Giving up smoking

[rmuir]

You can do it!!

I did, 8 years ago in fact. Just decided that pack I was on was my last, once that was done I went cold turkey. For some daft reason I kept hold of the empty packet for the first two months.

Looking back I can't believe I ever smoked, if nothing else I've saved a fortune.

 

[Paul11]

cold turkey, is generally the best way. .

alan carrs book is very good and will give you lots of inspiration

the idea is very simple though, make a decision to never smoke again because you care about your body, and stick to it

thing of the phrase of people that smoke: " a light at one end, a fool on the other"

whats the point in paying lots of money to damage your lungs and get you in to an early grave ?

good luck, go for it, surprise yourself at how easy it actually is once you have made the decision.

 

[tedmaul]

I quite 4 weeks ago.

Been smoking since i was about 16 (33 now) around 20 a day. Have quit in the past, including a 3 year quit (cold turkey) then relapsed again about 2 years ago.

Things like patches or other NRT have never worked for me. So this time thought i'd try something different. Saw the Max Kirsten hypnotherapy app on the iPhone and thought i'd give it a try. I genuinely didn't believe it would work, to me hypnotherapy and all that stuff seemed a load of hippy crap. But, the reviews were all very positive so figured at worst i'd waste a fiver - and lets face it i'm wasting more than that on smokes every single day.

So i bought it and tried it out and so far so good. V. surprised. I actually burst out laughing listening to it the first time as i thought it was so stupid. Figured there was no way it could possibly work. But somehow it has. The techniques he gives you to deal with craves really work, and i've definitely had the easiest quit i've ever had. Sleeping fine, not stressed, eating normally, very few actual cravings.

I guess the big question is if it will last. But 4 weeks down and no problems yet...

 

[mattheman]

i quit a few times, however every time i started i smoked less, infact i smoke between 2 and 5 a day now with some days not even smoking. So i took the step to total quit on friday night, and so far havent got the nicotin withdraw.

 

[anksta]

I've only ever known anyone give up (including Dad) by going cold turkey. Dad hasn't in what must be 22 years now.

you're right there, even if you use all the other crap like inhilators, patches you still need the will power.

I might agree with you but dont call him "Dad" to other people, he's not everyone's dad, you're not 9.

I've been in the process of quitting for a couple of weeks now, I wasnt even gonna bother but just started in a new office where no one smokes and from not being a smoker in the past, I know that you STINK to other people. Plus this bird had just packed in a 20 a day habit without any issues using champix tablets so I went and got some of them and I have to say, they are helping, I forget to have a fag if you get me.

All cravings for a cigarette last like 10 minutes or something, if you just tell yourself when you have one that you'll be alright in a minute, rather than "can I really deal with this, forever" then it becomes a lot easier.

 

[AJK]

The most convincing, non-health-related, reason to stop smoking:

If you smoke 20 a day, you're burning £1,825 every year.

 

[anksta]

The most convincing, non-health-related, reason to stop smoking:

If you smoke 20 a day, you're burning £1,825 every year.

that maybe true and a lot of people do that, but I was smoking like 10 or 12 roll ups a day, which I'll admit is slightly less but I used to tear off about a cm of the rizla as well so it was shorter, and using slim menthol filters.

No different to a cigarette to me, I was spendin 2.65 a week on tobacco.

My neighbour though, he smokes roll ups and all and he gets his packets from a mate who goes to Calais for booze all the time, anyone familiar with tobacco will know, the 10 deck equivalent is 12.5g and thats normally less than £3 and the 20 equivalent (even though you actually get loads more) is 25g and is normally just over a 5er, he gets 50g bags (for about 7quid I think) and goes through them in 4 days.

That is off its head.

 

[Warbie]

Another vote for cold turkey. The first time I tried was a miserable failure - telling myself I wasn't allowed to smoke and throwing cigs away had the opposite affect. Smoking was better than ever. The second time I told myself I could have a fag whenever I wanted and just chose not to. For the first few months I kept a pack of cigs in my room with the knowledge they were there if I wanted them. The mind's a weird thing

 

[gillywibble]

I used patches and got them on prescription to reduce the cost.

I was on them for six weeks, reducing strength every fortnight. There were some side effects (nothing major), dizziness, stomach aches etc but they did really help considering I used to smoke up to 60 a day at weekends.

I treated myself to nice meals and ultimately put some weight on. I also 'convinced myself' that I couldn't stand the smell of cigarettes and this psychological ploy did work.

I haven't touched a cigarette in nearly six years and am so glad that I stopped.

 

[barrie0]

Smoked 20-30 a day for 20 years, I have gone cold turkey twice and the longest I lasted was 4 weeks which was a nightmare. Started on the Champix after seeing an NHS nurse and not had a smoke in 3 months.

Totally different experience on Champix as I had hardly any withdrawal symptoms.

 

[SHEDDER1uk]

Smoked since i was 14 was on upto 40 a day. When the smoking ban hit i stopped and have not touched one since was really easy to do for me. Giving up junk food on the other hand

 

[nft_99]

I gave up 9 years ago used the patches.