Help with quitting smoking...?

Ok, I am 23 and I have been smoking heavily since I was 16. Right now I smoke more than a pack a day. My husband also smokes about a pack a day. I can honestly say I am EXTREMLY ADDICTED to cigarettes. Anyway, my grandpa had a stroke last year due to cigarettes. He is 72 and has smoked all his life. After this I decided to quit smoking. My husband said he would quit with me. We set a date of June 15th to quit smoking.
Now that is about 2 weeks away, I am getting kind of nervous. I plan on using the patch, but the thought of just giving it up is actually kind of scary. And I know that the thought of lung cancer or a stroke is scarier, but right now I am just wondering how I should go about quitting. I know I have to just stop, not stop gradually. I heard about prescription medication, Zyban, to help with quitting. I was just wondering does Zyban help? Does anyone have any other suggestions? No matter what, I am going to quit, but i just want to make sure my first try is sucessful.
Answer:
I helped a friend quit smoking ... I took away one cigarette out of the pack everyday for 3 days, then took away 2 cigarettes out of the pack everyday for 3 days, 3 cigarettes out of the pack everyday for 3 days so forth ... To do this you need a friend to take it away from you (Your non-smoking friend can keep the cigarettes from you) and when you get down to 6 cigarettes left in a pack just ask your friend to give 6 every day to you for 3 days then go back ask for 5 every day for 3 days so forth ... Same goes for your hubby he needs a non-smoking friend to take it away from him everyday ... (Or together, flush it down the toliet every morning when you open a pack before you guys go to work) Perhaps by June 15th you'd be totally off ...
Good Luck!

---

First, go to like the doctors office or about anywhere and pick up a little packet of how bad smoking is for you like pics of smokers lungs and everything. So whenever you get an extreme craving then you'll just pull that packet out look at it and you'll be disgusted and scared for your life. You can take a health class to scare you out of smoking.

---

Well just so you know there is no health benifit from smoking less # of cigarettes so your goal needs to be none at all. Studies have found that when cigarette numbers are decreased patients inhale deeper and hold smoke in longer and actually attain the same nicotine levels. You should consult your doctor, there is a new medication, chantrix, which is showing amazing results ask about it. It blocks nicotine receptors so when you smoke you get no reward and you will actually quit cold turkey and not even know it, smoke away and you will get no satisfaction. You will be on this med for about 3 months but beleive me the 1st time quit rate is 45% much better than the 15% on all other methods! Just so you know the average person must "quit" 5 times before actually becoming nicotine free. God luck and great choice in life.

---

I was in the same boat as you are now, and I successfully quit. I did like you did- I set a date and counted down. I was firm on my decision. The night before, just before midnight- (I'm not sure if this was safe or not), I chain-smoked a bunch of cigarettes until I couldn't stand to finish the last one. So my last memory of a cigarette was nauseating. Anyway, I went zyban-free and patch free- just cold turkey. The next morning wasn't so bad. I didn't have my morning coffee that day, because I knew that would trigger a cigarette craving immediately. I took 1/2 coffee pill instead. Then the waves of cravings hit me. I thought I was going to die, but knew nobody dies from nicotine withdrawal. I would watch the clock like I was having contractions (if you've ever had kids you know what I mean) and wait for these awful waves to pass. After the first day, the waves of absolute cravings came futher and further apart and weren't as powerful. By the 3rd day, I was ok. I still wanted a cigarette, but was doing ok. Then I realized its like alcohol addiction- I make my decision every day to be a non-smoker, especially when tempted. I CHOOSE not to smoke now. To be honest, its been 9 years now since my last cigarette, and I still am a smoker in many of my dreams. I taste, smell, and feel the smoke filling my lungs during these dreams (in that familiar, comfortable, soothing way), and always wonder when I started smoking again. The desire for a cigarette has never gone away for me, but I have no problems being around smokers or not smoking, because I choose not to smoke. I am, and probably always will be, a nicotine addict, though. But truly, if I can do it, so can you! Stay strong, and good luck (you don't need luck, really!) :)

---

You and I are fighting the same battle. I haven't quit yet, but I have learned thru previous failed quits, friends who have quit, and a daughter who quit then 2 months later lost her quit -- keeping your quit will be a lifelong endeavor, you're always going to have to stay committed to it.I've had the consultation for hypnotherapy, and got mixed feelings about. Zyban had a negative effect on me. I want to get smart on Chantix next. But I'm definately going to need professional help. I've smoked since I was 12, and I'm now 43.E-mail me directly if you like, if you'd like to be invited to our Yahoo Group, where we discuss or nic addictions, and how we cope with them. We're made up of both those that have quit, have lost their quit, or are trying to quit.Jacki

---