To ask your best advice to stop smoking

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I’ve smoked for nearly 20 years and I hate it.

Starting Stoptober from tomorrow and am desperate to be a non-smoker.

I tried the Allan Carr book in the past - lasted 24 hours the first time and about a week the second.

I’ve thrown away all my cigarettes and asked my DH to hide his and not smoke in front of me.

I’ve also had a ceremonial last cigarette and thought of all the best things that’ll happen from tomorrow.

Oh and I’ve got some niquitin minis.

Any other advice please?

Sounds odd but I had my last cigarette in the morning. Had patches lined up and then just lived in misery for a few weeks til the worst was over. I’d tried before but always failed when I had ‘just one’

@PridefulIdiot

Sounds odd but I had my last cigarette in the morning. Had patches lined up and then just lived in misery for a few weeks til the worst was over. I’d tried before but always failed when I had ‘just one’

Yeah I definitely know I’ll never be able to have ‘just one’ - it’d be a slippery slope.

Is it really that miserable? Feeling nervous now

If you drink alcohol stop that too. Every time I had a drink while trying to quit the cravings became unbearable. Also have plenty of healthy snacks around, I started eating a lot more while trying to quit.

There is no way I could have given up if DH still smoked. Would your DH not do it with you so there are none around, no smell etc?

Gillian Riley's book is what worked for me. Alan Carr didn't and nor did hypnosis. What did also help is the NHS benefits of stopping smoking timeline and looking at the benefits by hour/day/week for motivation to keep going. Good luck OP, I've been stopped for many years and never looked back, it's really worth it.

Don't tell yourself you're giving up. Just tell yourself and others you don't smoke. I think that's from Allen Carr but it really helped me.

Also take it one day (hour if necessary) at a time. All you have to do is not smoke today. Good luck!

Also remember that smoking is a stupid skanky and worst of all expensive habit!

@CoRhona

There is no way I could have given up if DH still smoked. Would your DH not do it with you so there are none around, no smell etc?

He’s not a heavy smoker - more just at work rather than at home. I think once he sees me stopping he’d likely give up too.

As for the PP about alcohol, I’ve been doing a sober challenge for nearly a month now too so going to keep that running while I get over any cravings.

Did worry about the food thing, I heard you get more hungry and I’m already a chronic snacker

Well done for making the decision to stop.💐
Several things and I'm sure you'll get lots of helpful tips from others.
Get a jar and put in what you've been spending on tabs and promise yourself something you really want with the saved cash.
Print off those pictures of lung disease.
Think of the clear skin,no lines around your mouth
You won't have stale tobacco breath
You'll feel more bouncy and healthy
You want to live your life to its fullest and longest
You want to be strong.
Find a distraction when you usually go for a smoke,be prepared so you are ready to keep busy.
Do it for you,but also for your loved ones.
Wishing you the very best,don't doubt yourself for one minute,you can do this!

Nicorette quickmist
I smoked for 25 years heavily and these honestly stopped me 109%

100 even lol

Giving up felt scary, but I couldn’t put my finger on why exactly. Then I had a bit of a scare with a smear test. The doctor told me that one of the best thing I could do for my future chances of having a baby was to quit. That was the motivation I needed and I did not find it difficult at all. That day I became a non smoker, and it felt great.
I would recommend digging deep to really find the motivation you need, and the rest will follow.

I put the money I spent on cigarettes in a jar and watched it mount up. You could save it up for a year and have a holiday or nice mini break. Or treat yourself to a well done present every month, whatever you prefer.

I also started swimming regularly and got a real kick as I noticed my breathing improve.

It’s been 16 years since I had a cigarette.

I used the nicotine mint things, allowed myself 20 a day, then after a week mixed 15 nicotine mints in with 5 other mints, and forced myself to accept whichever came out of the packet (ie no putting the regular mints back to get the ones with nicotine in!), then after another week went to 10:10, and so on until I was just eating the mints.

I'd tried everything leading up to that, champix, Allen Carr, vaping, etc and the mints were the only thing that worked along with just telling myself that I didn't smoke any more. I also can't do "just one" on a night out, it always led me to a whole packet, then another one, so drinking was off the table for a little while.

It was tough but I've been a non smoker for about 6 years now and am so glad I quit.

vaping the only thing that has helped me stop smoking

Cold turkey
First week is the worst, lots of sausage sandwiches
No booze and avoid pub coffee or other triggers

Gave up 12.6.2002. For good! Good luck

I agree with the pp about living in misery for a bit! I just accepted it was going to be shitty and I would really want a cigarette but I just had to get on and bloody quit anyway. It got easier and easier and now am so grateful that I’m not spending my life wondering when I can fit in my next cigarette break. Alan Carr didn’t work for me, I couldn’t fool myself that it was a pleasant experience but just got on and did it.

Distractions and removing the triggers. For me I always smoked out the back, in the evening after the kids were in bed. For about 3 months i went to my bedroom at the same time as the kids (about 8.30) and read or worked or folded laundry or whatever. Nicotine mints helped a lot. But above all I had to be really ready for it inside myself.

St John’s Wort helped my friend give up. I guess it helped her to not feel miserable about it.

Definitely nicotine gum, I chewed LOADS...I had a few falls where I smoked again, but bought the gum straight away and got back on it...IF you do cave and buy a pack, have a cigarette or two then BIN them, draw a line and buy the gum...and it was a mental thing. I wanted to wake up feeling good. Not be coughing and heaving, wheezy all the time. I wanted to ‘live’. I had respect for my body - I never had before...I smoked 30/day and haven’t had a single cigarette in 11 years now

Allan Carr worked for me though the best thing about not smoking was the money saved. I used some of it to get a weekly cleaner. It was still less money than I spent on cigarettes. 12 years on I'm still happily smoke free and can't imagine smoking again. The thing that stuck with me was the freedom I had once I didn't have to think about my next cigarette

I had my last cigarette on the August Bank Holiday Monday and switched to vaping. Juul vapes are very good.

There's a newer version of Allen Carrs book called EasyWay for Women to stop smoking. I listened to it on audible. It's narrated by a women who used to work with Allen. You might not believe all of it but it's really useful to listen to alongside trying to stop using willpower method. It will help get you into a positive mindset. Good luck!

Starting Stoptober from tomorrow and am desperate to be a non-smoker

You've already had your last ciggy though, haven't you? This means that you ARE a non-smoker. You've had the last one and will not be having any more. You have stopped.

Don't think 'Ooh, I'm stopping/giving up'. That implies a work in progress, something which you have not yet completed. Every minute that you do not light a cig is a minute where you are a non-smoker.

Get rid of any left over cigs. You are a non-smoker and non-smokers do not need cigarettes. Besides, the temptation is just too much. Give them to the next homeless person you see if you can't bear to bin them.

I stopped 3.5 years ago. It was the best favour I have ever done myself and it will be yours too. I wish you all the strength in the world as it isn't easy.

As others have said you need to accept it will be hard for the first few weeks. I told myself this and that I had to accept it & that this was how it was now. It's hard, really bloody hard but once you get through the initial first weeks it really does get easier. The key is not to think you can just have one as a treat as that's a slippery slope. Tell yourself that you can do it and believe that you can. You really will feel better about yourself and become one of those people that feel sorry for smokers as you watch them stood in the rain outside bars! You can do it! Have faith and believe in yourself and you can beat the addiction. Cold Turkey and self belief helped me but it was really hard. After 5 years I get the odd craving but would never have one now. Good luck!