Christian advice for quitting nicotine?

Angel Wings 1288

Active Member
Feb 3, 2017
257
183
TX
✟29,884.00
Faith
Protestant
Marital Status
Private
For two years, I had a dipping tobacco addiction. Prior to quitting smokeless tobacco, I was going through one tin each day, which is like going through four or five packs of cigarettes a day.

Because mouth cancer is very common among long-term dippers, many of whom have to get part of their jaw removed after getting cancer and look disfigured for life, my parents were very concerned. They decided to get me a substance abuse counselor, who has helped me tremendously.

With the advice from my counselor and also support from my parents, I was successfully able to quit dipping tobacco, but only because I've switched to nicotine gum. This is a great accomplishment, and it will surely spare me mouth cancer that would have happened in the future had I not quit, but I still have the nicotine addiction.

When I initially switched to the nicotine gum, I went through ten 2 mg pieces a day, which is equal to about one pack of cigarettes. Now I'm only going through three 2 mg pieces a day, which is equal to about six cigarettes.

When I woke up this morning, I made up my mind that I would quit the nicotine gum. After about an hour of being awake, I became distressed and agitated, and then took one 2 mg piece of nicotine gum to get relief. Now I feel angry at myself for lacking the discipline to go through with quitting the nicotine gum.

I went to the bookstore yesterday and bought a Christian book for quitting addictions. The book contains good advice for quitting any addiction, whether it's alcohol, nicotine, hard drugs, or anything else, written from a Christian point of view. I will begin reading it today.

By posting this thread, I am seeking advice from other Christians for quitting nicotine addiction. Did you have a nicotine addiction in the past? If so, how were you able to successfully quit? What advice would you give to a fellow Christian who very much wants to quit nicotine?

I do feel like I'm making progress in quitting nicotine, namely because I successfully quit dipping tobacco and take in significantly less nicotine content per day with the gum, but I really want to take the next step and be off this awful drug forever.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kevin Ambrose

Kevin Ambrose

Christian Nationalist
Feb 15, 2017
375
284
USA
Visit site
✟20,040.00
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Engaged
Politics
US-Republican
I was a two pack a day smoker for several years. I quit cold turkey and got through it with a lot of prayer and hard, physical work. If I wanted a cigarette I would go into my shop and build (or break) something. I took on extra shifts at my job. I went to the gym more. The physical withdrawals were bad but I was so exhausted from everything else that it all kind of blended together. Time went by fast and after the second week I was free and clear physically.

Mentally is where the prayer comes in. It's been a decade since I quit and there are still instances where I crave a cigarette. All the things you associate with smoking now will always be there but after awhile you'll get used to it. The improvement to your life, overall health and bank account definitely softens the blow.

Also don't shy away from the occasional cigar at a special event or just because. It's far better for you than cigarettes and can help ease the transition.

But above all else pray and pray often. God is there for you.

Good luck and God bless.
 
Upvote 0

SkyWriting

The Librarian
Supporter
Jan 10, 2010
37,279
8,499
Milwaukee
✟410,918.00
Country
United States
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Others
I was a two pack a day smoker for several years. I quit cold turkey and got through it with a lot of prayer and hard, physical work. If I wanted a cigarette I would go into my shop and build (or break) something. I took on extra shifts at my job. I went to the gym more. The physical withdrawals were bad but I was so exhausted from everything else that it all kind of blended together. Time went by fast and after the second week I was free and clear physically.

Mentally is where the prayer comes in. It's been a decade since I quit and there are still instances where I crave a cigarette. All the things you associate with smoking now will always be there but after awhile you'll get used to it. The improvement to your life, overall health and bank account definitely softens the blow.

Also don't shy away from the occasional cigar at a special event or just because. It's far better for you than cigarettes and can help ease the transition.

But above all else pray and pray often. God is there for you.

Good luck and God bless.

As with alcoholics, some cannot deal with occasional exposure.
 
Upvote 0

Kevin Ambrose

Christian Nationalist
Feb 15, 2017
375
284
USA
Visit site
✟20,040.00
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Engaged
Politics
US-Republican
As with alcoholics, some cannot deal with occasional exposure.

I can understand that with alcoholics but it's not something I've seen with nicotine users. Cigars and cigarettes are really a bit like apples and oranges.

But it varies by the individual. Everyone has to know their limits.
 
Upvote 0

SkyWriting

The Librarian
Supporter
Jan 10, 2010
37,279
8,499
Milwaukee
✟410,918.00
Country
United States
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Others
I can understand that with alcoholics but it's not something I've seen with nicotine users. Cigars and cigarettes are really a bit like apples and oranges.
But it varies by the individual. Everyone has to know their limits.

No.
How the brain nerves process signals and grow
allowing you to learn is different from person
to person. Some have very strong addiction
tendencies to anything becasue of how they learn.
 
Upvote 0

Kevin Ambrose

Christian Nationalist
Feb 15, 2017
375
284
USA
Visit site
✟20,040.00
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Engaged
Politics
US-Republican
No.
How the brain nerves process signals and grow
allowing you to learn is different from person
to person. Some have very strong addiction
tendencies to anything becasue of how they learn.

Right, that's what I said: Everyone has to know their limits and what they're capable of.

This thread is about personal experience and for me, and most every ex smoker I know, can enjoy a cigar when they want without falling back into smoking 20-40 cigarettes a day.
 
Upvote 0

Kevin Ambrose

Christian Nationalist
Feb 15, 2017
375
284
USA
Visit site
✟20,040.00
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Engaged
Politics
US-Republican
The military cleans people out during boot camp. Their major tactics are: busyness, massive amounts of water (8-10 qts./day), and limited access to sugar. Sugar can easily become a nicotine replacement for many people.

This is a great point and warning. Almost everyone puts on weight after smoking because of sugar. For me I found myself wanting to drink soda in situations where I'd normally had smoked in the past.
 
Upvote 0

SkyWriting

The Librarian
Supporter
Jan 10, 2010
37,279
8,499
Milwaukee
✟410,918.00
Country
United States
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Others
Right, that's what I said: Everyone has to know their limits and what they're capable of.

This thread is about personal experience and for me, and most every ex smoker I know, can enjoy a cigar when they want without falling back into smoking 20-40 cigarettes a day.

Like people tend to associate together in very unique clumps.
 
Upvote 0

Sandy Zalecki

Member
Feb 5, 2017
11
7
67
Las Cruces, NM
✟8,218.00
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Married
My advice is pray for the Lord to deliver you. I have never been addicted to cigarettes. I was becoming addicted to drugs and alcohol when I was younger. I walked into a church, the Holy Spirit came upon me and I never touched them again. That was 35 years ago.

I also had a friend that had smoked for many years. Same thing. He walked into a church, the Holy Spirit touched him, and he never smoked again.

This doesn't happen all the time, but the Lord will lead you out of your addiction His way if you look to Him as your help and not the world.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LaSorcia
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

Goodbook

Reading the Bible
Jan 22, 2011
22,090
5,106
New Zealand
Visit site
✟78,865.00
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
In Relationship
Deliverance! Ask for it. Remember the Lords prayer...lead us NOT into temptation but deliver us from evil.
He can do it...because He is the Lord!

When we try to do it on our own strength we often fail. But when we rely on God, and trust Him, He does it.

I didnt have an addiction to nicotine but used to be a sugar junkie. When God took a hold of me, He stopped this craving for sugar. I couldnt have done it myself. I was drinking...I dont know how many sugary drinks a day. But now If I do happen to sip a sugary drink its like, yuck. i dont even want this! He just changed my tastebuds. And the devil cannot tempt me. I mean he tries, but he aint getting past Jesus.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LaSorcia
Upvote 0

Angel Wings 1288

Active Member
Feb 3, 2017
257
183
TX
✟29,884.00
Faith
Protestant
Marital Status
Private
I was a two pack a day smoker for several years. I quit cold turkey and got through it with a lot of prayer and hard, physical work. If I wanted a cigarette I would go into my shop and build (or break) something. I took on extra shifts at my job. I went to the gym more. The physical withdrawals were bad but I was so exhausted from everything else that it all kind of blended together. Time went by fast and after the second week I was free and clear physically.

Mentally is where the prayer comes in. It's been a decade since I quit and there are still instances where I crave a cigarette. All the things you associate with smoking now will always be there but after awhile you'll get used to it. The improvement to your life, overall health and bank account definitely softens the blow.

Also don't shy away from the occasional cigar at a special event or just because. It's far better for you than cigarettes and can help ease the transition.

But above all else pray and pray often. God is there for you.

Good luck and God bless.

Thanks.

Working extra shifts at a job is a great idea because it keeps your mind occupied, making you busy with tasks and not thinking about withdrawals as much. I'm not employed with a company at the moment. In fact, I'm in the process of starting an online non-profit, so I'm self-employed, though I haven't made any money at it yet, and I can basically work whenever I want.

I usually work about 6 hours a day, which doesn't seem like a whole lot, but my work is mainly writing articles for my non-profit, so 6 hours can still be strenuous. Perhaps I should try working at least 10 hours a day (I've actually never tried working for that long), and maybe that will keep my mind from thinking so much about the withdrawals. I'll begin the tomorrow. The next evening, I'll return here to let you know if your idea worked for me.

The studies I've seen on the Internet say that it takes about three months for a nicotine user's brain to return to the chemical composition of a non-nicotine user, though the worst part of withdrawal symptoms end within 11 to 14 days (this is what former tobacco users have told me). You suggest that it's okay to have an occasional cigar after my brain returns to normal, but this is something that I don't want to do. In fact, I tried (unsuccessfully) switching to cigarillos because dip was practically destroying my gums, but I didn't like smoking, plus I may have damaged my taste buds because of it. To be honest, I want to be off nicotine permanently, perhaps due to an aversion I developed for the drug because of the control it seems to have over my life, and I don't ever want to get started again.

I'll also be praying every day for a successful withdrawal. It seems hard, but through God all things are possible.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0

Angel Wings 1288

Active Member
Feb 3, 2017
257
183
TX
✟29,884.00
Faith
Protestant
Marital Status
Private
Alright, so it's evening where I live. I managed to make it through the day without even one piece of nicotine gum. The withdrawals aren't as bad so long as I keep my mind occupied and do something. Perhaps the key to quitting nicotine addiction is avoiding idleness.

I will continue praying for a successful quit. Thank you everyone for your advice and encouragement.
 
  • Winner
Reactions: Kevin Ambrose
Upvote 0

ToBeLoved

Well-Known Member
Supporter
Jan 3, 2014
18,705
5,790
✟322,365.00
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Private
Alright, so it's evening where I live. I managed to make it through the day without even one piece of nicotine gum. The withdrawals aren't as bad so long as I keep my mind occupied and do something. Perhaps the key to quitting nicotine addiction is avoiding idleness.

I will continue praying for a successful quit. Thank you everyone for your advice and encouragement.
Good for you!

Remember each day is one day. Do not try to look at the next week or month. Day by day, just like faith.

Each day is a victory and you are bringing glory to God. If you do fall, try again.
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums