Stop Smoking Cold Turkey - How I Stopped My Smoking

Stop Smoking Cold Turkey - How I Stopped My Smoking

Yes, I became a successful quitter 4 years ago.  I know that doesn't sound like a good thing but when it came to my smoking it was a great thing.  Even better I managed to quit cold turkey, no gums or expensive patches.  I know how tough it can be to quit even with help so cold turkey probably sounds even harder.  What was my secret? Simple I made it a goal.

First I had to have a reason to quit, a reason to want to quit.  I came up with several reasons.  I would get up on Saturday morning raring to go. I would have plans to take my kids to the park and enjoy the day.  Then after my first cigarette that all changed, and I would just sit there on the couch for the rest of the day.  My kids suffered from my smoking.  Then I tried out for the fire department.  Part of that was a mile and a half run.  I never finished, I even had a man twice my age pushing me.  Next I tallied up the money I was spending. 5 dollars a pack, a pack a day.  365 days a year.  Let's see that's ummm 1825 dollars a year.  That could buy a lot of other things for me and my family.  I could go on down the list but that was enough to get me started.

Now I had a reason to quit but I needed to know the secrets to quitting, how to know that I could do it when my whole body didn't want to give it up.  So I researched it, I read pamphlets, I read blogs, I also talked to other quitters.  Here's a few helpful things that I learned along the way. 

Everything in life takes practice, even quitting. So don't expect to quit the first time, most people don't make it. But don't stop there either, try again in a week or even a month.
There are others out there willing to help you, they are either going through it also or have made it through. Don't be afraid to talk about it or pick up the phone.
The average craving lasts no longer than 5 minutes.  When you feel it coming on start something else.  Remind yourself why you are quitting.
Avoid the situations where you usually smoked before. These are everywhere.  The after dinner smoke, the driving smoke, even the chatting with friends smoke.  You can't always avoid these but try to replace the smoking with something else.  After dinner do the dishes instead.  I turned to chewing sunflower seeds when I was driving. 
I don't know if this last is a tip for everyone. Some people say that it is okay to cheat once or twice, but I knew that one cigarette would lead to a pack and I would lose again.  So I never cheated for 3 months.  My biggest help?  I left half a pack on my dashboard, I knew I could have a smoke anytime I wanted .  Anytime I was ready to give up quitting.  It stayed there for 3 months until a friend mistakenly through it away.

Yes I did quit that time, I was proud of myself.  For 6 months I held my head up high.  Until a particularly stressful month knocked me of the wagon.  I started up again, feeling guilty every time I lit up.  I even told my daughter to scold me when I did.  A month later I was ready to try again.  I smoked the last cigarette and walked away.  I finally kicked my smoking habit.  Cold Turkey.

Now my only bad habit is preaching to the other smokers in my life about quitting.

Hi there. My name is Steve Howardson. I like to pass on tips and tricks that I've had to learn the hard way, that way even if my kids won't take my advice maybe you will and I can say someone listened to me. I talk a little more about my quitting days and other things I've learned at http://www.byguysforguys.blogspot.com Another really helpful site for me was http://whyquit.com There are never enough reasons to quit today and it helps to find more.

Smoking turkey