How do you act when you quit smoking?

I don't smoke but I don't understand why anyone would quit cold turkey. I know how bad it can be if I don't have any caffiene for a day or two so I can't imagine how it must be with cigarettes. Let's say you smoke one pack (20) a day. Then day one say you can smoke 19 as a max, day 2 18, etc. If you need to get a new pack and take some out and set them aside. This way you taper it off slowly and won't get as much withdrawl (I would think) I would it would be far more effective and pleasant than cold turkey.

I've never tried to quit, but when I go without for a few days I pretty much want to kill everything in sight and turn the whole planet into a radioactive wasteland where nothing will ever grow again. I want to bathe in blood and kick little babies.

I also get coughs and hack up weird things.

I actually handle it pretty well, but I still smoke when I go out on the weekends.

I tried to quit but I obviously didn't try hard enough because I am smoking now. I was using the nicotine gum and that seemed to really help. If you need a nicotine substitute like that call 1-800-nobutts depending on your finacial situation you can sometimes get the gum or patches for free, also check out this site for more info and support Quitnet
While I was smoke free I had a few of the same problems. You are going to cough a lot in the begining because you body is trying to get rid of all the shit that has built up in your lungs. Good luck on quitting I hope it works out for you.

I always thought it was amazing how slowly and inexorably the addiction crept up on me.

I've never smoked HEAVILY (never been up to a pack a day...rarely ever smoked 1/2 pack in a day). But I feel noticeably more short-tempered when I go without. I think two years of yo-yo'ing between allowing myself to smoke and quitting for a week at a time has made me a little squishy around the middle. Or feel that way, at least. I'm a fan of sugarless gum, but I chew it so vigorously that it hurts my jaw before the flavor's even gone. I'm talking about Trident here, so that's---what, 30 minutes? Also, I bite lots of holes in my tongue.

Anyone ever try nicotine gum? It's super-expensive...

yeah I tried everything!!!! The gum gave me the hick ups 24/7. And I couldn't taste nothing. I did the patches and it was 100% better. I even saved money buying them over cigs. I was a casual smokers for like 5 years. Then the last 7 years I was smoking on average 1.5 packs a day. On the weekends 2 packs easy. I have been smoke free for 4 months now. I really loved smoking, but smoking has killed eveyone in my family and it's really stupid to do something you know is gonna kill you. I know you have to die some time, but watching famliy memebers go sooooo fast made me think.

some might say getting born is the #1 cause of death, but I'm sorry about your family. that's the same reason I avoid fat and cholesterol.

I haven't smoked for almost 4 years. when I quit cold turkey, I replaced my addiction with altoids. I ate those things until my mouth hurt. and I still sometimes irrationally hate people who are smoking from across the room and enjoying their beautiful cigarettes.

This is actually a great idea for some people, but unfortunitely it doesn't always work. I know several of my friends have tried this method, and I have myself several times. I've also tried the patch, the gum and a few other methods. The reason I quit cold turkey (granted it has only been four days, so we shall see) is because I think I just had to say; "This is it, Absolutely no more!". I kinda think this happens with a lot of people. I had to actually let myself get angery at the fact that I smoke. Sounds silly? Well that is addiction for ya, doen't make sense. What works is different for everyone. My friend Mara quit the way you suggested though.

So the fourth day has been much better, almost no cravings at all. Yaaaaay!! I even made it through three brakes at work while watching co-workers smoke. I think cold turkey works for some people because you have to be a stubborn bastard to do it. I think its the pride that I'm being such a stubborn prick that is keeping me going right now. It is much easier now that several days have passed. I was most surprised at my mood swings of hypersocial to antisocial. Those are gone now, for the most part.

I have been feeling slight moments of depression similar to how i've felt after a breakup or the death of someone close. It isn't very strong, but that is the best way I can describe it. You know, that "I've lost something" sorta empty feeling.

I get really giddy and social for the first week. After that, I'm constantly having to monitor my impulses for a few months. The nicotine is no big deal...it's out of your system in seventy-two hours. The hard part is the huge void that not smoking creates. What the hell do you do during all those moments when you usually light up, i.e. after a meal, when drinking, on a break at work? I carried around a couple of boxes of tea tree oil toothpicks. Those helped alot...but not enough. I'm gonna try again pretty soon. Good luck!

The last time I tried to quit I was constantly angry, couldn't sleep, had shakes and shivers of all kinds, and was genreally intolreably miserable.

I started smoking a few weeks after I turned 12 (peer pressure, all the cool kids were doing it). I'm 31 now and I just quit last September. I used the Nicotine patch. I didn't do the normal 18 weeks like you're supposed to. I did step 1 for a week, step 2 for a week and step 3 for about 2 days.

The patch helped control my cravings for nicotine. I never felt irritated or agitated. I stayed pretty calm.

I smoke pot so it takes the edge off cravings, but I definitely get all jittery if I wait long.

[Edited on Feb 28, 2005 by BossDJ]

I smoked for 17 years and gave up cold turkey last January.

I chew a lot of gum even now and have chocolate cravings if I don't. I never ate chocolate when I smoked.

When I gave up, I focused on how fucked up my body was becoming. I had serious back pains, and was running out of breath simply walking up stairs at my home. So, whenever I wanted to smoke I associated the craving with the pains. The body's sense memory is pretty amazing once it's tuned in... (I'm feeling back pains now - lol)

My gf gave up using one of those nicotine inhalers. They're good, but make her hyper if she puffs too much.

Good luck!

I'm too scared to try...

I would have friends randomly punch me in the balls. This doesn't really have anything to do with not smoking though, since I did it before I quit.

The first week is always easy for me. Around week two I start to get really depressed. This is offset somewhat by the joyous revelation that I can smell things again. By week three, nasal freedom gives way to the depresso's again, and by week four I say "Fuck it. Hey bro, pass me a Kamel Red Light."

Someday I will reach week five.

I suffered no side effects, I just said I'm not going to smoke any more and that was that.
I did notice how much better I felt physically, and mentally as well as the load of cash I had since I no longer had to buy 3 packs a day to support my habit.

Good luck to everyone

I quit for about two months, I became the most belligerent asshole on the face of the planet! I've attempted lozenges, gum, patches (which give me a really funky skin reaction, plus I'm running out of hairless places to put them )

I tried once more to quit today, did really well until a phone call from my boss this afternoon. and it all went to shit.

To paraphrase so many of you: I picked a hell of a day to quit smoking.

We'll find out shortly.
I haven't had a cigarette in about 18 hours and right now, my chest feels like there is an elephant sitting on it.
I think I'm getting grumpy because I just yelled at my t.v. remote for "letting" it's batteries go dead.

Watch out, those TV remotes can be bastards when they want to be!
I've had arguments with my mobile phone when attempting to use predictive text whilst giving up.