Smoking. A lifetime addiction?

[PeteXXX]

I wasn't sure whether to post this in 'Personal' or not, but thought it might get more exposure here.
When I was in my late 20's, early 30's think, and fags went up to £1 for a pack of 20, (yep, they're about £8 for 19 now!) I gave up smoking. I was on 30 or more a day.
I'd tried the cutting down thing, ie I'll only smoke 20 today, but ended up 'borrowing' tomorrow's allowance.
To cut it short, eventually I went cold turkey. It was actually easier than I thought. The thought of not smoking was worse than not smoking! The worst part was containing the urge to snack. Continually!
Still, I succeeded. Never looked back.....

This evening, (Mrs Pete smokes, and I hate it, but, such is life) I saw her cigarettes on the ledge by the back door. (She only smokes outside, mainly in consideration for me, bless her)

Momentarily, for a split second, I thought... Could I? Should I? Why not... Just one!!

I didn't, and won't ever, but the devil on my shoulder was tempting me

 

[Shaun]

I haven't been tempted once since I quit 13 years ago. I couldn't go back to 30-40 cigs a day. In fact it was giving up smoking that lead to me restarting cycling (bought a BSO with the first month's cigarette money savings), and we all know where that ended up ...

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I have never thought about it since the day I gave up. I can remember 2 dreams where I was smoking/thinking about smoking. I woke up disgusted with myself.

 

[winjim]

Never think about it until someone mentions it...

 

[slowmotion]

Seven years ago, I bought my first road bike with the snout money I had saved up after stopping a few months previously. I think it was the right decision.

 

[TVC]

Been stopped 16 years, the thought of sticking a fag in my mouth is just rediculous. I read the Alan Carr book which dealt with smoking from the psychological angle and by the time I finished the book every desire to inhale leaf smoke had gone forever.

 

[rich p]

I woke up disgusted with myself.

I'm surprised you don't always do that...

 

[Andrew_P]

I'm surprised you don't always do that...

Not often that I Guffaw at my PC screen!!

 

[tyred]

Getting on for four years now since I stopped my thirty a day habit and 99.9765% of the time I hate smoking, hate being around smokers, hate the smell and the concept of breathing smoke into my lungs is alien yet there are still momentary occasions where I fancy a fag. Oddly enough it is often while cycling or hill walking when it happens as my favourite smokes where those when I stopped somewhere to sit and relax and admire a nice view after a bit of effort getting there. Since I'm generally alone in these situations and usually many miles from any shop it isn't very likely I'd be giving in and having one.

 

[PeteXXX]

I know I'll never succumb, but it was just that demon in my ear.... Go on.... do it!

 

[ColinJ]

I know I'll never succumb, but it was just that demon in my ear.... Go on.... do it!

I went cold turkey. I told myself that I had never really been a smoker, just somebody who indulged himself smoking 20+ a day. I decided that it was a silly indulgence and told myself to stop, so I did.

On the first anniversary of giving up, I decided that I would give the demon a chance. It took me another 2-3 years to give up for good after that ...

 

[PeteXXX]

My mum smoked two a year. One at Christmas, one at Easter. She never truly 'gave up', but I now admire her willpower!

 

[slowmotion]

I went cold turkey. I told myself that I had never really been a smoker, just somebody who indulged himself smoking 20+ a day. I decided that it was a silly indulgence and told myself to stop, so I did.

On the first anniversary of giving up, I decided that I would give the demon a chance. It took me another 2-3 years to give up for good after that ...

I did that several times over thirty five years

 

[tyred]

My mum smoked two a year. One at Christmas, one at Easter. She never truly 'gave up', but I now admire her willpower!

My mum's a bit like that. A packet of 20 probably lasts her about a year. I have no idea how it's possible. I am an all or nothing smoker.

 

[classic33]

Had worse than cigarette smoke gone in my lungs(Through work). Never smoked, not wanting to let anyone say that it(smoking) was the cause.

Fair play to those that have managed to give them up though. What did you spend what you saved on though?