It was rather gradual for me... although I have a memory of having a single puff from a cigarette when I was still in primary school. So must have been around 11-12.

I got a taste for tobacco first because I used to use it for joints. It was very rarely I ever had a cigarette though. But certainly I was 16 when I first started using tobacco. (in one way or another. )

Over the years, I just smoked socially. At school, maybe the occasional cigarette or two at certain parties. Then after that I really didn't smoke very much.

However, my best friend was a smoker & eventually whenever I met up with him I'd just smoke as many as he was, then forget about it until I saw him again. I did take up smoking for 1 summer, but the second I started wanting a cigarette first thing in the morning I quit just like that.

I smoked a bit whilst writing my dissertation at Uni. Maybe a little here & there after but wasn't a regular smoker.

It wasn't until my illness came about that I got addicted.

It's all about mind set.

A lot of kudos for you for managing cold turkey before & going that route again. I know it'd take years of hating smoking for me to get the strength to do that.

I find NRT easier since you can break the association with cigarettes themselves, and deal with the addiction by itself.

If you haven't read it, I highly recommend "Easy Way to Stop Smoking" by Allen Carr.

Really helps to understand the "brain washing" element to why we think cigarettes are enjoyable as well as the fact that you aren't giving up anything.

It's mostly a psychological battle. I'm sure everyone who has quit smoking before can appreciate the physical withdrawals aren't that bad.

I mentioned it before, but the final straw for me was realising that I had been trying to give up for a whole year unsuccessfully. The thought of "trying to give up" for another year filled me with dread.

Been plain sailing since then, although I'm not getting complacent.