Smoking

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.

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.

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!

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 hope Sunny is still on track.

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!

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!

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.

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!

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 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.

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 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.

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

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.

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 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

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?

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.

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.

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

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!?

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.

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

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