Really struggling with cessation - what helped you?

[NonHerbalReasoning]

So, for years I have read a fair amount about how best to stop smoking. I've read almost all of whyquit.com, Alan Carr, etc.. I also have all the right reasons to quit (kids, feeling unhealthy, hating myself for being a smoker, and so on).

The longest I have not smoked for was 6 weeks, and that was many years ago. I am in my 40's. I smoke about 15-18/day.

The nature of my work means I am alone for most of the day, most weekdays. I like to think that is a key part of the problem, but of course the only real problem is my lack of will power. I seem to have pretty decent reserves of will power for everything else so I need a kick, or someone to peer over my shoulder like I'm an untrustworthy child.

Money is not a big motivator - I am lucky and can easily afford it. I am reluctant to use NRT including vape whatsits.

I need to find that specific way of thinking that tells me I dont like the act of smoking and that withdrawal symptoms are a good thing (IYSWIM).

I also realise I'm overthinking this and I ought simply to not have any more fags, and stop whinging.

Any advice about how to make that first step (of not buying any more!) from people who were in a similar position?

I second the Vaping but you do need to buy a decent one.

I came and asked on here for recommendations but that went a bit Pete tong

Vaping. I'd never want a real fag now.

I found something benign but distracting to do when I was having cravings. You cannot give a habit up without finding something else to fill the gap.

For quite some time (maybe a year) I carried on doing the benign thing quite a lot, but don't feel the need these days.

I think in the end it's just a case of getting a grip and getting on with it and not letting oneself off with the excuse that somehow you are more addicted or have it worse than anyone else who has stopped smoking.

You recommended me a Vaping kit which broke after a few days

In fairness I did ask you for advice though as I'd seen you on a lot of posts on the Vaping topic

Not sure I'm much help if you don't want to go the NRT route.

I'm 7 weeks in. Patches are my main crutch but I also used sprays and lozenges in the first 3 weeks to help with the more acute cravings. They worked quickly enough that I was OK within a few minutes...it felt a lot like I'd already had a fag.

I am reluctant to use NRT including vape whatsits.

Can I ask why? Vaping was the only thing that worked for me after 3 decades of smoking. Yes, I'm still addicted to nicotine, but I'm no longer experiencing any of the health problems I was when I was smoking and even though I frequently splurge on kit, I'm still better off financially than I was.

I need to find that specific way of thinking that tells me I dont like the act of smoking and that withdrawal symptoms are a good thing (IYSWIM).

This is what Allen Carr is supposed to be all about. If you've already done that I don't know of another method that could do it better.

Don't rule out your local stop smoking services, they're surprisingly good according to most accounts I've heard and can talk you through all the options.

Vaping is the only thing that worked for me.

Smoked 20 a day for 20 years. Did Allen Carr, patches, cold turkey...always went back to smoking eventually, even after 18 mths off them with each DC's pregnancies/breastfeeding etc

I started vaping in Jan 2014 and haven't had (or wanted) a puff of a cig since. Have gradually weaned myself from 2.4mg nicotine down to 0.6mg and cut down on vaping loads lately. Planning to give up altogether (apart from emergency alcohol-related cravings ) very soon.

Vaping didn't work for me. It's not that I didn't enjoy it, more that I used it excessively and was up shit creek if I was out and my battery ran out or my atomiser needed replacing or I cracked a tank or ran out of liquid. And I'm an all or nothing woman...couldn't just have a few fags in the meantime. It didn't break either the habit or the addiction for me.

I wouldn't recommend quitting one bad habit just to pick up another. You can only stop smoking when you really want to stop. You know the days where you have a cigarette and it makes you gag? Those are the days ideal for stopping! I smoked for 11 years and gave up 4 months a go. I just quit. No vaping. It was so hard for the first 2 weeks. I cried, shouted and gave in twice and had a quick smoke. After those 2 weeks though, I was free! Don't get me wrong, I have the odd thought about having a cigarette still but very rarely. The key is to make it a process rather than one act of quitting. Plan it, be ok with gaining upto a stone in weight at first and try not to replace it. You weren't designed to smoke, you don't have to substitute it, you just need to train yourself to believe that there's way more to life than that habit. Good luck

I smoked for far too many years and stopped 11 months ago, cold turkey. I haven't had a single craving since.
I have no idea why it worked this time (I previously stopped three times, for 3 years, for 6 months and for 3 weeks 😳)
I wholeheartedly agree with *Apples, I was determined not to substitute one habit with another - and I'm not convinced gaping is as effective as it's made out to be.

No one's being critical as such, some of us just don't want to pack in one habit and start another. What's wrong with that? This lady said she doesn't really want to vape so why do you feel you need to keep promoting it? We're offering advice that doesn't include vaping because she said she doesn't really want to use NRT or vaping as an alternative. If you never felt you wanted to quit, why did you? You must of had moments of real willpower to quit smoking and vape instead?

I stick by my advice. I don't disagree with vaping, it just doesn't work for me to quit a habit and replace it rather than totally expell it!

Apples I never had a day when a cig would make me gag, and like Polter I really enjoyed smoking. I gave up for purely financial reasons initially, and having tried hypnosis, patches, sprays, basically everything except Zyban (which you can't take if you're on anti-depressants as I was for years) - the only thing that worked for me was vaping.

The reason why we ask people who seem to have tried most other methods and failed why they won't try vaping, is that everything else HAS failed for them. You were lucky, you managed to quit cold turkey; many can't. The OP here was saying she wants to give up with no assistance from any form of NRT but all the other tried & tested methods (e.g. Allen Carr) seem not to have worked - that's why Polter was asking why not NRT.

I wouldn't recommend quitting one bad habit just to pick up another.

I would, if you've tried everything else already and the new habit is massively, massively less likely to kill you.

If you never felt you wanted to quit, why did you?

Because smoking contributed to my early menopause and gave me aggressive gum disease causing me to lose half my teeth. Then DMum and DSis developed COPD and I started getting very concerned about what my future might be like. I don't want to spend my old age dragging an oxygen cylinder around. I don't want to lose my legs. I don't want to get lung, throat or mouth cancer.

In spite of the health costs, I bloody loved smoking! I never wanted to quit, I just knew I had to. Vaping made it very, very easy. I had intended to cut down slowly over 6 months but I quit completely, within a day of getting my kit sorted. There wasn't much in the way of willpower needed, it was just nicer than smoking.

The reason us vapers often ask 'why not vaping?' to a smoker who wants to quit, has tried everything except vaping, but seems anti-vaping, is because there's a lot of nonsense around about vaping. It seems sensible to check someone isn't dismissing vaping on spurious grounds. That's all.

^^ this.

Cold turkey, Allen Carr, apps, hypnosis, champix, NRT, vaping, support groups, knitting and sweeties, acupuncture, stop smoking services ... We need all the methods because everybody is different and what works for one person won't work for the next.

The only people I know who have succeded in quitting without using some form of NRT have really really wanted to do so.

I think you may struggle without some NRT.

I am now in my 60's & had smoked for over 40 years. Many (failed) attempts to quit & nearly 4 years ago I started vaping. I haven't looked back. I am so much fitter, my lung capacity is so improved & I now exercise far more (& enjoy it). I have dropped a size in clothing & can honestly say I haven't felt as well in a long time.

Like Plenty, I loved smoking but always felt guilty. I realise that I am still addicted to nicotine but I am now getting it in a way that is not nearly as damaging to my health.

Which ever way you choose to quit - Good Luck & do come back & tell us how it's going and/or ask for support.