EX-smokers - how did you quit?

[Emily's Mum]

Nearly 3 years ago I stopped buying them. It worked for me, I just simply stopped. However, I had to have three cups of coffee & half a pack ofhobnobs before I could leave the house.

Earlier this year I had a relapse owing to stress at work, ity only lasted a couple of weeks though & I now have no desire to smoke again

 

[Lush]

I'm glad I never started because I know I would be RUBBARSH at giving up.

 

[vegster]

If you used to smoke and successfully quit the habit
(i.e. not interested in smoking any more, no desire to light one up, now categorically a non-smoker), how did you do it?

What difficulties did you encounter at the time of quitting?

What advantages have you found you have now, against when you smoked?

What do you think about smoking, looking back at yourself as a smoker (not passing judgement on others, just yourself).

Tried for some years to quit using will power and always cracked or ended up smoking cigars down the pub when drinking. It got worse and I ended up going to the pub deliberately to have a cigar.... I ended up on 2 packs of Hamlet a day.

I read the Allen Carr book and it worked for me, gave up about 2 1/2 years ago and NEVER had another puff or wanted one. I can be surrounded by smokers and still not want one !

I should have never started smoking, especially as smoking killed my dad..... he was run over by a lorry carrying 3 tons of Rothmans

 

[severnside gull]

I threw my cigarette pack over a hedge when I was pissed. I went back an hour later and they were gone. Never bought any since.

That was February 1988 and at the time I had been smoking for over 20 years and was on 60-80 a day.

I had the choice between fags and mortgage or alcohol and mortgage....no contest really. A purely economic decision after many health driven attempts to cut down or give up.

 

[severnside gull]

Oh and yes....I still sometimes fancy a fag (especially after a meal or sex)
I reckon if I had one cigarette even now I would be back addicted. Fortunately I still can't afford it

 

[eastlondonseagull]

If you used to smoke and successfully quit the habit
(i.e. not interested in smoking any more, no desire to light one up, now categorically a non-smoker), how did you do it?

What difficulties did you encounter at the time of quitting?

What advantages have you found you have now, against when you smoked?

What do you think about smoking, looking back at yourself as a smoker (not passing judgement on others, just yourself).

Pretty much went cold turkey after my diabetes consultant told me I'd go blind if I carried on smoking. Was the shock that I needed! I was bored hearing the old 'you'll die of cancer' scare stories, but when the doc said in all seriousness that my eyesight was in jeopardy, that was that. Still had time to finish off the duty free, mind

Went on patches for about a fortnight, but got fed up with them for some reason and went cold turkey from there. That was four years ago now, and I was a very heavy smoker, 30+ a day.

Good luck with it, if you're quitting. It's amazing how quickly you get your skin colour back (I had a grey palour before I quit). And you soon realise how much you must have stunk when you're in a lift at work and one of your old smoking buddies gets on, wreaking of stale smoke!

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