Cold Turkey vs. tapering off

[arde]

Hi guys!

I am so glad I found you - you don't even know.  I too have a quit date of March 1st!  I can't even imagine myself smoke free after 20 years, and I have never tried to quit before, but it's just time, you know?  Anyway - I have gone back and forth on the pros and cons of quitting cold turkey vs. tapering off over a period of time.  Right now I am using taperoff.net, the online cigarette cessation program that schedules your cigarettes for you until you reach your end date.  I am not using any medication, patches, gum, etc.  I have heard that cold turkey is easier in that nicotine leaves the body in 72 hours and after that the rest is mental.  But then I have also heard that slowly cutting back over a period of time is better because it gives you time to understand triggers and find a way to overcome them.  Because I am new to this and do not want to fail, I would love to know what you think...   THANKS!

[casy]

Dear Arde,

I am tapering off myself. I know it is amazing to go from getting up in the am and smoking a cig with in 15 mins after the coffee is done. lol I have now made it up to an hour and a half. I am so happy that i can do this. I now get up in the am and get on the computer and play games on my facebook and do little things around the house. I am feeling better about myself as each day going by and know that one day I will get up and not have a smoke all day.