

You can also show him this video

And tell him you love him. Don't get mad at him. Addiction is difficult, and his quit will come when it is right for him. Also, stay away from addictive stuff yourself!

EDIT: Also, tell him to come here. This subreddit is awesome. He can lurk for a while, and it may help trigger him into quitting.

Best of luck.

I will leave the more substantial and effective advice to people who have quit for a longer period of time, although I know many former smokers and I am very optimistic regarding my future as a non-smoker ...

There are a few tough-love posts that identify good approaches to quitting (posts by dm86 and Synth3t1c are good examples), and you should see what people who quit think of Allen Carr, an author whose book sounds a little flaky but is actually very good.

Every person I know who has quit says the same thing: It is not easy, it requires tremendous determination, but a life after cigarettes is infinitely better than one addicted to cigarettes. I have also heard the first step is to begin to refer to yourself as a non-smoker, not just someone trying to quit smoking. If you feel unnatural doing this, it may be difficult to stick with it and really quit. You have to honestly identify yourself as a non-smoker.

Yes, she has been wanting to quit for some time now... same as myself. It'll be great for our health and we will easily save $300 a month we won't be spending on cigarettes. I like your recommendation of getting two copies of the book. It's only $14 on Amazon, $28 if I get two copies. Not a lot to spend if it leads us to quit. Thanks for the recommendation.

It's called Allen Carr's Easy Way To Stop Smoking, you can get it on Amazon here! As for apps, the Smoke Free app is the best if you have an iPhone, really easy to use and shows you how your health is improving each day, etc.
Exactly, it's so much easier to do it now and with any luck in 30 years we'll barely be feeling the effects. The struggle is real dude, but totally worth it to quit while we're ahead and enjoy our adult lives without smoking!

I have to mention this since it did help me and a handful of people I've passed my book along to, a large portion of this subreddit have also read this book and had success. Look at the amazon reviews too! THis book helps people, even if just to give you a good perspective on quitting. I kept smoking while reading the book and by the end I didn't even want to finish my pack. Gave it to a friend and haven't smoked since.
http://www.amazon.com/Allen-Carrs-Easy-Stop-Smoking/dp/0615482155

I quit after 25 years of smoking about a pack a day, here are some pointers hopefully it works out for you, I pretty much give the same advise to everyone, good luck

1. Watch the following video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP1ykPUTk_Q
   
   
2. The best stop smoking book that has worked for many http://www.amazon.com/Allen-Carrs-Easy-Stop.../dp/0615482155
   
   
3. Quit cold turkey, the first 10 days are gonna be the toughest but it does get better each day (you can check this one off)
   
   
4. The following website contains a wealth of information http://whyquit.com
   
   
5. Try again if you fall off the horse

I don't know how much reading you do, or if you listen to books or anything, but I recommend Alan Carr's book, The Easy Way to Stop Smoking!

I finished it about 2 weeks ago, and honestly, I feel a little dumb for not realizing that I should be mentally approaching it this way by myself. It seems so obvious now. One thing I realized with the book, is how much it could benefit my friends that quit through sheer willpower and are still miserable months after their quit.

I think the book is most beneficial for two different people:

• You're biggest issue is the psychological addiction to smoking. You have an addictive personality in general and even escaping the physical dependency isn't going to relieve your struggle. You may have even quit long enough to escape the physical dependency in the past and now smoke again anyway. This is me.
  
  
• People who have quit successfully, usually cold turkey, or at least surviving the quit at this point on will power alone, but more specifically, the subset of those people who are miserable, still struggling, and consider it an uphill fight every day to consciously not smoke.
  
  Those two types can be impacted the most by Carr's book if they're willing to accept the ideas the book is preaching.
  
  I have a friend whose about 14 months removed from his last smoke. Even as recently as 3 weeks ago, when we're all hanging out and partying, and people go out back to smoke, he would hang out there, and even ask me to blow my drag in his face.
  
  I recommended Alan Carr's book to him a couple weeks ago, he finished in like 3 days (it's pretty short), and since then has told me a couple of times that he's never felt stronger in his quit than he does now. Says he feels like an idiot for unnecessarily torturing himself over the last year by "putting smoking on a pedestal" as he put it.

I would reccomend you read this: http://www.amazon.com/Allen-Carrs-Easy-Smoking-ebook/dp/B0051XSN50.

For motivation, I've used the 'Smoking Cessation' app for android to track my progress.

Congratulations and good luck!

I have issues with failure too...we are both perfectionists, I bet.

The thing is, having made it those 3 days I felt great pride in myself and quite the feeling of achievement that has just continued building. Kind of like "I knew I had it in me all along" (despite my numerous failures before).

This sub is also a great place to share, ask, discuss and it just dawned on me, very much part of the quitting process (like therapy).

If I can suggest another book that I think I'm going to reread: The Power of Habit

I think it's timely as I look forward to 3 weeks, the time it takes to form a habit (or break one).

See you around, stay strong.

Try a tongue scraper in stainless steel.

You would not believe the crap that came off my right after I quit. I use after I brush in the morning- don't know if it is smoking related or not. But it was almost clay-like.. it's lessoned considerably in the past month- but also read these amazon reviews! It will really help your breath!

It works way better than just brushing and mouth wash.

Also- wouldn't hurt to schedule a dentist cleaning..

Dr. Tung's Tongue Cleaner, Stainless Steel (colors may vary) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00064JGBO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_UfUlybXWMD090

Edit: grammar , spelling and clarification

I would read Allan Carr's Easyway Book which I found to be a great help.
You must accept that you are a drug addict, and nicotine is that drug. Cravings are just withdrawal symptoms from lack of the drug, and these cravings lessen quickly over time.
Good luck.

I've just released a short ebook on vaping and how to quit.

It's free at the moment, give it a quick read!

This is the US link but it's available across all Amazon sites 👌

https://www.amazon.com/Vaping-cking-Stupid-within-weeks-ebook/dp/B081J98MDX

In the same vein as Lion3rd's comment, Allen Carr also wrote a quit smoking book that helps out a lot. I know once you see "Easy way to blahblahblah" instantly you think "bullshit". But that's how I did it, and a lot of people in this subreddit have done it that way too. Spend a pack's worth on the book, read it in two days, soak it in, and good luck!

Congratulations dude. I'm going on 24 hours here right now and it's pretty crazy. Drink lots of water, try to keep your mouth feeling fresh and clean.

Buy these too. They're helping me a ton

Alan Carr's book, as often suggested here, is a super quick read. You could get that in before Sunday! Best of luck. http://www.amazon.com/Allen-Carrs-Easy-Stop-Smoking/dp/0615482155

A lot of people recommend Allen Carr's The Easy Way which really really really helped change my thinking about smoking (granted it still took me at least 2+ years to click and quit successfully so far), and I've also quite enjoyed the work of Joel Spitzer who has a website and a youtube channel.

Here's what worked for me,

I read Allen Carr's Easyway to quit smoking book, and I have to say it helped me immensely, check out the reviews!

It's helped alot of smokers kick the habit.. I know its tough to think a book can help, but give it a try... it has worked wonders for thousands of people.

In terms of the 'vice' bit I wouldn't worry about it, you'll get that missing feeling for a while, and it is the same as getting over your ex, it takes a little time to get used to not having something all the time like you used to, I started to hate driving because I couldn't smoke. But 2 weeks in, my lungs are starting to open up, and I'm happier that I'm working towards a healthier, happier life!

Focus on the amazing things you want to get out of the way, the accomplishments and goals that need to be attained. Cigarettes have been in your life for a long time now.. but remember we have this one life to live, and there is alot to see. These filthy sticks we pay for only limit us, and in so many ways.

I won't say good luck, because you won't need it, things will get better

Best advice: stopping is simple, don't make it more complicated than it is. Cravings are only as tough as the emotion you put into them.
Good luck.
(and read the good book)

Hang in there! Drink water, drink juice, get a lot of exercise. It gets easier and easier, I'll have been smoke-free for three years this September, and I can barely even remember what it felt like to be a smoker anymore!

Edit: I found Allen Carr's book very helpful.

Allen Carr's Easy Way To Stop Smoking

PDF: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B3ugFPnbtHHnQ2w0SlZmSU5kQU0/edit?pli=1

Paperback or Kindle on Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/0615482155/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_x_CABByb1B020ME

I used the exact same method as OP, over 4 years without a puff (or nicotine) now... Upvotes for everyone!! Enjoy your freedom, OP!

Not to harp on it, but give the book a try. I recommend it only because it worked for me. In fact, it worked so well, I also bought his stop drinking book, which helped me quit drinking and inspired me to start /r/stopdrinking!

It's only ten bucks and maybe a hundred pages of large type, so even if it doesn't work for you, then it's hardly a big loss. The best part is he tells you not to quit until the end of the book, so if you're not quite ready to quit then you don't have to.

Here's an amazon link, or you can download the torrent here.

Anyone who is thinking about quitting who reads this and is intrigued, I'd really recommend you read Allan Carr's "Easy Way to Quit Smoking". Here's a link to Amazon for the curious. I think it gets mentioned on this sub pretty regularly.

My father-in-law was a 2.5 pack/day smoker for 40 years. He read this and quit immediately. I quit for a good while after reading it, but ultimately relapsed. But, I think the mindset it talks about really makes it much easier to quit. I'm finally making another attempt to quite, and having read this helps me a lot when I think about smoking, relapsing again, etc.

Get this book now!

It will honestly help a lot. I'd been trying to quit for 3 years. I read this book and quit. It was easy. You're young. You don't have to have years of these shitty, hard times. Please, go to the library or buy that book, and do it soon. It saved my life.

With the power of habit, amazing things are possible.

Great book to read while quitting - https://www.amazon.com/Power-Habit-What-Life-Business/dp/081298160X

Congrats!! What a great decision.

I would recommend not to do any NRT. This will just prolong the suffering.

​

https://www.amazon.com/Allen-Carrs-Easy-Stop-Smoking/dp/0615482155/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=allan+carr+the+easy+way+to+stop+smoking&qid=1569267850&s=gateway&sr=8-2

May i recommend The Mind Illuminated. After meditating with Headspace (app) for 3 months and feeling stalled, I picked up this book and it's been revolutionary. Not taking anything way from Headspace, it's still great and got me to create the habit of daily sitting.

http://www.amazon.com/Mind-Illuminated-Complete-Meditation-Integrating/dp/0990847705?ie=UTF8&keywords=mind%20illuminated&qid=1464278957&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

i chewed on herbal flavored toothpicks for the first couple of days whenever I had a craving or I thought i needed to satisfy my oral fixation.

Used these ones in particular since they were meant for chewing and had a great mint taste.

http://www.amazon.com/Thursday-Plantation-Original-Chewing-Sticks/dp/B000JI521U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407424018&sr=8-1&keywords=tea+tree+toothpicks

Read [Allen Carr's Easyway to Stop Smoking] (http://www.amazon.com/Allen-Carrs-Easyway-Stop-Smoking/dp/0615482155/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1). Someone said on this subreddit, it did some "vudu" magic and he quit. I picked up the book, read it over a couple of days. I'm now almost at a week without nicotine, much much easier this time than previous attempts. I've smoked my last cigarette.

Good luck!!

I think the first step for him to stop is to realise he wants to. I kept trying over the last decade without any success because subconsciously I always felt I couldn't. It's that doubt that needs to go from his head. For me, Allen Carr's book worked. I'd suggest you get him one. Good luck! :)

Because it works, and does make it easy, check out the 1300+ reviews on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0615482155/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485386761&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=allen+carr%27s+easy+way+to+stop+smoking&dpPl=1&dpID=51VFUfekFWL&ref=plSrch

Source: I quit 14 years ago totally down to reading this book, it changed my life for the better

Can't offer much advice on the dealing with stress, but I would suggest you have a read of Allen Carr's Easy Way To Stop Smoking - It will talk you through and make you realise that smoking actually doesnt help when stressed, it doesn't solve anything nor have magical powers to chill you out, that's just brainwashing and marketing. I stopped three days ago with that method, from smoking 20 Marlboro full strength a day right up until Sunday, haven't had one since nor any nicotine replacement and feel fine, don't miss them and am enjoying having quit.

Personally I did the audio book version of "The Easy Way to Stop Smoking" by Allen Carr Audiobook. This is what I used. You can get one free audio book when you sign up and then cancel after downloading the book so you can get it for free.

Or buy the paper version at Easy way to Stop Smoking on Amazon.

I would seriously recommend Allen Carr’s book, it address’s everything you’ve said and more and he articulates all the obstacles you face in a very direct no bullshit manner. I torrented the audiobook but felt guilty after my first week smoke free was just so damn easy so I bought the audiobook off Amazon (for 20% of the money I had already saved).

In terms of the social aspect of smoking this is what postponed my quitting for the best part of a fucking decade and now I feel like a prize twat. It is not difficult, I quit on a Wednesday and was sat outside the pub on the Friday drinking all night with smokers and didn’t touch one and it didn’t bother me.It will only be a problem if you don't really want to quit.

My best advice to you would be to analyse every thought you have trying to justify smoking in any way, shape or form and ask yourself whether it is your rational mind talking or whether it’s your addiction trying to kid yourself (SPOILER: it’s your addiction).

I've been using Tea tree therapy mint toothpicks. They have a nice minty taste that last a fairly long time, they give me something to do with my mouth, and the flavor does a decent job at giving me some semblance of a menthol cigarette approximation. I pop one in whenever I have a craving and usually just chew on it for 30 minutes to an hour.

I honestly cxould not say, after reading the Easy Way book, we did not need to have to replace it with anything, it was a full 30 hours after we stopped smoking that I stopped and thought, oh wow, I have completely forgot to not think about not smoking'

So we didn't have to replace it with anything because there was no void to fill, no craving, no withdrawl or anything.

If you have not read it yet, I recommend reading the easyway book.

TI got my wife the one written for women, that way we both could read at the same time.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0615482155/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Read The Easy Way to Stop Smoking by Allen Carr. You'll be glad you did.

The $4.83 it is on Amazon right now is well worth it. It gets you in the mindset if you are considering to quit smoking

Link

This

and

If you buy an E-Cig make sure you buy one from a physical store near her house where the ability to refill is readily available in physical form.

I had an e-cig and because the cartridges had to be ordered online I simply quit using it and started smoking again.

in general nutrition seems to play a vital role.
How not to die speaks about this at lengths - Fantastic Book Btw

If you haven't already, you really need to read Allen Carr's Easyway to Stop Smoking. The book will help you deal with the psychological addiction which is more powerful than the nicotine addiction, if you ask me.

If you have not already heard of the book, I highly recommend the book Allen Carr’s Easy Way To Stop Smoking https://www.amazon.com/dp/0615482155/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_vnKHDb72QR7JB

It has absolutely revolutionized my thinking on smoking, cigarettes, being a nicotine drug addict and returning to my life as a non smoker.

My advice would be to read Allen Carr's Easy Way. It's a very useful tool for stopping smoking and a lot of the people on this subreddit quit using that book.

It's not a very big book, and if you read it and still want to keep smoking, all you've lost is the time it took you to read the book.

Toothpicks help me a ton. I get these ones but they're usually a lot cheaper if you find them at a store instead of Amazon.

Nice im gonna give them a read. I wanted to also
read http://www.amazon.com/The-Hearts-Code-Tapping-Wisdom/dp/0767900952

I know it sounds stupid, but maybe buy him this book. I don't want to advertise it, but many people here report it helped them immensely.

I have read it and although I don't "blame" it for my quit, it helped somehow. It puts you in the right mindset for quitting, and if he really wants to quit, I guess that's a good start.

I quit a few weeks ago and did so painlessly and without willpower after reading Allen Carr's book. It worked for me and a lot of people on this subreddit. I would recommend it to anyone: http://www.amazon.com/Allen-Carrs-Easyway-Stop-Smoking/dp/0615482155/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373259642&sr=8-1&keywords=allen+carr

My experience, smokers are big time deniers and carry a lot of shame about smoking. Perhaps this was not you, but it was me. I think you can help by remembering how hard it is stop smoking and accepting that this is his battle not yours. Blame, guilt,pushing & prodding tends to in-grain behavior not improve it. You can get him a book, Allen Carr's Easy Way to Quit Smoking. From there it's up to him. As far as trust, if all your trust is buried in an addict's use you will be disappointed & unhappy. Maybe your relationship would be better served looking at all the other things.

Edit: This is why I think quitting together & for each other is generally a bad idea. It adds elements to a relationship that don't belong there.

Edit 2: Link to book

I would read this book, help me put a whole new perspective on what just one more pack of cigarettes really means.

http://www.amazon.com/Allen-Carrs-Easy-Stop-Smoking/dp/0615482155

I'm 10 days in, and it's been amazingly simple. The first day was rough, because my subconscious was constantly playing tricks on me. Thoughts kept creeping on.

"Just steal a puff of your friends cig."
"Just smoke one more cigarette today to fight off the cravings and it will be much easier."

Just think of what you get out of that cigarette. The ONLY thing you're doing is fighting off withdrawals, and ensuring that they're going to continue. Good luck! Each day gets easier, as you learn how to keep yourself busy and fight off the devil on your shoulder. It's SO worth it.

No replies in 7 hours. You know why? I think it's because this is an extremely tough question. Meaning one for which nobody is going to be able to give you a good answer - because there isn't one. Your Dad is an adult, and any attempt to manage him like some sort of child is going to be risky. But that said, I'll try to give you a few ideas.

On Smoking - You could, 1) Give him a printed or audio copy of Allen Carr's "Easy Way to Stop Smoking". A lot of people here swear by this book. 2) Tell him that the 46K quitters on this subreddit tell him he's fooling himself if he thinks he can just "cut back". It doesn't work that way. 95% of quitters who have even a single cigarette afterward will end up fully relapsing. 3) If he's at all computer literate, you could suggest he get signed up on this subreddit. And 4) Tell him you're sorry for hounding him, and that if he really doesn't want to give up smoking, you'll understand.

On Strokes - My Dad had a transient ischemic attack a couple of years ago as well. I'd suggest that you ask your Dad if he's had an ultrasound done on his carotid artery (on his neck). Most stokes originate from this area, and there are new surgical techniques available now for treating plaque buildups here. If this were my Dad, I'd consider him having this "duplex ultrasound scan" done a lot more important than quitting smoking.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carotid_artery_stenosis

Good luck, and try not to worry too much. TIA's (ministrokes) are not that uncommon, and most people live long lives after experiencing one.

You'll see people reference Allan Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking all over this subreddit. It has some fantastic stuff that'll reinforce your attitude while you're quitting, and your attitude is fundamental to the process. Ultimately, it's really only as hard as you make it for yourself.

The easy way to stop smoking

The Easy Way to Stop Smoking by Allen Carr

1. Quitting is easy, and people who tell you it's difficult are doing it wrong. In fact, I enjoyed it (30 a day for 9 years under my belt)
   
2. Read The Book

Valium. I'm not kidding. I used it a couple of times during my very early quit. Now I'm at a point where I don't think about failing or even worry about it...I'm just learning to live a different way. I just ordered this book...got it today...I'll let you know if it's any good.

http://www.amazon.com/Dialectical-Behavior-Therapy-Workbook-Anxiety/dp/1572249544/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409692503&sr=1-2&keywords=the+dialectical+behaviour+therapy+skills+workbook

I know how you feel. I go to the roof to smoke secretly, but I am sure everyone knows what I am doing. I just read Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking. It costs $2 for the kindle edition and you can read it on mobile/computer. I figured even if it is useless, it can't be costlier than smoking a pack a day. I was hit by cravings a couple of times yesterday, but so far today, only slight craving. I am going to drink juice as /u/Hootinger suggested whenever I get cravings.

I am an official English to English translator. I think what they are trying to refer you to is this book: https://www.amazon.com/Allen-Carrs-Easy-Stop-Smoking/dp/0615482155

Or read it. https://www.amazon.com/Allen-Carrs-Easy-Stop-Smoking/dp/0615482155/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

But this.

http://www.amazon.com/Dr-Tungs-Tongue-Cleaner-Stainless/dp/B00064JGBO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409103868&sr=8-1&keywords=tongue+scraper

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BCZW73X

http://www.amazon.com/Allen-Carrs-Easy-Smoking-ebook/dp/B0051XSN50/ref=tmm_kin_title_0

It's what finally got me to quit and never want another cigarette.

Sorry, anytime someone refers to "the book" around here it's about this.

http://www.amazon.com/Allen-Carrs-Easy-Stop-Smoking/dp/0615482155

The Power of Habit talks about this.

In essence, Duhigg argues that a key element in developing willpower is understanding inflection points – the points at which the temptation to quit will be strongest. In a study of Scottish people who had a knee transplant, the people who wrote out in advance a detailed plan of how they would handle the most painful moments in their physical recovery (going to the toilet, picking wife up from bus stop) were able to make it over the hump.

The association you make between drinking and smoking is a habit. You can develop a new habit with new associations, but it will take time. And practice, and forethought.

So I picked up and started reading The Way Of Zen by Alan Watts somewhere around day 3. It seriously helped with my anger issues (on one previous attempt to quit I ran someone off the road onto the shoulder because she cut me off in traffic) and in general has made me a calmer person than the smoking ever managed to trick me into thinking I was. I completely think that mindfulness meditation is what made this attempt to quit actually work (or seem to be working).

Or you could just be an angry person and as long as you don't hurt anyone, rage on sister. :)

This book changed my life for the better.

Dr. Burns was the first one to get me to ask myself how I treated myself internally. How did I 'call' myself out after a mistake, for instance. Turns out, I was being mean to myself all the time, on a subconscious level - for no reason. Until it was pointed out, I wouldn't have changed anything. It was one of the things that contributed to the "weight being lifted" off my shoulders.

One of the most important books in my life. Out of thousands of books of all types (and I detest most self-help books. I find them either to presume everyone can attain the same special circumstances as the author(s), or, alternately, it is the long form of "First, pull yourself up by the hair...") I would make this one top-ten, maybe top-five all-time.

It's been in print for >twenty years, so it's almost guaranteed to be in the local library.

And, just as a long shot regarding anxiety www.drjudithorloff.com

Take the empath test, see if there's an external component to your anxiety. Once you know a weakness, it's not a weakness anymore.

Different gimmicks work for different people but many of these (oral fixation, something to do with my hands) are just distractions from the real problem: physical and psychological addiction to nicotine. If you can face this honestly without excuses, the rest of the idiosyncrasies will all but fade away on their own.

I used the Allen Carr book this time and it helped me a lot.

Edit I was too harsh with my judgmental "without excuses." That was presumptuous of me -- I don't know your mind. With me and a few friends, I can look back and see that these were excuses for us. Admitting guilt to these was easier than admitting that we were really helpless in the face of chemical addiction. For the record, I still have a huge oral fixation and I fidget with stuff constantly, but those weren't my real barriers to quitting smoking.

I hate Alan Carr's book, and it never once worked for me. I find him too patronizing. I could imagine that if you read his books multiple times it'd be worse, as there really isn't a lot of information in it, just a lot of talking and pseudo-hypnotism.


Maybe try something written by an academic, dealing in facts and history (i.e. make yourself sick) (I've been meaning to read this one):
http://www.amazon.ca/Golden-Holocaust-Cigarette-Catastrophe-Abolition/dp/0520270169/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0


I'm looking at my quit differently this time. Cigarettes aren't merely a poor personal choice. They're a weapon designed to suck all the life, time, and resources out of me so that I never have the power to change the things in the world I'd like to change (and it's that feeling of helplessness that causes me to smoke, which is funny when you think about it).

Hey, I assume you've been through this sub-reddit, but if you need a boost that actually really works, read Allen Carr's book - The EasyWay to Quit smoking. http://www.amazon.com/Easy-Way-Stop-Smoking-Non-smokers/dp/1402771630

Three days in for me - the ideas work. P.S. You're winning, it's not a sacrifice to not smoke. Smoking is the sacrifice, and you sacrifice a million little things to smoke. Every time your body wants to replace the nicotine, just say to yourself, "Being a non-smoker is fucking awesome, and I win." The urge will pass, and it gets easier and easier as the poison gets out of your body, and there is only one real reason to go back to it... which is constantly thinking you will fail - that's the real withdrawal symptom. Take that away, and going without nicotine the first few days is no worse then going without your third cup of coffee for the day - you literally forget about it after a few minutes... unless you keep thinking, "oh' poor me, I am making a sacrifice and I know I'm going to smoke in 3 months at so and so's wedding, so fuck it." Keep thinking like that and you are just torturing yourself. You don't really want it or need it, and it's not even a habit. The only thing you want is to turn off the mild aggravation of withdrawal from the last cigarette you had. Which is a fucking cakewalk - unless you bring your mind in to it and talk yourself back in to one of the biggest lies and confidence scams in history. Rock on.

> 1) HOW DID YOU QUIT?

Cold Turkey (because treating a nicotine addiction with nicotine is crazy to me) + Allen Carr's book (can't recommend it enough. Just read it) + being on vacation (made it a lot easier to avoid the normal triggers, and I was pretty far from civilization, so an hour drive each way just to get a fix was a really good deterrent to help get over that early hump)

> 2) HOW MANY TIMES DID YOU QUIT BEFORE IT "STUCK"?

Several times, with 2 "serious" ones that lasted more than a few weeks. First serious one failed because I was getting fucking killed at work, my boss was really up my ass, and I didn't think I could deal with the stress without smoking. Which only added new stress back into my life, but addicts aren't always logical.

Second one was going strong, had about 4 months under my belt, and and I felt invincible. 4 months, no fucking problem, I beat this. It wasn't even that hard! So why not reward myself with a smoke, only once a month, only when I'm out and drunk with my friends. That quickly became once a week. Then a few per weekend... Then after a tough day at work. You can see where that's going, I'm sure.

> 3) LASTLY.....WHAT'S the BEST ADVICE you could give someone who wants to quit smoking?

This might be the kind of cliche you didn't want to hear, but NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF. No "Just one on the weekends" or "only when I'm really stressed/drinking/whatever" bullshit, once you start playing that game with yourself, you've already lost. Never let your guard down. You're a non-smoker now, start thinking like one.

That, and read Allen Carr's Easyway to Stop Smoking. Seriously. It's cheap, it's short, what do you have to lose? Try it.

> But my brain keeps telling me there's no harm in just one and I'm really worried I'll justify "rewarding" myself with one at the end of the day.

All of it. "You are playing cards with the Devil" as my Grandma use to say. You are never going to win.

Listen, I quit a 30 year habit and it was a bitch but you can do it. If you have never read Easy Way to Stop Smoking read it when your strength fails you.

First off, congrats on ditching menthol. Discovering that you have some level of willpower is very empowering. It won't help you quit cigarettes, but it certainly must be nice to know that you're not powerless.

I smoked for 20+ years. I tried quitting by just about every method available. I was pretty miserable when quitting - my wife just dreaded the prospect of dealing with me, because I was a complete prick.

So, I read Allen Carr's The Easy Way to Quit Smoking. The book promised to make quitting enjoyable, which seemed like utter nonsense. I read the book, quit cold turkey, and it was enjoyable. No problems whatsoever - my wife was utterly dumbfounded.

Right now, you're fighting an enemy that you don't understand. Once you get it, quitting is as easy as turning off a light switch.

1. You do quit, each and every day. When you sleep, you deprive your body of nicotine for 6-8 hours. Nicotine has a half-life of about 45 minutes, so you go through withdrawal each and every night of your life. If nicotine addiction actually had any power, you'd be waking up through the night needing a smoke. This doesn't happen for anyone.
   
   
2. Nicotine addiction is a really simple (yet effective) brain hack. The symptoms of nicotine withdrawal mimic the symptoms of stress or panic. It's just a mimic. Cigarettes don't ever calm you - they only remove the symptoms that feel like anxiety. Nicotine does absolutely nothing for your mood, or concentration, or whatever you might think it does. All it does is add a layer of fake anxiety and fake stress that you must constantly suppress by smoking.
   
   
3. Once you recognize the brain hack of nicotine for what it is, it really loses all power over you. It's astonishing, but nicotine addiction gains all of its power through faking you out. Once you stop falling for it, the symptoms of withdrawal are trivial.
   
   Yes, cigarettes will kill you, and your death will be for absolutely nothing. Fortunately, it doesn't have to be this way.
   
   Willpower really has nothing to do with successfully quitting. Willpower is what keeps you smoking, despite a horrifying prognosis, and social pressures, and the money you're spending to kill yourself. Quitting is much easier than the hell you're dragging yourself through.
   
   Pick a weekend, and read the book. Get yourself some menthols, and smoke as much as you'd like. Once you understand the nature of the fight you're in, and how stupid it is, you've all but won the war.