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Cut down or cold turkey?

 
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Zee



Quit Date:
-

Posts: 2

PostPosted: December 3, 2009 10:38 PM    Post subject: Cut down or cold turkey? Reply with quote

I've smoked for about 12 (yikes) years. Honestly I've never really tried to quit. I've thought about quiting tons, but never actually done it. I smoke about a pack a day. After reading these forums I am wondering how many of you who quit and stayed quit cut down first? Or did you just stop? I'm debating which to do. Thanks!
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kevin
Site Admin


Quit Date:
-

Posts: 9538
Location: cincinnati, oh

PostPosted: December 4, 2009 12:57 AM    Post subject: Reply with quote

welcome to the site, zee - i actually did cut down, but not deliberately; i went through the freedom from smoking online program (ffsonline.org), and one of the exercises they have you do is called the "pack track" (basically, you have to write down every cigarette you smoke, the time you smoked it, how bad you wanted it, and your mood at the time). what i found was that, just being forced to be conscious of every cigarette i smoked made me cut down from a pack a day to maybe 3 or 4 a day inside of a week. i wasn't consciously trying to cut down, but i'd reach for a cigarette, start to write it down, and realize i'd just had one a short time before, and i'd choose not to smoke it.
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kevin

the zen of the quit
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moose200x



Quit Date:
May 11, 2009

Posts: 182
Location: Knoxville, TN

PostPosted: December 4, 2009 4:43 PM    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello zee!

I'd like you to read http://whyquit.com/joel/Joel_01_13_gradual_withdrawal.html

I, too, had the plan to cut down my smoking from 30 cigs a day to 0 by smoking 1 less a day. I am so thankful I found this article before hand!
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Zee



Quit Date:
-

Posts: 2

PostPosted: December 9, 2009 7:01 PM    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hah, that article makes cutting down sound like torture!

I think I will try writing down each smoke, like you suggested, Kevin. I know I smoke out of boredom or just the habit of doing something with my hands more often than I smoke because I actually want one.

My biggest problem with deciding to quit is the thought of running out of cigarettes. I know it sounds silly since when you quit you aren't suppose to have any but the thought of not having any in the house makes me a bit panicked. Silly, I know. That's why I wondered about the cutting down thing, but by the sounds of that article I best not!


Thank you for your replies. Smile
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jimotter



Quit Date:
November 19, 2003

Posts: 2411
Location: Everett Washington

PostPosted: December 9, 2009 8:37 PM    Post subject: Reply with quote

I too used FFS. However, I was one week into my quit when I stumbled across the FFS program. So my exercises where done from my memory of my smoking habit. I tried cutting down many times before, I was not as successful as Kevin, and I always returned to my smoking habit with a bit of a twist, I usually smoke more tho'. I know my little bit of advice here is not much help in your decision on how to quit, I will say that I went Cold Turkey and have been quit for over 6 years.
Jim

Oh yeah, welcome to the site and congratulations on your decision to quit.
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Never give up on yourself. We are so worth the effort. Smoking creates nothing but misery for us and those around us. Smoking is socially unacceptable everywhere we go.
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Mary Dude



Quit Date:
June 15, 2004

Posts: 4803
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

PostPosted: December 10, 2009 12:55 AM    Post subject: Reply with quote

I hear you
Quote:
My biggest problem with deciding to quit is the thought of running out of cigarettes.


I bought a pack on day three of my quit - but I didn't smoke them (thank goodness for a friends intervention) - I did wrap a copy of my reasons for quitting around the pack and then wrapped it in aluminum foil and put it in my freezer. That way I had cigarettes - and I CHOSE to NOT smoke them - kept me from buying another pack more than once when I was out and about and tempted - I already had a pack - I would just wait until I got home - and I always got past the desire to smoke before I got home.

Figure out what will work for you...I had a "quit ceremony" broke the "last" cigarette in half and threw it away along with my lighters and ashtrays. Read, learn, and quit. It comes down to making a choice - choose freedom from the chains of nicotine addiction - choose life!

You can do it....do you have a list of your reasons for wanting to quit...I always had mine handy when I first quit.
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Mary D.
Smoke-free one day at a time!
Worry doesn't help tomorrow's troubles, but it does ruin today's happiness!
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