please help me stop smoking...

[scojos]

as some of you already know I have decided to stop smoking, primarily motivated by the money I can spend at wdw if I stop.
Can you all please tell me other reasons I should stop, I just want a little moral support, and anyone who would like to stop with me is welcome to join in, I hope I can count on your support
thanks
tracy
ps 1st day without cigarettes, its 12.51 and i haven t killed anyone yet...

 

[Goofyish]

Pros for giving up smoking:

You will be healthier
You will have more spare money
Your clothes and hair will not stink of stale smoke
Your breath won't smell like an old ashtray
You won't have nicotine stains on your fingers and teeth
You will be able to taste food better
Your house won't smell of smoke
Your walls in home won't go yellow and need decorating so often
Your car will smell fresher and won't have nicotine stains on the head lining, making it more sellable.
Your kid's health (if you have any) won't suffer from your second hand smoke
You won't get drug dependant cravings when forced to be without a cigarette for more than a few hours (flights etc.)
You won't be seen as a lepper to non-smokers

Pros for not giving up:

??

 

[carolfoy]

Whilst I agree with Tims comments I think you really have to study yourself to know when to give up, is there a particular cig of the day you'll find hardest to go without? is it for instance the first one of the morning? once you've identified that one change your routine so that its not an option to have it. If its the one after a meal you really crave then suck on a mint or sweet straight after a meal to get rid of the immediate craving. If you smoke more when you're drinking then give up the drink for a bit to make it easier on yourself. once the initial feeling of habit is broken you'll find it a lot easier, and the weight gain you may get from nibbling will be off set by the weight gain you'll not get from drinking.

 

[LVSWL]

The very best reason, to live, to be here with your family as long as possible. None of us know when our time will come, but to chose to shorten the time we have with those we love is something I would rather not do.

 

[Cyrano]

Best two pieces of advice I was given

Remove yourself from smoking situations. Don't join your friends in the smoking area, get them to join you in non-smoking.
Whenever you have a craving then reach for kiwi fruit/satsuma as the vitamin C supposedly breaks down the nicitine in your system.

 

[gilld]

scojos,

As part of my job I conduct Spirometry tests on patients - most of whom smoke. The test shows up the lung damage caused through smoking - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Many of the patients I see are struggling to breath into the machine - their lung capacity is sometimes as low as 15-20% of what it should be given their age and height - lots of them end up on Oxygen at home - and still they go straight out and light up. Some of the patients have lived with smokers and they have been affected too.

PLEASE give up now - your surgery will almost certainly have a Stop Smoking Clinic and they will support you. You will be doing the single most beneficial thing you can do healthwise - for you and your family.

 

[Deedee]

Good luck to you Tracy. My dad was a 60 a day smoker and he gave up by having a shock he was in hospital with suspected thrombosis, while he was in there he watched a man die of lung cancer and he has never had one from that day to this. What i am trying to say is if he can do it anyone can.

 

[Clare D]

As a non smoker your children are less likely to smoke.

I agree with all of the comments here. My FIL died in May 04 of lung cancer and it was a terrible thing to see. My grandad who passed away a couple of weeks ago (aged 85) in later life had all sorts of health problems caused by smoking which resulted in him having his leg amputated.
Good luck and let us know how you are getting on - ps on the subjeCt I think the icon with the glasses on and the cigarette in his mouth should be deleted - IMO

 

[scojos]

thanks arent you all fab
i have got through my first day without nicotine, it has been 25hours since my last cigarette...
you re all right, i am using replacement therapy, but had cut right done, so not using much replacement...
hardest thing was driving home after long afternoon and not lighting, or stopping, for cigarettes...
just get through tonight, and tomorrow will be easier, one day at a time, goofyish, are u an ex smoker by any chance???
nicotine free tracy xx

 

[carolfoy]

keep going Tracy and good luck, you'll get there but do try to take it one day at a time. You've already recognised that the trip home from work is a sore point so now you've done that you'll get through it again tomorrow.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

The recent 'not smoking in pubs' issue says it all really, anything you can do to give up would benefit in so many ways.

 

[wils]

Well Done so far - keep up the good work!

 

[gilld]

Well done on your first day. One thing, use the correct dose of patch/gum/whatever for your smoking habit. If you try and cut that down too quickly you're much more likely to relapse. Better to do it exactly as recommended.

If you want to, come on here each day and tell us how you're doing.

 

[Claddagh]

What about this for a reason? (scroll to the bottom of the page)
I wish you all the best and hope you succeed.


http://www.presmark.com/htmlfile/pictures.htm

 

[Miffy2003]

Different motivation methods work for different people I think.

Support and help will work for some people.

Scare tactics may work for others but personally I'm not sure these are always terribly helpful. The key has to be that the smoker wants to give up in the first place and is ready and mentally prepared to do so.

I support the ban in pubs but I wish there was a way to also curb excessive alcohol consumption which in a small minority can cause problems. Note I say a small minority, in the same way that I suspect most smokers are also not inconsiderate (breathing smoke in others' faces etc).

The very best of luck to you scojos

 

[Richard Bruvofetc]

My father was a smoker all his life except the final 2 years.

He tried desperately to give up in the 70's.
He went to clinics.

They all failed.

He couldn't walk up inclines without stopping to catch his breath.

He got Emphysema in the 80's.

He still couldn't give up.

He became housebound.
My mother removed all the cigarettes from the house in January 1984.
He didn't get any better.
18th January 1986 he died. Aged 65 years 4 months 1 day

Not much of a happy retirement.

How ever you do it, I wish you the best of luck and hope all your friends and family give you all the support you need.

 

[Laurafoster]

I second that, i saw someone close to me die of lung cancer caused by smoking (although this was from passive smoking as she never smoked in her life!!) and it was awful!

If you need anything give us a shout, there will always be someone here to help!

 

[Tink78]

Well done on your 1st day.
I hope you are keeping up the good work.

There's not much I can say that hasn't been said, so just keep it up.
You will feel so much better and so proud of yourself if you do this.

Well done.

 

[Minniespal]

Congrats on your first day.

Good Luck

 

[carolfoy]

and keep posting scojos, start your own ciggie thread like the W.I.S.H journals so everytime you crave post to say how you feel.