Smoking

youngandreckless

Ok. Giving up smoking yesterday didn't go well as basically I caved at lunchtime when my smoking at work buddy gave me a ciggie as I was being pathetic.
I'm starting again (or stopping) tomorrow. I spend £26 a week on cigarettes which is disgusting. My grandad has just been diagnosed with terminal cancer having smoked most of his life, so the fact I still continue is even more disgusting.
Any quitters out there please give me tips. Anyone else want to quit I'd be glad of a buddy to pm.
Apologies that this thread is here, but it feels relevant as £26 a week would make me a hell of a lot nearer to ditching the debt.
£26 a week which mostly goes in tax.
Unbelievable really.....

loopylass

hi

have you tried the patches because my sister said they were really good didnt crave for a cig at all she didnt like the gum but found normal gum a lot better and instead of nibbling the wrong food had healthy options in the fridge just in case but she didnt put on any extra weight and shes been a non smoker for 12 months

good luck

se999

I think the main thing initially is to try to avoid the times and places where you smoked with other people. e.g. You caved in at lunchtime with your smoking at work friend.

Try going for a walk, or doing something different if practical. My husband gave up over 20 years ago, and he still gets tempted when he's in a situation out with his 'mates' and they light up.

I'm not saying avoid your smoking friends totally, just be aware that certain places and situations it's automatic for you to want to 'light up', and the availability of a spare cig doesn't make it easier.

Good luck.

Edit - finding someone at work who wants to give up too would help.

crossleydd42

Giving up smoking means also changing your daily routine just enough to stop triggering situations where you had a ciggie before. You should also tell your friends not to offer ciggies to you and learn to say No before you even think about it! If you think about it, even for a second, you'll say Yes.
I gave up without patches - the first three weeks is the worst, but although the pangs reduced and went genrally went away with time, it was five years before I never had any more pangs.

One incentive for a while is to put the money you save each day into a jar - you can visibly see the benefit then.

Good luck

se999

Just found the NHS stop smoking page, you can enter your postcode to find out what support groups and services they offer in your area, I think it's also possible to get the patches etc on prescription.

Anyway here's the link:

http://www.givingupsmoking.co.uk/nhs_sss/


Hope it's useful.

lallyaya

Hi young and reckless,

I'm struggling to quit to and am doing terribly! I start with good intentions, or rather finish with good intentions as I always seem to have a cigarette in my mouth when making said intentions! My plan last night was to stop today, I bought some cigarettes on the way in to stop tomorrow....

If you're interested i'd love to try and quit with someone else.

Lally
-X-

tirednurse_2

Have you read Allen Carr's Easy Way To Stop Smoking? My sister (thirty a day) quit straight after she read the book - she hasn't touched a fag for three years. In true MSE spirit you could get the book from the library.
Also, your local GP will likely be running smoking cessation clinics. You can get the patches/gum on prescription now.

Willsnarf1983

Young and Recklass

why not see problem as not spending £26 a week on fags.

Ie only try spending £13 on fags for the next week?

that way ur concentration isn't on stopping but on the saving of money!

Will

urbanlegend11

hi.youve completed the hardest step in that you really do want to give up mentally its now that the willpower comes in.make no mistake giving up smoking is one of the hardest things to do but you or anybody can do it.you just have to believe in yourself and you will feel real achievement as everyday passes(oh and as everyday passes it does get easier and easier).Alot of people say change your routine,keep away from smokers etc.i disagree your missing your ciggys you dont want to feel your missing out on all the other things like your smoking friends,time out to relax,going to the pub etc.just embrace these situations and recognise you are going to get a craving but it will pass and then you move on.i kept a packet of ciggys in my pocket from the start as normal and then it was my choice to have one or not.then as each day goes by you realise that by just having that one ciggy is your choice but you know if you do have it youve gotta start all over again from the start which REALLY IS the hardest part.so stick with it then as time goes by your cravings will get less and less and your mind will start to wean itself off triggering all the fag situations.like having a coffee,stress(which a ciggy doesnt really do anything for),when you wake up etc etc.well i could blab for ages cause im a bloody expert on the subject....hahaha.
if you want to pm me please feel free and ill try to help out as much as i can
oh while i think of it lollypops are great for doing something with your hands when you feel like you need it and keeping your ciggy money in a pot and spending it on yourself to get clothes,cds etc is a great reward and it makes you see just what your wasting on these white sticks that only offer you an early grave as you all too well know.

SaveMoreMoney

Why not just reduce the fags on a weekly basis over a couple of months ?

For example, start at 15 a day, then go down to 13 the next week and gradually bring the number smoked down on a week by week basis ? At least you will be saving money............and of course, your health !!

btw - I've never smoked, so my suggestion might be tricky !

JonSimmonds

se999 wrote:

Just found the NHS stop smoking page, you can enter your postcode to find out what support groups and services they offer in your area, I think it's also possible to get the patches etc on prescription.

Anyway here's the link:

http://www.givingupsmoking.co.uk/nhs_sss/


Hope it's useful.

A good friend of mine works for a NHS centre who can give advice and give out patchs on perscrption, so long as you keep to certain conditions and have some sort of test to see ifyou have been smokign or not, id guess best bet is to goto local doctors and ask person at recpition for advice of how to find out mroe to