Gradually stopping

I've read in other places on the net that the method of gradually
stopping smoking doesn't work. Why is that? Doesn't nicotine
dependency decrease over time?

There's someone I want to get off cigarettes and she flat out refuses
to believe that she could just completely stop (cold turkey). She
smokes 20 a day so I was thinking reducing by one cigarette every two
weeks can get her off cigarettes in less than a year, with the body
needing less and less nicotine.

Is this a good approach? I know she can probably go from 20 to 17 but
from 3 to 0?

There are different schools of thought on the matter. I myself had
tried to cut down previously, and you find yourself obsessed with the
time frames you have allowed yourself a cigarette. I would sit and
wait for 10am when I allowed myself a cigarette, and then wait for
lunch.

It made me think I could never quit smoking because what ahold the
nictotine had on me. But really I was putting myself through
withdrawal symptoms over and over again.

After realizing that... found it easier just to quit cold turkey.
However with some of the prescription drugs out there, it may be esier
to quit than your friend realizes. Some others on this board have had
sucess with Chantix? Chantax? (Sorry I can't remember).

However... You trying to convince someone to quit... will not make
them quit. We have all tried quitting for soemone else at one point
or another and failed. We have to quit for ourselves. I hate to say
it, but the more a nonsmoker reminds a smoker that they hate the
smoking....the more the smoker will not want to quit. I don't know
how it works... but it's how it is.

I am married to a wonderful man, that hated the fact that I smoked. I
even quit for him when we started dating (and started again)... it was
not a surprise that we got engaged and married while I was not
smoking. I still ended up smoking, I felt like every time we had an
argument that he had 'taken' something from me. I began to resent
him. I started smoking again.... simple as that. 3 years later I
have finally realized I need to quit for myself, and although hard...
I can handle it, because I am the one who wants it this time.

-- Heather
I have been a nonsmoker for Two weeks, four days, 8 hours, 1 minute
and 11 seconds -- AND I WILL REMAIN A NONSMOKER. 238 cigarettes have
not been smoked by me, saving $49.69.

> There's someone I want to get off cigarettes ........

Can't be done.
You could sooner digest her food for her.
She has to do it herself.

On Sep 19, 4:01 pm, HeatherHLP <heatherknud...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> There are different schools of thought on the matter. I myself had
> tried to cut down previously, and you find yourself obsessed with the
> time frames you have allowed yourself a cigarette. I would sit and
> wait for 10am when I allowed myself a cigarette, and then wait for
> lunch.
>
> It made me think I could never quit smoking because what ahold the
> nictotine had on me. But really I was putting myself through
> withdrawal symptoms over and over again.

I understand but what I was really asking is will body adapt to a
gradually decreasing amount of nicotine available to it? And I do mean
gradually, say over 12 months. First two weeks smoke 19 instead of 20,
then next two weeks 18 instead of 19, etc. How gradual was your
attempt at cutting down?


As for making someone do something, I've had a lot of experience doing
that, whether it's getting someone to run a 5 minute mile or to lose
weight. Some people just don't know they have it in them and need a
little push to do what they wish they could.

On Sep 19, 10:10 am, zelezekanzve...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Sep 19, 4:01 pm, HeatherHLP <heatherknud...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> > There are different schools of thought on the matter. I myself had
> > tried to cut down previously, and you find yourself obsessed with the
> > time frames you have allowed yourself a cigarette. I would sit and
> > wait for 10am when I allowed myself a cigarette, and then wait for
> > lunch.
>
> > It made me think I could never quit smoking because what ahold the
> > nictotine had on me. But really I was putting myself through
> > withdrawal symptoms over and over again.
>
> I understand but what I was really asking is will body adapt to a
> gradually decreasing amount of nicotine available to it? And I do mean
> gradually, say over 12 months. First two weeks smoke 19 instead of 20,
> then next two weeks 18 instead of 19, etc. How gradual was your
> attempt at cutting down?
>
> As for making someone do something, I've had a lot of experience doing
> that, whether it's getting someone to run a 5 minute mile or to lose
> weight. Some people just don't know they have it in them and need a
> little push to do what they wish they could.

Hey,

This all makes sense to a non addict but what you are thinking is
rational. Addiction is NOT rational. You either smoke or you
don't......pussyfootin don't work. Physical addiction is NOT the
problem as much as the psychological end of it. There is no EASY way
to quit smoking......yes, you can get an aid to help with physical
withdrawal but as I have said that is the least of it....... that is
why a person can only do it for themselves and no one can dictate a
plan that they see as logical and expect an addict to follow it.
Sorry, wish it were that easy........none of us would need this site
if it were.

Theresa

Thanks, Heather

Thanks, Theresa

Y'all are cool!

zelezekanzvekan@gmail.com wrote:
> I've read in other places on the net that the method of gradually
> stopping smoking doesn't work. Why is that? Doesn't nicotine
> dependency decrease over time?
>
> There's someone I want to get off cigarettes and she flat out refuses
> to believe that she could just completely stop (cold turkey). She
> smokes 20 a day so I was thinking reducing by one cigarette every two
> weeks can get her off cigarettes in less than a year, with the body
> needing less and less nicotine.
>
> Is this a good approach? I know she can probably go from 20 to 17 but
> from 3 to 0?
>
When I was a smoker, one of the things that ticked me off more than
anything and really got my back up was when I felt that people were
'interfering' with my 'freedom to smoke'. I know, I know... it's insane
but that's how I felt. You are not going to help your friend by
confronting her or telling her about all the horrors of smoking. She
already knows all that. A smoker has to quit for herself, she can't do
it for anybody else.

ConcordPhil
I have not smoked in 2M 1W 4D 56m. That's 73 days! I have not used any
nicotine at all since 9/03/2007.

On Wed, 19 Sep 2007 05:46:13 -0700, zelezekanzvekan@gmail.com wrote:

>I've read in other places on the net that the method of gradually
>stopping smoking doesn't work. Why is that? Doesn't nicotine
>dependency decrease over time?
>
>There's someone I want to get off cigarettes and she flat out refuses
>to believe that she could just completely stop (cold turkey). She
>smokes 20 a day so I was thinking reducing by one cigarette every two
>weeks can get her off cigarettes in less than a year, with the body
>needing less and less nicotine.
>
>Is this a good approach? I know she can probably go from 20 to 17 but
>from 3 to 0?

You'll never be able to make someone else stop smoking. It just won't
work. Ever.

I spent 35 years (3 packs/day = 60) knowing I'd never be able to stop.
It just wasn't something I could do. I just knew that.

On the 29th of this month I'll celebrate 3 years smober. I did it
only because *I* wanted it. Your friend CAN quit, but SHE has to want
it.

(for the record: every time I tried to cut down on the amount I smoked
I very quickly ended up smoking more.)

You sound like you've never smoked. I know your heart is in the right
place, but please remember for nicotine addicts, like us, "one is too
many and 1000 is not enough."
--
BessieBee

"Mirror Mirror on the wall
What the %^&* happened?"

On Sep 19, 3:36 pm, BessieBee <BessieBee@I_dont_smoke_anymore.com>
wrote:
> On Wed, 19 Sep 2007 05:46:13 -0700, zelezekanzve...@gmail.com wrote:
> >I've read in other places on the net that the method of gradually
> >stopping smoking doesn't work. Why is that? Doesn't nicotine
> >dependency decrease over time?
>
> >There's someone I want to get off cigarettes and she flat out refuses
> >to believe that she could just completely stop (cold turkey). She
> >smokes 20 a day so I was thinking reducing by one cigarette every two
> >weeks can get her off cigarettes in less than a year, with the body
> >needing less and less nicotine.
>
> >Is this a good approach? I know she can probably go from 20 to 17 but
> >from 3 to 0?
>
> You'll never be able to make someone else stop smoking. It just won't
> work. Ever.
>
> I spent 35 years (3 packs/day = 60) knowing I'd never be able to stop.
> It just wasn't something I could do. I just knew that.
>
> On the 29th of this month I'll celebrate 3 years smober. I did it
> only because *I* wanted it. Your friend CAN quit, but SHE has to want
> it.
>
> (for the record: every time I tried to cut down on the amount I smoked
> I very quickly ended up smoking more.)
>
> You sound like you've never smoked. I know your heart is in the right
> place, but please remember for nicotine addicts, like us, "one is too
> many and 1000 is not enough."
> --
> BessieBee
>
> "Mirror Mirror on the wall
> What the %^&* happened?"

Wow, BessieBee, I'm impressed!!!! Didn't realize you smoked that much
for as long as me!! You know I just could not imagine myself NOT
smoking because I always had. But, once I got my mind around "maybe
possible" and this support group, I am amazed at what I'm doing!!

Theresa
One week, two days, 16 hours, 47 minutes and 40 seconds. 193
cigarettes not smoked, saving $33.95. Life saved: 16 hours, 5 minutes.

Hi Heather,

I'm currently dating a wonderful man. I quit smoking while we were
dating. At first I thought I quit "for him" but you're right, that
leads to resentment. I found myself sneaking around.

So I had to adjust my thinking. It's no secret that he spurred me on,
but I did this FOR ME, not him. He might have provided a kick in the
pants but I wanted to quit anyway. Once I stopped looking at it the
way you mentioned -- like he was KEEPING me from smoking or that he
took something from me -- it was much easier to quit.

Just throwing in my two cents. Sounds like you already figured this
out, but our experiences sounded pretty similar.


Ashley

On Wed, 19 Sep 2007 13:47:59 -0700, tldickenson@yahoo.com wrote:


>Wow, BessieBee, I'm impressed!!!! Didn't realize you smoked that much
>for as long as me!! You know I just could not imagine myself NOT
>smoking because I always had. But, once I got my mind around "maybe
>possible" and this support group, I am amazed at what I'm doing!!
>
>Theresa
>One week, two days, 16 hours, 47 minutes and 40 seconds. 193
>cigarettes not smoked, saving $33.95. Life saved: 16 hours, 5 minutes.

Yep. Sounds unbelieveable, doesn't it? I smoked 3 packs a day on
"regular" days. When you figure in days with lots of stress (we all
know how cigarettes help stress, right? ;-) and those times I couldn't
sleep or was up to all hours by choice, the average was probably a bit
more. Makes my lungs hurt just thinking about it.

For the record here is my meter:
Two years, eleven months, three weeks, 2 hours, 9 minutes and 49
seconds. 65105 cigarettes not smoked, saving $8,138.17. Life saved: 32
weeks, 2 days, 1 hour, 25 minutes. My quit date and time is September
29, 2004 @ 3:00PM. Yes, the figures are correct. They're based on 3
packs/day (20 stink sticks/pack) at a cost when I quit of $7.50US for
3 packs.

--
BessieBee

"Mirror Mirror on the wall
What the %^&* happened?"

Once upon a time, zelezekanzvekan@gmail.com said:

>I've read in other places on the net that the method of gradually
>stopping smoking doesn't work. Why is that? Doesn't nicotine
>dependency decrease over time?
>
>There's someone I want to get off cigarettes and she flat out refuses
>to believe that she could just completely stop (cold turkey). She
>smokes 20 a day so I was thinking reducing by one cigarette every two
>weeks can get her off cigarettes in less than a year, with the body
>needing less and less nicotine.

What if she landed on a deserted island for a month or so? She most
certainly *can* do it as have so many people before her. Ever smoker
believes it's him who is the extra heavy smoker who could never quit,
and many are being proven wrong each day.

They key is that she must be *wanting* to quit. A good approach is to
lead her into wanting to quit, instead of coming up with ideas about
how to quit.

>Is this a good approach? I know she can probably go from 20 to 17 but
>from 3 to 0?

Cutting down works so rarely it can safely be said that it sdoes not
work at all. It is the least painfull way for the smokers to consider,
and that is the only reason anyone still talks about it.

--
Tihomir *I don't smoke anymore*
IRC chat: #nosmokers at irc.starlink.org
irc://irc.starlink.org/nosmokers

If a man constantly aspires is he not elevated? - Henry David Thoreau

Gradually stopping can work and I am sure it has for some but it can be a
slow torturous death for others. If cutting down is something SHE wants to
do there might be other ways to cut out some such as;
no smoking in house ,cars, etc,
by thinking of when she is smoking and why,
writing in a stop smoking book why and when she is smoking,
having exactly the amount she is planning for the day, no more,

--
Lynn VOF Leaper
Education is what you get from reading the fine print. Experience is what
you get from not reading it! AZ






<zelezekanzvekan@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1190205973.869728.45530@22g2000hsm.googlegrou ps.com...
> I've read in other places on the net that the method of gradually
> stopping smoking doesn't work. Why is that? Doesn't nicotine
> dependency decrease over time?
>
> There's someone I want to get off cigarettes and she flat out refuses
> to believe that she could just completely stop (cold turkey). She
> smokes 20 a day so I was thinking reducing by one cigarette every two
> weeks can get her off cigarettes in less than a year, with the body
> needing less and less nicotine.
>
> Is this a good approach? I know she can probably go from 20 to 17 but
> from 3 to 0?
>