What is the trick to making the conversion?

[chuckr01]

I'm trying to get off cigarettes and have been semi-successful, but not there yet. What is the mental stimulation that has made you successful? I see posts all over this forum where people have made the switch from day one but it's not working for me. I have tried different nicotine levels and flavors but still need a real one once in a while, not nearly as often, a good thing. What is the trick/stimulation that got you there?

 

[MetalRaven]

You have to want to quit and not think of it as quitting but a healthier alternative but the main thing is to have fun with it. With vaping you have so many devices and flavors to try now that it's hard not to kind of go nuts and have a good time doing so. Think of your reasons for wanting to quit analogs and every time you feel that urge just pick up your vaping weapon of choice and remember them. Afterwards think about how much better it tastes to vape

 

[cmccl]

Hi chuckr01,

I just wrote a post about this yesterday - you can read it here: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blogs/cmccl/4175-how-quit-smoking-start-vaping.html

The mental trick that worked for me was just realizing that one more cigarette would only satisfy the craving for a bit and would reinforce my desire to keep smoking. I knew I had to bite the bullet and make myself vape when I really wanted to smoke. When I first quit I always wanted to smoke so I basically chain vaped for the first few weeks! Believe me the cravings for the real thing do lessen over time. I wasn't absolutely miserable vaping (the way I was when I tried to quit using gum, lozenges, patches, etc); it was just that I still wanted a real cig. It got easier and easier each day. You can do it and eventually you will not have a desire for cigarettes. Vaping really is so much better and you will feel the same way if you can just get yourself over the hump!

Good luck! Keep at it - you can do it!

 

[sashwa]

I vaped and smoked the first 3 weeks when I started vaping. I did make rules for smoking though - no smoking in the house or car and no more buys cartons only packs. I went from 2 packs a day down to 1 pack lasting me 3 days. At the end of 3 weeks, I was going to go visit friends for a long weekend so I decided not to take any smokes and just my vaping supplies. I figured if I really needed a cig, then I could go into town and buy a pack. I made it 3 days without a cig so figured I didn't need cigs. I haven't had a cig since.

I did however have to talk myself into not stopping on the way home for a pack but I didn't stop.

Some take a while before giving up cigs while others are able to from the beginning. Everyone is different. Don't berated yourself.

One tip I have read about is: When you want a smoke, vape for 15 minutes. If you still want one after that, then have one. How many you don't smoke is more important than how many you do smoke.

Good luck.

 

[supertrunker]

What did it for me was one day off the ciggies and thinking - 'this might just work!' Then 'no point in having one now and restarting the counter' until after a few weeks i gave them away to people that did still smoke.

T

 

[Snake973]

I basically quit overnight when I got my first e-cig kit. I was sick and tired of coughing up green stuff every morning and not being able to run for any appreciable distance and smelling like smoke all the time and having my teeth look gross and my breath smell like ashes. So part of it was me really wanting to quit, but I had had that feeling before and tried to quit and didn't last long. The e-cig definitely was that extra help that pushed me into quitterville. Every few months I'll take a drag off a real cigarette from a friend. Every time it just gets less and less appealing. The throat hit sucks, it tastes awful, smells awful, and the draw is too tight.

 

[twistedchild316]

I quit within 5 days after vaping. No mental toughness involved on my end. Ciggs just started tasting GROSS! lol

 

[Iron Knuckle]

Don't smoke a cigarette. Just use a vape. Use it after meals, while stuff you do for fun, when you want a cigarette, etc. If you use it when you do something you enjoy, you will start associating the vape instead of a cigarette with the things that go oh so well with smoking.

 

[Crocky]

For me I started by significantly reducing my amount. When I started vaping about 3 1/2 months ago I went from two packs a day down to 15 cigs. That was pretty easy after I got some juices I enjoyed. Then the next month I went down to 10 then this month to 5. Hoping next month to 0. The funny thing is I find myself lately (by lately I mean the last week) thinking I wanted a cigarette then forgetting only to remember a few hours later. I also changed my habits of when iwould smoke. not first thing in the am, not after meals and not in my car. Then when I did light one up, I forgot I had lite it and was vaping. So it won't be long for me. But I wanted to do it at a pace that was good for me to make me successful. Everyone is different. But for me going from 2 PAD for 20 years down to 5 is a significant accomplishment. I pat myself on the back everyday and count my blessings for doing this good instead being upset I am still smoking 5. I tried many times to quit and this time by the grace of God I am going to do it! I will get there and I have a feeling it will be sooner than later. I don't even really enjoy them anymore really. I also feel so much better it is unbelievable. I as having issues with shortness of breath and chest pains and since I cut down in March they have all but gone. Even better I have not had to use my inhaler once!!
Just awesome!
So pat yourself on the back daily for the accomplishments you have made. You will get there in your own time.

 

[DSFA]

From my experience, there was no magic bullet. It's a decision you have to make. For me, it was not as easy as others on the forum have said it was for them. I did quit analogs on day 1, and have not had one in over 3 months, but I still think about them daily. For me, vaping has been a nice substitute but not an all out panacea. In my search for that perfect "replacement" I went out and bought waaaay too much equipment, including a ProVari. I won't lie. Vaping does not give me the same satisfaction as smoking did and may never. But, every day gets a little better and a little easier. Part of it is having the right equipment (still searching for a great cig-a-like - which doesn't yet exist), part of it is telling yourself that you stopped killing yourself slowly, but the biggest thing that helped me was to just stop buying cigarettes. If I don't have them, I can't smoke them. And that my friend takes discipline, which is a fairly new concept to me, even at age 51. I've actually surprised myself.

While I know it sounds cliche, but when it comes to vaping vs. smoking, if I can do it, truly anyone can.

 

[BostLabs]

Determination this time. After a 15-20 coughing fit that was all I needed this time.
Next day started vaping and haven't looked back.

But all you really need is progress. A few cigs today, less tomorrow, less the day after, and so on. Next thing you know you are there.
Then it is "Welcome to Vaperville. Population +1 because you've arrived."

 

[SantanzChild]

I'm trying to get off cigarettes and have been semi-successful, but not there yet. What is the mental stimulation that has made you successful? I see posts all over this forum where people have made the switch from day one but it's not working for me. I have tried different vicotine levels and flavors but still need a real one once in a while, not nearly as often, a good thing. What is the trick/stimulation that got you there?

Every time you want to smoke instead of vape decide whether or not its worth your spouse/parents/children burying you 10 years early. Then drag out the little bottle of 36mg and hit it till you get a headache. Your body will learn.

 

[BillyTheWild]

I have had troubles at the beginning also. Now, I can say I am 98% there. I still keep a pack of cig for the 2% of times when I am under a lot of stress. In retrospect, my troubles at the beginning was caused by me thinking and expecting too much. I means, I thought too much about how much I vaped and felt too guilty every time I went back to a cig. I should have ignored all that. So what if I chain vape when I didn't chain smoke before? So what if I smoke one cancer stick once in a while? I realize that it is a journey and I should let it takes its course. Once I have this mentality and just let it go and run its own course, before I notice it, I haven't smoke for weeks in a roll and I do not chain vape as much any more.

 

[wiscylinux]

I went on a 2 day ice fishing trip and could not smoke in the cabin. I bought disposables and tried them and realized that I could quit with this stuff. MY MIND WAS MADE UP TO QUIT. I JUST NEEDED THE RIGHT TOOLS. You have to want to quit. With that being said when I went home and got my inferno what I did was replace my analogs with it. Part of the addiction is the habit of smoking not just the addiction to nicotine. So whatever I did when I smoked analogs now I just did the same thing with my inferno ecig. We dont smoke cigs in the house and I would have to go outside so... I would go outside and smoke my ecig. Whatever my routine was all I did was replace the ciggarette with the ecig and left the rest of the routine alone. If i got edgy I just puffed on the ecig till it subsided. After a few days it gets better. Its been 3 months now after smoking 2 packs a day for nearly 30 years. Think about how hard it would be if you were trying to quit without an ecig. Get you some 24mg nicotine tobacco flavor and stick to it, you will get through it.

 

[Bob D.]

The trick for me was finding the right juice. And it took awhile. About a month or 2. (And I'm still looking to improve on what I'm vaping now.)
You got to be happy with the juice or it won't work. I've also found that having more than one flavor to vape helps. Currently I'm vaping 3 flavors and switching amongst them at will.
I'm down to less than 5 cigarettes a day right now, so I'm not totally there yet.
Still, I'm good with that- 5 is better than 20. My coughing is easing off, and I feel better.
For some of us, progress is slower.
Be satisfied for whatever progress you can make. If you can't make the conversion in one big jump, try to make it in several smaller jumps.

 

[DrApex]

Some people have a hard time fully switching to vaping, because they may have an addiction to another chemical in cigarettes.

I find Naturally Extracted Tobacco liquids can help with that.

If you are interested, Goodejuice has a house Blend line that is made from tobaccos.

I like the Natural Perique, Patriot and Vita Bella. These may help you along.

Also, the house Blend menthol Tobacco is quite good.

Having good equipment helps, what are you using? At a minimum, get eGo twist batteries and some Kanger T3 clearos. They vape nicely and it's cheap to replace the heads (like $2) when they get dirty.

 

[iceman68]

Both the physical and mental aspects of smoking are definitely hard to overcome. Especially for those who have smoked for many years. The habit is so ingrained and so strong that it's almost scary to imagine life without it. Even though it's unhealthy, stinks up the place, and costs a fortune, it requires strong determination and willpower to be successful.

It's almost like you have to forsake one habit and develop a new one. Vaping is more involved than smoking(all you need are cigs and a lighter) so you have to become accustomed to the new-ness of it. Get used to it and comfortable with it, just like you did with cigarettes years ago.

And, as others have said, you really have to make up your mind to do it. Can't be halfway or unsure. Just turn your back on smoking. It took me a few attempts but I finally made the decision to start vaping exclusively and devote my time to that instead of smoking. So far so good. And knowing the tobacco companies aren't getting another dime from me is icing on the cake.

 

[ceccorp]

Just stay away from them. Once you make it past a few days then a few weeks it is sooo much easier to quit.

 

[jenlove]

Well first off, you have to want to quit smoking. And then you have to stay committed...which is very tough for most guys. I'm talking about vaping lol

 

[cags]

don't get discouraged. everyone quits in their own way and in their own time. every cig you DON'T smoke is what we count, not how many you do smoke. here is a thread for people who didn't quit the first day

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/pay-forward-pif/405553-yes-i-still-smoke-cigarettes-i-am-addicted-smoking-habit-support-chat-thread.html