How to quit smoking?

My DD tried to give up smoking and used all the patches, gum etc. but nothing worked. Somebody suggested hypnosis. I recommended a lady who had cured my friend's fear of heights (she was going to Machu Picchu and wanted to walk around it). My DD went and the hypnotist asked if she really wanted to give up, which she did, but DD she didn't think it would work. That didn't matter, apparently, but you did have to want to give up. The hypnotist offered another session if it didn't work but had never had anybody take it up. This was about 3 year's ago and she has never smoked since. For £150, which is what she paid, it's certainly worth a try.

I smoked for 40 years and I smoked heavily. My dh & I gave up together. I didn’t think I would do it but gave it a try. that was 11 years ago. I did it with the help of the local pharmacy who ran a stop smoking clinic. I used one of those little nicotine inhalers and patches. It was actually a lot easier than I thought it would be (I’d never tried to stop before). I was in very good health when I stopped. I gained a couple of stone in weight which was good as I’d always been on the skinny side. A year after I stopped I was diagnosed with COPD & Emphysema. I’m 65 now and my lungs only work at 45% and if I needed surgery I wouldn’t be able to tolerate a general anaesthetic. I lead a happy but limited life, love my garden and my family, life is good but oh how I wish I’d looked after my lungs. It really is not nice when I’m struggling to get my breath after going upstairs - very frightening when you can’t breathe. If I get a cold it will lead to a chest infection which requires steroids and antibiotics immediately to prevent pneumonia or worse. Just stop please. The best thing is that seeing how it has affected me has made my children into non smokers. If I smoked again now it would kill me very quickly!! Not just lung cancer but all these nasty chronic diseases will get you. For some reason, women are more at risk than men, my dh has fared better than me and is able to care for me when needed. Good luck and just stop. ?

This is the NHS advice information
www.nhs.uk/live-well/quit-smoking/nhs-stop-smoking-services-help-you-quit/

When DH stopped (40 years ago) he began by putting off the first ciggie of the day until ten am. He did that for a couple of months then pushed the time back to noon, after a few more weeks it was two pm, then five pm, then 8pm. After a little while there didn't seem any point lighting up at that time so he hasn't smoked since.

I smoked for years and wouldn't entertain the idea of stopping, until a close relative had a stroke and the hospital told us the cause was more than likely because he smoked.
I decided that I would be the worst stroke patient ever, in fact it scared me to death and I gave up in one day.
I had one session of hypnotherapy and it helped a lot, I still needed a degree of will power for the first couple of days but after that I felt like a non-smoker.
I would say that one of the stupidest things I did in my life, was to smoke and one of the best things I did was to stop smoking.

I smoked for around 25 years and gave up, cold turkey. However, I had already developed asthma, which is now chronic asthma. I did have a lot more breath when I gave up and started walking after meals so that I wasn’t tempted to smoke. The smell of E-cigs (vaping), also affects my asthma and makes me breathless. Swansea university has suggested that vaping can also cause damage to the lungs, tests are still continuing to discover the true damage they cause. However, for some people vaping seems to help them get off the cigarettes, but you need to get away from the vaping, too. Good luck in giving up.

I think that’s a good idea Esmeralda, I kept a packet of cigarettes on the mantelpiece for years, because I felt panicky if I thought I couldn’t get my hands on one easily, never opened it though

Giving up smoking is really mostly in the mind, so if you put your mind to it you will succeed. I stopped by telling myself that, once I'd finished the pack I had, that would be it. However I left the final cigarette in the packet and always told myself that I had 'just one more cigarette to go' before I finally stopped. I never smoked that cigarette and it is still in the packet in the cupboard many years later. That was my trick, but I'm sure you will come up with your own to help you fool your mindset and help you to quit. On the other hand, a friend of mine had tried many times (unsuccessfully) to stop smoking and told me it was impossible ... then she was diagnosed with lung cancer and quit immediately. Amazing, eh? A classic case of needs must when the Devil drives!

www.amazon.co.uk/Kick-Stop-Smoking-Five-Days/dp/0722515235?tag=gransnetforum-21

I got bronchitis. Couldn't breathe easily for a week and certainly couldn't smoke. When I recovered, I thought, I've done a week of cold turkey, it would be stupid to start again,
So take it a day at a time, after a week say to yourself what I did :-)
And my ex never did give up, so I still had to live with the smell.

I have up when smoking was banned in most places went to smoking cessation couple of times but relied on willpower in the end ..good luck

You'll only give up , if you really want to . Also a bit of will power . You can only give up if you are doing it for yourself and nobody else .

I stopped smoking when I was diagnosed with mild COPD (a chest condition similar to emphysema) Scared me, even though I’d had no symptoms. No chest infections or anything .
I went to the smoking cessation clinic and they gave me patches. The good thing is that they monitor you and give you support every few weeks. They aren’t judgmental at all. I have not had a cigarette for twelve years, after smoking for fifty years.
It’s worth giving it a try. No more having to go out in the cold to smoke. No more smell on your hair and clothes.
Good luck. You can stop if YOU really want to.

I've never smoked, so I'm not a great deal of experience in the matter.

However...years ago a colleague (and his wife) of my husband gave up smoking and saved the money. In three years they'd saved enough to buy a motorhome! Maybe an incentive like that is helpful.

Go on this site for advice it's brilliant you will get loads of help, You can also buy Allen Carr's stop smoking book £2.45 on Ebay - HealthUnlocked

Link healthunlocked.com/quitsupport/posts/private/140937791/withdrawal-symptom

Carry around an ashtray with you and keep sniffing it and know that is what you smell like to other people!

I quit last year after smoking for 46 yrs!!! Used champix and I took me nearly 12mths in total.i had tried several times to give up but last year I was really determined

I stopped smoking in the late eighties. Before then I was smoking 40-50 cigarettes per day.

Cold turkey is the only way. My answer to the inevitable craving was butterscotch - about half a pound every day!

As I recall it took about three weeks to begin to feel as though I was beating it, and about a year before I ceased to be jealous when I saw someone else smoking.

I gave up smoking albeit when I was much younger with a method I made up for myself. Each time before I had a cigarette I recited a list of the nasties. This cigarette 1.turns my lungs black 2.turns my womb grey. 3. Fries my gums. 4. Gives me cancer. 5. Yellows my teeth. 6. Makes my breath stink. 7. Makes me stink . 8. Makes my clothes stink. 9. Costs a fortune 10. Makes my face wrinkled 11. Makes my skin blotchy . 12 Puts people off me. Then I would light the cigarette and smoke it. Same thing every time I lit up. Soon it got so I didn’t want one but that’s when you have to have one until in the end it’s so repulsive to have one you just can’t face it. At that point I was done. Never smoked again but downside is I can’t bear anyone near me smoking. I have zero tolerance. I bet you can give it up it’s so bad for your precious , willing , lovely body.

I am sure you do smell, all the smokers I know do. The smell is disgusting and if you are talking to somebody you can tell if they have just popped out for a ciggy. Smokers breath and clothes always smell.

Surely knowing that should be enough to make you want to stop smoking. Vaping is an unknown and in years to come could spark health concerns too.

Well done you! the first step of deciding to give up is a massive step. Take all the help / support you can get. Google smoking cessation in your area - some places still have them. Remember most people need a few goes before they quit. Also try the different options: gum, patches, hypnosis etc. Etc. as what suits is a very individual thing.
All the very best, I’m are behind you all the way!

Lisa445 Keep telling yourself why you are doing this

I gave up when we decided to start a family, our DD is 40 this year.
It wasn't easy as I was a fairly heavy smoker and went cold turkey. There wasn't much help around in those days!

Just kept telling myself why I was doing it.
It did get easier, my sense of smell and taste was heightened and I did feel much better.

20 cigarettes were 50p when I gave up, Lord knows what they cost now!
Good Luck

I have been a non smoker for almost a year now. I am 73 and have smoked since I was 13 years old. I read books on the internet from my library. I had a bit of trouble down loading the audio books. But when I finally managed it, the first book in the list of titles was How To Stop Smoking and Stay Stopped. I decided to listen to it, even though I wasn't serious about giving up. I stopped smoking that day. I haven't smoked since. I might add I was a heavy smoker
too.
If and when I got the urge to smoke, I kept reminding myself I was no longer a smoker and the urge went away.
I'm very proud of myself. Saving lots of money, feeling healthier and no longer smell like an astray. I thought it was going to be difficult, but it wasn't. I thought I would be climbing walls, but I wasn't. If I can give up, anyone can.

I smoked for 48 years. Had tried many times to give up, using patches, gum, pastilles, mouth sprays. Tried vaping but it made me cough even mire.
In desperation I asked for help at the GP and went on a twelve week course if Champix. It worked!
Although I'll never repair the damage to my lungs I do feel so much better and would seriously recommend you talk to your GP about Champix. I thought I'd never be able to do it but it's three years now and I'm so happy.

If I can do it, you can! At age 71, I cut down by only having half a cigarette and saving the other half for later, then having a third, then a quarter. I then plucked up all my courage by going to a vaping shop - and they're really sympathetic and give you all the help you need. So I vaped alternately with smoking until I ditched the cigarettes altogether. I can't say the urge to have a real cigarette isn't there - it probably will always be, but I haven't had a 'real' cigarette for over four months now and although in some ways I still miss it, I'm glad I made the switch - and so will you be!