Smoking..

How do you quit smoking when you are obviously addicted and you are around people that smoke? I quit over last christmas, but mostly because I was living back at home where I can't smoke and my bf at the time didn't smoke either. Now that we have more or less broken up I am spending a lot more time with my old friends who smoke. At first I would just take a hit or two at the bar, but now I am always craving it, and although I don't really notice when I'm not around them, I have a feeling that this is a dangerous path that will probably lead right back to addiction. The only thing that helps is chewing gum, but I have been instructed by my dentist not to do this due to having TMJ. I need the support system so trying not to be around them is mostly out of the question, but I can't stand being around the smoke constantly. My one closest friend smokes about 2 packs a day normally, so you can imagine, it's like at least 2-3 an hour. She tries to slow down for me but I don't want it to seem like it's a demand on our friendship, so I don't ever say anything.

How do I stop myself when it's right in my face? I do have willpower but dang these things play with your mind.. Any ideas? TIA

Hypnotherapy - it worked for my aunt when nothing else did! After her husband died of lung cancer from smoking and her kids asked her too, she still couldn't quit, even with the patch. She became a hypnotherapist and she got a hypnotherapist friend to help her...she hasn't smoked in 2 years now.

I was prescribed Wellbutrin for my depression. Wellbutrin is the generic for Zyban, which doctors prescribe for quitting smoking. Since I have started taking it (3 or 4 months)I have gradually lost the urge to smoke. I have an open pack in my purse, but haven't smoked one for probably a week now. I just don't crave it and I don't really even enjoy it when I do. I still keep them on hand though, and just knowing I could have one if I wanted to makes it much easier for me to quit! I reccommend the medication (either Zyban or Wellbutrin)for quitting smoking OR for depression. It works very well for me! Best of luck to you!

have you thought about going places with your friends where you CAN'T smoke?? maybe to the movies, or to restaurants that prohibit it? that may help... i would avoid the social smoking that you're starting to do again though, or else you may fall back into it again.

What worked for my dad & my brother was simple prayer - my dad quit after a lifetime of smoking, after my brother told him about how he had quit after smoking for 10 years...he prayed with a genuine desire to be released from his addiction. Simple, but it worked for them.

I second Raggiemom's idea, too.

Darrell quit using that lazer therapy. it was near $300 but he got a de-stress along with the quit smoking.

He tried the patch and it made his arm numb, he tried Zyban and I threatened to break up with him after 3 days (He had an extremely short temper on it), he tried the gum, cold turkey, hypnotherapy, smokeless cigarettes... nothing worked he would always go back after a while. But so far it's been like 6 months since he's smoked.

We think it worked because it cost so much that it's an added incentive to make it work.

Good luck and keep trying! Something out there is bound to help you.

Anna, when I lived back east I had a hard time quitting, moving out to CA where you can't smoke in most places is what helped me (that and not being able to breathe).

Wellbutrin and Zyban are the same thing and have no generic. If you want your insurance to pay for it get Wellbutrin prescribed as an anti-depressant. Remember that you have to still want to and try to quit even on any of the aides.

It sounds like you had quit and were quite sucessful with it. One mistake is thinking you can have just that one hit. It's just like alcohol and drug addiction and even one is too much. (Or like lays potato chips: No one can eat just one!)

With any addiction, you have to remove yourself from the situations that tempt you or put you in danger. I'm sure your best friend understands and wants the best for you. Maybe you can go places together where smoking is not allowed. And certainly, never let anyone smoke in your home. People generally understand and if they don't, they're not your friends. I've been an ex-smoker for about 14 years myself. It's the hardest thing I've ever done but worth it. And I had to do all the things I've mentioned here! Even when I still smoked I would never think of smoking in front of someone who was quitting or who never smoked.

Wellbutrin is an Anti-depressant whose generic name is Bupropion HCl. Zyban is the same as Wellbutrin (Bupropion HCl) and they just came up with a different name for it when they found it helped smoking ceasation. It can help with cravings and withdrawl but anyone who takes it and then puts themselves in places where others are smoking, is still going to have cravings and trouble staying away from smoking.

Good luck. You can do it! I know you can! It sounds like you had and just slipped off the wagon a tiny bit!

I don't have any really good advice on how to quit - I managed to quit after I had gotten a really bad chest cold - so bad I literally couldn't smoke for about a week. When I was feeling better, I figured I had to be over the worst of the nicotine withdrawals, and so I never started up again.

One thing that kept me going when I would get cravings - I heard once that a bad physical craving lasts less than a minute. So when I would get a craving, I made a deal with myself that I would wait for one full minute before smoking, and only pick up a cigarette after that minute. Every one was gone before the minute was up.

It's funny - I haven't smoked for about 8 years now, but every once in a while I will still get a hard physical craving. Maybe once every 6 months. It's easy to wait them out now, but it's surprising that they are just as strong as when I first quit, just not as frequent.