I give up! A year since the smoking ban

4 months for me now. Strangely enough, I have no problem sitting outside the Pub when others are smoking. The difficult time is still when I sit down with the paper and my first coffee in the morning. Habit, I suppose.
I did visit my local Smoking Advisor and she gave me patches and an inhalator. The patches didn’t seem to make any difference so I gave them up after a fortnight. The inhalator does help, whether or not it contains a nicotine cartridge (!) so it must just be something in my mouth. Ordinary chewing gum seems to help as well. I think I must have saved a lot of money after 45 years of a packet a day.

congratulations henry . hope that it will encourage everyone to give up smokeing .

The best thing to do when you’re trying to quit is be easy on yourself. If you have failed before it doesn’t mean you won’t be successful in the future.

In order to quit smoking you have to change the way you think about smoking. You have to plant the seed in your head that you dont want to smoke anymore, and then wait for it to grow–think of all the bad things you know smoking causes. Think of the way you will be once you dont smoke anymore.

Eventually, you will create a new perspective on smoking–and you wont want to do it anymore. Then your new mindset will be reflected in your actions. One day you will wake up and you just wont want to smoke anymore. You wont need nicorette and you wont need a support group. You can change your own mind. It just takes time and concentration. Good luck!

Congratulations to all of those that have kicked that awful habit!
I too have given up. I had been smoking for 27 years, and at age 43 and 5 failed attempts, I decided to quit *Cold turkey* Something I couldnt of possibly done years ago!

The smoking ban is great! As it help a lot. As when I was a smoker I felt like an outcast anyhow. And its much easier to stay motivated when there is no-one smoking around you!

I havent quit for long yet, but I know I am not giving in this time, as I am enjoying my better tasting food, my whiter teeth and that fresh clean smell that now fills my home, without the use of air freshners to cover that stale smoke smell.

I would advise anyone who smokes to consider giving up, the health benefits outweigh the buzz you get from that cigarette!

Congratulations on quitting. I completely agree that the smoking ban is helping people to give up.

I quit fourteen weeks ago. I’d had several attempts but as you say – when folk are smoking around you, it makes it much harder.

Also, being older made it easier for me. I’m 40 this year. When you’re in your twenties – death seems so far away.

I used several aids to help me stop including the Silva Life system and nicotine patches.

I also read the Allen Carr book. It’s a must read for anyone who believes they actually like smoking.

I have given up smoking after 40 years. I found it easier than I ever thought. I read the Allen Carr book and liked his refreshing approach to stopping and after reading it I stopped. I only wish now that I had stopped years ago.

hi i’m interested in stopping smoking for good and have plans to do things that smoking would make extremely difficult so it’s great to have other options (the Allen Carr plan)… good post x

I gave up smoking on the 1st July 07, and am still a non smoker.!! I would suggest you keep an open mind about where to go for help, and certainly not just rely on what the NHS can offer. I gave up cigarettes using the Allan carr method and after previous methods using patches, help lines and pure willpower found this way an absolute breeze.. in fact enjoyed it as felt I was being liberated!!

My message is look at everything out there that exists to help you. Allan carr method is an option that you may not find on NHS or other mainstream websites, so don’t exclude it.

Wish you well in your journey and being a non smoker is a wonderful label to have X

Very good post, thanks!

Hi Darren – try the NHS Stop Smoking services or QUIT. There’s plenty of info here:
http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/healthyliving/smokingandtobacco/givingup/

Your GP will have lots of information to help you stop smoking, and can put you in touch with the NHS services to help.

Good luck!

Kat

I have read these testimonies and I am very impressed! I desperately want to give up! I have been smoking since I was about 14 and I’m now 37. I really need to know where I can get professional help and support, please help!

Darren.

Thanks everyone! And well done to all of you who’ve also managed to quit. Onwards and upwards.

Congrats Henry! I too also gave up just before the ban. It’s hard work but the ban is a fabulous thing. We just have to hold our breath as we walk into bars now, to avoid the smokers that are freezing outside!! ;-) keep up the good work!

Yes well done. Keep it up!

I agree with your point that the most harmful effect of 2nd hand smoke is stopping people giving up. As an ex-smoker myself, I have had exactly the same experience and love the smoking ban because of it. Smoking is predominantly a social habit (like alcohol) and the ban has gone a long way to marginalising smoking from the major social locations – pubs, bars, restaurants.

Congratulations ! When my boyfriend gave up smoking, he also gave up pubs for the good part of a year, because seeing other people smoking, especially when he’d had a drink or two, was too difficult to resist. And he’d probably agree that a year probably isn’t enough for you to start relaxing about being an ex-smoker but hopefully you have got out of the habits you had when you smoked.

Keep it up !