How did you give up smoking?

Question

It's that time of year again, I'd really like to know what absolutely worked for you, took minimum will-power and how long are you off them??

Happy New Year!

Answer 1

hi, I gave it a lot of thought and eventually went 'cold turkey'
I was in a stressful job and into 40 a day. I knew I could never stop from that amount and gradually cut down one a day by having my first cigarette 10 minutes later each day. This gave me the experience of the withdraw symptoms I could expect. When I was just smoking in the evening and comfortable on 10 a day I went for it, and was surprised how easy it was. I have been off for over a year now and I never wanted one at all over Christmas. Good luck with it

Answer 2

I smoked for 30 years, then decided to pick a landmark date (the day I started a new job, very stressful) and used patches. I told myself I couldn't smoke with patches on as I would be overdosing on nicotine. After a week, I was thinking that I had done so well that I didn't want to undo it. After a couple of months, I was thinking that if I could give up when so stressed, there was nothing I couldn't do. I've been off them for two and a half years now. My husband still smokes, but I don't think he has ever been in the right frame of mind to quit.
Good luck.

Answer 3

smoked for 25 years, stopped 20 years ago.

I had tried a few times before, so knew my vulnerable times and situations. Was teaching at the time, and set aside a half term week to do it. I planned it, accepted no invitations to meals or social gatherings, saw only my non smoking friends. Thought about things where I never smoked: when in the bath, when out walking or looking round shops, and did those things a lot - sometimes had several baths a day. Walked round shops a lot. Took it one day at a time. Shed a few tears. Walked down to shops and bought 10 Bensons, but did not smoke them. Put them on the bookcase and looked at them. 5 months later I shredded them into the bin.

It took about 5 weeks before I stopped wanting a cigarette. I had a head full of snot for 3 of those weeks. But the pay off in self esteem was fantastic, and the increased lung power meant more exercise possible, so I didn't put on much weight (all that walking) Oh yes, I remember - KNITTING! After meals and while watching telly, I knitted for something do do with my hands. And I doodled while talking on the phone. And I used toothpicks after meals as surrogate ciggies - it's all coming back to me now...

I had to do a few dry runs before I made it, but I did it - and so will you
Good Luck

Answer 4

I smoked for 25yrs a pack and a half a day.
I used the patch and have not smoked since.
That was 5 yrs ago.

But, my biggest motivator was that I knew I would be competing against women almost half my age with twice my experience..... I was giving myself all the extra help I could find in order to win a dance competition.

I quit, and I won the competition. Coincidence?? I don't know.

I still occasionally have a strong urge to smoke. Usully in times of stress. I don't think all the urges will ever go away. Luckily the urges only last about 10 seconds and I don't ever give in.

Answer 5

I bought a bottle of Perno, sounds strange eh!

I also bought a double shot bottle, you know a miniature so I could put it in my handbag.

Each time I got that urge to have a cig I would open the bottle and enhale, the potency of the drink gives you the high you get from a cig, I know it sounds really strange but it worked for me and I haven't smoked again for 6 years. Of course you must want to stop ,willpower always comes into it as well.

By carrying the miniature around in your bag you have always got help, you can remove the label from the small bottle so people don't actually know what your doing, just be discrete about it.

Good luck, believe me I never thought I would say it, because I smoked for 43years, but it is worth it.

Do yourself a favour though, do put the money that you would spend each day in a pot, then you will reap the benefit of your efforts, I didn't but wish I had.

Answer 6

The problem is in your question - you refer to minimun will-power.

There is no way to give up that does not require will power. If you don't want to quit, you won't.

I gave up 5 years ago this new years day - smoked as normal up to New years eve then on the 1st quit. No pills / gum / patches / therapy - just quit. How? Because I had a good reason - We wanted to start a family and there is no way I would risk my kids health through a selfish habbit.

I still miss it every day, I loved my cig's, but I love my kids more.

If your giving up just because you feel you should then it won't work - you need a very real and tangable reason (other than not dying)

Answer 7

I smoked 30 a day for 10 years and I wanted to give it up. So I decided on a course of action.
1 Smoke the last one
2 Don't buy anymore
3 Keep busy in areas I couldn't smoke in
4 Told the whole world I no longer smoked.
I was in the queue in a shop and when the cashier asked me did I want anything else, I replied by saying "Yes. I would like to tell you I no longer smoke." The psycological boost I got from it was incredible. I told everyone I met.
I kept busy by painting pictures in watercolours. I wouldn't allow myself to smoke in the house so I HAD to keep busy and this took my mind off it.
Going "Cold Turkey" isn't easy, but now I am a qualified Herbalist, you can email me if you like and i will do all I can to help you.
Never give up, giving up.
Marcus X
I have been smoke free now for 18 years.

Answer 8

Met lass called Patricia Roberts 24 years ago after leaving Uni, and back in the real world toiling for good. Began smoking at 17 (for the usual reason bairns do) - Patricia promised to 'go out with me if I stopped puffing' - she was beautiful...raven-pageboy styled hair that touched her shoulders, and eyes the colour of a blue sky after the sun had gone down...and what a rear! Would do anything for her - and stopped smoking on her birthday (May 1, 1982).
Five years later, she met a rugby player of a half-decent team - which turned up on the telly now and then, and said 'tarrah Asbo' as he took her to New Zealand where his family resided. Remained a 'non-smoker' - but couldnae change trade...was a teacher, and had no plans to be a rugby player to get her back!

Feliz nuevo ano, senora!

Answer 9

I smoked for over 20 years despite seeing my mother die from lung cancer aged 45. Tried lots of times to stop, used gum, patches and will power but always struggled and eventaully started smoking again.

4 years ago I read a book, Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking, stopped and have never wanted to smoke since. It was easy!!!

Answer 10

The patch.

Also, Welbutrin. A prescribed medicine for depression. This is something in it that made me want to throw up when I tried to smoke. This was years before they came out with the pill to help.

Will-power. There are still days that I would love to have one!

Good luck and God bless.