Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Quit smoking

Who of you smoked and stopped at some point? How did you manage it? Was it an abrupt end, or did you gradually reduce it? Were there any setbacks, is repeated stopping perhaps even part of the process for some people until you have completely made it?
If one smokes like I do for 43 years, it's healthy to stop totally?
Questions over questions. I am aware that no matter how I do it, it requires great discipline because I enjoy smoking very much. Especially in the evening with a beer or a drink. Or at lunchtime with an espresso (The other topic at the next table here in the pub).
Why should I stop at all? The answer may be quite simple, I think it's unhealthy and the clock is ticking.
This is the first time ever I make my smoking an issue in a public area, so this means I take it more seriously than before to try a change and sharing thoughts or experiences could help a bit.

I would like to add, and it is no joke, when I drive the Morgan, I have no desire to smoke at least for three hours before I make a stop, I never smoke inside cars. So the Mog is making a contribution to the right direction.

My wife smoked for many years, one day she decided to try stopping.

She went to a hypnotist, since that day she hasn't smoked.

No side effects (apart from increased appetite)

I stopped 20 years ago Heinz from 40 a day and the only way that worked for me was instant stop, your food taste is enhanced and keeping the weight off becomes a little bit of a struggle. Good Luck.

The major side effect is you become totally intolerant of anyone smoking around you in a public area

The best bit of news about giving up is that after seven years I was told your body is about back to normal which I found very encouraging.

Do you smoke? Only after intercourse.

Do you smoke after intercourse? I don't know I've never looked.

It’s easy to stop smoking, I’ve done it loads of times!

Seriously though, I’ve never smoked so I can’t give any personal advice. My wife did smoke but pretty much gave up instantly (though she did have a couple of occasions when she felt stressed and had a sly one). She says it was down to will power and after 9 years she doesn’t miss it or even understand why she used to smoke.

I think in your case Heinz you need to spend more time in the Mog ,

On a personal level I cannot contribute to the smoking part. I have given up bad foods, coffee and wine for six months to correct health issues and the best bit of advice I was given was -

If you think of it as "giving up smoking" you are reminding yourself constantly about smoking.
Think about it as testing my strength and will power. I have the will power to do something I choose to do.
This makes it about something good and focuses the mind.

Heinz, Hard to believe as I type this but I used to smoke circa 60 a day....Jeez..!!! I was in my early 20`s.

I did a great deal of driving back then, 60k miles in my busiest year, and one of my lungs developed a hole... rather painful as air got into places where air is not supposed to be... On a visit to the hospital, sitting in a corridor with other folk who seemed to try to hold on to every breath before exhaling and all making similar noises... There was a poor chap lying on a trolley wearing a mask with an oxygen bottle lying alongside, at least he was breathing normally.... listening to all these folk struggling with their breathing was driving me nuts.. I told the receptionist I needed to get out of there for a few minutes.... for a smoke..!!!

When in with the doctor I related my experience in the corridor, he told me that they were all there breathing that way as the result of smoking, and the chap with the oxygen bottle had come in for a simple operation his recovery complicated as the result of him being a smoker...!!!

Logically I decided to give up Smoking, I knew it would not be easy.... so set about altering my perception of the habit, by looking at the filthy mess it left behind, in ash trays and the roof lining in my car, on my fingers on my clothes which had the aroma of a smoker, the probable smell of my breath, the stain on my fingers..... Smoking is a FILTHY habit..?

At the time of stopping the cost implications were also considered... I ran an old car at the time, and worked out how much I spent on smoking per month, and took on credit to buy a more modern car, which I could not otherwise afford...Also having something solid to show for not smoking helped somewhat too..

Well it worked for me, I used Polo Mints as a substitute initially which helped me cut down drastically, but did my teeth no good whatsoever... until After a month or so I had stopped, though occasionally bought a pack and smoked one or two over a period of days till I cut it out all together....

I used to live in a block of flats, and one day I had run up the stairs, stopped at the door to find my key and felt strange.... I thought about it and the strange feeling was that I was not breathing heavily as I used to do when as a smoker I had run up the stairs..!!

I had friends one of whom was a medical professional and was on call out duties. While dining with them there was a phone call from the hospital with a request for the person in question to perform some sort of lab service.... the question was asked is the patient a smoker..? The answer given, the reply was that the task can wait till tomorrow when the friend would be on normal duty....!

There is a price to be paid for all our bad habits I am afraid, but then that is life is it not..?

Best of luck with your choices.

I stopped back in 2003 used to smoke 40-50 a day. I used to get bad cramp in my legs (bad circulation?) just had enough and stopped.
Put the money aside and 18 months later bought a brand new Kawasaki Z750

I stopped over 40 years ago, Heinz.
I am still a tobacco addict, and I know that if I ever had another smoke I would be back smoking again. I stopped by vowing to never have another, not a cigarette, a pipe, a rolly (Old Holborn and liquorice paper), a cigar, or anything,
and so far I have been able to resist, even when I was in Cuba, and had a cigar specially rolled for me.
I know it is a filthy habit, but I loved it.
Just stop. It does get easier over time.