January 18th 2010 - To smoke or not to smoke?!

Hi Caroline, good for you, tell her where to shove her patches, preferably still in the box with sharp edges.  Sounds like her attitude stinks, as often is the case with these saintly non smokers, makes me quake with anger.  The more you worry about giving up the weed , in my case, the more I smoke, so I no longer worry and as it happens am now smoking less as I go out in the yard to enjoy a fag, in all weathers.  Smokers are made to feel guilty, apparently we put a big strain on the NHS, but as you commented,how much does a fix of methadone or money towards booze cost the government?  I have been in the queue at the chemist and witnessed addicts going straight to the front of the queue, without hesitation, and not a word has been said by the assistant dealing with them, perhaps they are afraid of the reaction they will recieve should they repremand them.  I don't know this world has gone to the dogs, cats and any other animal you care to mention.  We have a dyslexic , one eyed clown for a prime minister, who, to many and me included, gives the impression that perhaps he has pushed his way to the front of the chemists queue.  This country is in recession, poor cancer suffers are n ot been supplied with the vital cancer drugs that they need to stay alive, but, yet again how many millions have been shipped out this time to another disaster, where was the help we needed recently with floods and knee deep in snow.  Many poor pensioners were trapped in their homes because they could not venture out due to the death trap icy pavements.  If money can be provided for aid abroad, then why not fro grit and salt for this country.  Yours Mrs Angry

Update - Smoking cessation nurse came.

She will give mum patches to continue to cut down but not me unless I set a quit date!  I told her just to sort out my mum and I'll sort myself out.  I eventually got her to admit it was a financial issue that meant people stopping smoking have to have done it and finished with patches etc in 16 weeks!  Unless you've got cancer then they'll let you continue to cut down or was that just because she felt under pressure from me to at least support my mum?!  Anyway we both said no one would force us to set a quit date we knew we weren't ready to keep.  I stopped a number of years ago for 5 years and I did it on my own.  When I'm ready I'll do it again.   In the mean time I will continue to keep the number I smoke to a minimum.

Hi Caroline

Before I even start, I will say I don't smoke and never have smoked (I'm not showing off, just warning you, just in case what I say, is a load of rubbish!)

It's just a couple of theories I have!

Giving up anything is difficult.  Being forced to give something up, makes it near impossible and probably doomed to fail.

I have always wondered why, when stressed, people who smoke always need a cigarette.  As a non smoker, I get stressed but obviously don't have that need.

I wondered whether it is all to do with the breathing (stay with me!)  When one smokes, one takes in deep breaths and breathes out slowly, thus slowing the heart rate and making one feel more relaxed.

So, I wondered whether it is possible to get the same release using breathing techniques.  As I say just a theory!

The other thing is - have you tried deciding a daily allowance of cigarettes.  Putting these to one side and then taking one when you want one.  Once the allowance has been used up, you can't have another until tomorrow.

With this, you may then think you wont have one yet, you'll save it 'til later, so you may find that you smoke less through the day, saving them up as a treat.

I know it's not the same, but I did this when I gave up sugar in my tea.  I allowed myself two cups of tea with sugar and all the others without, then one cup a day with sugar.

It was up to me whether I had the first, second, third etc with sugar.

By the end of a week I said that the last cup in the day was my one with sugar and before I knew where I was it had got to bed without having the cup with sugar.

I KNOW it is different to smoking, and please all the smokers out there don't have a go - I am just trying to put forward some ideas.

The cigarette then becomes a treat rather than a sin, if that makes sense?

I'm so glad your mum likes her new stair lift, I'm sure it will make such a difference for her.

Take care both of you.

Jo

Hi Celiswan

I firmly believe that people give up smoking or indeed any habit when the time is right for them and they want to do it for themselves, not because someone else says they have to, or rams healthy life style down their throat, or emotionally blackmails them into feeling guilty, all of these are counter productive and as you say add to the stress that encourages the addiction to flourish.  Apoint to remember is smoking and the profits via taxes have heavily subsidised the NHS for many years and in fact at one point in time the government was unsure of the future for the NHS should fewer people smoke! Celiswan, I believe where a lot of people go wrong and where breaking addictions fail is very complex and underestimated by all including the person themselves.  I think that one factor is the brick wall of 'never doing x again' is part of the issue, people that are mostly likely to suceed treat it as a 'not today x' and see it as a series of 'not today's' rather than never again.

in all honesty I think no amount of visitors for non smoking etc will ever influence a person to give up smoking because it's all pressure from outside rather than the personal commitment made by the person for that person and them alone.

I wish you well in this stressful time xxx

btw, I hope my comment does not come over as a sanctimonious claptrap as its from a non smoker but one that has lived with various smokers all of my life.

I was a smoker, not many 10 tops. I only have to remenber the pain during my lung biopsia to stop me from having one, dont take me wrong I would like one, but it is worthy?

One 8 year old daughter and a wonderful Husband are.