Smoking

What I found helped was to actively think about the freedom that comes from giving up. I don't have to worry that I have not put out all my fags when I leave the house.

it's very difficult to give up.. so all power to you..

Well done you Sunny 🙂
I stopped smoking eleven years ago, before my first grandchild was born.
When I started smoking, it was the norm to smoke upstairs on a bus, at the back of a plane, in the cinema, it was almost like a badge of honour. It's not now, it costs a fortune, you can't smoke in comfort and it stinks!
I'm glad I stopped, so will you be

I didn’t find it hard to stop smoking, I was pregnant so that helped but wasn’t a heavy smoker despite starting very young, which was BAD, which is not not good, but old time bad.

My mil was a heavy smoker for over 50 years. She decided to stop, and did so immediately . We took them out to a special birthday dinner a few weeks later. She sat in the midst of everyone smoking, but didn’t have a cigarette and never did again.

I know it’s hard but not always.

My dds 72 year old mil has recently been diagnosed with COPD, and gave up after a lifetime of smoking.
You can do this Sunny 🌞

I gave up many years ago and wish you all the very best with something that is so difficult. It was a very bad cold that gave me the incentive. I had tried many times before but this time I stuck to it. Cold turkey.

As suggested here, put the money away and get yourself something really nice. All the very best.

Ive never smoked. It was considered smart and fashionable in the 1960s when I was a young woman. I can recall a friend saying that it gave her "something to do with her hands" but I never got into the habit. I had a very good singing voice (still have) and was afraid I would ruin it.

My father smoked every day of his life and died a horrible death from lung cancer. Two other relatives died from the same.

My nephew (the one who helps me a lot) smokes and I wish he wouldnt because I worry about him. But hes an adult and its his decision. I dont nag him about it. Its not my place to tell him what to do.

Well done on choosing not to smoke. I found rather than referring to myself as an ex smoker or having given up I said I was a non smoker and the more I thought of myself as a non smoker the easier it became .

Keep up the good work

Congratulations Sunny, it really is so difficult to give up cigarettes, the hardest thing I have ever done in my life, especially if, like me, you have an addictive nature. My late husband was a casual smoker and was never addicted so he could not understand the problems I had trying to stop!!! Just keep telling yourself you don’t smoke anymore and take each day one at a time xxx

I smoked very heavily (50 a day) until 34 years, 5 months, 2 weeks and 2 days ago, when I finally gave up cold turkey. It takes about 3 weeks for the physical addiction to go, 3 months for the psychological.

I don't describe myself as an ex-smoker, but as a smoker who is currently not smoking. One cigarette - no, one puff - would be more than sufficient to tip me back into addiction. So I don't do it.

Allan Carr's books are excellent for motivation.

This story might help someone give up ( I wish my son read this site!) :
My friend has recently come out of hospital minus 3 toes , which have been amputated due to smoking which caused a blood clot in her artery …she’s also had an arterial bypass …which has left an 16 inch scar diwn the inside of her left leg …..she can now hardly walk unaided after 7 weeks ….her bed has been brought downstairs as she cannot manage …no downstairs loo so it’s a commode and carers coming in 3 times a day! ….sje if course cannot get to the shops and as she , like me, lives alone , there’s nobody to buy her fags for her . It’s putting an intolerable strain on a forty year friendship ….nobody of her close circle will buy her fags….and she’s resorting to asking padding strangers!! Her son is terrified and her grandchildren the same , for when she can get out and about herself. !
To see your son and grandchildren scared and crying ….how selfish and ungrateful ( surgeon who saved her) must a person be!?

Well done you… take each day as it comes. When I gave up many tears ago I did find it “stress relieving “ to still have a packet in the house for a few weeks just I. Case the cravings became too much… luckily they never did!
However there are still occasions, particularly when I pass a smoker that has just lit up and I get a lung full of the smoke when I long for one! X

All best wishes in giving up that's a great achievement.
I started at 14 stealing a cigarette from my father's packet. I gave up completely at 21 for six months but started again when my 1st marriage broke up. Still smoking now but smoke outside in a shelter for the last 15 yrs that OH built in the garden. I used to smoke 30 a day but cut down to 15 since my late 50s when I was diagnosed with COPD. Everyone in my family over 60 has COPD now as they all smoke. Feel so sad when I see young people smoking as I know they will end up the same. My niece started on non nicotine vapes fruit flavours but is now on cigarettes 20 a day. I don't think there's any point giving up now as COPD isn't curable so damage is done. But I'm aiming to reduce to 10 a day mainly due to the cost.

sazz1 well done for cutting down, but it's still worth giving up.
My mother-in-law smoked for years, she has COPD but she gave up and is still here, she'll be 96 in January.

My Godmother was a heavy smoker as was her husband. But she was a wise woman and understood the risk. She found it very hard and contrary to the usual advice about banishing ashtrays etc, her tip was to keep a few cigarettes down her bosom so she never panicked and knew they were there.

Well done Sunny for stealing a march on the new year resolutions. I think a month is a sweet spot for changing old habits/routines but I do not think you ever lose the craving.

Perhaps a new thread will start on here for others to get on board and support each other?

I have never smoked because I am too vain; too vain for the deep wrinkles and grey skin as well as the dreadful smell in your hair, clothes, and house!
Seems to me that finding a repetitive action for the hands could be helpful, like worry beads which Amazon sell? C

I don't smoke and good luck to those trying to give up. What amazes me is - how can any one afford to smoke?? Saw a pack of 20 cigarettes at £10 per pack!! I couldn't and it frustrates me when people plead that they are hard up, but can still afford to smoke!!

I found I had to stop walking up the slightest hill and read an article warning about possible heart disease. I loved my Consulate cigarettes but went to a great Cardiologist who looked at me and told me I had heart disease. Armed with a small thingy in my ear which I wiggled when temoatio. Hit me, I gave up there and then. So great work Sunni! It is hard work but worth it.

Sorry about spelling errors. Writing on my iPad mini I make silly mistakes.

I gave up on 20th October 2010. I had patches from my surgery as they do a smoking cessation clinic. The nurse helped me through it and she was brilliant. I have asthma and my late dad had COPD. I saw how badly it affected him and decided to quit. You have to really want to quit though and it's not easy. I tried the 'cold turkey' approach but lasted less than 48 hours. It is the best thing I have ever done and I don't think I could actually afford it now.

I only smoked very briefly when I was at uni, mainly because everyone else did. Even after all this time I still feel like one sometimes though I wouldn’t now. My uncle died of lung cancer and the silly old b used to wear an oxygen mask and remove it to have a puff right to the end. Shows how addictive it is and hats off to you for giving up!

I decided to give up when a relative picked up my small child and said he smelled of cigarettes.
My husband decided he would give up as well, not the best idea, lucky not to be divorced.
The funny thing is, I know I would never smoke again, but I quite frequently dream I am smoking, and enjoying it.
Sunny, you are doing really well, don’t give in now.

Good luck.
I gave up 40 years ago and often think how much money I’ve saved over the years.
When my aunt stopped smoking she put the money that she would have spent on cigarettes in a jam jar and then bought herself something special at the end of 6 months. I wish I’d done that 😉

I smoked for fifty years and gave up seven years ago when I had a very bad cold - never started again as I didn't fancy it so no willpower involved. I have to say I do have the odd one when I'm with smokers - probably ten a year - but have no desire to start full time again. Have had three friends die from lung cancer one a smoker until the day she died but the other two had both given up over twenty years earlier!

I smoked for many, many years but gave up over twenty years ago. To my surprise I found it very easy, no cravings, just so proud of myself, every day without a cigarette gave me a real buzz, I felt I had won a gold star. So keep going and why not have a prize of something you really want if you manage to stay smoke free for a month, it will be a good incentive.