Giving up cigarettes - advice

Hi All,

Ok, so I'm looking for some advice here.

My fiance gave up smoking on Sunday evening and has decided to try going cold turkey and not even trying nicorette or the patches that assist etc.

I'm a non smoker and have never smoked in my life, he, on the other hand has smoked for the last 25 years and when trying to give up before has not lasted more than 10 hrs without at least having a drag of a cigarette. Now however, he is determined for his health to give up.

Life with him over the last 48 hours has been unbearable at times. He is very sharp, short tempered and Its getting to the point where I dont want to talk to him because he's so sharp with me.

Can I ask for advice from the forum members who have succesfully quit smoking? And how long does it take for things to get better for him? .................. and me.

Thanks

Coming from a smoker - the first five days / week are the hardest - after this he should lighten up. Just be supportive - maybe buy him some sweets, or go for a walk together - let him hit the gym try to keep occupied. But let him know he's been snapping at you a bit to much! maybe he'll realised and try to get a handle on things

We take our dog for a walk each evening but he says he feels bored when he gets home now and just wants to eat tea then go to bed (that doesnt happen) but thats how he feels. He said its like hes got nothing to keep him occupied in the evening. I know its not aimed at me just him having withdrawal symptoms.

Being a non smoker I didnt realise that cigarettes had this kind of effect on people. Its crazy.

Giving up smoking is supposedly more difficult than giving up heroin, and what people consider to be the most "difficult" depends on the person. I think after the first week, it becomes harder, because that is when people stop congratulating you for stopping, and you lose that sense of resolve you get from positive reinforcement.

he's going to need to take up a new activity to prevent boredom. Yoga might help with his nerves, and the deep breathing may help with the lack of smoke inhalation.

Don't be surprised if he doesn't keep it up. The relapse rate is very high.

I gave up smoking and nicorette chewing gum helped a lot.

Have you ever starved for days? Have you ever been sleep deprived? If so, you'll probably be able to relate to him in a way. When you've smoked for 25 years, it's more than a habit.

My girlfriend smokes but she's been quitting for a while. When I first met her, she probably smoked a pack a day, but now she's down to 2-3 cigarettes every day. I'm not noticing any behavioral changes, but maybe that's because she eased out of it and hasn't been smoking for as long as your BF.

I think the best way to quit smoking is to get sick so bad that you don't even feel like smoking , for me it sometimes takes even a week without smoking. I just don't feel like smoking . But my mistake is, I always get one after I get better,even though I don't feel the need to smoke. It's just like " Ok I'm fine now it's time to smoke one, I didn't smoke since a week already!" . It's stupid. It should help that you're not smoking. There nobody at home that will smoke and laugh in his face " Ha I smoke nananana" :)
Be supportive, tell him how much you appreciate that he tries to quit.
And be prepared , that he will smoke again. It's not so easy to quit , people try a lot of times to quit and just sometimes they manage to quit. Well, good luck :)

He has to really want to quit to quit. I tried to quit several times. I have quit for 2 years, then 5 years, then quit for a year and a half, but I never stopped trying even tho I failed. I have been smoke free for about 11 1/2 years now and I'm secure enough to say I will never smoke again. I just quit cold turkey.....it's the best way. I suggest he takes up a hobby like wood working or something to get him preoccupied.

Quitting smoking sucks. The first 3 days it just nags at you. I think the first month is the hardest, then it gets easier.

Exercise and commitment to quitting helped me.

ugggghhh, my habit has risen to 25 a day :/ i really should try and stop.

Oh **** qwert, that's pretty much - and you hear it from a smoker with pretty long experience ;) At least try to smoke less...

I know i know. it was around 15 a day but its creeping up. I find i smoke when im bored or if im hungry and cant eat i have a cigarette instead :(