My Quitting Smoking Story & How It Can Work For You

by gregwake

My Quitting Smoking Story & How It Can Work For You

I have been smoking since the age of 15, that was 14 years ago, from around the age of 19 I have been trying to quit the 20 a day habit. I can tell you now that I have tried pretty much every method of a way to quit smoking, the longest I have ever gone without a cigarette is 7 months.  But since starting on the electronic cigarette I don’t have the need to quit, sounds ironic I know but it is doing no harm to me so I can at least enjoy them.  For more information on them visit Smoking Electronic Cigarettes.

Here is a list of what Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) or method I have tried and the approx length of time I quit with them:

1. Gum – Used to take these quite a lot on different occasions and with other NRT such as patches. Quit smoking for around a month on these alone.

2. Lozenges – Did not quit smoking at all on these.

3. Patches – Have spent hundreds of pounds on these and have used well over £1000 of tax payers money getting these from quit smoking clinics. One year I managed to finish the 12 week course (without a single cigarette) and stayed nicotine free for another 4 months. Have to say though, every so often I thought of a cigarette and soon went back, thought I did a good job of quitting smoking though.

4. Inhaler – Just over a month I quit with these, I remember the doctor giving me these along side a course of full strength patches, which did not seem logical to me, my nicotine levels were up to my eye balls but in the end I still reached for that cigarette, and it made me feel very ill. Still I did not quit smoking though.

5. Hypnotherapy – This is one of the best methods I have tried, I booked myself to see someone on New Years Eve, as that was the only time I could, and afterwards I felt no different, all I kept thinking about was if I needed a cigarette? I ended up going out for the evening and I did not feel like a cigarette, even after a couple of drinks, ok maybe a few… I went through the night not wanting a cigarette at all. But 3 months went by and I ended up thinking of smoking again. One drag was all it took. Back on it full time. Have tried hypnotherapy twice since then and had no effect on me at all.

6. Books – I read the Allen Carr’s Easy Way To Quit Smoking, I was quite amazed with this book as I did actually quit smoking after finishing the book, but only for 3 months. I still give the guy (who sadly passed away) credit for writing this really good book. In the end I though I still did not quit smoking.

7. Clinics – This is the clinic version of the Easy Way to Quit Smoking, I paid £120 for their time, managed to quit smoking for a measly 3 days. Went to a couple more free sessions to give it another go, sadly did not work for me.

8. Audio Hypnotherapy – Lost count the amount of times I went to bed listening to these to actually think I will wake up a non smoker.

9. Pills – I recommend not to take these, Champex and Zyban. These have severe side effects which vary from mild headaches to even having fits. Basically all these do is switch your nicotine receptor cells in your brain OFF, so you do not feel like a cigarette, but as soon as you stop taking them your receptor cells are back online. Did not quit smoking on these as I stopped taking them after a week from sleep deprivation and constant cold sweats.

10. Cold turkey – I lasted the same amount of time it took me to get to shops to buy a pack of smokes or to politely ask someone at work.

So there you have it that is approximately 10 years of my life trying to quit smoking, sounds very sad when I actually think about it. I find myself strong willed but somewhere deep inside me I really do actually enjoy smoking, otherwise I would not go back.

This is where the electronic cigarette has actually given me complete freedom, I no longer have the feeling and pressure of trying to quit smoking. A doctor once told me that the nicotine receptor cells in your brain are there forever, 20 years can go by and if I had 1 drag of a cigarette I would be hooked again. After 10 years of constant pressure on myself of quitting I can safely say that all I will be smoking from now on is the electronic cigarette. It gives me the exact sensation of smoking tobacco i.e. blowing smoke (vapour) and when I am out socialising I can still smoke with other smokers. It did feel strange at first and slightly embarrassing but has been a great conversation starter as not many people have even seen or heard of these devices. I will be sticking to these for a very long time.

If you are interested in quitting smoking tobacco visit my web site Smoking Electronic Cigarettes. for more information.

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