# ativan for quitting smoking



## socialpiranha (Dec 9, 2012)

I had sworn off the benzo's for a while after experiencing the withdrawals but knowing that smoking withdrawal(for me anyway) is much worse, i decided to give the ativan a try. See for me quitting smoking is a very primal feeling it feels like i am being sent back to my most desperate helpless dependent childself and my conscious rational mind has no power. Its not a matter of controlling an urge or craving(which is impossible) rather a matter of subduing the physical response til its over. This is where the ativan comes in handy, instead of feeling like climbing the nearest cell tower or killing a man for a ciggarette, i just lay in bed slightly uneasy. 

Don't get me wrong the idea of facing any one or any social situation still begins a slow boil in my brain which could end either with screaming at a family member who doesnt deserve it or smoking but the ativan at least allows me to stay in my room and not instigate an argument just to expel that energy or go to the store to buy cigs. so hopefully if i can last long enough, my conscious mind will slowly regain control.


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## istayhome (Apr 4, 2012)

man don't bother with the ativan, forget about your primal fear stuff and just quit. They're only cigarettes. I've seen plenty of people quit, I know that it is more difficult for some than for other. get on Wellbutrin or get some nicotine gum or do whatever. But at the end of the day, remind yourself that you have two great big balls just for this type of situation. Vow to stay home for the week and DON'T smoke. take up a hobby for the time or clean your house from top to bottom, t do whatever, lay in the fetal position eating cheeto's Whatever you do just don't smoke. My boss told me that when he was in boot camp in the Marines, if hid Sergeant caught anyone with cigarettes, he would make that person eat an entire pack. Anytime you get an urge to smoke - think about that and you'll nearly throw up. Talk to anyone here for any kind of support. 

make your own cigarettes out of a mixture of catnip and hops. They're surprisingly good and knock out that craving, and no addiction. Best of luck yo.


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## GotAnxiety (Oct 14, 2011)

Ya I did the nicotine gum and wellbutrin.

I've been 12 days smoke free so far. I did only use the nicotine gum for one day to break the habit of smoking then I just ct from there.


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## bazinga (Jun 9, 2010)

For me the best replacement for cigarettes are vaporizers (e-cigarettes). It satiates the nicotine cravings and take care of the hand/oral-fixation that cigarettes cause. I find vaporizers to be more effective than patches and gum. However it's hard to quit the vaporizers too.


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## socialpiranha (Dec 9, 2012)

i gave it my best shot(right now) but i failed today, if i had something to do with my time i probably could have done it but ive been couped up in my parents basement for the last two months quitting opiates, lost my job and i live in a rural area so theres no where to go nothing to do and too damn cold out to do it(opiate cold intolerance doesnt help). plus i have zero energy to do anything because of the opiate withdrawal. cigs are just the only minute pleasure i can squeeze from my day these days so i guess its just not my time.

Edit : i have tried wellbutrin, chantix, tabex, patches, gum, e-cigs in the past with little success
tabex(cytisine) helped the most but it still wasnt enough. I think i need to have a more stable structured life to quit.


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## istayhome (Apr 4, 2012)

socialprisoner said:


> i gave it my best shot(right now) but i failed today, if i had something to do with my time i probably could have done it but ive been couped up in my parents basement for the last two months quitting opiates, lost my job and i live in a rural area so theres no where to go nothing to do and too damn cold out to do it(opiate cold intolerance doesnt help). plus i have zero energy to do anything because of the opiate withdrawal. cigs are just the only minute pleasure i can squeeze from my day these days so i guess its just not my time.
> 
> Edit : i have tried wellbutrin, chantix, tabex, patches, gum, e-cigs in the past with little success
> tabex(cytisine) helped the most but it still wasnt enough. I think i need to have a more stable structured life to quit.


Well if the opioid withdrawal is still a factor then I say wait until that is gone, then quit. It's weird, I could never continue smoking once I quit opioids, cigarettes just made me feel o nauseated.


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## istayhome (Apr 4, 2012)

socialprisoner said:


> i gave it my best shot(right now) but i failed today, if i had something to do with my time i probably could have done it but ive been couped up in my parents basement for the last two months quitting opiates, lost my job and i live in a rural area so theres no where to go nothing to do and too damn cold out to do it(opiate cold intolerance doesnt help). plus i have zero energy to do anything because of the opiate withdrawal. cigs are just the only minute pleasure i can squeeze from my day these days so i guess its just not my time.
> 
> Edit : i have tried wellbutrin, chantix, tabex, patches, gum, e-cigs in the past with little success
> tabex(cytisine) helped the most but it still wasnt enough. I think i need to have a more stable structured life to quit.


Well if the opioid withdrawal is still a factor then I say wait until that is gone, then quit. It's weird, I could never continue smoking once I quit opioids, cigarettes just made me feel nauseated.


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## bflats (Jan 9, 2012)

*e-cigarettes*

I agree with bazinga. I was a pack a day smoker for the last twenty years but recently decided that was enough. My reason was that my morning coughs got so bad that i was puking up mucus. So i quit cold turkey for about 2 weeks but felt the craving a little. Bought myself some good e-cigarettes and have never looked back. It's been 7 months now. The thought of quitting was worse than actually physically quitting. Some people will say that your still smoking but it's like 98% better than smoking real cigarettes. My cough is gone, I'm breathing much better now. Other pro's to e-cigs is that 
- u can still get the nicotine if you want
- they have so many good flavours that it tastes better than cigarettes
- they are odorless
- they don't harm people around u
- u can smoke them almost anywhere
- u don't need a lighter
- u won't burn holes in stuff
- you won't have ashes everywhere
- your breath won't stink
- your teeth won't be getting stained
- the initial cost will be a little high but it will be way cheaper in the long run.
Hope this helps because i to thought i would never ever be able to quit but it is possible and people that know me well are shocked that i quit.


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## Spungo (Jul 30, 2012)

bazinga said:


> For me the best replacement for cigarettes are vaporizers (e-cigarettes). It satiates the nicotine cravings and take care of the hand/oral-fixation that cigarettes cause. I find vaporizers to be more effective than patches and gum. However it's hard to quit the vaporizers too.


I use nicotine inhalers even though I've never been a smoker. They go really well with coffee.


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## bflats (Jan 9, 2012)

nicotine tampons did nothing for me just make me cough


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## socialpiranha (Dec 9, 2012)

yeah i tried the inhaler, just irritated the back of my throat, I tried one of the nicotine ecigs back in the day but it was in the early stages of the tech maybe now their better all i can buy in my town are the nicotineless ones, can you guys recommend a good brand? or online source?


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## Spungo (Jul 30, 2012)

istayhome said:


> Well if the opioid withdrawal is still a factor then I say wait until that is gone, then quit. It's weird, I could never continue smoking once I quit opioids, cigarettes just made me feel nauseated.


This is interesting. Nicotine has almost always made me feel extremely nauseous, so I couldn't understand how anyone could be addicted to smoking. I only started to enjoy small amounts of nicotine after taking bupropion, which is ironic because that drug is given to help people _stop_ smoking. Fluoxetine made me puff on nicotine inhalers constantly. Maybe there's some kind of link here. Do opioids and fluoxetine act on the same system, either directly or indirectly?

I know almost nothing about opioids, so any information would be helpful. The only thing I know is that I was warned about potential serotonin syndrome if certain opioids are taken with an MAOI.


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## bflats (Jan 9, 2012)

are u in canada?


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## socialpiranha (Dec 9, 2012)

Spungo said:


> This is interesting. Nicotine has almost always made me feel extremely nauseous, so I couldn't understand how anyone could be addicted to smoking. I only started to enjoy small amounts of nicotine after taking bupropion, which is ironic because that drug is given to help people _stop_ smoking. Fluoxetine made me puff on nicotine inhalers constantly. Maybe there's some kind of link here. Do opioids and fluoxetine act on the same system, either directly or indirectly?
> 
> I know almost nothing about opioids, so any information would be helpful. The only thing I know is that I was warned about potential serotonin syndrome if certain opioids are taken with an MAOI.


I actually smoke less when on opiates so maybe its different for different people. fluoxetine and opiates both have effects on serotonin though which regulates satiety to some degree so there could be some sort of link there in certain people...


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