Quitting Smoking "Cold Turkey": how did it work out for you and what advice would you give?

It sounds like he’s replacing smoking with food. Many people do this. Working out is a great option here.

I quit smoking in 1974 after having smoked 2 packs a day for about 10 years. I stopped cold. I remember it as being very anxiety provoking, very difficult, but very worthwhile. For years afterward I still had vivid dreams about starting again, and would actually wake up in the morning hating myself for having given in, but still looking around for the cigs, only to feel profoundly relieved when I realized it was only a dream. Thankfully, those dreams have stopped.

All I can say is, it’s possible; some people have to try several times, but it is unimaginably worth the effort.

I’ve done it several times for more than 5yrs at a time, it wasn’t that difficult because I replaced the smoking with a fabulous relationship. Exercise for me was dancing several nights a week and walking my dog on the beach or around a lake several times during the week. Every little bit helps, here is my list:

* drink water all day long, fill two cups to keep in front of you if you can
* when you wake up in the morning, do a quick burst of some kind of exercise that makes you gasp for your breath or makes you sweat
* when craving to smoke, go for kisses, hugs, sex, grooming rituals, online games, making out a list of chores while at work, whatever you need for distraction other than food
* cut out as much sugar from your diet as you can stand and replace it with caffiend, less sugar really helps cravings for salt, carbs and nicotine- did for me anyway

This year I’ll mark my 20th anniversary. I haven’t forgotten what it was like.

The first three days are the worst. I quit after 22 years at the >2-pack level. I used self-talk, munchies, and a journal to help me through. I didn’t have any outside coaching or support.

I kept up a running patter in my head (“You can do it, you can do it, hang on”) and tried to stay very busy through white-knuckle time. I tried to have as many non-smoking thoughts as possible to crowd out the obsessive cravings.

I munched on pretzels (stick variety, of course) and chewed gum and bit my pencils. (I was doing a manual edit of a book manuscript at the time.) There’s no telling how many boxes of pretzels I went through. As my friend said, “It’s easier to lose weight than cancer.”

The best aid might have been the journal I kept. I journaled minute by minute through the final countdown in my last pack and as I took my last drags. I journaled the ultimate decision and the wretched days that followed. I knew all I’d ever have to do was reread it and I’d remember that I never wanted to go through that again. I still have it. Very effective deterrent.

Still, I kept an ash tray on my desk for months afterward and didn’t throw away my cigarette case for about two years because after so many years of smoking fairly heavily, the “never” part was too scary. Even after nearly 20 years I still wish I could just have a smoke, no strings.

Tell your friend to hang in there. There is never an optimal time. There is always stress. Hang in there. I sure felt good the day I passed the 17-year mark, at which time according to statistics my lungs were as good as those of someone who had never smoked at all.

The first three days are the worst, yes, and the mad craving passes, but it seems to be true that the desire never really goes away.

I quit cold turkey once and had a slight nervous breakdown. Nicotine gum works really well for me.

Support your friend. Be patient with his moods. Tell him it will pass. Tell him you are available if he just needs to talk. Studies show weight gain from stopping smoking is temporary. Within a year, people are back to their smoking weight so i would not worry about that.

Perhaps he should check into some support groups for quitting. He may also need to get Nicorette or something else from his doctor to help. There is no shame in that.

My husband quit cold turkey 20 years ago from a 4-pack a day habit down to zero. For at least a week he was incredibly irritable and for several years would randomly mutter “I want a goddamn cigarette!” Then he would get involved in something so he wouldn’t think about it as much. He still had the craving 5 years later, but did not backslide. He did, however, drink a lot more diet Coke.

My mother tried to quit using Nicorette gum. She said it upset her stomach too much. Some years later she finally managed to quit cold turkey, because she was developing breathing problems.

Be supportive in listening to him and if there’s anything else that he thinks would help him -try to do that for him.

I quit 21 years ago. I was smoking more than 2 packs a day. The biggest thing for me was environment. I hadn’t smoked in the house for my kids’ sake and because my then-fella wouldn’t have it. I still had to clean up the ashtrays on the back porch and make sure anything involved with smoking or it’s smell was cleaned and aired out.

I love beer. I just love trying new beers. I love going dancing. But at that time I had to just stop drinking and going to bars altogether because they were always smoke filled. I couldn’t drink at home because I was afraid I’d forget and just walk to the corner store for a pack of smokes. So, I ended up not drinking for years. After I felt the smoking and drinking were disconnected in my mind I could have beer and wine again.

I think the first 3 days are the hardest, too. On my third day I thought I’d get on my bike and go over to the house of a friend who smoked heavily. I thought I’d just have a drag and then I’d be ok. No one would have to know. I hauled ass on my bike and got to her place and realized “hey, I’m already not breathing as hard as I would have 3 days ago trying to do that!” So I just turned around and hauled ass back home. I think the near-falter probably strengthened me a lot.

It also helped to remind myself often of multiple motivations to quit. One isn’t always enough. If you rotate through the different motivations in your mind you don’t get sort of jaded to a formerly powerful idea.

As to your friend, I wouldn’t push him with the workouts unless that’s something he’s voiced to you that he wants to start doing. He doesn’t need extra stress right now. Maybe ask if he wants to workout with you after he’s got a week or so down.

Also, it’s ok to just be anxious and irritable sometimes. If you don’t try to chase the feelings away then they can just have their moment and be done with. Nothing horrible is going to happen just because you’re anxious or irritable. It’ll be gone in a minute or so. If you know you don’t have to do anything about the feeling than you’re not looking for a quick fix—in either sense of the word.

Best wishes to you and your friend.

worked fine for me. having a wife who doesn’t want you smoking helps too

For my husband, having a wife-to-be whose asthma attacks were triggered by cigarette smoke helped him quit.

it sucks, in the process currently. quite for a long while over last winter, had a couple week long hiccup, back to square one. nicotine has a kung fu grip on my testicles at the moment.

My sympathy, @ABoyNamedBoobs03. One day at a time, one hour at a time, one minute at a time if you have to. Hang on. Keep your mind busy and your hands busy, and probably your mouth too (Carefree!), and stay away from triggers—whatever they are for you, coffee, drinking, TV, sex, whatever—for a few days. Others have done it and you can too. My, but it’s nicer on the other side.