Today I....

gave up the fags 3 years ago,i used the plastic fag and patches but also through the gp qwit clinic whitch really helped.best of luck and try not to put on as mutch weight as i did

cheers

might be able to find gear that fits me then!

I gave up five years ago this coming Jan.. One of the best things I ever did and I, like you, was 20-25 a day for 25 years..Please don't think I'm one of these convert Hard line anti smokers..If a person wants to smoke let them smoke.. I just wanted to still be around to see my kids get married.. Also when you get to mid 40's and you start going to friends funerals you think about your own mortality..

The two things that helped me (well three, but the third comes much later) was say to yourself your a smoker and you always will be, but you just won't smoke cigs.. If you get desperate or your out for the night, have a cigar.. You don't inhale, they cost a fortune which means you don't buy many, and one will give you that fix for the night without you buying a pack of twenty which you will always go on to smoke.. It becomes a sort of crutch and doesn't make the task (or thought) of giving up all at once unthinkable as you still have a fall back.
The second thing I found was that the really strong cravings only last about two weeks ( a bitch of a time, but you have that "desperation cigar" to fall back on) after that its the habit more than the nicotine (why do you think an addiction is called a habit) that you crave... If you use the patches you are simply still putting nicotine in your blood stream, so to me its not really breaking that initial craving..
It's the fact you would normally have one, if for example.. When you are in the car or have one when your mate has one or one after a meal or a sneaky one which kills five minutes or the real killer"to be sociable when others go out for one"..
This has been your routine and this is the real habit you have to break.. Remember addiction=habit and vice versa..
I believe Ramix you are a Butcher and Jimbo, from memory and see you rustle a burger at Worthing, you are a chef... Well think about the time you are at work and can't smoke it doesn't bother you until you know you are allowed to smoke ie break times.. You have conditioned your mind to crave a cig at 'certain' times.. If nicotine was really that addictive how come your body doesn't wake you up every hour on the hour each night craving the rush..
What I found was that a lot of the time it was simply something to do with your hands, quite bizarre really..
That's where plastic cig's come into play.. And they do work for some.. I personally found it was easier with the real thing.. It may sound mad but I still had the pack of Marlboro lights, they feel the same smell the same (lets face it they are the same)but you just don't light them..It's no where near as hard as you might think.. And a pack will last you a week rather than a day..
After a couple of months the need to even hold one starts to wane and you are re-training/conditioning your mind to crave one when your desperate.. After six months you start to realise several things:

1, You don't really even fancy a cigarette or cigar (But the cigar option is always there)
2. You have saved a fortune.. God knows what a pack of 20 costs these days.
3. You are not an out cast that has to go out side to feed a habit. You will drive past groups of people outside a pub or office in the middle of winter shivering their tits off and think did I really do that.
4. You notice the smell of smoking much more, especially on your clothes when you come in from a party and think have I smelled like that for the past 25 years.
5. Your wife and your kids like cuddling you more.
Christ the list goes on and on..
I smoked for 25 years and didn't give up because I enjoyed smoking.. It gave me pleasure.
The real trick to giving up smoking is when you realise you are giving up because YOU want to give up not just because you feel you should or the wife thinks you should or it costs to much.. All valid reasons, but you need to find that one reason that will see you through it..
I was nearly 40 when we had our youngest.. I really want to be around to enjoy retirement, see the youngest get married and have kids.. That was mine.
The "CDFW" method of giving up, may sound like bollocks to some, buy heh, we are all different and it worked for me..
Good luck guys.. It really does just boil down to will power, but these tricks worked for me and maybe they will for you, or you may just find your own.. As they say "suck it and see" but just don't light it..
Regards Chris.
P.S. That third point I mentioned at the start, is the way your clothes stink after a night at a party.. When you Guys see it through, and I'm sure you will, tell me if I'm wrong

thats excellent advice chaps thank you

" I just wanted to still be around to see my kids get married.. Also when you get to mid 40's and you start going to friends funerals you think about your own mortality.."

so true, its one of the many reasons I want to stop smoking

I have a few friends that have tried them champix tablets from the Docs, 2 - 4 week course, they swear by em
will probably get these

Well I'm on day four of not smoking and today was a struggle I will admit. I got stressed with some airsofters and was at the range which is where a lot of smokers are, and a lot of my mates are still smoking. However I'm doing the stubborn thing now, I wont bloody smoke just to prove (to myself as much as anybody) that I can do it. Im on the patches and lozenges and I've got one of those E cigarettes, so got all the help I can get, but like they all say it's the will power that does it at the end of the day.
Oh and I'm also in the super league of grumpy ba###rds now

The first two weeks are the hardest.. But at the end of the day it really does boil down to will power.. However if you are not, in yourself, ready to give up.. Will power does not come in to the equation. Because it isn't will power,its just a thought..if that makes sense..
Just keep telling yourself you are worth more..
Basically stop putting the killing sticks in your mouth..
Chris..

mmmmmmmmmmm need to let my boss know I'm packing in smoking , just to cover me for the mood swings

I'm on week 10 of quitting smoking and have been using "Nicocig" electronic cigarettes as an aid. I have not felt the urge to smoke a "real" cigarette at all, after being a smoker for 27 years. I'm saving a fortune into the bargain as well! It's allowed me to start a new fitness regime, to the point where I am running 3 miles in under 20 minutes for the first time in years. Having given up takeaways and the 8 cans of Stella a night habit too, I've lost almost 2 stone and feel (and look!) much healthier than I did previously. Good luck to all who are giving up the fags at this point!

Yeah, good stuff lads.

I mean each to their own but it always seemed bloody expensive for not much return to me.... but after having a bit of a drinking problem a few years back i know how hard it is to quit something thats a really big part of your social life. Equally coming off long term morphine use after my spinal surgery wasnt much fun either so i can sympathise.

Anyway, good luck with it and dont beat yourself up if you relapse a bit... wanting to quit is the real key.

My missus had been meaning to give up for ages after smoking for years and with me being a non smoker she said it was a good reason to give up but in reality she wanted to anyway and I think you just cant do it unless *you* want to.

well done Sgt. Heide

and thanks for the support Gadge, making me more determined to kick the habit now with some help

D-Day is Wednesday 4th january and counting

Like Gadge , I developed a bit of a drink problem a couple of years ago so I decided to give up booze for a year.. Its easy to replace one addiction for another...
If you think giving up cigs is hard, try xmas to xmas without drink... At parties people say" well done" then treat you like a freak... I ran 2miles each day and really watched what I was eating and I lost 27lbs in 28 days.. I felt great..
Luckily I've kept most of it off and I am now the same weight I was at 25.. Basically what I am saying, like Heide ,is if you really put you mind to it you can do anything...
Regards Chris..

Rough isnt it?

Before I had spinal surgery i cut out alcohol, caffeine, overly processsed foods, sugar and chocolate from my diet and while it was a complete bitch at first it did make me incredibly healthy and meant i recovered very quickly. The worst bit though was being at house parties and social events as i do tend to rely on having a drink and when it gets to about 1am and everyone is hammered but you it starts to be a bit annoying.

I've stopped drinking as much (and sometimes at all) at pre game socials too as it just dehydrates me, makes the back pain loads worse and I just dont enjoy the next day. The events where i have laid of drinkng completely i've had loads more fun at and can move about more.

I'm not adovcating being a puritan or anything but It's just taken me about 20 years to realise i dont *have* to get hammered for the sake of it

on the plus side, I rarely have a drink, dont really go out that often
maybe have the odd tinny in the house and thats about it mind you the price of drink over here in the pubs is bloody shocking compared to the rest of the UK £3.25 for a pint of carlsberg!
I should really cut down on my caffeine intake as well maybe switch the de-caff
also a bit more exercise wouldn't go a miss

Bloody hell at this rate we'll all be going to church on Sundays too

Bloody hell at this rate we'll all be going to church on Sundays too

Bloody hell at this rate we'll all be going to church on Sundays too

Oh yeah...

Bloody hell at this rate we'll all be going to church on Sundays too

What are you telling me You Don`t!!!!

Remember thats why the Germans win "Gott mit uns" on their belt buckles

Bloody hell at this rate we'll all be going to church on Sundays too

Hell yes... Haven't you heard the phrase.. "on your knees or pay the fee's"

They do with thick socks on, thanks once again. A good coat of dubbin is next on the list for them.

I bloody love my jackboots, so comfy.

If it wasnt for the fact they make you look like a total neo nazi i'd wear them all the time, i do take advantage of the fact they dont look weird with biker leathers so i can wear em to rock nights and that in foul weather i can use them as wellies and again no one notices...

They are post war ones with a rubber covered leather sole rather than hobs but even so the heel horseshoe still makes a noise, only down side to em.