Stopping smoking

[Scully]

Stopping smoking is a mind game; and hard to believe I know ( but nevertheless true ) if you’re in the right state of mind you don’t get ‘cravings’. 
I tried countless times to ‘give up’ smoking, and usually did ok until I went to the pub, but on the day I stopped for good, I had my head straight and went to the pub to celebrate. Again, hard to believe but again, nevertheless true. 
Allan Carr ( not the comedian ) is your best friend. 🙂

[Vince Green]

3 hours ago, Bobba said:

I, too, was that man. Then, in early 1985, a friend I'd known since 1969 had testicular cancer. He had never smoked. I paid him a visit. I will always remember his words "I envy you. You saw your kids grow up. I will never have that privilege". It was the trigger I needed. Cold turkey straight away. He was buried in May 1985. I have not smoked since.

Good luck. Well worth the journey.

Yes watched my workmate Ray die of lung cancer in his 40s from smoking. That would make anybody give up believe me.

Used to visit him before he died, saw him coughing up blood and gasping to breathe

When he died they said his eyes were bulging and his tongue was sticking out trying to get his breath for hours before he finally gave out. The cancer gradually blocked off his airways till he suffocated. His family were traumatised by the way he went at the end

Horrible way to die

Edited July 13, 2020 by Vince Green

[BlaserF3]

I stopped 10 years ago, New Years eve, that was it,  I used to like those Navy fags, I used to have a mate on subs too, he used to leave his motorbike with me too Norton 650ss😃

[owdnorthener]

The first step has been taken, your now on the way to stopping.  Well done.

I smoked for most of my younger years, up to just after my first granddaughter was born.  I wanted to see her grow up.  She is now 32. I don't smoke and don't want to either. To me, the thing that once smelt so nice, actually stinks, as I must have done too.

I decided most cigs were a habit. eg. After a meal. Break times at work. I cut these out immediately and made sure I kept myself busy each time, when I would normally have had a fag. 

After just a week I felt better. Cleaner, outdoor the air was fresh.  I could taste and smell things clearer. ONE week became TWO and I knew I was never going back to them.

Good luck, keep your hands busy and I'm sure you will do it.

Alan.

 

[thebigH91]

I smoked 20 a day near as damn it for 30 years and had tried all sorts of ways to stop until 2001, I coughed once too often and realised enough was enough and I just stopped, no cravings or shakes I think I was in the right frame of mind to stop. NorfolkAYA I wish you well in your quest to pack in the evil weed - It is possible, don't dwell on the tales of how other people felt trying to stop and you must feel that way too, you know your own mind - you can do it

[martinj]

I was smoking 30 + a day and gave up 38 years ago, you cant give up by cutting down, and Vaping is just replacing one addiction with another. Give up in the knowledge that the cravings soon get easier.

During the 38 years I have seen two friends die of lung cancer and three others with serious, smoking related illnesses. Just do it, you know you want to.

[ordnance]

3 hours ago, martinj said:

I was smoking 30 + a day and gave up 38 years ago, you cant give up by cutting down, and Vaping is just replacing one addiction with another. Give up in the knowledge that the cravings soon get easier.

During the 38 years I have seen two friends die of lung cancer and three others with serious, smoking related illnesses. Just do it, you know you want to.

I would advice anyone to do what works for them, i would not discourage them from trying Vaping or any other nicotine replacement products.  

[Taileron]

41 minutes ago, ordnance said:

I would advice anyone to do what works for them, i would not discourage them from trying Vaping or any other nicotine replacement products.  

The Vape has turned out to be a massive pain in the **** for me. Went from about 20 regals a day onto the vape.....easy I thought. I’m on about 60 fags a day now via the vape. My front room looks like a 80’s disco some evenings. It’s a lot cheaper to vape but unfortunately a lot easier to hammer.

[39TDS]

Everyone is different and has different reasons to quit. Mine was because I wanted to be fit enough to play with my grandkids. Didn't even have any at the time!

My advice is to just be damned stubborn about it and refuse to start again. I haven't touched one in nearly 10 years. 

[Guest cookoff013]

My mum smoked like a chimney. Put me off for life. Never smoked one fag ever. 

If she quit, anyone can

[ordnance]

3 hours ago, Taileron said:

The Vape has turned out to be a massive pain in the **** for me. Went from about 20 regals a day onto the vape.....easy I thought. I’m on about 60 fags a day now via the vape. My front room looks like a 80’s disco some evenings. It’s a lot cheaper to vape but unfortunately a lot easier to hammer.

Its a individual thing, i stopped using a vape. Its a nicotine replacement, just more effective than the others. If anyone can stop cold turkey that's  the way to go, there are no bad ways to stop. 

[Rim Fire]

In my mind you haven't given smoking until the day comes when you don't have to say to yourself i've given up smoking i now get up and don't even think about it 

And another thing is the smell of cigarette smoke is awful and you don't realise it when you smoke yourself 

[captainhastings]

I have known a couple of people who were stuborn smokers and when they get that bad news hit them. I  am pretty sure both of them wish they made the choice and got more years with there loved ones bless them. Bloody tragic. You may not get a second chance and there is no going back

Edited July 15, 2020 by captainhastings

[martinj]

as they say, life is not a rehearsal, you only get one chance so don't **** it up!

Of course it's your choice but if you are thinking of quitting there is no time like the present

[Bumble]

I did cold turkey after 13 years of smoking 40 Drum rollies a day. 
The first two weeks were utterly hellish, and really took some willpower to get through, but it definitely got easier after that. It became more of a mental challenge rather than a physical one, but I found keeping myself busy throughout helped a lot (as did fruit pastilles). 
That was nearly 8yrs ago, and I’ve not touched one since. 

[Guest]

5 hours ago, martinj said:

 

Of course it's your choice but if you are thinking of quitting there is no time like the present

Indeed, over a million have stopped since the pandemic began.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-53403610

I suppose we can say there is at least one positive thing to have come out of Covid19.

[DUNKS]

I have posted this before and I am posting it again! Should be in capitals.

Last August I had a massive heart attack. The sort that usually you are dead before you hit the floor..

I have survived. Consultant said had I been a smoker I would not have made it to the hospital,

I stopped smoking 25 years ago. I am still not right but I am still here and enjoying life.

I went cold turkey and for me it was easy. One day I thought Dunks you do stink of fags. I stopped and never went back.

[lord_seagrave]

On 13/07/2020 at 19:49, Scully said:

...occasionally I dream I’ve started smoking again, it’s such a relief when I wake to discover it was just a dream. 

I still, very occasionally get smoking dreams. The air is crisp and clean, the tobacco is fresh and leafy, and the smell of the smoke in the air is almost as good as the taste and the tingle. Like some sort of Alpine idyll from a BAT marketing exec’s wet dream.

Funnily enough I have never dreamt about desperately sucking on a camel outside Bank station in the rush hour fumes and squalor!

Grim old business, glad I smoked my last one years ago.

LS

[Scully]

1 hour ago, lord_seagrave said:

I still, very occasionally get smoking dreams. The air is crisp and clean, the tobacco is fresh and leafy, and the smell of the smoke in the air is almost as good as the taste and the tingle. Like some sort of Alpine idyll from a BAT marketing exec’s wet dream.

Funnily enough I have never dreamt about desperately sucking on a camel outside Bank station in the rush hour fumes and squalor!

Grim old business, glad I smoked my last one years ago.

LS

I sometimes get a whiff of a fag and think how good it smells, other times I think how horrible it smells. 
Weird. I never get a ‘pang’ though.  

[JohnfromUK]

35 minutes ago, Scully said:

I sometimes get a whiff of a fag and think how good it smells, other times I think how horrible it smells.

I still like the smell of a pipe, and though no longer available (thankfully) I love(d) the smell of Balkan Sobranie.  Apparently it contained some now banned ingredients.

[Scully]

25 minutes ago, JohnfromUK said:

I still like the smell of a pipe, and though no longer available (thankfully) I love(d) the smell of Balkan Sobranie.  Apparently it contained some now banned ingredients.

I like the smell of a pipe also, and a bloke smoking cigars on a shoot last season brought back memories of my Dad. 

[Bobba]

39 minutes ago, Scully said:

 a bloke smoking cigars on a shoot last season brought back memories of my Dad. 

I can relate to this. Absolutely. My late Dad (26 years gone) did not smoke cigarettes but enjoyed King Edward cigars. The last 5 pack I gave him he never smoked - he ran out of time. They are upstairs in my memory box.

Edited July 16, 2020 by Bobba

[amateur]

1 hour ago, JohnfromUK said:

I still like the smell of a pipe, and though no longer available (thankfully) I love(d) the smell of Balkan Sobranie.  Apparently it contained some now banned ingredients.

My father smoked St Bruno, but we bought him Balkan Sobranie as a treat

I recall smoking Balkan Sobranie cigarettes as a teenager to show off, but fortunately never got the taste for them, nor indeed Players.