A Sunshine coast mother is so desperate to stop smoking she has chained herself up in her room to prevent access to cigarettes.

Over the past 11 days, Krystel* has attached herself to a lengthy chain in her bedroom.

She has taken the supervised, albeit extreme action, while maintaining access to food and bathroom facilities.

The 34-year-old has smoked cigarettes for 20 years, but a recent abnormal pap smear result was the catalyst for trying to kick the habit for good.

"I have thought about being arrested because the only place in Australia you can quit [smoking] is prison," she said.

"I have gone so far as to wonder about being put in intensive care for a week, drop me off [out] bush with tinned food and water and let me walk back," she laughed.

"So I was thinking of worse methods, but I've come to the conclusion that a chain around the ankle and some supervision wouldn't go astray."

Longest period in life without smoking

Krystel has previously tried the Quitline and went cold turkey, but the physical side effects were too overwhelming.

"Not only that, the way I treat people when I try to quit, that's what makes me want to put one back in my mouth," she said.

"That's not something you're taught about in life education. You're taught about the heart disease, tooth discolouration … but I'll tell you right now, if people come near me I'll probably bump heads together."

Wi-fi, colouring and puzzles are some of the activities keeping Krystel occupied. ( ABC Sunshine Coast: Kylie Bartholomew )

Over the past 11 days, Krystel admitted to having one cigarette when she was off the chain and away from the house.

Regardless, it has been the longest period in her life without smoking, and she is determined to continue her extreme regime for another couple of weeks.

She said the absence of cigarettes had made her aware of how much she relied on them for coping with day-to-day life.

"I have honestly realised I don't know how to problem solve … and it's been the biggest shock of my life," she said.

"I always dealt with them [people and issues] with a cigarette. If I was upset with you, I went out and had a cigarette and now I can't do that.

"Right now I feel like a hammer and I'm hoping in the next couple of weeks that I learn to desensitise myself against people who right now I think are morons.

"I wonder if my whole life might've been different if I hadn't tolerated so much."

'There's no nice way to get off this Ferris wheel'

Krystel keeps a supply of food close by, while others drop in with fresh produce. ( ABC Sunshine Coast: Kylie Bartholomew )

Krystel plans to be chained up in the bedroom of her Sunshine Coast home for about three weeks in the hope that after that time, she will be over the most intense part of the addiction.

She has a stash of canned and packet food, puzzles, wi-fi, microwave, bed, bathroom and fresh air, while others are dropping by periodically with fresh food.

She acknowledged that wearing a chain around her ankle was an extreme measure, but with a self-confessed enjoyment for smoking, she was under no illusion as to the powerful lure of nicotine.

"It actually feels like getting off a really nice Ferris wheel the wrong way, if you know what I mean.

"There's no nice way to get off this Ferris wheel. There are people who legitimately can't quit."

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Speaking on ABC News 24, Karl Kruszelnicki has previously explained why some smokers break the addiction more easily than others.

"I was a smoker for a couple of years but I was able to give up easily," he said.

"When I smoked nicotine, the nicotine did not create extra nicotine receptors in my brain, but in one-third of people, they start smoking cigarettes and they create extra nicotine receptors which have to be fed.

"And it's just purely the luck of the draw whether you get really addicted or not. It's not whether you've got weak moral fibre, it's the addiction."

Each year, smoking kills about 15,000 Australians and costs more than $31 billion in social and economic costs.

Keen to regain feelings

Krystel said support from loved ones for those who were finding quitting difficult was crucial.

"Which means, leave them alone because they're going to tear your head off," she laughed.

"Don't give them a cigarette when they ask … take it easy with someone who wants to be chained up, and don't call them a nutter.

"I'll take nutter over dead any day."

Krystel alternates ankles every couple of days to minimise bruising. ( ABC Sunshine Coast: Kylie Bartholomew )

Krystel said she was uncertain about what the future looked like without cigarettes.

"When I'm off the cigarettes for a couple of weeks, I'm told that I should be happier," she said.

"I'm not sure how that's going to go. I can't grasp the idea of being happy without cigarettes. I've never been there."

"I'm looking forward to feeling real feelings again."

*Krystel asked for her surname not to be published online.