Non-Smokers Unite!
This is my first smoke-free day since I started back 19 years ago when I was 14 years old. I've been smoking up to 3 packs a day during most of this time. I haven't bitten anyone's head off or gone through major mental issues involving meat cleavers and fuzzy socks yet. Of course, given a couple days and I just may! I hear that the first week is raw hades. At this moment, I'm concentrating on a huge bag of hard peppermint candies (60 calories per 1 candy) and trying to, at least, maintain my current weight. I'll work on losing later. If I'm strong enough, I might actually continue to lose through this process!
At any rate, let's hear your quit stories!
Good for you! I'm sure you know this but you'll feel so much better. As a former smoker myself, I am so happy to be done with that. Every now and then, I'll crave it but I have a feeling if I take just one drag, I might not stop.
I'm guessing you have a couple of kids, given your screen name. I gotta tell you, my Dad smokes and I constantly worry about his health now and what could happen years from now. It's a horrible picture....his dad went that way and he watched him die. But he still "can't" quit. Anyway, your kids will be so grateful because they won't have to watch you ever get sick like that.
Good luck with your quest. Congrats on having the brains to make such a good decision. It's not easy but it can be done and you can do it.
Hmmm, it was a long time ago that I quit. I actually smoked a pack a day when I was 14. You must have been a 'bad-girl' like I was! I quit after a couple of years because I developed a life-threatening case of asthma. So I cannot offer you any advice on how to refrain from smoking. I do not advise a life-threatening condition, however, if you keep on smoking, that is most certainly a life-threatening habit.
What I can tell you is my perspective, as a non-smoker, and being 39, so I pretty much consider myself a non-smoker. 2 years is not long to smoke in light of 39. I commend anyone for quitting after 19 years. I hope you can do it. It will be one of the best things you can ever do for yourself and those who love you and who spend time around you. So anyway, I can tell you about my perspective on smoking and cigarettes. Maybe it will be at least some food for thought about how non-smokers think and feel about it.
It stinks. I mean, really. When you are on the filter-end of the thing, you can't really tell. Not only does it deaden your sense of smell and taste but you are used to it. Non-smokers are not. To a non-smoker, a smoking section in a restaurant is the equivalent of a urinating section of swimming pool. Rediculous. Its everywhere.
I will not eat in a restaurant where there is a smoking section. I rarely got to clubs or pubs where smoking is allowed. I will go outta my way to avoid them. Here's why - as I said I had asthma. Well, It recurred a few years ago for a while then it went away again. Whenever I inhale cigarette smoke, I wheeze, and badly. I once sat across a table from a GF who was smoking. We were having a drink. I was there for about an hour. The next day my throat was sore and I coughed for 3 days afterward! I am not kidding when I say its a health-hazard. True, some non-smokers appear snobby and self-righteously indignated about it, but some of them are 'quitting' and are trying to avoid temptation by demonizing it and smokers themselves. But some pf us truly have serious health reasons for not being around it. I cannot tell you how many times I have been talking with someone who fired-up in front of me and I had to excuse myself, seemingly quite rude, explaining that I have asthma. Most ppl are courteous about it, but I have missed out on a lot of concerts and fun stuff because people insist on polluting my breathing-air. I don;t have asthmatic response anymore, but I cannot stand the smell of cigarettes.
Ok, if you're still with me... kissing a smoker is like licking an ashtray. I have a friend who is a smoker. She was seeing this guy who is a non-smoker. She lied to him and told him she doesn't smoke. One night she and her new BF and my husband and I went out to eat together. She excused herself and I went with her. She went outside to smoke and said she just couldn't wait any longer. She sprayed Binaca and perfume and asked, "Do you think he'll know?" To which I replied, "Honey, he's always known!" You can go 3 hours w/o smoking a cigarette and its very smelly, still. Nothing gets rid of it. Everyone who doesn't smoke can smell it on you. Most ppl will be courteous about it. Your friends may not be honest with you, but I am here to tell ya, everyone knows if you smoke. No hiding it.
Insurance companies will charge you much more in premiums if you smoke. Some will outright refuse to insure you at all. You may even experience condescention from healthcae providers. I used to work for a couple of doctors. I know how they talk in the back rooms about patients who have little or no regard for thier own health. Most of them resent having them as patients at all.
At $5 a pack, you are not only throwing away $105/wk, $455/month and $5,460 a year, BUT, you are wagering that money that it won't kill you. You have a better chance of winning the lottery if you played only the money you saved in insurance premiums as a non-smoker.
I'm sure I don't have to list all the diseases associated with it. My Grandfather died from Emphysema. He was a wonderful man whom I love very much, but he smelled atrocious and smoked even while on oxygen!
Buying cigarettes, esp commercially-produced ones, contributes to one of the world's most destructive and corrupt businesses on the planet. Just the karma involved with the perversion of what was considered a sacred, ceremonial plant by the natives of this country, (I'm in the US), is enough to tether anyone who buys 'em to Gaia for several lifetimes. And that doesn't even begin to address the simple social impact the tobacco industry and its affiliated advertising companies do here without conscience. You pay those guys, you tie yourself and your personal karma to everyone affected by them.
All in all, smoking displays a blatant disregard for life, your own and that of everyone around you to whom you subject the vile emissions. I have often wondered why its socially-acceptable to smoke in most public places but its not acceptable to fart! If anyone asks my husband if he minds if they smoke, he says, "Do you mind if I fart?"
I hope I haven't offended. If I have, you may still harbor some reservations about refraining from smoking. I am probably the most honest person you'll ever encounter. I am telling you exactly like I see it. I hope I have spoiled your ability to ever smoke again. But perhaps that's a bit grandiose of me. Anyway, you asked. Maybe it wasn't the kind of 'support' you had in mind. But is it not supportive to discourage the behavior?
Anyway, good luck with that.
Good Luck momof2kd.
I found the first 4 days the hardest. After that it got allot better.
Congratulations on making a committment that will change the rest of your life.
Had an asthma attack, went to the hospital, and had enough of that shi*! It's amazing what the fear of death combined with a great amount of pain can do for someone.
My son's been on me for the past couple of years to quit. Since he studied about drugs in school, he's been telling me that I do drugs because I smoke! Which made me feel like crap because in all honesty, he's right. Then Friday, he came home and told me his teacher said his backpack smells like smoke and asked if his mother smokes. Gosh, I felt like the worse mom in the world.
Jan 9th, 2007 was my quit date.. I didn't smoke until 10 months later on my birthday, I was out drinking *sigh* I never smoked again up until about 6 months ago, I had a really rough start to the year and smoked a few times when I went out drinking, now, eff that.. Having an occasional cigarette when I was drinking is how I started smoking in the first place.. So, now I don't drink anymore, problem solved : )
Life in general as a non-smoker is so much better, I rarely even think about smoking even though my boyfriend smokes and UGH, he STINKS..
Once you get a couple days under your belt it gets a lot easier. When you try to talk yourself into having one you can think about how you have already made it this far.
Being able to breath is amazing don't give up. If you break down and give in quit again be relentless.
Also, who cares about the weight quitting will be a million times healthier than the 5 pounds you make gain getting you through the first week. With how much better you will breath, and how much money you will save from quitting, you can by a bike and drop 5 pounds in a couple weeks.
I quit 7&1/2 years ago and at the same time started exercising & lowering my calories. I was 230ish and lost 50 pounds along with the cold turkey quit. It is possible to keep control throughout this, but you must be determined to do so. My children also were taught that mom was doing drugs :( I have a journal about quitting smoking if you want to know more. Best wishes to you!
i quit smoking about 4 months... when i was smoking heavy it was like a pack every 2, 3 days... so i wasnt really much of a smoker... then once they passed the law that In Maryland you couldnt smoke in bars,i gave it up for good... I wasnt triggered to smoke n e more since no one was smoking around me.. I did gain a few pounds though... i heard that walking helps with the cravings and getting ur mind off of things.... i didnt really have any withdraws because being moody and wanting a cig every now and then..
I also had a life threatening incident. I have asthma and was having breathing problems for about 2 months. I landed myself in the hospital a couple of time during that all. I tried so hard to quit, I would go a few days and then crack and smoke again. I just couldn't do it, it is so hard. One day I couldn't find my inhaler and was having an asthma attack so I called an ambulance, I was so embarrassed I had to do that, and disappointed with myself for not being strong and quitting. When I was in the hospital I was told I had pneumonia. Then I pretty much don't remember the first week I was in the hospital because I was in a drug induced coma on life support. Crazy huh?, at 23 years old I was in a coma from a mix of asthma, pneumonia and smoking. It was the most difficult time in my life. I spend months recovering and working on being able to walk a block or two without having to stop for a rest. I gained 50+ pounds from not being able to move around (due to atrophy from being in a bed for 2 weeks with out moving) and being on steroids for my lungs. I still have that weight on me today, and joined CC to battle it. So far I have lost 6 pound.
This Thanksgiving it will be 6 years since I quit. Hard to believe but I smoked for 10 years (13-23), and I will never ever go back to it. I have not had a cigarette since the day before I landed myself in the hospital.
Obviously for me I had no choice and was in a hospital for 2 weeks and that helped me quit. It is well worth it and you should defiantly stay on this path. Good luck and chew on some tea tree oil toothpicks, they always help.
I started smoking after a stay in a mental hospital, and quit about a year and a half later when I started singing regularly again. I just sort of...stopped, no withdrawal or cravings or anything, probably because I hadn't done it very long.
Original Post by momof2kd:
My son's been on me for the past couple of years to quit. Since he studied about drugs in school, he's been telling me that I do drugs because I smoke! Which made me feel like crap because in all honesty, he's right. Then Friday, he came home and told me his teacher said his backpack smells like smoke and asked if his mother smokes. Gosh, I felt like the worse mom in the world.
Awww. Good luck with quitting.
I quit back in March of 2007. I haven't had a craving at all since. (I did it with Chantix).
However, regarding your comment about the teacher asking if you smoked because of the back pack smelling...
My daughter is in pre-k and one of her classmates shows up around the same time as her and I in the morning and I can smell it on that poor girl. Awww.
