How long does it take to quit smoking?
359004
First of all, your body only needs 3 cigarettes to fulfill its nicotine addiction daily.  If you can get through the first three days, you have pretty much quit.  The hardest thing about quitting really is the psychological aspects of smoking.  After the three days, your biggest craving will come from your psyche wanting to engage in the act of smoking.  My suggestion, is as long as you can get past the initial quitting, buy yourself a pack or two of clove cigareetes.  You can go through the action of smoking without the nicotine.  Plus they smell so gross, that you will soon get past smoking those as well.  If I could suggest anything, Zyban was the most help for me to quit. I had tried the patch, nicotine gum, laser treatment, accupressure...when I did the Zyban, there were some side affects, but getting through the first three days of quitting was a breeze in comparison to the last five times I had tried to quit.  Good luck!! It really is worth it!  PS depending on how long you smoked for, it could take six months to a year for you to stop thinking daily about smoking.
1131615
The absolute BEST way is quite honestly COLD TURKEY.  The reason is...it takes 72 hours or 3 days for all the nicotine to get out of your system and once you live through those three days then it's just mind over matter as your body's NEED for nicotine is gone.  The patches, gum etc. anything with nicotine in it and the "tapering off" just prolongs the agony of nicotine withdrawal.  \n\nYou have to replace that "bad habit" with a good one so be prepared BEFORE you quit....and know what you are going to do INSTEAD of smoking.  Remember the average 'craving' lasts 3 minutes.  \n\nI used whatever it took to get through the first 2 weeks, sugar free suckers, licorice root (you can buy at the bulk store usually) to chew on, sugar free gum, tic tacs, and believe it or not straws the extra tough ones that come in drinking boxes (I chewed through about 7 of them and just keep cutting off the chewed end) and you can also "inhale" through the straw and then slowly exhale.  Drink a ton of water, now instead of smokes and a lighter I carry bottles of water with me everywhere.\n\nI also learned how to knit to keep my hands busy, you could do crossword puzzles, circle words, Suduko puzzles, or some kind of manly crafty thing like leather working or wood burning I suppose....\n\nAlso I downloaded a little counter from the site I posted below....I was so determined not to have to reset my counter back to zeros I wouldn't have another smoke!\n\nGood luck, you'll need it.....but trust me when I say looking back from the other side it is SO WORTH IT!!\n\nIn three days you'll start to notice how bad smokers really smell and you'll think OMG I used to STINK like that too, in 2 weeks when you run your tongue over your teeth they won't feel like they have fuzzy slippers on them anymore....and if you can make the 3 week mark without slipping at all......I believe that the statistics for maintaining the smoke free lifestyle are about 60% for those that can make it to the 3 week mark!\n\nGOOD LUCK!\n\nOne year, ten months, four weeks, 8 hours, 28 minutes and 34 seconds. \n13947 cigarettes not smoked, \nSaving $4,602.53. \nLife saved: 6 weeks, 6 days, 10 hours, 15 minutes.
321058
cold turkey is the way to go - i am on day 93 today.  counting the days since i have had a cigarette has gotten me through a lot of cravings as well.  i tell myself that even if i smoke just one, i have to start again at day zero.  it has been a big deterrent - and i feel great.  i am also planning to have a party on day 100 - and maybe keep on having parties every 100 days for the rest of my life if i stay smoke free.  it's really just a great excuse to have people over.
862134
Nicotine addiction withdrawal generally peaks after the third day whether you are using nicotine replacement or not. But how long you will feel the strong effects of withdrawal will vary. Generally, full relief of constant symptoms will not happen until after about two weeks or so when you will finally stop being tormented day and night over cravings, urges and negative moods. But cravings and urges will continue to raise their head intermittently for months and years after you completely quit smoking. Get effective support to make your effort to quit smoking permanent. habitbraker.com
562414
if you smoke it everyday or damn near...it takes 30 days without it to disappear.  If you did it say......once every month or two, then it would only take about 3-5 days, depending on amount smoked that one day.  I'm talking in reguards to a piss test.
579651
Well, having quit myself I must say it is difficult.... especially "cold turkey".  I remember there were days that were easy, days that were hard and days that were close to impossible.  I had a huge problem trying to find something worthy of replacing my cigarette addiction.  Gum didn't do it, drinking water never worked, chewing on pens only ruined my teeth, and everything started looking like a cigarette.  What did work for me was hiking.  I hiked the Na Pali coast in Kauai and I was a hurtin' pup.  I felt like somebody stabbed me in the lungs.  It was at that point when I thought "hey Robin, smoking has done some damage here.  Let's work on fixin' this."  \n\nAnd so every day I would wake up and say "today I won't have a cigarette.....maybe tomorrow I will".  And then I'd go about my business trying to keep my mind occupied.   The tough times were when I had a glass of wine or when I was finished with a meal.  It took awhile for me to realize the meal ends when the food is gone....not when I light up a cigarette.  In fact, 5 years later, I still crave a nice smoke once in awhile.   I think it is something that stays with you always.  But the intense urges that you experience in the beginning will soon fade.  Each day will get slightly easier and before you know it weeks turn into months and months turn into years.   \n\nWhat Monitorhead is going through is rough but I can tell he is strong enough to make it through.  Please remind him, that if he caves in and lights up, although it won't be the end of the world, he will have to start at square one again when quitting.  7 days is awesome.  Keep up the good work!
39679
My dad quit cold turkey after smoking for over 50 years. If you have the willpower, that's the best way, but for most people, it's a hard thing to do. I suggest you ask your doctor, because there are many remedies out there that can help. There are also smoking sessation classes that you can attend. Check your local paper for events around your area. Good luck!
22767
If you've been smoking a long time, and you decide to go cold turkey, (it's hard but the fastest way to break the addiction), do yourself a favor and warn friends and family and then stay away from them the first 72 hours as much as possible. This is how long your body takes to detox from the nicotine and you might anger those around you enough for a lynching. I've seen it, it's not pretty.
1182942
Not long if you don't smoke.
907703
I quit smoking last year on Halloween at this party we were at- ran out & then decided to quit for good.  I had terrible headaches but overcame them in time, but sought help online & hooked up with Nicotine Anonymous.  It is hard to quit as you can smell smokers everywhere & I still avoid our local casinos- but last year in Washington we passed a law saying no smoking in restraunts-25 feet away from a business etc.  That sure helped me-in fact I voted in favor of the law!   In the 80's my dad got lung cancer after smoking 3 packs a day- I quit smoking for 5 years- but took it up when he was in his final stages of dying. But I refuse to go back to smoking & reward myself all the time for not smoking- anything I want I can buy.  Please try to quit for you & your friend- www.Quitnet.com  - try this site.  My husband quit in 85 when we got together for my son who was 14- Trav is 33 & didn't even remember Rick smoking.   Now Trav's daughter Chloe ( our only grandchild)  will not remember me smoking as she is only 4.  When you  want a smoke- just pray & the urge will pass- it only last 10 minutes.  Meanwhile look around for a hobby  to occupy you hands!  Good luck- you can do it!
255635
im 23 and had been smoking since i was 17. I now have a daughter and thought to myself one day that i would really like to live long enuff to see her grow up and have children of her own. So that was it i went cold turkey. Trust me u feel and look so much better and makes walking and running etc so much easier if u quit smoking. My face looks better and i can walk uphill without dying... I have been off the cigs for approx. 3 1/2 months and am noticing the positive effects already.. Good luck
252914
You're ok, it takes 1 - 3 days for the nicotine to be out of your blood. For a very heavy smokers, it could take another day.  There's are traces of nicotine left in your organs for months, but they don't cause cravings, or show in Dr's tests.\n\nIf you're in need of a bit of encouragement and help to stay quit, so that your op and afterwards goes well, go to http://www.quitguide.com
588400
I quit once for 9 years a long time ago.  It was very hard at that time.  In fact, I got so agitated and irritable that I could not stand to be around myself...and that is really bad.  I did make it through this hard time and quit for 9 years.  Then I started again for over 8 years. I am now one month into my new quit smoking life.  It has been easier this time, but then I am older and a lot wiser then I was before.  Nicotine is one heck of an addiction, and for some it is harder to quit then hard drugs or alcohol.
990392
I'm there with you! I actually quit about 2 months ago, and then 2 weeks ago I was under a lot of stress and started back up again. I kept smoking one or two a day and kept telling myself, I'm not smoking again, I'll quit tomorrow, but I haven't. I think that you really, really have to want to quit. Not for your family, or your health, but just because you don't want to do it anymore. My dad, who is 54, quit a few weeks ago, and he has smoked since he was 16. He is using the patches. I'll pray for you and you pray for me! Good luck!
231004
1. decide you want to quit\n2. get patches, they work 8-10 week program\n3. alter behaviour and watch for triggers, (things which make you really want a cigarette)\n4. take it a day sometimes an hour at a time\n5 set up reward system\n6. Do some research on what transpires in a body even in the first 12 hours of stopping the smokes.  \nFinally:  The body and systems are very forgiving and rejuvenate themselves towards healing.  It is amazing to smell, taste, and not stink,,,,\n\none who knows,,,
860870
Hey Wizzle. I'm going to tell it like it is. I smoked for 20 years. I quit once for 9 months and now for 13 years. There's only one way to quit smoking. JUST DON'T DO IT ANYMORE. All this crap about cutting down and drug treatments. That's for weaklings and people who don't really want to quit. It's a total mind game. You against it.\n\nHere's your biggest obstacle. The people around you. There will be people in your life who want you to fail. Some will do it on purpose. Most don't even know they're doing it. They'll get you drunk. Take you to places where people smoke. Even offer you a cigarette. Just know in advance these things will happen. That's when you have to be strong. Also, the craving for a cigarette will go away in a few minutes. Just fight it off til the next craving. You're addicted to the act of smoking as well as the nicotine.\nThe first 100 days are the hardest. I'm not gonna say it's easy. "Just don't smoke". Simple as that.\n.
1066100
follow this simple yet effective regimen: if you smoke about 18 cigs a day now, starting tomorrow keep track and only smoke 17 cigs. do that for a whole week, it isn't even hard. the next week smoke only 16 cigs a day ( don't lose track). the next week smoke 15 cigs a day and so forth. when you get down to five increase the time period to two weeks. after the two weeks you are down to four. then just keep going at the two week pace and you will be smoke free. try it!