[Miss Monster]

my boyfriend has tried countless times in the 3 years we've been together to quit smoking. he has tried to ween himself off of them slowly, only smoking at certain times, just straight up quitting, chewing gum, etc. etc. but nothing ever helps in the long run. he just gets super cranky and aggravated and eats EVERYTHING he can get his hands on. he ends up going right back to smoking before we kill each other.

we've joined a gym because we both wanted to get in to better shape and have more energy (and it's a nice distraction from packing and work!) and he wants to try and quit again, since he already has a hard time doing physical things without losing his breath. nothing he's tried has helped tho. i'm trying to help him, but as a non-smoker, i don't really know what it's like to HAVE TO have a smoke. the most i can really say is how bad it is for him. how it's bad for his heart (which he's had problems with in the past) and his lungs and how his grandmother died from lung cancer.

anyone have any ideas? i'm all out

[Aquilah]

I've tried cold turkey, and just ended up smoking again. At the same time, it's when I've quit cold turkey that I've lasted the longest. I've never tried the patch due to the fact I've heard of too many people getting "burned" by it. Not to mention, the fact that I don't feel like constantly looking for a part of my body without even a minute trace of hair.

I also tried Chantix, and I'll NEVER use it again! I had the WORST dreams on earth (mothers killing their children, my husband cheating on me, etc)., and the gas you get from it is HORRIBLE! You're literally running from yourself from the gas (everyone I know who has used it has had this happen to them, and come to think of it, they've all gone back to smoking)!

Now, my husband has a friend who used Zyban about 3-5 years ago, and he's been smoke-free since. So, that might be an option. My friend's husband quit by using acupuncture. I've tried weaning, and that didn't work as well as I hoped.

I'm not sure if I've been of any help, but I hope I was. Best of luck to your boyfriend and his quest to quit smoking. I'm hoping to walk that path soon msyelf

[Dragonfly]

IMO the only way to quit is to go cold turkey.
But if that is not do able, there are effective medications like Wellbutrin, that can help.

As well, you have to want something more, than smoking.
When I quit cold turkey, I wanted to get pregnant.
I got pregnant and everytime I thought about smoking, I thought about my unborn child.
So of course I didn't smoke. The health of my baby was far more important.

Sometimes money can motivate someone to quit.
Think of all the money that is not being blown through your lungs.
Put it towards a nice trip as a reward.

[Darla_G]

Probably one of the hardest habits to break. I smoked for all of a week so I'm no help.

It does seem like it is pretty expensive to buy those cartons. maybe that's an incentive. now you can buy gas.

[Gwendela]

I quit cold turkey. Now I might be the only one but for me smoking truly is an addiction that I will deal with for the rest of my life. I still get the itching for a ciggie but I've yet to have one.

[Karren_Hutton]

I have never smoked..... ciggerettes... lol but my mother-in-law was a heavy smoker and went to a hypnotist who basically hypnotized her into thinking that she was a non-smoker.... and she hasn't smoked in 15+ years...

[Charlene]

Everytime I craved a smoke, I ate an olive... one of those big green ones with the orange center. That was like, four years ago and I haven't smoked since.

[Miss Monster]

those are all great tips, ladies! thank you <3 i'm going to have him read this when he gets home from work, hopefully it'll give him an idea.

[Ray of sunshine]

Good luck to both of you!!!
My grandfather died of lung cancer, I'm terrified to ever try smoking.

[Miss Monster]

thank you!

it frightens me that he's got a history of it in his family and he's smoked since he was 13 (he's 21 now). i'd kinda like to keep him around a while >.<

[pinksugar]

if I was a smoker i think I'd get hypnosis too!

[Aquilah]

The only thing about hypnosis that worries me is that I heard of a guy who actually quit smoking cigarettes, but started smoking cigars instead. Though the worries of lung cancer should scare me, they don't. Only because my friend's mom died 20 years AFTER she quit smoking from lung cancer. So, it almost seems like you're damned if you do, and you're damned if you don't.

I forgot I had tried Wellbutrin, but since I was on Zoloft at the time (yeah, let's double those anti-depressants!), I was a walking zombie. I *think* it would've worked though. I didn't even crave a smoke while I was on it for a few days.

[sandithepirate]

There are some drug stores that sell mouthwash that makes cigarette smoke taste terrible (kind of like that nasty quit-chewing-your-nails polish!)...I've heard that works well. It makes you wanna barf when you even think about smoking!

[Gwendela]

My parents went to a hypnotist but it wasn't one on one but rather a seminar type setting and it didn't help them at all. I do know a former co-worker that went to some sort of lecture based smoking cessation clinic through her church years ago. She didn't quit smoking but she lost twenty pounds.

[ticki]

my dad quit cold turkey because my family was worried about his long term health and didn't want him to get lung cancer. it's been over 15 years and he hasn't lit up at all. you just have to have willpower and the realization that you're doing it for something that you love more than smokes.

[brewgrl]

I quit smoking the day after I found out I was pregnant (yes, I know, it should have been that moment, but hell- I wasn't supposed to get pregnant until AFTER the wedding, not 9 months to the day before the scheduled date).
and then that was it. But I never was a heavy smoker to start with. I only craved when I was bored or with other smokers or drunk. I could go weeks without really thinking about having one. I don't crave now, except when I am drunk, and only when I am with smokers.
My husband, on the other hand. He's a closet smoker. He was so quick to brag about quitting, but I know where he keeps his hidden stash. He comes from a family of smokers. So crazy- his mom takes all these pills and uses all these creams and eats all organic when possible in order to look younger and be healthier- but if she just stopped smoking. it's actually laughable to me.
Smoking is one of those things that if it gets you, then it got you good. the best way to quit smoking starts with the mind frame that you can and will stop smoking, regardless of your next mood swing and stress level. That's what you have to know- that you are bigger than your biggest craving. No if's and's or but's.