How did you give up smoking?

Posted by ShampooandCondition@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 226 comments

I’m determined to give it up for my New Year’s resolution. I’d be keen to know some methods because everything I’ve tried so far hasn’t worked. Vapes make me want a cig and Cold Turkey I wanted to kill everyone around me.

Reply to Post

Reply

226 Comments

[-]

KeyLog256@reddit

Vaping would my first answer but you've discounted that. Before the big tobacco propagandists kick in - there's no evidence as yet that vaping is harmful, and increasing evidence it isn't. It could save hundreds of millions of lives in the next century, especially in the developing world where smoking is still common and big tobacco has little restrictions on marketing (and are shamelessly exploiting that). I know multiple people who, like you, simply went borderline insane when quitting, nothing worked, and in some cases they still felt so bad after a few years or more they simply started smoking again. Nicotine addiction is a horrific blight on humanity and vaping is a much much safer solution to what is a major problem. If you ask me, we should ban vapes for general sale and simply make them available on the NHS as a stop smoking aid. What type are you using? Some vapes are so strong in nicotine content the last thing you want is a cig.

Reply

[-]

spik0rwill@reddit

Doesn't sound like vaping is fixing anything. You're feeding your nicotine addiction even more and making it worse. Sounds like all you're doing is putting a plaster on it instead of fixing the problem / addiction.

Reply

[-]

chimp-mentor@reddit

Vaping is a tricky one. There are no studies completed around the long-term side effects due to how recent vaping is. With regards to it feeding a nicotine addiction, I would always recommend to anyone trying to quit cigarettes by vaping that they use a refillable vape and start with a vape liquid with around a 1.6% nicotine content, then gradually reduce that over 8-12 weeks down to a 0% liquid. That negates the need to cut down how much you use the vape while still getting you down to zero nicotine. After that I would suggest a couple of behaviour change sessions with a qualified smoking cessation practitioner to help quit vaping.

Reply

[-]

KeyLog256@reddit

You realise smoking is the single most dangerous thing someone can do to their body? There's a high chance of death and serious illness in later life if you smoke tobacco. Even being on heroin long-term is no where near as dangerous. Vaping doesn't have those associated health effects.

Reply

[-]

spik0rwill@reddit

I think I replied to the wrong person, the previous comment wasn't meant for you. However, I do think that you're being a bit overdramatic.

Reply

[-]

KeyLog256@reddit

I was replying to the fact that you said "vaping isn't fixing anything" - it is. It's satisfying nicotine cravings which make it all but impossible for some people to quit. Nicotine isn't harmful though (well, it is actually a deadly contact poison, but at way higher levels than found in vapes/cigs), it's all the other shit in cigs that kills you.

Reply

[-]

inamessandcrisis@reddit

how can you say vaping is a healthy alternative when nicotine by itself has bad health effects? it is a known vasoconstrictor and linked to hypertension, most people who vape actually intake more nicotine than people who smoke just because of how easy it is.

Reply

[-]

KeyLog256@reddit

There is no evidence that vapes kill people, and plenty that they don't. There is solid evidence, decades of it, that smoking kills. Yes, there can be *some* side-effects to nicotine use at high levels, but they're reversible and it isn't going to kill you. You have to use a LOT of nicotine to start getting negative health effects.

Reply

[-]

chimp-mentor@reddit

Allen Carr methods seem to work for a decent number of people. Although if you are open to getting some support to help you quit smoking then I would look at the local quit smoking service in your area (I manage a service like this in my local area). From experience the best way to quit and stay quit is through a combination of behaviour change support and pharmacotherapy, and your local quit smoking service should be able to support you with these. There are a wide variety of NRT and pharmacotherapy options out there beyond vapes. You could use a combination of inhalator, lozenges, or patches etc. Or you could potentially use medication such as Cytisine. One of the most important factors for success is that you are feeling motivated to quit and that you sustain that motivation during your quit attempt. It might help to identify any upcoming events you may have that could put you in risky situations where you may be tempted to smoke (for example family get togethers with family members who smoke, or parties with smokers around), and working out strategies that will prevent you from temptation during such events. Good luck, I hope you find success in stopping smoking.

Reply

[-]

MeMyImaginaryFriend@reddit

Two days ago I went to hospital to have a "core biopsy" of tissue samples taken from my throat. I say "a" core biopsy, but they took three samples. I am relatively young. Regardless of my outcome, the knowledge that you could avoid this in your future could be your method.

Reply

[-]

EducationalTell9103@reddit

Just quit really. I started looking forward to delicious food instead

Reply

[-]

1Redditbunny@reddit

1 - Find your WHY. For me, I got a cancer scare. Dr warned me and I quit the next day. (For others it might be being healthy for their kids etc...) 2 - Temporarily distance yourself from ALL the triggers. Eg. I smoked while I had a drink (quit drinking). I smoked with coffee (quit coffee), I smoked after meals (found a replacement habit). I smoked around certain friends (simply didn't see them for a few months). Told my bf at the time he can smoke, but not around me. He respected that. Took about 3months of this until I could slowly start reintroducing these things into my life without being tempted. 3 - Find a habit replacement. Smoking for me was as much about fidgeting and keeping my hands busy as it was about the actual nicotine. So to curb the fidgeting craving of something to do with my hands & mouth, I chewed gum, had snacks on hand and did very "handsy" activities that kept me physically busy so I was never bored. Especially important during week 1. Play sports, play card games, build puzzles, bake cookies etc... keep your hands busy. 4 - Day 3 is the worst. Cravings are the worst. Once you are over the 7day mark, it gets way easier. Helps knowing what to expect to not give in.

Reply

[-]

eatbugsforukraine@reddit

Realise they fucking suck and are gross and expensive. Worst case scenario switch to those velo/ zyn pouches and use when cravings are mental Source: 16 years smoker who just got sick of stinking

Reply

[-]

LevelOneForever@reddit

I read ‘the easy way to quit smoking’ by Alan care. Read it once. Listened to the audio book once. And went back over any chapters that I felt needed more clarity. I quit cold turkey with relative ease after being a daily smoker of 13 years. You might as well try

Reply

[-]

flashmoregash@reddit

Allen Carr (not to be confused the chatty man)

Reply

[-]

ShampooandCondition@reddit (OP)

I’ll give that a look - before I get stuck into it… it isn’t too preachy is it? If it feels like a lecture off mum I’ll get bored or is it quite an objective look at it all

Reply

[-]

ShnootShnoot@reddit

Haven’t read it myself but my grandad quit using this book after a 65 year habit of 30-40 a day. Wishing you all the best with it OP. I quit after I caught covid. I couldn’t breath - took me about 20 minutes to get up the stairs. I imagined what it would be like to live like that if I ended up with a serious respiratory condition and went cold turkey It’s funny as I’d heard it all before and even seen an uncle die from emphysema but nothing sank in until I’d experienced real chronic breathlessness for myself.

Reply

[-]

LevelOneForever@reddit

Absolutely not preachy at all. It doesn’t even do the whole data thing about why smoking is bad. It asks the questions about what is good about smoking and gives the logical answers as to why it’s obviously not which helps your brain to think about smoking differently. Brief example: smokers say that they have a cigarette to calm down, relax and feel good. But what the addiction is doing from when you start smoking is making you feel a bit weaker at an increasing amount during that period after your cigarette when you are withdrawing and craving. At that point, smoking a cigarette is just elevating you back up to the normal baseline that you should be feeling if you weren’t addicted at all. You’re not feeling ‘good’, you’re just getting rid of the bad feelings that the cigarette is causing and returning to what non-smokers always feel. That’s one point (badly phrased, sorry) of many.

Reply

[-]

DoftheD@reddit

At one point he compares smoking as stress relief to putting on a pair of too-tight shoes all day just so you can feel the relief of taking them off when you get home, that analogy really stuck in mind. He also talks about how you don’t *actually* enjoy smoking, you just convince yourself you do. I think it’s a great book.

Reply

[-]

Shiback@reddit

Opposite, author was a 100 a day smoker. He says if telling smokers it was bad for them would stop them smoking there would be no smokers. Instead he cleverly shows you why smoking cigarettes isn’t actually enjoyable for you even though your nicotine addiction convinces you it is.

Reply

[-]

PeteUKinUSA@reddit

It’s actually very good. My only objection to it is the warning that “you must not quit until you have read the entire book !”. Didn’t work for me. Half way through I was ready to quit, and should have done. By the end of the book I was pretty much immune to whatever I was reading.

Reply

[-]

fishface-1977@reddit

Same here. I quit by half way through - it had done its job.

Reply

[-]

lady_fapping_@reddit

It's got its peachy bits, but it encourages you to smoke normally while you read it. Then the psychologist behind it sorta just... Clicks. I read it in a single day, then threw out my cigarette, and never looked back. It's definitely worth a try.

Reply

[-]

fishface-1977@reddit

Same here. Read it one sitting, never smoked again down from 40 a day

Reply

[-]

fishface-1977@reddit

The exact opposite.

Reply

[-]

amacadabra@reddit

I think you'll have to read it and see. If it were preachy, it wouldn't work.

Reply

[-]

Most_Imagination8480@reddit

It convinced me very early on. I decided to not be a smoker anymore. That was it. I also realised it was 90% habitual so i avoided all the situations where i smoked as a habit. Didn't really have any cravings and i was 20 a day before then. 18 years ago i think.

Reply

[-]

domsp79@reddit

Honestly, I just quit. Realised I wasn't enjoying it anymore, woke up one morning and never smoked again. The big thing that did help me was I continued to keep my cigarettes in my coat pocket for about 2 months. For some reason I felt choosing not to have one as opposed to forcing myself not to have one made the whole process a bit easier

Reply

[-]

petrolstationpicnic@reddit

Same, decided one day that I didn’t want to smoke anymore, no fanfare, no big gestures. Just stopped smoking, it was really easy. Obviously, all the times before that when I said/tried to quit weren’t as easy

Reply

[-]

Nearby-Percentage867@reddit

Yep - it’s by far the best way. Every time you want a cig…. You don’t have one. I found it a gradual thing - stopped smoking during the day…. But if I was out drinking I’d end up having a few… until gradually I stopped. Still get an occasional hankering every now and again, but just don’t cave…

Reply

[-]

Ze_Gremlin@reddit

I tried weening myself off so many times. Tried cold turkey, all sorts. Picking up the vape was the best move for me. Didn't hit the spot the same way at first, but eventually, I got to the point where I'd not smoked in so long, and having a cig wasn't hitting the spot like a vape. Vape is starting to not hit the spot now. Might be time to pack that in too.. But my current job is very IT heavy, so it's a perfect excuse for a screen break at the moment. Oh, and I've reached a stage where I can still have a few cigs on a night out with a drink without completely falling back into the habit

Reply

[-]

slagriculture@reddit

what worked for me was switching to vaping and then tapering down the amount of nicotine over time, after a while at no nicotine i didn't find myself reaching for it like you would a pack of cigs, i suppose i hadn't used it long enough to become habit forming

Reply

[-]

Ze_Gremlin@reddit

Yeah, I've been there.. eventually, at 0mg nic, the vape just felt kinda.. empty.. missing something, so I'd stop.. And then a few months later I'd buy one again..

Reply

[-]

7ootles@reddit

I'm pretty much the same. Keeping an emergency cigarette handy also helped, and allowing myself to have one before bed if I wanted one. It's a lot easier when you're "not smoking" than when you've "quit".

Reply

[-]

Ze_Gremlin@reddit

>It's a lot easier when you're "not smoking" than when you've "quit". I like your logic. I can see how wording it like that would feel less like you're forcing yourselfto stop, and more like you're just "not I'm the mood for one right now"

Reply

[-]

mafilter@reddit

“Choosing” also worked for me. One day it was like “nah I don’t fancy smoking today”. I was meeting a special someone and didn’t want to go stinking of smoke so I chose not to. That mindset was in hindsight the bit that did it. We planned to meet the day after as well and so I just continued to chose not to smoke. Two weeks later I was still “in a smoker, I’ve not given up I’m just choosing to have a break right now”. 20 years later I’m still on that break although it’s a permanent one now.

Reply

[-]

adamMatthews@reddit

There’s a famous book called The Easy Way by Allen Carr which is all about how to break the addiction. And it basically says exactly what you discovered. If you force yourself to quit, you’ll just be tempted all the time and start again. But if you realise you don’t enjoy it and that it’s just doing you harm, it becomes surprisingly easy, even if you’re twiddling a cigarette between your fingers.

Reply

[-]

domsp79@reddit

I'm aware of that book, never read it though. I'm 100% certain that what I did wouldn't work for everyone, but it did work for me. It been about 18 years now since I quit.

Reply

[-]

OutrageousRhubarb853@reddit

Yup, read it and it really was easy. My advise would be to get it on audiobook and get your walking shoes on. Fresh air, exercise and the beginning on a new chapter for you… pun very much intended!

Reply

[-]

Drath101@reddit

This method for me, too. Minus having any on me. Was on my girlfriend's uni accommodation walkway, having the last one in the pack. I'd been a regular smoker since 13. Came inside, said "don't think I'm gonna smoke anymore" and didn't really smoke again. Since then I've had two in 6 years. Once a cigar after my friend had a major life achievement and really wanted to, once while very drunk with a mate.

Reply

[-]

__ElonMusk@reddit

This!! If you always have cigarettes on you, you'll never go "looking" for them as such.

Reply

[-]

Negative_Nancy213@reddit

I did it this way too! Kept my packet wrapped up in elastic bands to stop myself from picking them up subconsciously though! Took a lot of walks, drank a shit ton of water when cravings were bad and plowed through it,

Reply

[-]

Ok_Help516@reddit

there was 2 ways i tried to quit the 1st time I had quit for around few years is I gradually limited the amount of cigs I smoked and went from smoking 2 packs per day to not smoking at all, that way took time but it worked until I had a pregnancy loss and I ended up not caring about my health, the 2nd time I had quit I just quit cold turkey and asked people around me to help me with keeping me accountable and now I've been cig free for about a year and half and yes I still get cravings for cigs but then I call a friend to help me avid giving into the craving

Reply

[-]

Sad_Cartoonist_2956@reddit

The book Stop Smoking with CBT by Doctor Max Pemberton. You don't have to want to stop and it still works! It's the only thing that got my mum to quit and she smoked for me 50 years and did Allen Carr, hypnotherapy, will power etc etc It has written exercises to do and it really gives you the science behind cravings, which helped me get through the worst days (I.e as the nicotine receptors in your brain die off, they really cause cravings but once they're gone they're gone). Good luck friend

Reply

[-]

Tinker_sailor1@reddit

I just stopped. It was seeing my daughter when she was a toddler banging on the window waving at me while I was out in the garden smoking my cigarette that made me want to stop. It took 9 days of me being vile and angry at everything, then it passed, and all was fine. I wouldn't, however, recommend going camping during the said 9 days, and trying to put a tent up while there are strong howling winds, only to get the pegs in the ground and find you're occupying someone else's camping pitch, to then have to move, and set the tent up all over again. I was extremely close to a murderous rampage when that happened.

Reply

[-]

WyleyBaggie@reddit

First step is to want to, then you'll do what needed and not look back. Once you decide you want to start when you buy your next pack. Open the pack and throw one away. When you buy the next pack throw two away. When buy the third pack throw three away. With this process, if you are sure you want to stop, each pack get more expensive and you'll find out just how much you are prepared to pay for this habit. It's a good method if you find you just can't stop because even if you keep buying packs and stop at throwing more way you want to throw some away to prove to yourself you are not weak and controlled by the habit. If you give up then don't bother trying again because in that case you are just wasting money.

Reply

[-]

ArtichokeDesperate68@reddit

Zyban. Made it EASY!!

Reply

[-]

Trick_Director8318@reddit

It’s really shit advice because it’s definitely not what you want to hear, but I just quit. I tried vapes, patches and gum, but nothing is as effective as truly wanting something. If you want change, make the change and don’t take shortcuts.

Reply

[-]

gooniegully@reddit

Wasn’t even intentional. I moved to a different country and somehow surrounded myself with people who didn’t smoke or vape. They even called me out of vaping (in a kind-ish way) and made me feel bad about it. Reduced my intake a lot. Then I got covid and haven’t really been tempted much at all, except when I have a pint. Then it’s harder to resist. But my lungs are thanking me for it big time. You can definitely do it but bullocks to starting it in the new year, just start now. Substitute the habit with something else.

Reply

[-]

sonybacker@reddit

What helped me is to think of all adults who smoke having lollipops. Pathetic really but it helped.

Reply

[-]

Dax_Thrushbane@reddit

Found my reason ... stopped. Admittedly it did take a long time, and the addiction is real - moving from cigarettes to rolling tobacco for years prior helped as there's less addictive chemicals in them; plus for a while near the end vaping may have helped, but not sure on that one ... lastly, just don't stop trying to stop .. eventually you will find your "reason" and succeed.

Reply

[-]

jafferton91@reddit

I signed up for an ultra marathon which I wanted to do more than smoking so was able to quit on the spot to focus on training. You have to want to quit smoking more than you want to smoke and for that I think your lifestyle or environment needs to change.

Reply

[-]

flamingochills@reddit

My 13yr old told me she didn't want me to die so I just stopped and I promised her so I couldn't go back on it. I've had one occasionally when I'm drunk and all the family are smoking on a night out so about 5 cigs in 20 years. I don't miss it

Reply

[-]

Luke_T_1996@reddit

I only ever used nicotine replacement (got up to 2 step one patches at once at one point) and have quit a few times (for over a year each time). I smoked cigarettes for a month.or two in uni but other than that only pure nicotine. Easiest way to quit IMO is to make it the entire focus of your day for a whole week. E.g. take a week off work, maybe go abroad to minimise stress, just focus 100% on not smoking/distracting yourself and not being stressed for a whole week. Write the week off as being an unproductive week where you do nothing but quit smoking/nicotine and relax. Most of the cravings go after like a couple of days, and then for another 5 days or so you'll feel tired/bored. After that I've found you gradually become normal (in some ways I feel better than normal)

Reply

[-]

ThunderDaz@reddit

Gave up in 2005 after a massive night out where I must've smoked like 20 fags. Woke up the next day and couldn't breathe. I threw what was left in the bin and haven't smoked since. Helped as the UK banned it in pubs around that time too.

Reply

[-]

Upbeat_Primary_1351@reddit

I just stopped, I wound down a bit as I had decided it wasn't good, so I wasn't smoking much. But then I just stopped, I still carried baccy for a week or two 'in case'. But I didn't use it. It was hard for the first week, but alright after that. Day 3 was the worst, but I went on a canoe trip for 9 miles, and that beat any craving out of me, lol.

Reply

[-]

Peter_Sofa@reddit

Took a week off work, and went cold turkey, basically stayed in bed for three days feeling like absolute crap Then from day three it gradually got better. Not smoked in 14 years now. Smoking is an addiction and needs to be treated as such, you need to accept that you will suffer, and don't be a pussy about it and start whining on about an addiction that you inflicted on yourself. Because if you continue to smoke and get lung cancer or COPD you are going to suffer way, way more.

Reply

[-]

postcardsfromdan@reddit

Tried the NHS Stop programme. They send you cessation aids to try and you have a weekly counsellor phone call. By week five I was still smoking and I was threatened with being removed from the programme if I could say I’d smoked zero cigs by the next phone call. So I jutted out my jaw and decided to take the challenge. I got some nicotine gums that night and finished the three left in a pack. Firstly, I knew this already, but nicotine only stays in the body for about 48-72 hours. After that, it’s not a physical craving, it’s a pyschological one. Secondly, when a craving hit me, I did something different - It was 2020 and I was WFH in lockdown, and I used to cross the street and smoke at a gate overlooking a field, but instead I sat in the garden and watched the bird feeder for a few minutes while chewing. Third, I went away for a long weekend 10 days later and was so busy I didn’t get any thoughts of smoking and didn’t pop any gums until the drive home, theee days later. But I knew that if I popped a gum, I’d be putting nicotine back in to my body when I’d just flushed it out and I didn’t want to do that. After that moment, I just had to ride out the cravings. They got further and further apart over the next few weeks and months. After about three months, they mostly stopped. I had a few wobbles but by that point I was so happy I wasn’t smoking, especially when I heard smokers coughing or when they have a chesty laugh. One way to motivate myself in the early weeks was to write down on a calendar how much money I was not spending on cigs every day and tot it all up. I could see what I was saving, and it was also a reminder of how many days I’d been strong enough to not smoke. So I’d say break it down into a few short time periods. Three days for getting the nicotine out. After that, remember that it’s psychological, so find something else to do when the craving hits - walk around the block or whatever instead. Track your progress in some meaningful way. And break the brain patterns.

Reply

[-]

TheCrunker@reddit

Vaped then realised I was huffing neon battery vapour more than fags so I went cold turkey.

Reply

[-]

Llancymru@reddit

I smoked for about 12 years, quite a lot, more than 10 a day, and when I was on holiday and they were super cheap it could be 2+ packs a day if I’m just lounging around in the sun drinking. Around age 22 (I started properly around 16) I would quit, I would always go back to it, but I’d have maybe 6 months off, then back on for a couple of years, then another 6 months or so and get really into fitness before circumstances change and I lose it again. My record was about 2 years age 26-28, but I went back to it after having a single one in a pub garden. I tried to quit and got a month or so but it’s harder after a long break. Anyway I went to vaping, started off not liking it, and basically vaped between smoking so I ended up doing both, however maybe I was smoking less. Then eventually I moved over to vaping full time, but it’s very easy to vape a LOT especially when you’re working from home. All day I’d be on it. Anyway now I can confirm that although it’s not as bad for your health as smoking, I am definitely WAY more addicted to nicotine than I ever was. I can’t even go a day without vaping, and if I try to all I think about is vaping. If I was moving house (I’ve done this a lot) I could usually go at least a couple of weeks quitting smoking as it’d be a ‘fresh start’, often more. Vaping I’m lucky if I last 48 hours before I’m back on it. I do think it’s better for you, substantially so, however in terms of addiction it is WAY worse I found. The good news is I finally have the relationship with cigarettes I always wanted - I can now enjoy going to a friends house or a night out and smoke as much as I like and enjoy it at the time (which isn’t loads), I don’t miss it in the morning or at all, so long as I’ve got my vape. I feel sorry for the kids who are vaping, the worst thing is disposables are very very strong and this is what you get hooked to. I’ll quit eventually, but the worst part is they don’t make you feel like absolute crap like smoking does, that really helps when you’re trying to quit and realise how bad they are

Reply

[-]

bladefiddler@reddit

Couldn't agree more. I started smoking aged about 12 or 13 and by 16 I was full-on, a couple of years after that I was up to 20-a-day and pretty much stayed like that until my mid 30s. I tried literally everything available to quit, but it only ever lasted a few days or maybe a month at best. I tried some of the early vapes (the skinny ones that came around after the very first cigarette-looking ones) and like you I found they were just supplementing my smoking. I spent about £80 on a proper big square mod & tank etc and decided to really try to stay off the cigs. I vape my bloody head off, often getting nauseous with nicotine OD because I was somehow still craving tobacco. After a couple of weeks though I tried having a smoke and dear me, it was fucking rank! I've never smoked since but I'm ridiculously addicted to vape still - 10 years later. I also agree I feel so much better than when I smoked. Vaping certainly can't be good for you but it's a shitload less harmful than smoking. I'm also disgusted at disposable vapes. They're a blatant ploy to get a new generation of kids hooked on nicotine. Discreet, disposable and available for pocket money prices, they're literally built to nefarious purpose and are environmentally horrific to boot. If kids were needing to drop £50+ on a big box mod and liquids etc they wouldn't bother or be able to pick them up.

Reply

[-]

CasterlyHeavyMetal@reddit

I had similar. I’d been a social/stress smoker for years, but was never one to like wake up and start my day with a fag. Brought a vape on a whim one day and ended up stupidly addicted. Would sleep with it under my pillow and start the day hitting it, probably getting through one a day pretty easily. The crazy thing is there would be practically no way to consume that same amount of daily nicotine from fags; I’d throw up. It’s also so insidious because with the fags, I only have a behavioural connection to having them in very specific situations, whereas the vape was in my hand everywhere from bed, to the work loos, walk home, kitchen etc. Have been off the vapes for 3 months now, which I thought wouldn’t happen. Social smoking is in its final days for me, 2025 is a nicotine free year

Reply

[-]

Nearby-Percentage867@reddit

Uh-oh…. Watch out, you’ll get the pro-vaping crowd coming after you… it’s happened to me before. I’m convinced they can’t be that much better for you and they’re 10x more embarrassing than cigs

Reply

[-]

becksasgardian@reddit

Download the app "Smoke Free". Whenever you feel your willpower starting to fade you can look at the app which tells you how long smoking impacts your health and how much you've saved. Get rid of all cigs and lighters. Do not start vaping. Use nicotine patches for the first few weeks. Think about what you want from life. I started smoking as a teenager and always thought I'd stop smoking when I grew up and became an adult. As I was approaching 30, I thought it was probably adult enough. I loved smoking. The biggest drive for me to stop was my puppy. His breeder smoked too so it's all he'd ever known. He was healthy but he used to cough a lot. Regularly. I read online how secondhand smoking can pass the risks of cancers etc onto pets via them licking our skin or being nearby during smoking. I quit smoking and the dog stopped coughing. I stopped coughing, too. It's nice being able to breathe again. *

Reply

[-]

Responsible_Oil_5811@reddit

As a dog lover that made me smile! Out of curiosity which breed was your puppy? How old is he now?

Reply

[-]

becksasgardian@reddit

He's now a 3 year old cocker spaniel, and I haven't smoked for over 1.5 years and going strong!

Reply

[-]

Responsible_Oil_5811@reddit

Cocker spaniels are so sweet!

Reply

[-]

Confident-Mall742@reddit

The key point here is doing it for others, even if it is a wee puppy. When one considers the will of others, it can add to the will of oneself.

Reply

[-]

ddmageetheohgee@reddit

This is what finally did it for me! My then boyfriend (now husband) at the time hated it, and it's what finally pushed me to quit all together, I didn't want him to be unattracted... Sure, I've had a few over the years since, but the longer you go without, it's like hitting the reset factory button so that when you do have one, it makes you feel absolutely vile :) Also, pretty much went cold turkey after the patches made me feel SO ill.

Reply

[-]

Adept-Somewhere-5537@reddit

JUST STOP. No ifs and buts or cutting down. Just stop. Use patches and aids to help the cravings. Know your brain will absolutely try to convince you to start again. Those addiction neurons will even say you enjoy it and miss it. No harm in it. Go on do it..... Be prepared. Don't listen. You're stronger than that. I gave up two years ago. You can do it!!

Reply

[-]

Lindon-jog-jog@reddit

I was a heavy smoker up till I was 40, I had the smoker cough which I hated, I didn't even like the smell of cig smoke or other peoples and the smell and smoke was so much worse back then, it seems tolerable now surprisingly as I've been stopped 24 years. - I think you have to 'WANT' to stop, you really need to get that deep into your thinking, replace it with say, a stick of chewing gum if you get the craves. The first two or three days were hardest for me but once you start having successes it becomes easier, you should keep congratulating yourself as each day passes. You CAN do it only if you really want to. Good Luck, and I guarantee you'll be better for it, not just health wise but financially too.

Reply

[-]

damneddarkside@reddit

Does your local health board have a stop smoking program? Usually via local pharmacy? Used to run ours, quite effective if folk follow the full program, although person has to have the determination/willpower to actually stop. Also read the other day that generic Varenicline will be available soon, would recommend looking that up. Used to be a brand called Champix, it was withdrawn as precaution, but we had good results with folk who, again, took the full course of drugs.

Reply

[-]

Old-Parfait8194@reddit

E cigs. I would buy a month's supply of liquid in one go then the next month I'd buy the next strength down. I carried on until I was buying 0% nicotine liquid which I carried on using for a year until one day my E cig broke, then I just stopped.

Reply

[-]

shreycatto@reddit

Can attest to this, worked for me and my husband.

Reply

[-]

opopkl@reddit

I decided on the day of my friend's funeral that I was going to stop. Whenever someone close to you dies, it makes you appreciate life. I decided that if I was going to live life to the full, I needed to give up smoking. It's also a way of remembering him.

Reply

[-]

retyfraser@reddit

The only trick that works with smoking is Cold Turkey... As always start now... Install the NHS Quit Smoking App...

Reply

[-]

terryjuicelawson@reddit

The Allen Carr book, the Easy Way. Not that Allen Carr. I first read it when I was a die-hard smoker, mostly as a point of interest. Oh no, what horrors is he going to threaten me with. But it is actually a very deep look into the psychology of smoking and I saw so much of myself in it. Worth it even for that. Then I finished it and quit, that was that. Don't miss it at all, as if you think about it - smoking is really, really crap.

Reply

[-]

marcus_tilly@reddit

Allen Carr’s - The Easy Way.

Reply

[-]

dolphininfj@reddit

I vaped then moved to nicotine patches. Eventually I started to forget about applying a patch. After that I didn't miss cigarettes or the vape. I personally found it a lot easier to give up when the physical cravings weren't there because of the nicotine patch. It's one less thing to fight.

Reply

[-]

pikantnasuka@reddit

Vaping. Forcing myself to have a vape every time I wanted a smoke. I smoke tobacco for over 30 years, I love cigarettes, but vaping has worked for me. My friend C was hypnotised and it worked for her. My dad gave up cold turkey after being told he was going to die from COPD if he didn't. At the base of it is wanting to. I wanted to be free of tobacco but I do not give a shit about being free of nicotine so I knew I could push through with the vaping and it would click. I don't want to quit vaping so even if someone persuaded me to try it wouldn't work.

Reply

[-]

gazmbuku@reddit

Long process... Cigs, Patches in week - cigs at weekend, cigs, vapes, cold turkey, odd cig or vape, nothing. Years it took

Reply

[-]

Consult-SR88@reddit

Patches. I’d buy the biggest ones & slowly cut them down over a few weeks until I was weaned off the nicotine enough to stop. Has to be the patches with the sticky substance on them, not any liquidy ones. Worked out much cheaper than buying the actual dosed patches - they just were smaller for the lower nicotine ones but cost the same as the big ones. I only put them on in the day, never at night because the nightmares they caused were something else!

Reply

[-]

Johnny_Gorilla@reddit

Cold Turkey - I honestly think its the only way. What you want to do is to be ridiculously lenient on yourself when it comes to ALL other aspects of your life while you are doing it though. Like sleep, eat chocolate, whatever just recognise that this is one of the single most important things you will ever do for yourself. The first week is the hardest and after that you will get these "pangs" - because you associate smoking with so many other things. They will hit hard but honestly just kind of breathe through them and they only last 10 minutes max (it will seem longer). They fade with time - it is hard to say how much but I am now 7 years off cigs and I literally never want one. Good luck!

Reply

[-]

Metal_Fairy_Princess@reddit

I tended to vape more than smoke but I became pregnant and the day I found out I made the decision to stop. It was tough but knowing that I wanted the best for the life growing inside me kept me away from it. Then when my twins were born I was great for a while and then when they were around 6 months old, I started vaping again and lasted for about 2 weeks. Again I just quit there and then because I didn't want them around it. They turn 1 in a few weeks time and I just don't feel the urge at all anymore.

Reply

[-]

mordhoshogh@reddit

If you want to quit do it now, don’t wait until January. If you quit today then by New Year your lungs will already be healing.

Reply

[-]

gogginsbulldog1979@reddit

I've no idea about smoking, but I've quit a 13 year heroin addiction, so it's pretty much the same. You've wired your brain to think a certain way, so you've got to rewire it. You basically have to change all your behaviours associated with smoking. Times, places, food, drink - all of it. Make a list of all the triggers, scenarios and things that make you want to smoke, then change them. And replace it with things. So if you like a cigarette in the morning, or when you're stressed, you have to replace it with something else. It's difficult and takes time. I also got off with methadone, which is like smack fiend nicotine patches, so use those as well. Don't do cold turkey - it never works and it's just annoying. I've done it multiple times from heroin and was back on it within a week.

Reply

[-]

DickensCide-r@reddit

>I've quit a 13 year heroin addiction, so it's pretty much the same Mate. You're seriously downplaying this feat 😂 Go you!

Reply

[-]

thewoefulchasm@reddit

Well done for getting off it!! Glad it worked for you

Reply

[-]

Responsible_Oil_5811@reddit

I’m so glad you were able to get off heroin!

Reply

[-]

Real-Strawberry-1395@reddit

5 minute rule. Tell yourself you can absolutely have one, but in 5 minutes after you’ve read about the benefits of quitting smoking up to the point you have. I found the little checkpoint helpful because I was damned if I was gonna reset the clock and undo all my hard work. Cravings don’t last that long so by the time that 5 minutes is up chances are you’ll have convinced yourself otherwise. I really do wish you the best of luck, it’s hard, but so is everything else that’s worth it.

Reply

[-]

Hancri84@reddit

Never started

Reply

[-]

MysteriousMidnight78@reddit

How is this comment in any way constructive?

Reply

[-]

-intellectualidiot@reddit

Nicotine replacement therapy is statistically more successful than cold turkey. I’d recommend the gum because it’s not that pleasant and ultimately you want to ween off nicotine completely. Just one piece when you have the urge to murder a person makes the quitting process so much easier. Quitting cold turkey can be absolutely fucking miserable for some people. I haven’t smoked in nearly 5 years and all the people saying “oh just quit” like it’s nothing is still extremely annoying to me. I quit cold turkey on my previous attempt before this one and lasted 6 months. The first 2 months were miserable and I never really got over the urge of wanting one. I then did NRT and it was so much smoother.

Reply

[-]

intothedepthsofhell@reddit

Willpower. That's it. This is a fight to prove **you** are in control and not your addiction. Every time you want to smoke say a big fuck you to the fags and mark down one more victory for you. You'll eventually win the war as long as you understand this is a fight, and you are going to win.

Reply

[-]

Diesel1donna@reddit

I was trying for a mortgage, when I worked out that I was spending,, £240 a month on cigarette crap I literally stopped. I've always had to wait until my brain and body decide enough is enough and then never looked back. Good luck!

Reply

[-]

MadWifeUK@reddit

Honestly, it was the vapes that did it for me. Nine and a half years since my last cig, but I'm still on the vapes (respiratory consultant says he'd rather I didn't vape, but if it's keeping me from smoking then he'd much rather I vape than smoke). You need to get the nicotine concentration right, otherwise you'll want a cig (like when you walk past someone smoking and you start craving a smoke). But it wasn't a fully smooth transition, so don't be fooling yourself. I did Stoptober the previous year, then every month during PMS when my willpower was rock bottom I'd buy ten and smoke them. If I was visiting my dad or sister and they offered me a cig I'd have one. It took until the following May, my sister was staying, I'd had a cig earlier in the day, then in the evening she said "Coming out for a smoke?" And I just thought no, I'd rather vape. And that was it, haven't had one since. Instead of putting the pressure on yourself to stop smoking on 1st Jan, maybe make your resolution to work towards stopping smoking this year. Acknowledge that you will slip up now and again. But think of it this way, if you're running a marathon and trip up at mile 13, you don't have to go back to the start; you pick yourself up, dust yourself down and keep going. So if you do have a smoke, or even ten, pick yourself up, dust yourself down and carry on stopping.

Reply

[-]

Petrolly-motion1987@reddit

I was incredibly lucky. There was a nasty flu virus a few years ago and I was bed ridden for 3 days. I lived on my own at the time. I had run out of cigarettes and had no way of getting any, and I doubt I could have smoked anyway as I was coughing constantly. After I started feeling better I realised I'd gone almost a week without a cigarette, I'd been wanting to give up anyway, so i decided not to start again. It wasn't easy but at least i got a good start

Reply

[-]

SnooMacarons9618@reddit

Reduced smoking over time (like no smoke breaks at work, then no smokes at lunch time, then other reductions). That got my smoking way down, and then I just stopped. As others say, not wanting to smoke is the way to go, as opposed to wanting to not smoke. It sounds the same, but I think it's a big step, and it's hard. Once stopped, I had smokes available, but for a while avoided the things that I'd normally smoke doing. So I became even more unsocial for a while, I stopped coffee at home for a few weeks. With the reduction and the change in attitude it was pretty easy by the time I got to it, but this took me over a year. And... there are still times over a decade later I \*really\* want a smoke.

Reply

[-]

Ok-Stomach-339@reddit

Cold Turkey was the best way for me. First few days are tough, but once you get past that you’ll be alright.

Reply

[-]

CaptH3inzB3anz@reddit

You have to have a real and solid reason to give up. For it was because I gave my now wife a smokers cough, each morning I would hear her in the bathroom coughing her guts up because of me, felt like such a cunt. Next day I went and bought the patches and a nicotine inhaler and quit, it took me 4 weeks and I was done. That was 2008, I still have my last packet with 1 cigarette in it to this day. I will never smoke again. Dirty, smelly and far too expensive habit.

Reply

[-]

Calorinesm1fff@reddit

Last time I quit was after I had COVID, I had a cigarette when I felt better and it hurt, so I've not smoked since. Four and a half years now. I've also stopped drinking, so that's probably helped too as that was usually how I started again, just a quick cig to be sociable. I've done patches and gum and cold turkey, cold turkey was always best for me as it's about the mental addiction rather than the physical addiction.

Reply

[-]

whatthebosh@reddit

I smoked for twenty years. ask others what they think about it. When you spark up really pay attention to how it feels, the smell, your lungs filling up with smoke and think of the damage it is causing as you do this You need to convince yourself that it is an expensive habit for intentionally killing yourself and then the day will come where you will just quit . You will have had enough. The point is you can't just quit if deep down you still want to smoke. You have to convince yourself.

Reply

[-]

DrDaxon@reddit

I quit when my wife was pregnant - I’d tried quitting before and kept starting again. Cold Turkey didn’t really work for me. I struggled more with the routine ones… The cig with coffee before my morning shower was the hardest. The shower didn’t feel good, and I felt dirty still. And cigs on walk to work. I started by cutting down but being strict on myself. I’d have the one with morning coffee at first and then just take a few to work. 1 for way there, 1 for break and 1 for way home. Once smoking less, I could start to smell it and was compulsively scrubbing my hands and face after every cigarette, started to smell it on my clothes. It was at this point I moved onto a vape. Started about 50/50 until slowly phasing over to vape only

Reply

[-]

DrDaxon@reddit

I found once down to 3 a day, it was much easier to quit after.

Reply

[-]

audiosf@reddit

Lozenges. It took me a couple months to adjust but they worked. They were a life saver when I would still go drinking with friends. I could resist smoking when they smoked. After a while I really enjoyed the lozenges. Bonus, you can use them indoors and in airplanes.

Reply

[-]

smithykate@reddit

I used to smoke A LOT and managed to quit the first time I tried because the support was really good and I had a great motivator. I signed up for a quitting programme which was so helpful, I had patches which progressively went down in strength and then had an inhalator thing with a very low strength nicotine until I didn’t feel the need to use it anymore. I had calls once a week from a quit smoking support person which helped as she suggested things to cope with any cravings. I think all together it took 2/3 weeks to quit nicotine all together from having my last cigarette. That was 3 years ago and have recently started vaping and I agree it just makes you want a cig.

Reply

[-]

Karloss_93@reddit

There's a bloke called Alan Carr who's written a book on how to quit smoking. It's not the usual you should quit smoking because it's bad for your blah blah blah. You carry on smoking whilst reading it and by the end when it tells you to smoke your last cig you're genuinely relieved to be able to quit because it's helped you unwind all the excuses you've told yourself for why you've let yourself be addicted. Maybe it won't be for everyone but it's worth a go. I quit and didn't have any cravings at all.

Reply

[-]

Madyakker@reddit

Patches. I’d have cigarettes at certain points of the work day. I took 2 weeks off to break the routine and started patches. I think they were 4 weeks on the big one, 4 weeks on the medium and 4 weeks on the small one. The hardest thing I found wasn’t the addiction (the patches help with that) but I had nothing to do with my hands - this was in the days before smartphones. It was hard but not as hard as I thought it would be. The first 7 days were the worst but I kept myself busy and got through it. I didn’t tell anyone in case a failed miserably. Most people knew straight away except for my girlfriend (who I lived with), it took her months to find out I’d stopped and even then it was be a someone told her!

Reply

[-]

Kayteesdad@reddit

Champix. Had some absolutely insane dreams for a while, but stopped while I was taking them ( as is supposed to happen ) and have been off fags for over a decade no. No relapses.

Reply

[-]

SuperMotard-7@reddit

Just decide and do it. Persevere.

Reply

[-]

gmward2010@reddit

6 years ago I threw my tobacco in the bin and just never bought another pouch. I missed the habit, still do at times, but figured if I don’t buy anymore then I can’t smoke.

Reply

[-]

rkr87@reddit

I bought a guitar. Any time I wanted a fag I picked up the guitar instead. I'm no Steve Vai or anything, but I learnt a great skill and kicked a nasty habit.

Reply

[-]

bishibashi@reddit

I had my last one on a Thursday night before bed, I knew I could get up and get through work without one. Then I came home where I had a new video game, plenty of wine and food and locked myself in for the weekend. Nearest shop was 10 minute walk and it was February, so I figured that would be an additional deterrent. By Monday I was well over 72 hours and had already decided if I managed that I could just push on, and I did. Smoked 20 a day for 17 years and have now been a non smoker for 17.

Reply

[-]

MonitorNew1398@reddit

52 days clear of smoking now. I gradually reduced and then cold turkey. Medical cannabis prediction has helped because I vape that, so get the hand to mouth thing

Reply

[-]

N9037@reddit

I dont smoke. But my grandad never used the word "quit". He just said he wasn't smoking "right now". He said it psychologically made him feel loads better. My ex tried that attitude and it helped him and he quit for 5 years. (Though I hear he started again when we split up, more fool him after beating it for so long)

Reply

[-]

innocuous_nub@reddit

NRT with Nicorette inhaler and patches supplied by NHS. It was painless as I tapered off the nicotine over 8 weeks. Speak to your doctor.

Reply

[-]

JohnnyKruze@reddit

I tried to quit loads of times, but if I'm honest with myself, I don't think I was really ready until a couple of years ago. I went cold turkey. However, I did slip a few times and in the past I would have just started again. This time I was like, ok, I had smoke last night let's not start again today. I feel much better and I often get a chest infection this time of year and I haven't had one for a couple of years. Good luck, I'm sure if you're ready you can quit.

Reply

[-]

MD564@reddit

I caught COVID over Christmas. Coughing so hard for two weeks I was throwing up food. I always knew I wanted to quit before a certain point in my life, so I just didn't smoke again. I also stopped drinking alcohol because that really triggered cravings for me. If you want to do it, you'll do it.

Reply

[-]

KonkeyDongPrime@reddit

Cigarette type vape to reduce how much I smoked, also to cut down nicotine. Then caught OG COVID (Kent variant).

Reply

[-]

Wrong-Pizza-7184@reddit

Went from 40 a day to stopping dead. I killed 3 people in the first week but it got easier after that... Seriously, you must really want to stop. I was at a stage where I couldn't afford it, it was wrecking my health and my new partner hated it. I added those reasons up and stopped.

Reply

[-]

Narrow_Attorney6388@reddit

I'm doing it now, I'm just vaping then I'll whine off the vape. It's all about breaking the habit. I've slipped twice this week and had a cigarette. Only to wonder when I did was it worth it. I'm reading the art of happiness, theres one segment that rings true with smoking. There pleasure seeking which I call smoking and there's pursuit of happiness which is the bigger picture, smoke free life. I use it as a mantra when I think about a cigarette. All the best on your journey, be kind to yourself and maybe don't do it as a new years resolution, too much pressure, do it before. Then you see in 2025 smoke free. Peace

Reply

[-]

Hamking7@reddit

I smoked for 16 years, at highest about 30 a day. I saw someone on the bus who could not move without being wracked by a coughing fit. I just thought that that would be me if I kept going and thought about how stupid i would feel to hear that i had a terminal disease because of my smoking. That provided the motivation . I used a mantra whenever i felt a craving: "that's not something I do anymore". I didn't beat myself up if i had one cigarette and didn't feel i needed to start over. I used lozenges with a stop smoking clinic at the chemists. I ended up addicted to lozenges for a while but havent smoked for 15 years and have been off nicotine completely for about 12.

Reply

[-]

PMFSCV@reddit

Got all my bills paid, cleaned house etc. Took 4 weeks annual leave and got a script for some benzos. Not touched one in 6 years. I lived alone at the time and that probably helped.

Reply

[-]

Serious-Salad5250@reddit

You go at it with a two-prong approach. Patches and an oral w/nicotine. That’s how I did it. Smoked for 37 years and finally gave it up in ’08.

Reply

[-]

peegeethatsme@reddit

2 weeks cold turkey....get through that and you're no longer a smoker

Reply

[-]

NightT0Remember@reddit

I got so drunk on New Years Eve a few years back that i physically couldn't smoke for 2 days afterwards due to a terrible hangover..... After the 2 days i figured i might aswell just stop altogether since I'd already gone 2 days without a cigarette. Not the recommended way to stop smoking but it worked for me

Reply

[-]

Serotonin42@reddit

This happened to me too. On top of this, I didn't tell anyone I'd quit. By not telling anyone I knew I wasn't doing it because of the social pressure. It would have been easy to start again, but I wasn't. It's similar to other comments I've seen about keeping cigarettes nearby but choosing not to smoke them. You're not smoking because you have the power to do that, not because of any other factors.

Reply

[-]

Captainpinkeye3@reddit

This is how I did it too. But it wasn’t that I physically couldn’t smoke, I just ran out and was too fucked to leave the house.

Reply

[-]

GingerTosser1337@reddit

Cold Turkey. You must absolutely want to quit. I found breathing exercises really helped me. When that desire for a cigarette comes, take a few huge deep breaths to the bottom of your lungs and hold each one for a few seconds. You'll get this natural high and light headedness. It really helped me with the cravings.

Reply

[-]

SillyPanda437@reddit

I was going through a breakup and a lot of mental health pressure, so I decided to go cold turkey because it was doing me more harm than good so I gave it up. I believe it shouldn’t always be used especially if you’re in a dark place, but everyone is different. I’m almost 2 years smoke free.

Reply

[-]

RamblingRose63@reddit

I started vaping then eventually if I hit a cig it would make me want to gag the smell the taste everything was Grose. Then I would lower the nicotine because I would make myself nicotine sick by vaping too much so it became an unpleasant experience vs something to look forward too. I eventually lowered to 0 nicotine and that was what was hard the hand to mouth and the ritual the feeling like life is boring etc idk its weird but knowing I didn't ever want a day 3 again made me not start again because it was so bad so basically pain avoidance

Reply

[-]

National_Actuary_666@reddit

My body suddenly told me it was time to stop after smoking many years. Started feeling horribly tired when smoking and accepted that my blood was de-oxygenating and flowing through ever constricting arteries.

Reply

[-]

melligator@reddit

Patches but also a little plastic minty flavoured cigarette thing that took care of the tic to smoke - the mintiness was just astringent enough to mimic the hit.

Reply

[-]

skroder@reddit

Cold turkey because COVID almost killed me. I just thought if I do not stop, I will die.

Reply

[-]

Sonzscotlandz@reddit

Nordic sprint nicotine pouches and replaced smoking weed with edibles. Been smoke free nearly a year now.

Reply

[-]

Cussec@reddit

You really have to WANT to quit. Tell yourself it stinks. Constantly remind yourself you stink like a dirty ashtray every time you smoke. When you crave, DONT have one. The cravings subside, then congratulate yourself after you’ve got through your craving. Remind yourself the money you’re saving. Remind yourself the health benefits. Daily. Then become disgusted by it. You will start to question why you ever smoked. You might become opinionated about it but if it helps then that’s great. But my first point, you really must WANT to quit. You’ll get there. Good luck

Reply

[-]

moatec@reddit

I switched to vaping, if we are counting that. It took me a while to find the right device and flavours. Finding those are imo crucial to it being a success. I first started with a small pen with fruity flavours before switching to a subohm box but didn't like the obnoxious amount of vapour it produced. Ended up with a pod vape (vaporesso luxe xr max), with exclusively tobacco flavours. I occasionally have cigarettes if I'm out with friends which is rare but honestly at this point I much prefer vaping. Doesn't make you feel shit, doesn't stink, cheaper, and if you vape 50/50 pg/vg it doesn't produce much vapour and the tobacco flavours don't smell much so you can vape anywhere (even planes) without people noticing.

Reply

[-]

roywill2@reddit

Cough drops. Strong mints. Hot chilli. Bubble gum. Mouth stimulants.

Reply

[-]

60sstuff@reddit

I quit weed. I know it’s not quite the same. It was not easy. However a pretty sobering reminder is when my aunt who has had cancer 3 times stayed at my house. She produced a massive box of pills just before bed. She pointed out which ones she had to take in the morning and which ones she had to take before bed. It was a pretty good reminder to myself that I probably didn’t want that to happen to me. I’m aware you can get cancer in multiple different ways but I decided to at least try and limit one way of getting it

Reply

[-]

BabyAlibi@reddit

I just switched to vape one day and never had a cig again. It's debatable if that is actually stopping smoking. Some people say it is stopping, other class it as just as bad. It's much cheaper and doesn't smell thought lol

Reply

[-]

Tigweg@reddit

Vapes worked for me, a little over a year ago, and I haven't had a cigarette since. I don't know why they make you want a cigarette. You never really want a cigarette, you just want nicotine, but unfortunately your body is used to getting it in the most harmful way possible. Tell yourself this and keep puffing on the vape when you think you want a cigarette.

Reply

[-]

International-Ad5705@reddit

I used 24 hour nicotine patches. I was a heavy smoker so it took me about 5 months to wean myself of them. That was nearly 20 years ago and I haven't touched one since. Good luck with quitting.

Reply

[-]

RiginalJunglist@reddit

Champix. It’s not for everyone, because it comes with some fairly serious side effects. The vivid dreams are insane and it did cause a good deal of depression. But….. I haven’t touched a nicotine containing product (cigarettes or vapes) for over 6 years now. I can be around people smoking and I definitely don’t want one (not even in secret to myself). In fact, I would go so far as to say that, in terms of brain chemistry, it’s as if I never even had that first puff with my mates at school. We just don’t do that stuff anymore!

Reply

[-]

gemgem1985@reddit

I quit 20 years ago now. And I just stopped, I would repeat " not one puff" in my head, NHS quit smoking lady told me to. And that was it.

Reply

[-]

GlassCrepe@reddit

Took my time to really change habits: switched to vaping for a year (only had cogarettes when drinking), then another year or vaping only, then to vaping nicotine free for a few months, then stoppes when I got pregnant (constant nausea helped a lot tbh). Good luck!

Reply

[-]

dingo_deano@reddit

I read a book by Alan Carr about quitting. It’s weird I didn’t even finish the book. And he says that in the book. But I just stopped.

Reply

[-]

Willsagain2@reddit

I thought about my reasons. You need a compelling, personal reason for yourself. I don't think it works to stop to please other people. Mine were a close family member who joined the family in his 60's. He had emphysema and only one lung. Looked well and healthy but could not walk 100 yards. Also his breathing always sounded laboured and wheezy, like Darth Vader. I considered his situation and thought 'do I feel lucky?' Nope. The other reason was my observation that in any film where someone was arrested by the police/captured by the enemy they would offer a cigarette. That put them in a weird sort of obligation to feel better about cooperating. I would never want someone who was not looking out for my interests to have that sort of power over me, for what is just a weakness. It took me about 3 attempts to give up, so don't give up on giving up if you lapse. Just try again. I just went cold turkey, because I was more of a compulsive smoker. If they weren't handy or in sight I didn't think about smokes, but if they were, I'd get through 20 a day. If you find that cutting back helps you, then it might be a good idea to reduce the times you smoke so you aren't doing a drastic drop when you give up in January. Or you could try cold turkey now in the run up to Christmas and see how that goes. If you lapse over the holidays it's only a week or two of that before you quit again in New Year. Good luck.

Reply

[-]

spik0rwill@reddit

I quit nearly 3 months ago cold turkey after about 25 years of smoking. Not gonna lie it has been hard, but 100% worth it. It wasn't so much the craving for a cigarette or changing my routine that was difficult. The withdrawal was way more intense than I had expected. During the first month I suffered from insomnia and had to turn to sleeping pills to fall asleep, which sometimes didn't work. The depression hit after around week 3 and is just going away now. Throughout this whole time I've been constantly tired and over eating too. Now that may sound awful, but there are a few unique situations that arose which made the procesa worse than it should have been. A few days after I quit my 9 year old cat was run over, I had covid for around 10 days and i had to go from working 5 days to 4, in order to help keep the company from going bankrupt. Money has been tight! However, I feel great now and I'm really feeling the pros of quitting. I tried switching to vaping, but that led to a higher intake of nicotine and it wasn't as satisfying. Patches just made the whole process longer and more annoying really. It didn't really feel like I was quitting. Cold turkey is the way to go if you ask me..

Reply

[-]

fairkatrina@reddit

Patches really do work. They take the edge off the cravings and made it lots easier for me to quit successfully. Not gonna lie tho, it took probably 9mo before I stopped getting a sudden craving out of nowhere. They got fewer and further between but the habit is tenacious.

Reply

[-]

Lessarocks@reddit

Cold turkey because I had a light bulb moment. I had started using an e cig and I was getting the nicotene hits but it still didn’t feel right. I did t feel satisfied. The e cigarettes did t feel right in my hand and it didn’t taste right. It struck me then that it was the ritual I was addicted to - the ritual of lighting up, feeling the cigarette in my hand, the taste of it. I had wasted decades of my life and a ton of money on a bloody ritual. That was the day I threw out my cigarettes and I have t smoked since. I wished I’d done it so much earlier because I am so much healthier now.

Reply

[-]

yrboyfriend@reddit

Some local authorities have stop smoking programs where they give you free vapes and patches and send encouraging texts to help keep you on track.

Reply

[-]

Frostix86@reddit

An old timer I used to serve coffee to, introduced me to an "elastic band" method. Put a band on your wrist, every time you crave or think about smoking ping your band. It's behavioural training essentially. Just like Pavlov dogs. Except you take the undesired behaviour (smoking in this case) and make your brain associate it with pain. Your body & brain doesn't want pain so... It worked for me to stop for about six months. Still smoking sadly. My next strategy is going to be a water fast. 3/4 days. In theory it will cleanse all the nicotine and chemical dependencies. Maybe long enough to break the behaviours too. Either way by the time I'm done pretty sure food will be the top priority - hopefully.

Reply

[-]

dgraveling@reddit

Said one day that's it 45 years ago

Reply

[-]

LegsElevenses@reddit

Went to Australia for 3 months, it was too expensive to smoke there, I had never seen such expensive cigarettes in my life. Never smoked again 😂

Reply

[-]

squeezemebae@reddit

I got these tablets from Amazon. I had to stop smoking on the 5th day of taking the tablets. I took 6 for 3 days, 5 for 3 days then 4 for 3 days etc. Took 25 days to finish the tablets. Took a bit of determination as well but not as much as it would going cold turkey. I can't find those tablets anyway now which is a shame I keep wanting to tell people about them.

Reply

[-]

dfinkelstein@reddit

Quit cold turkey. Substitute with a different behavior like chewing gum. You'll want to kill people. It's only a problem if you do. Addiction is hell, and recovery includrs difficult uncomfortable ugly experiences like that on the way to getting clean. If it's not rage, then it's shame or despair or loneliness or something else nigh-intolerable. The thing is, it worked. The part of you that gets angry like that, got the cigarettes back by being angry. So next time you can expect for sure the same anger. The trick is just to remember that feelings aren't facts. And the anger isn't appropriate and doesn't belong. You can try channeling it at the cigarettes and everything they're costing and have cost you and all the reasons you want them gone. That might help a bit. Because that's where the anger belongs, doesn't it? Won't fix it. Might help. After a couple of weeks or so, it gets easier. You may need to do therapy, either with somebody else or find something that works for you, go address the cravings after the physical symptoms has passed. Think about spirituality and connecting with yourself, and/or with a higher power such as community, music, nature, the ocean, or more traditional ideas like God. Artistic expression and journaling by hand are two commonly independently discovered activities that people find invaluable in this regard. Might just have to bite the bullet, I'm afraid.

Reply

[-]

lockdownlassie@reddit

I quit when I got a cold with a bad cough and physically couldn’t smoke. That helps for the first few days and yeah I tried not to commit crimes. It was hard. There’s no easy way

Reply

[-]

TheNotSpecialOne@reddit

Cold turkey. It was bloody tough first month but eventually I was OK and now can't stand a cig

Reply

[-]

DannyCookeVids@reddit

My dad had throat cancer. Ended with his whole vocal chords having to be removed and left with a tracheostomy to breate. Followed by a year later, lung cancer and it being in his spine. He was given 3-5 months from that day. That was pretty eye-opening.

Reply

[-]

HonourDaisy@reddit

Keep some around you, although it sounds counterintuitive I find I crave one if I don’t have any around. I’ve managed to pretty much quit, apart from when I have a drink. Drinking is my next thing to quit (cut down on) as I am I heavy drinker!

Reply

[-]

thisismyuaernamr@reddit

I went to the nhs stop smoking service and took what was called champix at the time, they’ve removed it now since it had probable carcinogens in afaik, think I read it had been rebranded since not sure if it’s different or what. Still cigarette free 11 years later!

Reply

[-]

meowmeow_plantfood@reddit

Snus - I'm so addicted to nicotene that I would need to smoke 5 in a row to feel anything

Reply

[-]

BeyondTheStars22@reddit

Get a vape. Then dilute its content with water or so by 10% each month. In 10 months, youre off it.

Reply

[-]

Twolef@reddit

I had 3 weeks off work and I went cold turkey. Whenever I craved a cigarette, I told myself I’d have one later. Gradually, the cravings were further and further apart. It took about 2 months for them to pretty much disappear, though

Reply

[-]

Cobblers1234@reddit

Mid 90’s, went on holiday to Greece, cigarettes were so cheap and the evening taverna social scene meant I went from 10 a day to 30/40 a day. Returned home, went to the gym, workout, shower, clean clothes, walked in the house and it stunk of smoke. Quit from that moment. Carried on drinking, of course!

Reply

[-]

buck2217@reddit

1979, they went up to 50p for 20, not paying that ridiculous price!

Reply

[-]

buck2217@reddit

I mean I was spending nearly a pound a day ffs

Reply

[-]

Brian_from_accounts@reddit

It’s great you want to stop. Just imagine how good it will feel to breathe in fresh, clean air every day, knowing this is the year you’ve finally left smoking behind for good.

Reply

[-]

Krafwerker@reddit

Caught the covid, that did the trick for me.

Reply

[-]

moggiedon@reddit

Just go cold turkey now, kill everyone around you, and save on Christmas presents. Solve two problems at once.

Reply

[-]

ShampooandCondition@reddit (OP)

This seems reasonable.

Reply

[-]

lengthy_prolapse@reddit

I sort of came round to embracing the rage. I quite enjoyed the angry productivity after a few days. I’m sure I was quite the arsehole to a few people but I did get a lot of things done.

Reply

[-]

wireddax@reddit

Cold Turkey. I used to get through a pack every couple days. Weekends easily a pack a day. What stayed with me (it's been 18 years) was how hard those first few days and weeks were. Intense, savage, crawling up the walls, just doesn't cover it. It felt like a form of self torture. But I was determined I was quitting. That is what you need. To be prepared to deal with how hard it's going to feel for a while. Personally, accepting that what I was doing was going to feel like a rough ride for some time made it more manageable. And to focus on how much I was REALLY over it. No matter how much you think you can't get through moments of craving, just keep holding on. Chew gum, have a mint, drink water - keep your mind occupied on anything other than smoking. Every time you think about a smoke, stop. I literally mean force the thought to stop by focusing hard on anything else. Concentrate on everything that's not related. Most of my friends smoked back then - socialising was crazy tough because everyone who smoked kept smoking. In those days, you could still smoke in bars & restaurants so that made being out less fun for some time, it really did suck. You just gotta keep going. It's been nearly 20 years and the smell of a cig still makes me want to reach for one. I will forever love the scent. But I did have one a few years later after quitting on a drunken night out, or rather, I took a puff and it tasted like coal. It was so rank, it got stubbed out straightaway. Never again. Eventually, the addiction loosens its grip...

Reply

[-]

banana7milkshake@reddit

cold turkey, bit of nic gum that was it

Reply

[-]

peterhala@reddit

I never did, I just cut down. I now smoke only on my birthday, specifically birthdays with a zero in. That is true, and it's the compromise which enables me to not have Just One the rest of the time.

Reply

[-]

CosmicRay42@reddit

I can see that. It’s the psychological thing of not telling g yourself that you’re never going to smoke again, as that’s so final. I just think of it as I’m not going to smoke today, as that’s easier to digest. Of course, it’s always “today”.

Reply

[-]

peterhala@reddit

In retrospect, it was kind of like the addiction was an angry toddler being told No. 'You can have ice cream after you eat all of your vegetables' is a lot easier than 'No'.

Reply

[-]

The-all-seeing-pie@reddit

I stopped putting tobacco in my joints. Worked a treat. Haven’t had a cig in ten years.

Reply

[-]

CosmicRay42@reddit

But I bet you eat a lot of chocolate 😊

Reply

[-]

The-all-seeing-pie@reddit

I’m more of a savoury guy

Reply

[-]

MrFeatherstonehaugh@reddit

20 years ago, I'd been smoking 30 a day for 15 years. Tried everything to give up: willpower, nicotine patches/gum, bullshit hypnotherapy and Alan Carr's bullshit book. Routine visit to doctor who prescribed Zyban. Gave up painlessly. Brief relapse 5 years later; got Zyban again... haven't smoked since.

Reply

[-]

PintCEm17@reddit

nicotine patches Slowly reduce. You gotta kick the physical behaviour of snogging something also Personally I’d trial and fast patch reduction for 2 weeks then cold turkey. 100% x 0.9 and repeat using the new number for each day for 14 days. get you down to roughly 9% of original intake

Reply

[-]

No_Application_8698@reddit

Firstly you need to genuinely WANT to give up. Then you need to accept and understand one simple fact: Your craving for a cigarette will go away in a few minutes *regardless of whether or not you smoke one*. This means that you only need to resist the craving for two or three minutes and you’re sorted. Of course you’ll get another craving eventually but these get further and further apart and will eventually stop altogether. Just do something else for a couple of minutes to distract yourself; drink a glass of water; go for a little walk; run yourself a nice bath; tidy up your sock drawer; do some internet window-shopping for something you’ll treat yourself to once you reach 1 month of no cigarettes (try to avoid replacing cigarettes with snacks because that’s a dangerous, slippery slope). I used to smoke a minimum of 20 Marlboro (reds) a day; 30-40 at weekends or on days I went out at night. I had my last cigarette on the evening of December the 19th 2004. I didn’t even finish it! I haven’t had a lit cigarette in my mouth since. No patches, gum, or vapes (they weren’t quite the same as vapes back then; they were called e-cigarettes I think?!). Also, I told myself that I wasn’t ’giving up’ per se; just seeing how long I could go without smoking. It was hard, definitely. I’d only smoked for 8 years though. Both my parents had smoked since their early teens and they managed to give up a few years after me when my sister was expecting their first grandchild. They’d been smoking for 30 or 40 years but they did it (also both without other help; my mum tried hypnosis but it didn’t work on her). My (now)-husband bought me a swanky Sony TV when I made it to 6 months cigarette-free. ^(Maybe he should get me a car or something next month when I hit the 20 years milestone?! I won’t hold my breath). Good luck!

Reply

[-]

matmah@reddit

Combination of Champix and non-nicotine vaping.

Reply

[-]

LikkyBumBum@reddit

I became a vapist.

Reply

[-]

amacadabra@reddit

You have to survive the three days it takes for the withdrawal symptoms to wear off. Which isn't worse than having flu (except for the knowledge that you can make it stop by having a cigarette). Cold turkey, it's horrid, good luck, and enjoy the rest of your life (and you'll be better off too).

Reply

[-]

neilkeeler@reddit

As many have stated make it a choice for you & give yourself permission to smoke if you really want to. ’Quitting’ is a negative choice, I found it unhelpful, triggered me as missing out. Break up your routines, disrupt the high risk points when you usually smoke, wash up immediately after eating, take the dog out. Get angry at the people killing you whilst you pay them for that. These all helped me I still choose not to smoke 24 years later. It can be done it really can. Former two pack a day 20 year smoker, choices give you the power.

Reply

[-]

Hot-Strength9752@reddit

Smoking patches really do help. Get the strongest ones as well as some nicorette chewing gums. First week is the hardest. My trigger would be booze. So if you can avoid triggers/situations you know you used to smoke do so, if you can’t ( as well as wearing the patch) keep chewing gums on you at all times. It really does help. I was a smoker for 10 years. I think the main thing is you have to come to terms you will NEVER touch a cigarette again, it’s hard to part. Cancer, being out of breath, manky teeth, money those are just the few things to keep telling yourself. Good luck.

Reply

[-]

britinnit@reddit

I quit cold turkey first week of September, first three days were shite but it's been okay after that. Sometimes If Ive drank a bit too much I briefly get a craving but it soon passes.

Reply

[-]

Newreddituserw@reddit

I realised I wasn't enjoying it much So cut down daily usage to 2-3 fag's Anmmgone to only smoke after a few pints And finally gave up 12 years ago Never ever thought of it again (except once or twice that too only had couple of puffs when drunk) Honestly I feel much better after quitting, Please do it 🙏

Reply

[-]

Fine-Koala389@reddit

Managed to stop before pregnancy of oldest to final breastfeeding of youngest. Soon as I started back to work I started again, gradually. Tried so many methods to stop ... prescriptions, patches, but came to the realisation that it is just part of who I am, unhealthy, but me. I am a far nicer person smoking that when trying not to.

Reply

[-]

LinzSymphonyK425@reddit

I just went cold turkey. Took me a couple of goes but eventually it stuck. Don't know if it's helpful, but I used to say to myself: if I start smoking again, it means I didn't really want to quit. Somehow that struck a nerve and helped me through about 2 weeks of severe cravings. Apparently it's one of the most addictive things and hardest to give up.

Reply

[-]

CosmicRay42@reddit

Giving up is easy. I’ve done it loads of times.

Reply

[-]

OddPiglet6589@reddit

Got a mortgage.

Reply

[-]

k-boots@reddit

I vaped until I broke the routine then knocked the nicotine down until I just didn’t want it anymore, took about 6 months

Reply

[-]

kwm19891@reddit

Nicotine pouches, around 6 weeks of no vaping using the pouches. Eventually want to give these up aswell

Reply

[-]

EvilTaffyapple@reddit

I just stopped buying cigarettes. It really was just that. I smoked between 12 and 15 a day. I bought the Alan Carr book and I don’t even read it (I didn’t do any research as to WHEN I should start reading it - do I do it before quitting, during quitting, do I save my last cigarette to smoke at a specific time, etc.). I just decided I had had enough. I smoked my last cigarette in March this year and haven’t had one since. No cravings (apart from the first two weeks), no regrets. I feel so much better. My snoring has improved. I don’t reek of tobacco. Please stick to it. It’s a disgusting habit.

Reply

[-]

SpaceTimeCapsule89@reddit

I went from smoking to heets. I used the heets for 6 months then moved to vaping (but on a low nicotine e-liquid). I vaped for a few years then stopped. I tried cold turkey to stop smoking twice before that and failed. I only managed to stop for a few months each time and felt seriously low if I'm being honest. My third attempt was successful as above. I haven't smoked for 7 years and haven't vaped for 4 years

Reply

[-]

Weehendy_21@reddit

Congratulations so well done.

Reply

[-]

ShampooandCondition@reddit (OP)

I’ve had to google heets and I still don’t understand them? Could you explain them please

Reply

[-]

SpaceTimeCapsule89@reddit

So you buy a device that "heats" the "tobacco stick" (basically a short cigarette but with less shite in it). Because it doesn't burn it and instead heats it, it doesn't release as many chemicals or nicotine as a cigarette. You still get all the smoking sensations, taste and nicotine hit but it's a step down from smoking. You don't smell of smoke or anything using it. Heets are also less than half the price of cigarettes. If you aren't ready to vape, heets are a good stepping stone away from smoking and towards vaping. However, if you are ready to vape, I suggest the Aspire Vilter with the white filter. The mouthpiece/filter is like that of a cigarette so it feels more like smoking. Also, go for an e-liquid such as 88 vape rolling leaf or Vuse creamy tobacco and an ohm of 1.2 for that very smoking like sensation and hit. Don't bother with disposables, they're a waste of time. Get an MTL reusable vape and suitable e-liquids. You don't want a tank DTL vape, you want a basic MTL vape. I used tobacco e-liquids for a while then moved to flavours like watermelon etc. Once you move away from tobacco flavours you are ready to start reducing down and looking at stopping vaping too. It's a process but if you've failed cold turkey or using gum, patches etc then the smoking to heets to vaping to nothing process was successful for me

Reply

[-]

Flimsy-Wishbone-4750@reddit

100% don't vape it's easy and addictive. Listen to Allen Carrs Easy way to quit audiobook

Reply

[-]

Weehendy_21@reddit

Cut down each day so say you smoke 30 per day and you are going to quit on 31 December, smoke 1 less ciggie each day. When you get to 1 January then try to break the routine of the times you enjoyed smoking most, go for a shower, go for a run, clear out the spare room - anything that will distract you. Some people save their daily cigarette spend a plan what they will do with the cash. I think your lungs start to heal on day one so great result. Best wishes you can do it.

Reply

[-]

Agreeable_Fig_3713@reddit

Vapes have been the only thing. I done gum, patches, inhalers, champix, hypnosis etc and vapes have been the only thing

Reply

[-]

ShampooandCondition@reddit (OP)

I just don’t want to be stuck on them either. If that makes sense.

Reply

[-]

Agreeable_Fig_3713@reddit

I get that. And I do realise I’ve swapped one addiction for another but it’s cheaper, I breathe easier, I’m not exposing my kids to secondhand smoke and smoke sticking to my clothes.

Reply

[-]

McNeil56@reddit

Vaping will be much cheaper then. I was spending £5 a week on vaping juice.

Reply

[-]

Capable-Campaign3881@reddit

I think I saw how it was affecting me especially when I was running and did running a lot, I only really socially smoked and only really started doing it at uni, but tbh I stopped because I saw how it was affecting me mostly, if say you were feeling sick it was a good way to stop feeling like you were going to chunder. But I’ve only done smoking cigars now rather than cigarettes.

Reply

[-]

ReptilianJam@reddit

I wrote a statement down. My name is x. I want to quit smoking by the 31st of January 2024 because: 1. I consider it self harm. 2. Reason... 3. Reason... Then I read it when I had cravings

Reply

[-]

Intelligent-Hat-8368@reddit

I just stopped one day in 2017. I've never really thought about having one since. Not sure why or how but I'm glad I did.

Reply

[-]

imginarymarsupial@reddit

Patches. Several times Spent a few years giving up for a while, going back to it then giving up again etc etc. I don't know how many times, but I just didn't beat myself up over the relapses and tried again. Eventually it stuck. I've been free probably close to a decade now.

Reply

[-]

mechanicalabrasion11@reddit

Signed up for smoking cessation with local chemist and got 10 weeks of free patches (3 weeks of strong, 3 weeks of medium and 4 weeks of low strength) and free nicotine mints. I was cynical about how successful this would be, but found it surprisingly easy and haven't had a cigarette for almost 11 years. I did actually really want to give up at the time, so that definitely helped (had a half arsed cold turkey effort a few years earlier and was back on the fags 3 months later - my motivation that time was a bet that I wouldn't last 3 months 😂).

Reply

[-]

mechanicalabrasion11@reddit

Forgot to add that I smoked from when I was 15 until I was 42 - I'm now 53.

Reply

[-]

tmr89@reddit

I did it when I moved house. Severed the habits and routines and was so much easier to stop cold turkey

Reply

[-]

Oceanic_Wave@reddit

Cold turkey. I also framed it as “I stopped smoking” instead of “I quit” because the word quit gives me a lot of pressure. Coughing up disgusting brown phlegm isn’t sexy and I want better cardiovascular health.

Reply

[-]

chickenipples69@reddit

Try these nicotine pouches you put them up your lip , work better than gum for me they tingle and trust me you won’t want too smoke with one of them fuckers in

Reply

[-]

Beanruz@reddit

Champix. 2 weeks smoking and then you're done. Makes you feel sick. Zero cravings. Piece of piss tbh.

Reply

[-]

Rich_27-@reddit

I got tonsillitis. Couldn't even drink a glass of water for two weeks without excruciating pain, never mind having a Rothmans.

Reply

[-]

Affectionate-Cell-71@reddit

Champix 2007

Reply

[-]

FreakyDancerCC@reddit

By doing it about 50 times and reading Alan Carr’s Easy Way To Stop Smoking

Reply

[-]

LondontoGatwick@reddit

For a couple of weeks before I quit I made myself wait for cigarettes. Eg day 1 I only allowed myself one an hour, day 2 maybe wait hour and a quarter etc. I learned to deal with the cravings then just stopped.

Reply

[-]

Hyperion2023@reddit

Cold turkey but a bunch of colleagues had a little sweepstake on when I’d fail (endorsed by me, just a bit of fun) and once I’d gone a few days I knew I’d be able to have the last laugh

Reply

[-]

yoho1234@reddit

Cold turkey

Reply

[-]

sunlitupland5@reddit

Just got annoyed with having to take fags with me but fags strategies having fag breaks. You're ready for freedom.

Reply

[-]

Itchy3lf@reddit

Don't vape. It's so addictive it's ridiculous. Nicotine pouches best way by miles.

Reply

[-]

AutoModerator@reddit

**Please help keep AskUK welcoming!** - Top-level comments to the OP must contain **genuine efforts to answer the question**. No jokes, judgements, etc. - **Don't be a dick** to each other. If getting heated, just block and move on. - This is a strictly **no-politics** subreddit! Please help us by reporting comments that break these rules. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*

Reply