Smoking

When I gave up I made a deal with myself that if I could put away the price of a pack every day .If I smoked even one cigarette in that day I couldn't. That was a bit of an incentive. I also had hypnotism which came with some advice about avoiding situations where there is an automatic habit to smoke, just to start with. You need to make new habits. You can do it!

Keep up the good work!

I have never smoked, the only member of the family not to!

Both my husband and my sister found it harder to give up smoking than to give up drink!

My father, a GP of the generation that smoked like chimneys, said that nicotine is the addictive substance that is hardest to stop using!

I hope Sunny is still on track.

A lady at my work was given some sort of medication to help her stop smoking and she managed from that point. She just didn't smoke again. I know she was lifelong smoker and was then in her mid fifties I suppose. I was very impressed at her. She saved up the money not spent on fags and was amazed how quickly it mounted up.
I wished I knew what pills they were as I'd try to make my DS get some. I really wish he wouldn't smoke.

I looked up the figures - in 1950 80% of men and 40% women were smokers. The figure for all adults is now 13%.

It is not surprising that so many people of our age became smokers as it was the norm. I remember early black and white TV programmes like What's My Line? where the panellists were all smoking and were wreathed in rings of smoke.

I smoked one when I was about 19 - it didn't do anything for me, and, as I was a sickly girl, I decided that my body was quite good at making itself ill without me adding any encouragement!

I am full of admiration for anyone who has the determination to kick this addictive habit. Well done!

I stopped smoking when I was 34. After 18 years it was making me breathless even back then. I’ve never, ever had the temptation to smoke again. I feel so very guilty having smoked around my 2 older children (but not while pregnant). I even lit up for the first time in months from my hospital bed in a ward with new mothers and babies which is just insane to think it was even allowed. DD2 was never exposed to cigarette smoke. Not a single person in our extended family have smoked with the exception of DD1 who stopped before she was 30 and had children.

Well done you for starting. My nemesis was weight and, as you are doing, I had a go at correcting the situation in the interests of my health. Success was slow and steady and I feel so much the better for my decision. I have not a moment's doubt it will be the same for you. Even if you do lapse (which I hope you will not) just pick yourself up and keep on trying. I will be thinking of you and wishing you well. PLEASE continue with progress reports here. I will watch out.

well done for making the decision to stop.

I stopped smoking in my 20s and started again in my late 40s during a traumatic period in my life. Now nearly 72 and last week was diagnosed with oral cancer. Apparently caught early, treatable and "curable" but am now learning how horrific the treatment is going to be. Even if cured I could be left unable to swallow, have trouble breathing, even having to be fed via a tube, lose my teeth and some of the jawbone and other dreadful things.

How I wish I had not had that "just one" in my forties.

To anyone who smokes - STOP NOW. The cravings are nothing compared to what I now face.

I smoked for many years, and gave up several years ago.

Vaping helped quite a lot, and I won't smoke again.

Good luck, wishing you every success.

I gave up smoking many moons ago. I was at the doctor’s as I had a bad cough. Sitting waiting I read a notice about stopping smoking on the wall. It said that after ten days of not smoking your body was nicotine free and you were just left with a craving. Since my cough had stopped me smoking, I thought well I had done ten days already, so I just continued to not smoke. I haven’t had a cigarette since, though to be honest on a rebellious day I do think about it. But I haven’t weakened yet.

Madmeg wishing you all the best for your treatment xx

Good for you Sunny.

I gave up 4 years ago at the umpteenth try. It was hard but I eventually cracked it. Keep it up, you'll feel better for it.

As an incentive, what I would have spent on smoking I put into a savings account and let it build up. I've lost track of the things I've been able to do with the money.

My mother gave up smoking in the 60's, as soon as the link with lung disease was revealed. She lived for another 40 years and always said that she still fancied a cigarette after a good meal. My father never did manage to give up though he tried many things, and he died relatively young.

MadMeg wishing you all the best.

Well done✔ I gave up almost 13 yrs ago, after smoking heavily for 45 years. The impetus for me was my friend, with children & grandchildren same age was mine. They were all destroyed I decided when I go I want them to be saying "About time she finally fecked off" . The years of smoking have left me with COPD. No fun at all . You can do this, & it will be worth it. The first week is tough. Another blip after a month, then it gets easy. I literally never even miss them now. Good luck ! 😊

Thank you everybody, can't tell you all what a boost reading your comments is, so thank you again. Today is day 11, goodness it is tough but hanging in there so far.

*friend's funeral

Hi Sunny.
If you want to do this you can. Two weeks by Boxing Day.? Well done.
What a wonderful gift to your self/ health.

Madmeg, so sorry. 😔 good luck with treatment.

I gave up 49 years ago. I nearly had a cigarette some months later at a party after a few drinks. Someone gave me one not realising I'd given up and I was about to light it when I remembered I'd stopped! I only struggled in social situations when other people were smoking so I guess it would be easier now that you have to go outside to indulge. Good luck!

Well done Sunny! 🌞 it is a huge thing you are doing, be massively proud of yourself.
I'm now 16 months ex smoker having smoked for 45 years. I went from regular cigs to rollies to vaping slowly over a year reducing nicotine to zero then stopped. I used the NHS stop smoking service and found it really helpful and used an app to keep tabs on money saved and number of days not smoking.
I'll be honest, I do sometimes miss smoking and still get the occasional craving (lasts seconds) and if I walk past someone smoking I take in a deep breath like a cartoon dog smelling sausages lol but I am so pleased I don't have to fear the money being spent anymore or how much smoking dictated my life.
Keep going, be very very proud of yourself 😘

Thank you Soozekay. It is not easy that is for sure, I seem to have had all the horrid withdrawal symptoms in buckets and then some. For some odd reason very strong tea seems to be helping a bit. One of my big problems is the 🐶 he loves rolling in badger poo and where I live is like badger central; while I knew the badger poo stank being a smoker I hadn't realised quite how bad the smell is😤

Keep it up. I gave up 35 years ago after being a heavy smoker. I read the Alan Carr book and it really helped me to deal with the withdrawal. I'd tried to stop on numerous occasions but I am so pleased that I stopped for good. tbh I couldn't imagine lighting a cigarette now. Every day will get easier.

Well done. I struggled for years trying to give up smoking because I hated the withdrawal symptoms. Strangely though, I managed to stop with no trouble when I was trying for a baby but would start smoking again when I finished feeding. In between my last two babies I did try to stop but was nearly suicidal every time I tried and only gave up when we started IVF. It was hard but I had something to concentrate on. After we had our baby, I went to start again and it was absolutely vile. That was the last cigarette I ever had and that was 23 years ago. I don't think I would ever start again.