How to stop smoking ?

Charlie

Well-known member
Anyone recently quit ?
And what was the easiest way you managed it .

and answers only from people who have done it please 👍🏻
 
Used patches mate, but ultimately knowing that if I hadn`t stopped I`d probably be dead now helped set the determination needed

Also tell everyone your quitting for health reasons and would appreciate it if they didn`t smoke round you. If they are really support your decision then they will help.

It`s not easy, that`s for sure

Good luck though and hope you eventually see it off

10+ years smoker free for me
 
I smoked for about 35 years and managed to quit about a year ago. I had tried patches and nicotine sprays but it was always a real struggle and I kept having the odd failure. Then I moved to vaping last year, not a pen as I didn’t get enough from them, but a full vape Mouth to Lung and haven’t really wanted a fag since. I have gone from liquid with 20 to 10mg of nicotine and plan to go to 6, then 3 then zero over the next year. I have saved a fortune, a decent robust vape online, such as the Adept Razr is about £30 and juice, if you buy 10 at a time, are £2 which last me a month. Saved a fortune, no longer wheezing and feel great. Took a few days to get used the the vape though but well worth it.
 
What helped me was keeping a sh*tty old packet of just about serviceable cigs at the bottom of my bag so that, should I not be able to overcome the urge, I'd smoke one of them instead of buying a full pack. Was a bit like a crutch to get me through the hardest (first) bit (y)
 
Smoked for 12 years and like you decided that the risks outweigh the benefits. Finished my last box from a 200 pack, threw the lighter in the bin and never smoked again. I think if you really want to do it then it’s a lot easier these days than years ago. Go one step further and sign up for a half marathon in say August or September this year and focus your mind in exercising and training, you won’t look back.
 
Vape for me too, although I've been vaping around 10 years now so whilst I no longer smoke, I am more addicted to nicotine.

Finally trying to cut down this year, have moved from 36mg to 6mg and hopefully then onto 3.

I tried cold turkey earlier this year, put it and all the paraphernalia away in a cupboard. Lasted 36 hours before I essentially couldn't physically function anymore, couldn't think/work, sweating etc. Might need to try a different tactic!
 
E-cigarettes / vaping. There's hundreds of different combos of vapes/liquids. So should be something to suit everybody. Also worth noting that like most things it's worth paying a bit extra for a good solid one. Rather than the cheap pens or disposables.

7 years since I last smoked, and I wouldn't have been able to quit without vaping.
 
👍🏻 .
I will look into the vapes again,
I did try a couple of years ago but like has been said…didn’t give me the hit .
also it was quite a big heavy unit .
something more cigarette sized and a disposable unit would be more preferable, I dont mind paying any amount for the right thing
 
(Technically I'm not supposed to answer as I'm not a smoker, but...)

I'm imagine it's like most things, where some people become more 'addicted' more easily than others. Presumably it's therefore easier for some people to quit than it is for others?
 
It's easy, I did it loads of times.
Just keep trying, eventually you will do it.
One of the things that kept me going was the thought of trying to explain to my kids if I got the big C that I knew it might happen but kept burning rolled up plants in my mouth.
 
Like any addiction, there will be emotional layers to uncover and work your way through.
I’m quitting again now, threw them in the bin and that’s that. Because I made the choice in my soul to quit, and won’t be trying to use ‘will power’ which never works.
I’d advise you to look for the justifications you make to yourself in the moments when you want to smoke. These might be something like ‘so and so is ******* me off so I’m going to smoke’. Or ‘we all die anyway, so what’s the point in quitting.’ Or even just ‘I like it, so I’m going to do it’. These can be really simple and not always related to the addiction!
I’d advise to replace the cigs with feeling the emotions that come up that you avoid by smoking. This is essential to this way of doing it.
They’ll start with anger (as I’m sure you’re aware), and irritability. Then you’ll probably have some fears come up and then grief underneath it all.
These are some of the layers I’m talking about. It can take time and I’m my experience you’ll relapse at moments here or there.
Go easy on yourself ! Beating yourself up and judging yourself is NOT HELPFUL and are just more layers to work through. As is the judgement of others if you get that too. Stand up for yourself and acknowledge it’s a choice you’re making - to smoke. Only once you do that can you acknowledge and make a choice not to smoke.
If you do it this way, then the urges won’t even come back. But it’s a process and it’s not always a quick, one time process. It depends how humble you are to your emotions.
There could be multiple emotions that cause you to reach for cigarettes.
But this is the best way to do it.
Pray plenty as well. God can help you :)
Good luck
 
Smoked for 30 odd years...stopped two years ago. Was hypnotised....was expecting it to be fully under, you feel very sleepy stuff etc but was concious throughout, I thought she was taking the michael but it worked. As soon as it finished, put my cigs in the bin....I didn't need them anymore. Cost me £150, was spending that a fortnight on ciggies. Look into it mate, worth a try...


This is the place
 
Not for everyone:
10+ years ago I realised "if you carry on like this you will be dead".
Took 40 Bensons, a large packet of bacci, eight cans of lager an two bottles of wine - poured the drinks down the sink
crumpled the Bensons an bacci into the bin and touched neither since.
Coughed black bits for about a month and got out of going into pubs.
Never looked back.
 
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A couple of tips if you do move to vaping.

1. Buy two in case one breaks or battery dies , especially if out and about.

2. When filling a new vape or changing the coil, ensure to let it soak for a few hours , preferably overnight. This stops the coil burning, which tastes like the most awful burnt metal and is very off-putting

3. Change coils about every two weeks, or if the taste and drag starts to deteriorate. You'll sense when it's time to change.
 
I wish I could. I have tried multiple times with various methods but it is so ingrained in me it is tricky to kick. Got to keep trying tho
 
It's easy when I first tried to stop I was great at it. I stopped 20 times a day.

Seriously though I stopped with tablets Zyban on the NHS. I understand it was a drug given to squaddies after the first Gulf War for PTSD and the side effect was the squaddies all stopped smoking.

Me, my wife and my sister all stopped using Zyban.
 
I smoked 20 a day (40 if I went out) for 18 years. We were struggling for money so I just stopped. I didn't touch alcohol for 4 weeks either, which really helped but the first 3 weeks were still extremely hard. It gradually got easier after that. I did get a new job which involved entertaining clients and if we went large I'd occasionally have a cigar but I never felt like smoking again the next day. It took about 3 years before I considered being totally free of it.

I did develop a chewing gum (standard Orbit) habit when I was driving, which I still have, but I can live with that at £2.00 per week.
 
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