Alright, Star. We are/were very similiar in that I was at about a pack a day myself.

72 hours will get your through the physical addiction. During that time you may experience the "quitter's flu" in that you'll feel drained, a little achy, and may have a drippy nose.

But it wasn't until days 5 - 8 that I experienced what I came to know as the emotional withdrawal. Without my normal coping mechanism, I was jittery, couldn't breathe, cranky, panicky, etc.

That's pretty much all abated now and I'm still smoke free. It's all about knowing what to expect and having a plan.

Thanks, MissDina. Well, here's my plan. I have leave off work right now for a while. What I am right now planning to do is to put my antidepressants and sedatives to work on it. I plan to heavily sedate myself for 72 hours, so that I'll mostly sleep and won't be able to go buy any smokes. After that the emotional stuff I think I can handle with antidepressants and lighter sedatives. Sound like a good plan?? I really, really do want to quit and stay quit. That's just my idea as to how to get through the withdrawal.

Yikes. I'm feeling a little trepidatious on your behalf with this plan. Especially the "heavily sedated" part.

It's very easy for an addict to transfer addictions when giving one up. I must urge you to reconsider.

At some point you are going to have to trust that you are strong enough to follow through yourself, for yourself.

The best piece of advice I can give you is to be present in your quit. Suck it up. Because your full experience, including all the negatives, is what is going to keep you from restarting.

And, personally, it's an amazing confidence builder to get through it on your own.

What worked for me is keeping busy. Any time I felt an urge I got up and moved.

Well, the deal is, these sedatives I have....they suck. I don't like them. So not only are they nonaddictive according to my doc, but I personally hate them. They make me groggy and foggy headed when awake. Also, I won't be alone. I'll have someone to take care of me.

I want and need to quit. But frankly, I'm too depressed to take the confidence route, which I agree would be better. But this is the best I idea I have, right now.

I agree with MissDina...keeping busy is key!! I don't think replacing one drug with another will work.

Just be careful sweetie.

And stay in touch.

I will thank you. I know it's not the best route to go, but I know my drugs and I won't do anything dangerous.

I'll also be moving in a week or so, so if I drop of DS for a while don't worry about me, k? I won't start this thing until after the move and I'll journal about it.

Getting back to your original question, I think if you read through the posts on this site, you will find that everybody is different in terms of how long it took for the worst of the withdrawl symptoms to abate. Also, withdrawl is really different for everybody. For some folks, the physical cravings are the worst part. I've read postings on this site where people have said that they kept a quit for weeks or months, but they fought physical cravings the entire time and just couldn't sustain it. Those stories often end with, "So then I tried quitting with Chantix (or the patch), and it worked great for me." Others write about being much more challenged by the mental and emotional part of a quit than the physical part. Others find it most challenging to break the habits and acts that go along with smoking. Bottom line: the shape of withdrawl and the time it takes is different for everybody. In light of this, I personally would not embark on 72 hours of heavy sedation in the hopes of getting myself through withdrawl - not out of a fear of addiction or danger (although those are real concerns), but out of a fear of wasting my time.

I quit cold turkey I really didn't have but one day that I really craved one. It was the 4th day. But it would last a few seconds and gone. When you quit cold turkey once it is over your free. But with aid, you end up having to wean off of whatever it is. But main thing is you have to really want to* Quit * or nothing works.

Oh yea left it out I smoked for 49 years so I did it, you can do it. With you all the way

Lov- Thanks. :)

Bessley- I understand what you mean. But to be truthful I am in an unhealthy mental state. I would like to do this to get the worst over with, otherwise I can guarantee I will be running out the door by the end of the first day to buy a pack. I feel like, once the physical symptoms are over, the psychological ones will resolve themselves. I will be in a new environment. I will have much less stress on my shoulders. Ect. No, I don't think it's the way to go for 99% of people here. but in my case, I believe it's my best shot. I won't be wasting time. I'll be healing.