How can I quit smoking for good?

How can I change my smoking habits so I can eventually quit?

• First off, I don't need a lesson. I know smoking is bad for you. And that you think it's dirty, or whatever. So save your judgmental answers. If any ex-smokers who have had success quitting have any advice though, it would be great. I AM NOT ASKING HOW TO QUIT COLD TURKEY. I am 20 years old and I have been a pack a day or more smoker since about the age of 14. It literally runs my life. It's not always about the nicotine, but also the HABITS of it that give me a problem quitting. This is a run down: Wake up, roll over. Got to have a cigarette smoked before I can get out of bed. Take a shower, put my hair in a towel. Smoke a half of a cigarette, then blow dry/fix my hair. Get in the car to go to work, smoke a cigarette in the car. Eat breakfast at work, go outside and smoke a cigarette because I just HAVE to smoke after a meal or I feel anxious or sick, not sure how to describe it, but smoking after a meal is a huge habit and I can't continue with my day after a meal is eaten unless I smoke first. Then for the rest of the day basically after I finish doing ANYTHING I need to have a cigarette. If I get bored, cigarette. If I'm trying to figure out something to do, think about it with a cigarette. Etc etc etc etc. I like how it feels in my hand. I like the taking time out of a day factor of it, it's relaxing. It's like just STOPPING. I like just about everything about smoking a cigarette in just about any situation in my life and not only that but I've made it a habit to smoke after just about everything I do. And I CAN NOT stop. So. I don't think I will be able to quit cold turkey unless I break some of my habits first, and cut back. Otherwise I'll probably go completely nuts. So does anyone have any real advise as to how to break some of my habits? Other things I can do instead? Besides chewing gum or something, cause I've tried it. I am not afraid to admit I am a slave to cigarettes. I need help. Any advice would be great. Thank you! P.S. Since I'm done writing this, right after I hit continue, I'm going to have to smoke. So hurry :)

• Answer:

  I've heard that this helps with cutting down, which is an easier goal than convincing yourself that you'll give it up altogether: Progressive time limits. Since you smoke a pack per day, you can set your initial time limit at 1 hour. (Don't cut into sleep, socializing, work, responsibilities, etc.; you have to accept some dissatisfaction for this to work.) You may need to buy, unpackage, and make a huge pile of cigarettes (from multiple packs, if necessary), just so you intentionally lose count of how many you have each day. I mean, like, fill up a punch bowl, and keep it filled to a level such that you can't glance over and get a ballpark count. Every day, you can smoke whenever you want; just make sure that at least 60 minutes have passed since your last one. Nicotine stays in your body for a long time, so the spacing will provide a sustained dose for the course of the day, and the compounded doses during the day will keep you cool during sleep hours. After you get comfortable (at your own pace- preferably in less than 1 calendar month) with this routine, add 5 minutes to your time limit. Like, in May of 2012, you have a 60 minute time limit. In June, you have a time limit of 1hr. 05min. Oh yeah, excess minutes don't get ignored. The key is how long you wait between cigarettes, not the average of how many you get each day. Like, if you're on a 1hr. 15min. time limit, and 3hrs. pass without a cigarette, you don't get 2. The reason for this is that if you had a limit of 16 cigarettes per day, it would be easy to smoke those early in the day, and your evening would suck, and it would be really easy to surpass the limit. In January of 2013, you go 1hr. 40min. without a cigarette. You'll find yourself looking at your watch a lot more, but you'll smoke less each month.