Help with ending horrible vaping addiction

[Bloopoooooo]

Would love to hear success stories. I am so ashamed of my vaping; I am getting through about 1½ disposables a day.
I quit smoking in my late 20's, I had the impetus of wanting to start trying for a baby.

Managed to stay off the cigs for a decade and got to the point where I didn't miss smoking and could even be around others smoking and not minding or being tempted.
Stupidly went out on a night out where some random offered me a go on his Elf bar. Liked it. Bought one for the weekend. Didn't have any more for another week or so but then next weekend away I bought another.
It's completely spiralled from there and now I'm getting through about 3 in 2 days.

I went our with friends at the weekend and as no seats indoors we went outside; I got through 2 disposable ones in one evening.

I can't enjoy cinema or theatre anymore cos I'm just itching to vape.

I'm hiding in the bathroom vaping so my kids don't see me but the older one has found packets and been understandably very upset.

I went cold turkey for about a month because I was on holiday and then for a few weeks after, but as soon as something stressful happened at work I bought one and am back at square one.

I am thinking of getting a liquid, non-disposable one and gradually increasing the amount of liquid that has no nicotine in it, but no idea where to start as have only used disposable ones.

Absolutely mortified when parents from school see me puffing away and I'm mid-40's so feel like I am way too old for this.

Any advice please?

I’m the same. No advice sorry!
You know you can do as you’ve done it before.

sometimes I think I should just start smoking again as I probably vape more.

Start smoking again! Genuinely that's what I had to do!

I absolutely vape more; I was never smoking more than about 20 a day, normally less, it varied over the years (started at age 14 😔). I'd go outside to smoke if I was in uni halls or at my parents' house. Also the cigarettes come to an end but with vapes you can just have more than 1 cigarette's worth at a time.

I was so horrible and grumpy when I gave up before, feel absolutely ashamed at how snappy I was!

It's also just so ludicrous that I wasn't a smoker when I took up vaping. Feel like such an idiot 😭 I think the nicotine addiction just came back really suddenly

See your GP surgery (or might be a specialist nurse) for nicotine replacement therapy.

Seriously? I have had one or two cigarettes on nights out but I really don't like them anymore. Though that might help. Did you switch exclusively or taper off, onto the cigarettes, then quite those?

Willing to try anything at the point!

I completely understand where you are coming from. I have a very similar story.....ex smoker, turned to vaping after a friend gave me an elf bar to try and went from there. They are horribly addictive.

I have quit and gone back to them a few times, the longest I quit for was 3 months last year and then when something stressful happens I reach for them again. I'm too embarrassed to be seen vaping at my age so I have to go on a walk on my lunch break and vape somewhere away from the office.

What I'm finding is that if I cave and buy one, I then don't automatically buy another. It means I'm in a stupid cycle where I'll have a couple in a week.....then be able to go a week or two (or sometimes a month) without them and then cave and get more. Mine is definitely stress related, if work is stressful they're a complete crutch for me.

What has helped is I swapped to the mint ones only, then would use a nicroette spray and a pack of mints if I felt cravings. I know I can quit it's just bloody hard.

Honestly I think they need to hurry up and ban disposables because then I'll be forced to quit for good.

It might sound counterintuitive, but I highly recommend buying a vape kit. Those disposables have a lot of nicotine in them. If you swap to liquid, you can control how much nicotine you're adding to it, so you can slowly reduce it.

The other thing I recommend is nicotine gum. Try relying on that instead as you cut down your vaping. It will be handy straight away for getting through longer periods where you can't vape.

Thanks, would they do this for a vaper not a smoker? Feel like vaping is not considered as bad

Yes. It's still nicotine addiction.

I started to quit on 1st jan. I was going through one a day too. Vaping in the car with the kids, vaping in bed, trying to WFH instead of go into the office so I can vape all day. It was taking over my life.

So from 1-10 Jan I changed it so that I had to go outside to vape, same as I would if I was smoking cigarettes. And the whole process of getting my shoes and coat on to stand outside and vape meant that I was vaping like every 3hours instead of constantly. By 10th jan, I was only going out two or three times a day for a few puffs, and I figured I was almost over the nicotine addiction.

Then I switched to 0% vapes, and now I have a few puffs of my 0% one if I'm particularly stressed, but otherwise I'm basically off them!

I've gained 8lb in a month with all the eating I'm doing though 😂😂😂

I am currently using my elf bar. Terrible addiction. I was a social smoker in my 20s and gave up had the odd cigarette now am shamelessly addicted. I am contemplating smoking again to get off them?!

Thanks, that was what I was thinking although they are confounding to me and the vape shop owners nearest to me aren't very nice and I could see them pushing me to buy the most expensive set rather than one that would actually suit me.
I guess I could buy one online? Thanks

I am currently using my elf bar. Terrible addiction. I was a social smoker in my 20s and gave up had the odd cigarette now am shamelessly addicted. I am contemplating smoking again to get off them?!

Thanks so much. And congratulations 🎊 it's the such an achievement xx

I also WFH as much as I can and just puff merrily away like a fool unless I'm in a meeting.
I fall asleep vaping in bed; and it's the first thing I do when I wake up. I'm honestly mortified by it.

I think I might try this method. And will get some 0% ones for emergencies.

I do worry I will gain weight but I guess that is better than "popcorn lungs". My friend confessed she is really worried about me and it's made me feel like a right tit.

It's absolutely wild how the addiction just creeps up on you and because you can do it indoors it makes it easier to increase.

I really dislike smoking now so might try and switch as PP did. Though honestly must be getting through equivalent of 30 or 40 a day at this point?! And cigs are so expensive now!! When I quit Marlboro Lights were about £6 for 20. Must be more than double that now 😫

I think vaping is so much more addictive than smoking because of the ease of it - we do it in our houses and in bed, whereas we would NEVER have smoked a cigarette in bed.

So trying to reduce your habit is probably a good start, and if you treat it like a cigarette and go outside for it, you'll automatically vape less, and once you're out of the habit of reaching for it 24/7 (I used to genuinely panic when I reached for it and couldn't find it!), then it's easier to quit I think.

I've been the same! Terrible addiction. I realised as well as the nicotine I really enjoy the breathing aspect of vaping and yoga breathing techniques have helped a bit when I feel an urge. Look up square breathing and alternate nostril breathing, see if it helps at all.

My DH is addicted too so if I go cold turkey he just brings another into the house - it is impossible! I am hoping the disable ban will help both of us.

I was addicted to vaping. I’d get through one disposable a day.

I went cold turkey in October 2023 and never vaped again.

You have to use your vape for the last time the night before you start quitting. That way you wake up on a fresh day having not vaped all night, a lot of the nicotine will already be leaving your system. Aim to get through the first 24 hours, then 48 hours, three days, a whole week. The longer you can go the more determined you’ll be imo.

Do something else when the craving hits in those first couple of days, they pass quickly.

Also the cigarettes come to an end but with vapes you can just have more than 1 cigarette's worth at a time.

I think that's a big part of the issue. When do you know you've had enough? I struggle with that, when do I stop? Whereas a cigarette has a built in timer, and most of us would now go outside, so smoking a second would have to be a real decision.

I still don't have the answer.

Yes exactly I feel way too old for this nonsense and old enough to know better.

You can see people's faces when they realise you're a vaper. Mix of pity and disgust.

That is a good shout actually; I think the mint ones sound horrible so might try that. I have about 4 or 5 flavours I like then the others I didn't like.

I've even used deliveroo if I can't get out and buy them. It's so ridiculous.

Mine are an absolute crutch, same as yourself my work can be really stressful at times and I've be vaping madly before going into a big meeting or something. Ridiculous.

I go outside into the utility so I don't even do it in the house it is so relaxing having a cup of tea out there listening to the washing machine.

A massive motivation for me to quit was the cost. I think I was wasting £150 a month.

https://www.ecigwizard.com/products/aspire-gotek-x-pod-kit

Just a cheap one like this would do you.

I'm like you! I always have to have a vape close to hand, in my bra, my pocket, or on my desk.

100% same as you; never smoked in bed but it's literally the last thing I do before I go to sleep at night 🥴