Want to quit smoking but can't

[love for Jesus]

I have tried everything, done the gum, patches, etc... And can't seem to quit. I am so tired of this stupid addiction in my life. Start out strong and even made it three weeks one time, but always go back to it. I have smoked since I was 16 years old. I now am married with two small children, and it does not fit in my life. I hate it! I have been trying to depend on Jesus, but I keep taking the burden back onto myself. I am at my wits end with this. I know now through my jurney that there is no magic pill to cure me. I have to just do it cold turkey with Gods help. But I keep going back to it. HELP!!!

[turtledove]

I have tried everything, done the gum, patches, etc... And can't seem to quit. I am so tired of this stupid addiction in my life. Start out strong and even made it three weeks one time, but always go back to it. I have smoked since I was 16 years old. I now am married with two small children, and it does not fit in my life. I hate it! I have been trying to depend on Jesus, but I keep taking the burden back onto myself. I am at my wits end with this. I know now through my jurney that there is no magic pill to cure me. I have to just do it cold turkey with Gods help. But I keep going back to it. HELP!!!

Hi, love for Jesus,

Don't be discouraged..:pray: You are not alone in this.

And..welcome to the forum! :) I see this is your first post. As suggested by your registration email.. you are encouraged to go and post in our Introductions section so that members can welcome and get acquainted with you.

There has been another recent thread in this section, Breaking the Chains, which includes some good replies to someone else struggling with the same need to be free from smoking.

Here: http://bibleforums.org/forum/showthread.php?t=141822

You may find it worthwhile to read through that thread although you'll be receiving replies here regarding what you have shared.

praying for you..:pray:

wiseoldowl ...facilitator


Philippians 4:13 KJV (http://www.tnivbible.com/bible/passagesearch.php?passage_request=Philippians 4:13&kjv=yes)
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

[unkerns]

Your right you will need to do it cold turkey, but this also means a whole life change, you cannot leave any room for the devil to slip in and keep your addiction (get rid of lighters, cigarettes, etc.) this also goes hand in hand with the rest of your life, are you devoted to the Lord in all things?

[Polar Bear]

i struggled with smoking from the time I was 16 to about 24. The last year before I actually quit I failed many, many times. I eventually was able to quit, but it wasn't easy and I did it with the help of friends.

Perhaps this will help you, perhaps not. I used accountability and I used people who were not judgmental, but at the same time not passive. They actually cared about me and wanted to help me quit. They had absolutely no problem getting up into my grill.

Anyways what I did was asked a core group of friends and family for help. i told them all of my tendencies. When i smoked, where I liked to smoke, where I hid my cigarettes, what caused me to smoke, etc. Anything that had to do with me and smoking I told them. i did well for about 2 weeks and then had a relapse. I left my cigarettes in my car and had the doors locked. A friend of mind came and asked me for my keys to get in. He got my keys, found my smokes and proceeded to tear them up and confront me about it. That happened a couple of times in different situations and it eventually helped me phase smoking out. It was a process and I did screw up a few times.

I should probably mention that all the friends that kept me accountable did not struggle with smoking. I learned this when battling with a porn addiction. never have accountability partners that struggle with the same thing because they won't confront you when they themselves screw up.

[livingwaters]

I have tried everything, done the gum, patches, etc... And can't seem to quit. I am so tired of this stupid addiction in my life. Start out strong and even made it three weeks one time, but always go back to it. I have smoked since I was 16 years old. I now am married with two small children, and it does not fit in my life. I hate it! I have been trying to depend on Jesus, but I keep taking the burden back onto myself. I am at my wits end with this. I know now through my jurney that there is no magic pill to cure me. I have to just do it cold turkey with Gods help. But I keep going back to it. HELP!!!

Let me tell you about my "HERO," named JESUS!!!! :kiss: OH, my, my!!! HE and HE alone can do all things...just a reminder!!! You were old when you started...I was 11. By 2005, when I got saved, I was up to 3-3 1/2 pks a day....My hair smelled, my clothes smelled, my house smelled, my kids and grandkids hated it....but when I said this to the Lord, HE stepped in: I said, "Lord, you have delivered me from prescribed drugs, beer, pot, soooo, I know that YOU can deliver me from these cigarettes..(I was watching the gospel channel, as that is mostly all I watched after I got saved, and still is. seems I just got peace about it!!) So, I said, Lord, I'm taking these unopened cigarettes back to the store and getting a refund, I'm throwing the opened pack away, I'm throwing anything that has to do with a cigarette away...That's what I did....guess what, I never had the 1st withdrawal, cause I knew, that I knew the Lord had delivered me....Yeaaaaa!!!!! That's been over 3 yrs. ago...Praise you Lord, Praise you Lord!!!! Glory to God....Alleluia.:pp If HE did it for me, HE will do it for you.....HE is no respector of persons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D

I will be praying for you!!!!:pray::pray:

[locboxx]

you can turn this into a wonderful spiritual experience, did you know that? do you know that in fasting you dont have to give up food but you can give up something that has been a big part of ur life? get rid of your pack of cigarettes that you have, dont even smoke the last of the pack. every time you get a craving, read a little bit of the Bible and pray to God. Expose your weakness to God show Him how much you need His help to get rid of this addiction. When you feel that craving, take a step outside to pray and focus 100% on Jesus Christ who died for us. I pray that you are released from this addiction. i used to smoke some stuff and i know its hard to stop. Jesus helped me and i know He will help you :)

[xspinningisfun]

Hey! I am so glad that you are trying to quit. It's a yucky habit!
So this is the time to NOT take it upon yourself. Give this to Jesus. It's hard...it really is. But if you want for God to take control, you need to give it to him. Seems that you are. But you cannot take it upon yourself anymore. Just tell God, "God, I know this is a bad habit, I know that I need to quit. It's so hard for me to do. I've become so addicted and I want to give it up, but it's kinda scary to do so...only because I don't know how I will be without it. I give this addiction to You..I know that you will do away with it. Help me not to crave it ANYMORE. You can do ALL things, I trust in You." Or something among those lines.

Rely on Jesus. He's there for you! :]

[Valley of Joy]

I smoked for 16 years up until 3 months ago. I tried different things in the past to help me quit but nothing worked. Then I talked to my doctor about Chantix. This stuff works! I have not had a craving for a cig since my stop day almost 3 months ago. You continue to take Chantix for up to 6 months after quiting to help with the long term. Chantix block the part in your brain that craves the cigs. I tried to smoke once after my quit date and got sick which is what it is suposed to do. I can not tell you that this is for everyone but I am now smoke free for the first time in 16 years. By the way I did not have any of the side effect they talk about. :pp

[mongoose303]

Im not sure if i can offer any real advice otherthan to say focus 100% on Jesus, put Him at the center of ALL things in your life, You must decrease that He may increase, empty yourself of yourself and ask Jesus to fill you to an overflowing with His Holy Spirit ! After considering this, smoking will seem rather trivial. :)

I smoked for over 25 years (2 packs a day) and the very day i got saved, about 9 months ago now, the Lord delivered me from smoking. I made a solumn commitment to live my life for the Lord, i asked Him to turn my life around and to help me live righteously in Christ Jesus. The Lord has done amazing things for me, im just so overwhelmed that He's with me every day !!!:pp I love you Jesus !!!! Thank you Jesus ! He is just so wonderful im probably just going to fall over and faint when I get to see Him !!! Just amagine we are going to see the King of Kings and Lord of Glory very very soon wow !!!
What am i saying ? why me ? Im nothing, i count myself has less than nothing, an obscure nobody who'd rather fade into the background than bask in the limelight. My greatest wish is that He would hide me in His loving presence and my greatest request is that He would hold me in His arms forever, Because I love my Heavenly Father with all my heart and i long to be with Him forever :cry:

If im making a fool of myself with this post...then oh well....sorry.

[Gregg]

I can tell you the surest way to quite smoking it is really simple. Never put another one in your mouth no matter what. Put that in your brain, never, never, never put one in your mouth again. See that was simple.

Ah, simple but not easy. It is the other stuff that is the hard part. It is the flesh that wants you to smoke. It may even be satan, that whispers that you cannot do it...and maybe you can't...but Jesus can. Pray to him for help, pray to him for wisdom, pray to him for the tools that he would have you use. When and I mean when (the battle is raging) you feel like smoking, say a quick prayer as you reach for the telephone to call one of the 3 people that you have set up as accountability partners (if one does not answer, call 2, then 3). Tell them out loud that you feel like smoking but do not want to, pray with them, if possible make note as to what caused this feeling (there could be many). Thank them and go on with your day. If the feeling comes back in one minute or one hour call the next partner. Be sure to thank Jesus for the steps of success. Start your day by praying for help, and end your day thanking him for it.

You are going to have one fine testimony when people ask you how you quit smoking.

God Bless you and yours.

[CrossMaker]

You know, many people think that smoking is simply a physical addiction. But treating the physical cravings through gum, patches, etc is only a small part of breaking the habit... because in addition to the physical addiction is the emotional and mental addictions that the quit-smoking aids simply can't address.

Smokers don't just light up when the craving tells them to. They also light up as a part of routine (after waking up, after eating, with a cup of coffee or glass of wine, etc). Or in emotional or stressful situations. Or as a social mechanism in groups of friends who also smoke. Many reasons aside from the physical craving. That's why stopping smoking can be so incredibly hard, but it can be done, I'm an example of that.

What worked for me was, first, recognizing that I really don't like the way cigarette smoke made my clothes and hands smell, not the mention the taste it leaves in your mouth. And then there's the staining of teeth and more importantly, the havoc it wreaks on your mouth tissues, throat and lungs. So there was the motivation. Now to address the cravings.

I stopped putting myself in social situations where there was a lot of smoking going on. This helped reduce temptation.

I also had to re-wire my brain as far as routines that involved smoking -- which for me was mainly upon first waking up, after meals, before going to bed, and while talking on the phone. I had to resist smoking during these times, which took will power, but it lessened the grip of the habit.

Over time I was able to be around smokers without feeling the overwhelming need to smoke.

Keep in mind that the physical cravings go away after about 3-4 days of not smoking. It's the emotional addiction that lingers for much longer. So once you can master those, you will be free. Reward yourself with each week you go without smoking. It will be a mental struggle but you have to apply self-discipline, which isn't easy to come by but it really is a necessary part of living a fulfilling life.

[ServantofTruth]

My mother was an alcoholic for decades. She could go a week or 2 without a drink and then wham, the smallest stress and drunk at 9 am in the morning.
She prayed that God would save her from this addiction. Suddenly the drink tasted horrible to her. She hasn't drunk for 5 years. Never doubt the power of prayer or God!

My sister is a smoker. Addicted for years. Home, work, bus stops, everywhere - 30 a day? However when she comes to stay with my family, she knows the rules no smoking in the house, or near us or our 5 children. In 4 days she had 2 cigerettes. That tells me she doesn't need them as much as she thinks. She can go places where smoking isn't allowed for hours, get on a plane for hours etc.

I smoked for a year while i was seperated from my wife. When we got back together, i knew it would be no smoking in the house. I had huge stress in those days. Yet i gave up cold turkey. 40 a day to zero. I had a couple of days of feeling ill, and now haven't smoked for 10 years. Also i don't drink alcohol at all.

This next statement is never popular. But we have to behave like adults, not 5 year olds. Are we honestly saying we can't sit and look at a cigerette and not pick it up and smoke it. That's what a child says about a sweet or a chocolate biscuit!

We are adults. We decide i'll do this or not do it. Try sitting in a chair and placing a cigerette on a table in front of you. Then think or say - am i a child who acts on impulse, or an adult making rational inteligent decisions. If you want to give up - do it.

I also once weighed myself, something i never did and found myself 2 1/2 stone over weight. Quite a shock. It took my 9 weeks to be my ideal weight. I made the decision to eat less junk! Well zero junk for 9 weeks, then less generally.

Smoking, drinking alcohol, weight or any addition i believe is beaten simply when the person actually genuinely wants to beat it. Until then half doing it is pointless. Yoyo diets, drinkers who go weeks without a drink then get falling down drunk, smokers constantly giving up then restarting.

I say this in love - do you really want to give up? SofTy.

[turtledove]

This thread has gone off topic and into discussion between posters who are not addressing the OP. Closing it for now.

Please see these guidelines in our sticky section for BTC on the link below.

On BTC for the consideration of those who request counseling..other posters are to address the OP and not enter into discussion with one another. There are many other sub-forums on bibleforums where that is allowed..

http://bibleforums.org/forum/showthread.php?t=67217

wiseoldowl

[turtledove]

Reopening thread now as I have deleted all off topic posts which entered into discussion.
Please, if you wish to post here... remember to reply to the OP and not enter into discussion with one another.

Again: here are, Breaking the Chains, this section's guidelines:

http://bibleforums.org/forum/showthread.php?t=67217

Thanks.

wiseoldowl facilitator

[Bob Carabbio]

Been there done that - with a "twist".

Since I was 16 or so, I smoked and until I was 20 I was burning three packs a day - generally Luckys, Camels, Fatima or Pall Mall unfiltered. Then one evening in early '61, I got saved, and the next morning - it was like I'd NEVER smoked. It was just GONE - no withdrawal, no craving - NOTHING!! Just totally gone.

And about 4 weeks later a fellow's wife had a baby, and gave me a cigar - so to be neighborly, I took a few puffs, didn't inhale - and woke up the next morning TOTALLY hooked again. Right back to three packs a day just like I'd never stopped.

That's when I REALLY realized that I'd just "thrown away a miracle". And I stayed at three packs a day (even after the doctor told me in '66 about "pre-cancerous changes" in my lungs that were causing the chest pain that I had every night).

Of course I Prayed that He'd "take it off me" again, but I pretty much knew that it wasn't gonna be so easy the Second time. I'd spurned His miraculous provision, and it was "discipline time. This was 1961, and there wasn't much available as "Quitting aids".

Anyway, in '67 I signed up with my wife to go up to the Waupaca AoG Camp for a "Couple's retreat", and since you couldn't buy cigarettes in the camp, and we rode with somebody else I figured that I'd HAVE to be Smoke free for a couple of days, and I prayed for deliverance, of course, but didn't "feel" anything (Except a horrendous craving for a Lucky) - and when the camp was over, the FIRST thing I did when I could get away was go with my $0.35 (remember those days?) to the nearest cigarette machine -

But the Holy Spirit was there ahead of me, and HE reminded me about everything I'd pushed aside in my nicotine lust - and I didn't buy the pack. I DID buy life savers, Butterscotch, and Juicy fruit gum, though - buckets of 'em.

And the pressure was on at work, and I probably made 20 trips to the cigarette machine - and every time HE was there - waiting for me, and I didn't buy again. I didn't have the "will power", I NEVER had it - but HE WAS my "Will power" anyway.

And in a couple of months the agony passed. For several years, I did have GLORIOUS DREAMS about lighting up a "Tall Pall" and enjoying it all the way till it burned my fingers, and I'd wake up all "convicted" thinking I'd "fallen" and then realize I hadn't. HEY!! I couldn't control what my mind did when the rest of me was shut off, y'all.

And I've never smoked again - been clean 41 years since '67 - hardly ever even think about it any more - but sometimes in the spring there'll be a certain "odor" in the air, and I'll think how MARVELOUS it would be to light up a Lucky again - YUM!!! And then the craving passes, and life goes on.

It just won't ever happen - I'm SAFE in Him who IS my "will power" in that area of life.

[turtledove]

I remember dreaming about smoking for years after I quit. I quit in 1970..and now I don't have dreams about smoking anymore. God is good to have broken that chain. Without him I may have ended up like my sister who never quit and died of cancer.

I still praise Him and thank Him.

:amen:

[paidforinfull]

Hi Love Of Jesus - I can sooooo relate to your experience.

I know I'm a late in replying to your post, but if you are interested you can read my testimony about quitting smoking by following this link: http://bibleforums.org/forum/showthread.php?t=151314

God bless.

[Trance]

Have you tried weight training? I used to smoke, but then I took up weight lifting, which by no small part has helped kill the cravings. When you smoke, the smoke and all its ingredients force your body's water level to fall drastically, dehydrating you. That's why many smokers keep some weight off. But when you habitually weight train several times a week, your body's going to be forced to take in more water, which in turn will help dilute any nicotine/toxins in the body. Your body's metabolism will be so fast that the cravings will be replaced by cravings for more working out and healthy food, which also will help purge out nicotine/toxins. Trust me on this one, it works for me.

[shepherdsword]

The Lord delivered me from smoking 2 and half years ago. I tried to quit for a year and a half before that but I struggled. I ended up going on a mission trip to the Ukraine where I COULDN'T smoke. They would have kicked me off the team if I did. After spending two weeks there I was pretty much delivered when I came back.
Pray and ask God to setup circumstances so that you will be delivered:pray:

[turtledove]

Within a month of quitting smoking (39 years ago this month) I took cross country sking lessons and took up the sport. It really helped me work out some of those toxins and put me in a place where I had additional motivation not to go back to smoking. I skied for years and later became a runner and eventually took up mountain biking and hiking. I never went back to smoking. Praise God who sets us free..in my case He gave me something better at that time. :pp

[BryanM]

I've tried patches and gum but they didn't work for me. Im using these http://www.commitlozenge.com/. Im a month in and they do work pretty good. Do not suck on them like candy if you try them. Just move it from side to side in your mouth. Hope this helps.

[paradiseinn]

i'm struggling with cigarettes, i have to remind myself that they contain nothing but poison.