Back on the fags - how to quit?

[Nymzee]

True but going away for 3 weeks next and limber straight for the camel blues

Never done heroin but I swear it must be on par when it comes to addiction

Well that’s kinda my point. It’s like trying to go on a health kick or quite booze in December, pointless. Just smoke a bit during summer when you’re likely to fail quitting then really go for it when summer is over.

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

I just stopped. Quit the beer alongside it. Just for a month initially, but I felt so much better in myself so I carried it on. I was still going out. One learns how irritating ones friends are when drunk (and by extension how irritating one must be when pissed alongside them). This was all pre-smoking ban.

Try having a wager you can't do it. That's good motivation.

 

[Nymzee]

I just stopped. Quit the beer alongside it. Just for a month initially, but I felt so much better in myself so I carried it on. I was still going out. One learns how irritating ones friends are when drunk (and by extension how irritating one must be when pissed alongside them). This was all pre-smoking ban.

Try having a wager you can't do it. That's good motivation.

I tried that with the gym. Owe someone £200 now.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

 

[coollino]

Well that’s kinda my point. It’s like trying to go on a health kick or quite booze in December, pointless. Just smoke a bit during summer when you’re likely to fail quitting then really go for it when summer is over.

Probably depends if it's a mental or physical addiction, I've never really smoked properly but I think nicotine can be either. If it is a mental addiction I'd probably just go with what you say, maybe just try and phase it out by one less or so each time

If it's a physical addiction it's probably not as easy and patches are probably the way forward

Obviously the worst option is to inhale some blue unicorn bubblegum flavoured liquid made by a factory with no licence which has twice the nicotine in that is advertised

 

[Nymzee]

Probably depends if it's a mental or physical addiction, I've never really smoked properly but I think nicotine can be either. If it is a mental addiction I'd probably just go with what you say, maybe just try and phase it out by one less or so each time

If it's a physical addiction it's probably not as easy and patches are probably the way forward

Obviously the worst option is to inhale some blue unicorn bubblegum flavoured liquid made by a factory with no licence which has twice the nicotine in that is advertised

True. I just think the timing of making changes is so important. Same way January gym fads don’t work, Christmas diets don’t work, going teetotal in the middle of a hot Summer doesn’t work.

 

[COYBL25]

Keep trying! I smoked for around 30 years, started around 12/13 years old, going halves with mates on packs of 10 or whatever, was full time smoker by 15. I’d say I averaged around between 10-15 a day. All my life experiences growing up were accompanied by smokes, all the things that make a life, playing in a band in smoke filled sitting rooms, all the teenage romance, smoke, smoke, smoke, stopping playing sports to hang around smoking, college and coffee and debates to the early hours shrouded in smoke, college digs full of ashtrays, rizlas, boxes of matches, every possession and clothing stinking of smoke, every meal or task was only completed by having a smoke, a cigarette as a punctuation mark.

I had a CT scan for suspected leukaemia around 2012, so I’d been smoking for around 22 years at that point, anyway the doctor gave me the good news that I didn’t have leukaemia but what I did have was a lot of scaring on my lungs, she told me if I didn’t quit I would almost certainly end up with emphysema, showed me the scan’s, literally showed me the dark blobs on my own lungs. I managed to not have a smoke directly after leaving the hospital, which would have been the standard pavlovian finish task/have smoke but I was back puffing away within hours, the whole ‘mortality is something that only applies to others’ and the ‘if I’m going down, I’m going down sparking up’ rebellion against reality addict brain is a thing of wonder.

Smoke, smoke, smoke and then COVID came along, I knew my lungs were garbage and was probably the first time I really thought ‘I could be in a bit of trouble here’ so I had to try and quit, just before the first lockdown I went the shops and bought 5 packs, which was around a weeks worth, 100 cigarettes, and I just told myself these are the last cigarettes I’ll ever buy, and as I smoked them I was hyper aware that it was a countdown to an end point, a new beginning, I downloaded the Smoke Free app, in my head I was kind of angry, I was to some degree ‘rage quitting’, angry at the companies that make cigarettes, that covered up the scientific evidence, that lied, angry at the government that not only continued to allow a known cancer causing product to be sold but also gouged the addict with 70% or so of the price being tax, but mostly angry at my own stupidity, and weakness. I decided to go cold turkey, I didn’t want to substitute one habit with another, that was still the anger, I wanted to prove to myself I had a bit of willpower.

I’m looking at the app now, I’m 4 years 3 months and 4 days smoke free, and like others have mentioned, I can’t believe how I used to be so controlled by the habit. I can’t even remember those first few days of the quit, I know they weren’t nice, but you come out the other side. You come out the other side and as every day passes, become weeks, become months were you don’t even think about it, what seemed like a huge unachievable thing seems nearly an insignificant thing. I really hope you try again, get angry!

Great post mate:

 

[garyammer]

My mate used to say buy nicotine patches,stick them over your eyes,and you won't be able to find your cigs. Yeah,I know and it wasn't funny then either. What helped me,and believe me,I could smoke for England was this advice. Ask yourself Do I want a cigarette? Yeah,I probably do but Do I need a cigarette? no I really don't. Hope this helps and if not ,I'm sorry for being a smug [Poor language removed].

 

[DualityNSNO]

I just stopped. Quit the beer alongside it. Just for a month initially, but I felt so much better in myself so I carried it on. I was still going out. One learns how irritating ones friends are when drunk (and by extension how irritating one must be when pissed alongside them). This was all pre-smoking ban.

Did the same - just quit one day.

I did, however, start the process by smoking less and less - started off on close to a pack a day but in a month and a half cut them down to like a few a day, then by the day I quit it was honestly 1 or 2 a day, with the coffee basically. Finished the pack (which genuinely took me a week) and never bought another one. I've had a few with a drink since, but I can't even finish them anymore honestly, just feels horrible.

Also so that I have a grim reminder of exactly when I quit - Christian Eriksen died on the pitch for a few minutes that same day. I'd smoked the last cigarette just before the game.

 

[Brett Angell Delight]

Cut your fingers off

@tommye can you confirm this works?

 

[LocalNative]

Keep trying! I smoked for around 30 years, started around 12/13 years old, going halves with mates on packs of 10 or whatever, was full time smoker by 15. I’d say I averaged around between 10-15 a day. All my life experiences growing up were accompanied by smokes, all the things that make a life, playing in a band in smoke filled sitting rooms, all the teenage romance, smoke, smoke, smoke, stopping playing sports to hang around smoking, college and coffee and debates to the early hours shrouded in smoke, college digs full of ashtrays, rizlas, boxes of matches, every possession and clothing stinking of smoke, every meal or task was only completed by having a smoke, a cigarette as a punctuation mark.

I had a CT scan for suspected leukaemia around 2012, so I’d been smoking for around 22 years at that point, anyway the doctor gave me the good news that I didn’t have leukaemia but what I did have was a lot of scaring on my lungs, she told me if I didn’t quit I would almost certainly end up with emphysema, showed me the scan’s, literally showed me the dark blobs on my own lungs. I managed to not have a smoke directly after leaving the hospital, which would have been the standard pavlovian finish task/have smoke but I was back puffing away within hours, the whole ‘mortality is something that only applies to others’ and the ‘if I’m going down, I’m going down sparking up’ rebellion against reality addict brain is a thing of wonder.

Smoke, smoke, smoke and then COVID came along, I knew my lungs were garbage and was probably the first time I really thought ‘I could be in a bit of trouble here’ so I had to try and quit, just before the first lockdown I went the shops and bought 5 packs, which was around a weeks worth, 100 cigarettes, and I just told myself these are the last cigarettes I’ll ever buy, and as I smoked them I was hyper aware that it was a countdown to an end point, a new beginning, I downloaded the Smoke Free app, in my head I was kind of angry, I was to some degree ‘rage quitting’, angry at the companies that make cigarettes, that covered up the scientific evidence, that lied, angry at the government that not only continued to allow a known cancer causing product to be sold but also gouged the addict with 70% or so of the price being tax, but mostly angry at my own stupidity, and weakness. I decided to go cold turkey, I didn’t want to substitute one habit with another, that was still the anger, I wanted to prove to myself I had a bit of willpower.

I’m looking at the app now, I’m 4 years 3 months and 4 days smoke free, and like others have mentioned, I can’t believe how I used to be so controlled by the habit. I can’t even remember those first few days of the quit, I know they weren’t nice, but you come out the other side. You come out the other side and as every day passes, become weeks, become months were you don’t even think about it, what seemed like a huge unachievable thing seems nearly an insignificant thing. I really hope you try again, get angry!

Phenomenal post mate. Great to read and hear!

 

[Naisy'sCharitableLeanings]

Love it lad. Am same me, I can’t stand vapes. Can’t think of anything worse than a raspberry cherry 9/11 nuke snout when im having a beer.

Managed to stop buying rollies so on the straights and Jesus they cost a bomb.

Gen dream of the day that they turn my stomach and not look like heaven.

Vaping worked/works for me. Off the ciggies for nine years. You can get some reasonably authentic tobacco flavours but the device you use and how it works broadly dictates how good the experience will be. Same with flavours - I was also very dismissive of them at first, but if you can be arsed, you can pair them up with beer (seriously, it’s like pairing wine with food ). I like hazy IPAs and German Weißbeirs, and some of the tropical liquids go a treat with those.

 

[Kurt.]

@tommye can you confirm this works?

*i set that up beautifully… all it needed was your little tap in

 

[chrismpw]

Just stop oil fagging.

 

[Pejic300]

Gave up after 35 years. Went cold turkey initially, then signed up to the NHS Smoking Cessation Service. Good support, advice, and range of inhalators/patches/gum etc.
Took the nicotine lozenges for a few months when the cravings hit. If you can distract yourself and ride the cravings you'll get it licked.
If I could just get around the cravings for food... Put on four stone in four years. Must dig out that willpower if I can remember where I put it.
You'll notice you'll have significantly more cash to spend on cakes and pies.