Thread: Giving up the Fags?

Do not take any of the anti smoking pills!(I won't name them for legal reasons). I took a well known brand for a short time to get off the smokes. Worked a treat too until the anxieties and suicidal thoughts and depressions set in! I became unbearable even to myself, Temper tantrums, shakes and panic attacks. Not just talking about withdrawals for the first couple of weeks ,they were fine! Left my job because I couldn't stand the stress anymore (there was none), and spent six months with a cognitive therapist and psychiatrist. In all I was off work for 18 months and, of course, still smoking.
I have spoken to my neighbour since who told me his brother topped himself whilst on the same medication!
Alan Carr's book is very good and is also available on cd. Patches may help.
I too need to give up and I wish you all the willpower in the world.

I started smoking at age 25, much to the surprise of friends and family. I was always complaining about smokers, kissing girlfriends that smoked was like kissing your Dad, yuk.
Stopped cold turkey at age 50, had tried many times before, but always fell back into the routine, you know driving to and from work (3 to 4 hours a day). After a drink, cuppa or a meal, as an excuse to have a break while working and having a chat.
Haven't smoked for 16 years now and I still reach for the ciggy packet that used to be in my top pocket after a cuppa or taking a break at work, the hair stands up on the back of my neck when I realise that if that ciggy pack was there I would have lit up, "Habit".
You have to break the habit, you have to replace "that feeling" with something else and in the beginning I made a pact with my family that the cost of a packet of cigs would be set aside each day and the funds used to buy a computer.
Didn't take long, with the cost of cigs now it would be worthwhile, set up a fund to purchase bits for your Landy, or other worthwhile projects, then every time you get the urge for a puff you can think about the goodies you are going to get.
Also think about how much a smoker stinks of tobacco, I can smell a smoker (not smoking) from over a metre away and the stench when you walk into a smokers home or car, they can't smell it, but it is overpowering at times. I hate to think that I used to stink like that and if smokers could smell themselves or their home that would be another incentive to give it up. Anyway best of luck, some good ideas in this thread so far, Regards Frank.

I went cold turkey a bit at a time. Sounds strange but you are already there. If you have stopped smoking in the house and cars, now you have to find the next thing to stop smoking during. For me it was work, then I stopped having a beer each afternoon except for Friday, this took away the urge to have a smoke while drinking, except for Fridays, then that was the last thing to go, I was able to go cold turkey and have Friday beer without the smokes.

I still want one each time I have a drink but just start doing something, like typing in here, talking to people etc etc.

I had three minor heart attacks at 43 going on 44 and had just become a dad for the first time, so I did have the drive to stop, not wanting a son to grow up without a father.

I went for 30years.

tried a couple of times to go cold turkey tried patches & tried gum - problem was I didn't really "want" to quit,

Ended up seeing the doctor when I "wanted" to give the smokes away & I did take one of the well known pills.

It worked for me. I had a fuzzy head for a week or so, I had technicolour dreams & I had headaches, but I am grateful for the fact that they removed the desire for the nicotine.

3 years now & I have since run the city to Surf twice, a half marathon and, for myself, 41.1km (almost marathon distance) just to prove to myself I could, & that I was free of the evil weed!

I wish you the very best of luck - its worth it.

Tell you what lads, this has been a bloody good post to read.

Never smoked myself beyond a few roll-your-own as a teenager, but I'm damned impressed with all you who've quit.

Might just go back to reading this post every time I think about quitting other bad habits I have.

My last serious "gasper" was over a year ago after over 30 years of living with them.

Out of curiosity I tried to draw back on one 6 months ago and coughed my lungs out just like the first one I smoked...amazing how quickly you recover and move on.

I feel so much better physically and mentally for not smoking and surprisingly I don't miss them.

Which ever way you do it: cold turkey, gum, patches it doesn't matter...what ever works for you because it's worth the effort.

Originally Posted by Reads90

I smoked for 20 years and was on 25 to 30 a day

I just decided one day that I wanted to give up so finished a pack and never bought another one.

I went cold Turkey.

After all it take 5 days at most to get the nicotine out of your system so grin and bear it and get it out of you. Don't keep your self on the nicotine with patches , gum or other things.

It's not the nicotine that's the hardest part of giving up , that's the easy bit.

The habit of smoking is the hardest. The habit of a fag with a drink or on the way to work or on the way home from work.

But do it you won't regret it , but the other secret to giving up is that you want to give up and not give up due to everyone telling you to give up.


I gave up 6 years ago and have not touched one since ( well part for a cigar when the kids were born ) but do not want one either. I can stand around others smoking and not have a problem at all and does not make me want one.

Best of luck and keep to it.

I gave up cold turkey 30 years ago, wasn't easy but I did it and I sure am glad. Can't stand the disgusting smell of them now.

SWMBO however did struggle a bit. We both agreed no kids until she gives up.

What worked for her was a course called smokenders.

Quit Smoking with Smokenders Australia: A stop smoking program

Looking at the web site I see that they run DIY at home courses. I can't comment on this as when she did it, it was attend a class once a week for eight weeks.

At the time they claimed a 92% success rate, with the 8% failure due to lack of dedication.

A big part of this course is teaching you how to break the habit, as pointed out above that the nicotine addiction does not take long to rid.

SWMBO was a lost cause with the fags. I thought we were going to be childless, but this course worked.

Happy to discuss this more over the phone if you wish, PM details.

Saw this advertised on the telly recently. Thought it quite funny actually, but if it only stops a small percentage from continuing smoking it would be worth it.

http://efagsrus.com/products/clever-...uo-starter-kit

Good luck with what ever method you try. If you succeed it will be one of the best things you can do for you and your family and friends.

I smoked rather lightly from the age of sixteen or seventeen. Around smokers or drinking I could smoke anywhere between a couple of smokes a day to a couple packs a day. In ordinary circumstances I would usually only smoke less than five a day.

Earlier this year I just lost taste for it. For some unknown reason I didn't feel like smoking anymore. I now still think "I feel like a fag" a couple of times a week, but it's not a strong enough urge to disrupt whatever I'm doing at the time, let alone go and buy a pack of tobacco.

I still have the occasional rollie if I'm having a big night and it seems the social thing to do, but there's no way I'd even come close to doing it regularly again.