Help me not to buy cigarettes today

[Tweetypie27]

I’ve give up smoking I’ve got a vape a good one I haven’t smoked since yesterday. This is so hard I really want one I want nothing more.
Im 36 and need to stop now I smoke up to 20 a day sometimes my skin has gone rubbish my hair is snapping my teeth have had better days.
my only reason for quitting at the moment is vanity and I’ve promised my children they keep nagging me to stop and their scared I will die young.
I know all this I know it’s bad for you but will I always miss it ? My morning coffee and fag my pudding fag I want to stop so much but I feel like something js missing will this go ?
Im avoiding the shop today I will buy some if I go in there today the worst bit is sometimes the man even gets my fags for me before I even ask lol it’s terrible I feel like I can’t go in if he does that I will have them help me see the benefits

I couldn't help but comment on this..

For a smoker - scare tactics just don't cut the mustard in my opinion

It is tough and even with replacement therapy like the vape it's still hard.

My experience was I kind of did both for a while and thought I'm never going to be able to stop smoking... soon I was preferring the taste of the vape (I also zoned in on how much I absolutely stank when having a cigarette - how dirty it looks - and how pathetic I felt walking around with one, this is just my experience) I still couldn't help but buy cigarettes when I was out drinking! But soon something just clicked, and the taste of cigarettes was seriously vile!!!

I think the vape I had did wonders if I'm honest I'd tried vaping before and it just wasn't doing it for me I knew I'd carry on smoking but the vape and juice I then got was perfect! I also started on a 20mg nic vape juice... nic salts are better as they give you that 'hit' rather than with normal juices.

The vape I got was the Caliburn G and the juice was Riot squad black grape

I've now upgraded my vape so I can get a lower grade nicotine 3mg and a couple of moths after that will reduce it to no nicotine and hopefully eventually stop altogether

You've got this and it is hard no matter what route you take but just from swapping cigarettes to vaping will be a huge health which does come with a lot of benefits!!

Good luck! You've got this and some in on the things you hate about vaping

Ps I also read Alan carrs easy way which I'm sure you've heard of and although it didn't necessarily help me quit smoking it did make me realise things that helped

Xxx

The thing about giving up smoking is it’s easy. Now what I mean by that, is that it takes less effort to not smoke, than smoke. Getting fit, for example, means you have to get out and go for a run, or drag yourself to the gym. Dieting is hard, because although you have to alter what and how much you eat, you still have to eat something. You can’t just cut food out completely.

Whereas not going to the shops and buying cigarettes is easier than doing it. Not putting a cigarette in your mouth and lighting it, takes less effort than smoking one does.

This is what I kept reminding myself all the way through the early stages. Just keep on taking the easy option.

Hypnotherapy, even just an audio recording. Save the money in a glass jar and watch every time you put something in how fast it grows.

I did read Alan carr and stopped last time using that till I had a drink had one then I was having five a day then back on a 20 pack within two weeks.
i don’t know if it would work on me twice. Well I’ve just eaten and not been to bad craving had a few puffs of the vape I’m trying to use it then put it down don’t want it attached to me 24.7.
Yes I need to stay away from the corner shop as much as poss that's where I will crack today and anytime this week probably.
I could throttle my 15 year old self for taking it up at all.
My partner still is smoking he said he would give up today but saw him smoking at the back door this morning I’m proud that I didn’t smoke though despite this.
He needs to stop aswell he said he will smoke away from the house tonight.

I did read Alan carr and stopped last time using that till I had a drink had one then I was having five a day then back on a 20 pack within two weeks.

Snap!

But it IS possible to be free from cigarettes, and to not even think about them

Yes it does work but you have to want it to work kind of thing and I struggle mostly with the hand to mouth think they ritual of it I think.

See in a day or 2, you will realise how much your hair, clothes, smelt of stale fags.

I quit smoking 7 years ago and it's the best thing I've done.

My Vape is nicotine free and has been for the last 4 years and I barely use it at all now. No more standing in the rain trying to light a fag, no more wet stale fag smoke, the money you'll save is huge.

You can do this!

You do always miss it, but you miss it less.

The moderation approach works for me, I tell myself I am allowed to have a couple very occasionally as a treat to myself, I usually do it socially at parties/when drinking - it does help that none of my friends habitually smoke. I haven't actually had one for nearly 5 years now although totally would have at the weekend if there had been any around!

To me, that's an OK compromise. I don't have to give it up forever and never smoke ever again, but I don't want to be a daily smoker and have all the cost, the health issues, the smell etc. I don't want the kids to see me smoking as I think it normalises it - convinced that's why both DH and I started smoking. DH still vapes, and I hate it.

For others that doesn't work because it slips them into craving again. See how you feel.

I used to smoke 30 a day. Gave up almost 22 years ago (still counting!)

The first few days are really tough, but if you can get over that then it gets more and more easy.

Try to find an online support group and a calculator that shows you health improvements day by day, money saved etc. I found both these things really helpful.

Try to avoid triggers - I drank water and orange juice as I never smoked with that (unlike tea/coffee).

Are patches still available as I found these really helped to take the cravings away.

Take it one hour/day at a time and you'll get there.

This is the best decision you'll ever make for your health, wallet and how you smell and look.

Best of luck.

Just remember that the smell of stale tobacco is on your breath, hair, clothes and soft furnishings, and that your children are smelling it and breathing it in. If that doesn't make you want to stop, I don't know what will

I smoked from 12 years of age to 28 (apart from when I stopped during 2 pregnancies). I'm 63 now and hate the smell of it

Don't do it. Smoking is grim. It's awful for your health, it stinks, it's unsociable, it's expensive...

Get through it day by day OP. Can you leave your bank card somewhere else and just take £5 cash with you?

Hey! Currently smoking my last cigarette. I have no tobacco left and want it to stay that way. Vape is fired up and ready to go.

My motivation was watching inside the ambulance on uktv. The amount of smokers at a similar age to me, 53, who have smoking related copd really brought it home to me. To the point it was really uncomfortable watching. I'm continuing to watch though, as the discomfort is a good thing tu keep me on track.

I quit for 6 years then started again when my marriage ended. I was bloody stupid. I'm really looking forward to not being a cig slave.

We are all with you....congratulations.

I gave up in my early 50s about 8 years ago and used the Nicorette Inhaler which is a small plastic stick with nicotine capsules in. It's the only thing that gave me that instant hit of nicotine and patches weren't right as I generally didn't smoke until later in the day. I first tried it when I had to take a long flight and wanted to keep the cravings at bay.

It wasn't easy but I'm so glad I did it. I hated that feeling of wondering how I could have the next cigarette if I was out, was also conscious of the cost and the smell.

Go on OP, you can do it !!

I quit a 30 a day habit with the vape
Use it, if you're craving. If you need to vape it 24/7 then do it
Anything that means you don't smoke!

I've said this hundreds of times.

My dad has not given up smoking, he is just seeing how long he can go without a cigarettes, he is at 45+ years now.

Because it changed from giving something up to doing something positive it seemed to click in his brain.

Don't think about the cigarettes, think about your personal best record.

You presumably don't smoke in your sleep, so you can go that many hours without a cigarette.

Put the money you would spend in a jar or a new bank account.

The thing that stuck with me from the Alan Carr (which worked for me too) was re-framing my thoughts, so instead of quitting something nice, I was freeing myself. I also found getting angry really helped - directed at the companies profiting from misery and death.

I quit 20 years ago and I hate smoking now. Sometimes have nightmares that I've had a fag. You can do it, and you future self will be so grateful.

I stopped by vaping instead, though it was about 10 years ago and it didn’t have a name then, they were just “e cigs” and were little crappy plastic things on top of a crappy battery. They tasted shite, but for me it was as much about keeping my hands busy as it was the nicotine. I know that a lot of people hate vapes, but there would be far more people still smoking if they weren’t around. Good luck, you can do it!

Change your routine, instead of having that smoke after pudding go wash the pots straight away, tidy up etc break the routine to help crack the addiction, I have been quit nearly 3 years after 20 years smoking, good luck op you can do it.

Every time you're due to buy cigs put the money in a jar (or a note £12 and save it in a separate account or something)

Take up something to do with your hands.. One ball of double knit wool, one size 5 crochet hook and YouTube.

Jigsaws.

Replace your smoking with some other gesture if it involves breaks.

Good luck. I gave up at the start of covid 💜

You can do it! I cut down over the last few years and finally gave up last year.
I still struggle with the after dinner cig & the glass of wine cig but I find the craving goes after around 10 mins if you distract yourself or replace with something you didn’t used to associate with cigs (a walk, a game or calling a mate)

also download the NHS stop smoking app it tracks the days and how much money you have saved and the benefits day to day to keep you motivated. I really liked the accountability and seeing my days/money go up
good luck!

Another vote for Alan Carr. It really worked for me. Also the physical addiction to nicotine is over in 3 days or so. The mental one will take longer, but the sooner you kick a physical addiction the better IMO. Vaping, patches, gum etc just drag it out.

You're literally spending money on poisoning yourself. Free yourself from these shackles you've put onto yourself.
What can you do with all the money you're saving?

Keep going hour by hour, day by day. Distract yourself and keep busy.

Make yourself a new rule. You have to eat every cigarette you smoke. Filter and all, chew it up and swallow it down. Probably a daft idea but if you're strict about it then it'll put you off fast!