How to quit smoking?

I did it cold turkey. I was in the doctor's waiting room, waiting for a blood test. On the wall opposite me was a poster about giving up smoking. I smoked about 10 a day. On the poster it said that after about 10 days no smoking there was no nicotine in the body. Therefore it was addiction and habit that made you want a cigarette. As I hadn't had a cigarette for a while because of a bad cold, I decided then and there not to have another. I changed my morning routine so I did not have that first cigarette and quite honestly the rest was easy. I seldom think about it now, though sometimes when stressed I do think' a ciggy would be nice' . But I know never to give in .

I gave up smoking after 33 years.
I had a bad cold and hadn't smoked for three weeks, went to buy cigarettes and had to pay cash, about £5. It suddenly struck me as an awful waste of money, money up in smoke, and I never smoked again; that was 19 years ago.

Sorry I was 66 not 68

I packed up about 8 years ago aged 68 having started at school. Over the years had tried different ideas and devices without success. In the end I simply gave them up and that was it. No aids, no vaping and no cigarettes I'm told that I'm better for having done it and I always believe what she tells me

I stopped smoking by vaping , researched vaping, what I would need to buy, how to do it, when packet of cigs ran out I started vaping and never looked back. That was 8 years ago.

My mother stopped smoking over 30 years ago and she was fit and well at the time, but that didn't stop her from developing COPD in later years and it was COPD that killed her

My partner smokes. I feel for him. He's smoked for over 50 years. He's tried to stop several times since I've known him, and much like my diets, manages very well for a while and then..

I don't have an answer. I do know they say it is more addictive than heroin. Sale of fags shouldn't be legal really. It's awful that something so dangerous IS.

I have sent you a private message Lisa445

Reported

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

As firstwayforward says hypnotherapy can work but you have really got to want to do it. Not just think you ought to.
I married a man who hated smoking. His will helped me.

Reported

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Brief help by a doctor (such as when a doctor takes 10 minutes or less to give a patient advice and assistance about quitting)

Individual, group, or telephone counseling
Behavioral therapies (such as training in problem solving)
Treatments with more person-to-person contact and more intensity (such as more or longer counseling sessions)
Programs to deliver treatments using mobile phones
Medications for quitting that have been found to be effective include the following:
Nicotine replacement products
Over-the-counter (nicotine patch [which is also available by prescription], gum, lozenge)
Prescription (nicotine patch, inhaler, nasal spray)
Prescription non-nicotine medications: bupron , varenicline tartrate (Champix)

Oh I shall go on there Bree19..have followed all the replies with great interest (and envy) as am still struggling..still keep turning back to the cigs...so cross with myself..

Become an ex smoker. www.becomeanex.org
This website was a lifesaver when I quit smoking 2 years ago after 45 years of smoking. I still log into the site daily for support and encouragement. The people have become best (cyber) buddies. It is a social site, welcoming, supportive, interesting, hilarious and informative.

After smoking for 55 years I went to my GP clinic. They were brilliant & I smoked my last cigarette 8 weeks later. I still occasionally fancy a smoke when I sit down with a coffee but as there is none in the house it soon wears off once I'm busy again. Definitely start with your doctors. Good luck.

mrswoo has it right, it is a new world of freedom.

I smoked till I was 34, about 15 per day and never lapsed once I stopped. I remember sitting opposite a man at work who had a no smoking please sign on the wall beside his desk which I completely disregarded as you could smoke at work back then. I wish I could meet him again and apologise profusely. I find smoking and everything associated with it to be utterly vile. Nobody in my extended family smoke.

My Mother was a smoker. When she died, I wanted to keep some of her beautiful curtains. After three washes or dry cleaning where appropriate they still retained the smell albeit much less. Result? Charity shop. I guess the nicotine must have integrated the weave somehow. Don't know. I use public transport regularly and, when seating permits, I always move when a smoker sits nearby. I try to do this with sensitivity as I do believe smokers are unaware of how awful they sometimes smell because they are right in the midst of it constantly. I take my hat off to all those people who have managed to quit the habit because I do believe any addiction is a curse of sorts. Well done to all of you and good luck to those who are in the throes of trying. Maybe need to consider how much time I am wasting on this iPad?!!! Happily, not much in the good weather long daylight but...winter? Mmmmm......!

I gave up years ago - I wrote a list of all the reasons not to smoke and there was only one reason why I did - I am a nicotine addict! And then I smoked my last fag, getting through hour by hour, kept busy, went out and got through a day. The next day I drank a glass of water every time I wanted to light up, went to bed early and got through another 24 hours until finally I got through 26 years. Now cigarette smells makes me feel sick and gives me a headache.

My trick was to see how long I could go without a cigarette, rather than the dreaded finality of telling myself I could never have another one.

So far I've managed to go over 15 years .

Good luck Lisa. Half the battle, I believe, is making the commitment to yourself. Once you've done that it is much easier to go without than you think it will be.

Another supporter of Champix, i tried everything including hypnosis, patches, gum, sprays, i went on a course with my GPs clinic i stopped before the course finished and still have 2 packets of Champix left
The money i saved was put in a separate bank account and the more i saved the more glad i was that i had given up
Also had no side effects

I finally gave up 5 years ago after 40 years by vaping - which I then found easy to give up

I smoked for years and stopped almost 20 years ago with the help of patches.
The thing to remember is this ~ you are not giving anything up but gaining a whole world of freedom. Good luck, it is really worth it.