Stopping smoking

[karenjet]

Let us know how it goes!

I know some people who switched to roll ups and then quit on the back of not being able to roll, so...

I can’t roll to save my life. I have a wee machine that does it lol.

I wrote a big list of 20 reasons why I want to stop. All really good reasons but I can’t seem to break the spell they have on me.

But I did my food shop as usual this morning, I always buy cigarettes when I’m there but I didn’t today. Doesn’t sound like much but that was quite a big step for me

 

[karenjet]

See there’s no way I could have none. It’s like diazepam. I very rarely need them but would really panic if I had none just in case. It helps me with panic attacks to know there’s something that will help if I can’t manage it any more.

I was just thinking I might put the packet I have in the shed, that’s locked and has a padlock. So they’re not easy to reach for but can get to them if I really need to.

Thanks a million for your advice everyone. I really do appreciate it

That's great! Really well done. Try not to think about it (kind of ironic considering the thread). Proud of you!!!

You honestly have me tearful saying that. I was a bit ashamed of even making this thread. Thank you a million for your kindness

 

[NC2020]

I read LOADS of horror stories online about dying of cancer, having lungs removed, living with COPD etc. Had half a pack left but got up the next day and just stopped. Still got that half pack in the kitchen drawer nearly 8 months later. Not sure if it was the horror stories that really did it I think I’d already made my mind up that I wasn’t going to faff around with vapes and patches etc. Sorry I know that’s not really helpful advice I just wanted to show you the possibility of just going cold turkey. Hard the first few weeks but fine after that - still get cravings when I see people smoking on TV though not in real life as I now find the smell revolting

 

[Hastaggifted]

Me and my partner used to smoke 20 odd a day and we decided to just stop, it was hard going and had he not been doing it with me I would have caved but after a few weeks it gets easier. Its been 10 years now I sometimes even still get a craving but the smell knocks me sick. You can do it, 1 day at a time

 

[hrh89]

I quit for 3 years and started again this year after a huge amount of stress in my life. Now I can’t stop. I feel you

 

[Curly Top]

I found Alan Carr's book very inspiring and I also used Nicorette gum.

It took many times to quit.

The key is to really want to stop.

It doesn't matter how many times you've failed before. You will find a way once you really have your mindset focused and then it's actually surprisingly easy.

I've not smoked since 10.12.91 but I still like the smell of someone smoking near me.

Good luck

 

[CakedCat]

I've been smoke free over a year now.

I didn't use NRT as I never found replacing nicotine with nicotine productive and worried about having to wean off NRT.

I used an app called Smoke Free and paid for the full app (£5). You get challenges, can log cravings to get a better understanding of when and why you get cravings and they have forums/live chats where you can speak to an advisor. And there's visuals of how long you've quit for, not smoked, health markers etc. Strongly recommend.

Obviously you have to do the work and an app can't quit for you but if it got me off 15-20 a day for 15 years cold turkey after many attempts with patches and lozenges etc I'll rave about it

 

[Whosthatonethere]

Does anyone have good advice?

I’m getting desperate to stop, but have bad anxiety problems and I sort of cling on to smoking like a comfort.

I’ve got a vape and I’m sure it’s making me queasy

I’ve read the Alan Carr book, I see what he’s saying but can’t seem to apply it to myself.

Was thinking of trying hypnotism but it’s so expensive if it doesn’t help.

I don’t even mind swapping smoking for vaping, even if it’s trading one addiction for another. It’s still better for me and saving money.

I found when I eliminated them completely stopped buying them, chucked my lighters etc etc it got harder to make that move and give in a go buy a pack - it sounds really simple but I take someone who hates me smoking/won’t let me buy them when I go shopping and then usually it’s too big of a step for me to take to fully go out and buy them. I also think of what a waste of money it is and I also think back to bad coughs/ coughing fits I’ve had/ chest pains I got when I was smoking constantly and think I can’t do that permanently think of how tough it would be. I also try and set dates for myself and say right I’m not going to smoke for two weeks and then if I need one I can have one and by the end I usually can’t be bothered with it.

I only trip up on nights out now or occasionally when I’m stressed, hope this helped even the slightest - it’s great you’re trying to quit, recognition and wanting to stop is the first step x

 

[Redgey22]

I was a smoker from age 14-32. Me and my husband went to an Allen Carr seminar in February and haven’t touched a single cigarette since or even wanted to! I had brain fog for about a week after stopping but that was it, complete freedom. I would recommend Allen Carr method definitely.

 

[Gillybean42]

I quit 4 years ago. I smoked for 27 years and never thought I would be able to stop. I read Allen Carrs book, joined a Facebook group where someone said to eat frozen grapes. Whenever I wanted a cigarette I would suck on a frozen grape. Had never had them before, and I haven’t had them since but for whatever reason it worked lol

 

[Fizzwhizz2020]

I quit smoking after 20 years and I tell you, I fell more times than I want to count. I went back and forth. I spent £100’s on vapes, different types, flavours, etc etc. I haven’t smoked now in years and can’t imagine wanting to do it again to be honest. It’s easy for people who have never smoked to tell you how bad it is, etc, but you have to want to do it. If you do vape, try a vape that will work for you, I can’t do with the big cloudy ones, so I chose the vype epen (now vuse) that worked for me, but just keep trying every day and each day without a cigarette is only doing you good, and after all, it is only 1 day. Trust me, in time, you forget all about it, so the initial feeling that you want to it have to smoke fades pretty quick. Good luck. It really is the best thing you’ll ever do xx

 

[skvallertant]

Let us know how it goes!

I know some people who switched to roll ups and then quit on the back of not being able to roll, so...

 

[JodieGreen123]

Not that this is ideal advice at the moment considering everything going on in the world around us but I quit on a holiday. Having spent 11 hours on a plane unable to smoke and then 2 weeks somewhere else with no routine I found it much easier as there was no ‘I usually have a cigarette when I do this’ thing going on.

My best advice would be break your routine. If you can time it with a holiday of some sort or a period of time where you’re doing something a bit different to normal I think it’ll really help.

I also tried some godawful nicotine sweet things and they gave me terrible heartburn 24/7 which also meant I didn’t really fancy a cig!

Good luck x

 

[Notworthy]

I'm a repeat quitter, never underestimate the routine of smoking, I had to change my route to work, the triggers were so overpowering. Also don't tell your self you're never smoking again, just quit and If it's too hard have a cigarette and try again another day, one day youl l get to the end of a day or a week and realise you haven't really thought about smoking. Vaping didn't work for me, I found myself puffing away on it all night.

 

[Instagram Sham]

Trying to revive an old thread! Anyone planning on stopping smoking for the new year? I’m going for it and scared! Determined but know my willpower is weak!

 

[Chewycinema]

Change of routine helped me. I found vaping harder to give up than cigarettes. I was like puff the magic dragon with my vape
But I gave it up when I started a new job. Then I got pregnant and the thought made me feel sick! Had the occasional one when I was drinking after my daughter was born but now I've not touched one since December and even just the smell gives me a headache now

 

[skvallertant]

I can’t roll to save my life. I have a wee machine that does it lol.

I wrote a big list of 20 reasons why I want to stop. All really good reasons but I can’t seem to break the spell they have on me.

But I did my food shop as usual this morning, I always buy cigarettes when I’m there but I didn’t today. Doesn’t sound like much but that was quite a big step for me

That's great! Really well done. Try not to think about it (kind of ironic considering the thread). Proud of you!!!

 

[Notworthy]

I have never smoked well properly though tried a menthol when I was 15 then a few puff’s here and there. Anyway sometimes when I smell a cigarette I think oh could really go one it’s weird. I work as a Staff Nurse in a Head and Neck Cancer ward have done for 18 years. Can count on one hand the people that come in that don’t smoke. That puts me off also it’s as hard coming off cigarettes as it is heroin maybe less physically.

Bizarre addiction as in nursed a patient who had been in an RTA severe head injury could not remember who he was or his family tho he remembered he smoked that’s how strong the addiction must be. I would let him smoke a straw well hold it he thought it was one.

One guy I knew stopped for 10 years one day he went into the shop and said a loaf of bread and 20 cigarettes and he was hardly out the door and that was him restarted. Sorry a weird contribution to this thread tho it’s really hard to stop extremely for the majority of people.

Ive done hard drugs and i agree that smoking was much harder to quir

 

[Our Cilla]

I had hypnotism and it didn't work. Came straight out and smoked so £300 wasted. After 40 years of smoking I stopped on the day I had surgery for Cancer ( not smoking related) and haven't smoked since. It was tough but doable.

 

[boatofbubbles]

Yes. They gave me awful heartburn - but it did make me not want to smoke!

Oh my days you wasn't wrong, I tried once yuck, tried again absolutely not. Still smoke free, found it easier than I thought. Why did I waste my money on the lozenges?! If anybody reads this thread, if you feel like you can do it, then just do it without the lozenges. I'm still using the patches but that's no fail.