Giving up smoking is it really that important

[billy27]

Okay I know it is, I've done it before then I started again stupidly it's been 5 years now. I've smoked since I was 17 I'm now 26 I can't afford to smoke, it stinks disgustingly and I hate being judged for smoking out and about.
I am scared of giving up and the low mood that comes, I'm scared that I might get depression as I read that's a symptom to expect when giving up? Please tell me stories of how you gave up and the benefits you've felt since. I do suffer with anxiety sometimes so I think I'm worried incase it gets worse and I can't cope etc.

At the risk of sounding sanctimonious, can I just jump in as a non smoker?

Please stop Smoking at bus stops etc - it puts others at risk as well as yourself.

When I had my first baby the midwives told me I had a "smokers placenta" which was the result of standing at a smoky bus stop twice a day to/from work.

I now have severe asthma (not smoking related) and have had asthma attacks as a result of people smoking at bus stops. I could die from an asthma attack, and I've been hospitalised from them in the past.

I cannot tell you how upsetting it is to have my life out at risk because of other people's choices.

My friend's dad just died of lung cancer, the funeral is Monday, his sons are in their twenties and thirties, his youngest grandchild is under two, he was only diagnosed a matter of weeks before he died. He smoked. Give up now.

Hi, I don’t have time to rtft, but the issue of increased mental health issues following a smoking quit kept me hooked for longer than I needed to be. The most helpful approach for me was combination therapy. I used patches and an inhalator, which took until the end of the first day to get to grips with, but then it was done. I had tried to quit numerous times, but this really was the answer for me. Keep persevering everyone. I have just used what I would have spent in 2 months to buy a new suite, curtains and a flat screen television 👏

Hi OP.

No judgement at all, but my mum is dying from lung cancer before retirement age. She smoked for about 20 years then quit - it wasnt enough. Look yourself and stop smoking, if you possibly can.

I recently lost a wonderful work colleague who had only just turned 50 to lung cancer due to smoking. She was diagnosed only a few weeks before she died.
A lung cancer death is a particularly horrible death.
Not just lung cancer but trust me there is a life of misery involved in developing smoking related diseases such as COPD. There is also the very real possibility of developing early heart disease or having a stroke.
These things are not just things that health professionals tell you to scare you, they are facts. I used to smoke and stopped in my late 20's, it's hard but it's about breaking the habit more than anything else. Good luck, I really hope you manage to do it.

Can I suggest you stop calling them 'ciggies' as that makes them sound like fun friends. Instead call them cancer sticks. Both in your mind and out loud. Also, don't think that you may get cancer. Assume that you definitely will. That it will be a long, slow painful death where you feel like you're drowning constantly and need anti-anxiety meditation to help with the panic attacks of not being able to breathe. You will die 15-20 years earlier than you would if you stop. Take all this as a given. Can you tell I lost both parents when they were youngish and happy? Struck down by lung cancer when they should have been enjoying retirement.

@billy27 how is it going? I'm sat outside my second shop of the morning trying to resist the urge. My plan was to do the Allan Carr book, I've had it at home for a while. This thread made me just say sod it, I'll do it now and now I'm wavering

Trying to convince myself it's ok to buy one pack to have while I read the book. In reality it's going to take me 2 days to read. By then the craving could've passed. I'm grumpy and annoyed!

Also, do you really want to give money to cigarette companies?

They know they sell a product that will some (many?) of the people that use it but they continue to try and find new markets. How they advertise and operate in the UK is strictly controlled but that's not he case in other countries.

It's a truly disgusting immoral trade. I would hate the thought that I was contributing to it.

Kill*

They know they sell a product that will kill

OP you spend £252 per month.

Forget the health benefits for a moment - you've been smoking on and off for 9 years, that's £25k up in smoke. Twenty five thousand pounds. If you were handed a cheque for that tomorrow, what difference would that make to you?

My mum gave up smoking on the day of life changing surgery for cancer (apparently a previous heart attack wasn't serious enough for her to quit over). We worked out that in her 50 years of 20 a day (at today's prices) she could have bought my house outright. A whole house. But instead she chose fags over everything - we had a properly shit car, no holidays, cheap clothes, never went out as kids, she survives on a state pension and has to count every single penny.

Put the £252 in a jar every month. See it add up. Your future self and your family will thank you.

The fear of change is overwhelming. How stupid am I poisoning my body daily.

It's a funny one. I know the extreme cases, good friend with a young family died if lung cancer, never smoked. My ninety year old uncle smokes 40 a day and fit as a fiddle. If you really want to lots of help available. If not just hope you're one of the lucky ones.

Yes it's very important to give up. I did 3 years ago at 38. In all honestly my issues with anxiety improved (and actually stopped) after giving up smoking. It's like it irritated something in me. Who knows what. Anyway it only took a few days until I felt better from the cravings part. I didn't drink for about 4 months as I knew I would slip back but after those 4 months I was out of the habit and was able to drink again and not want to smoke.

Can not recommend Allen Carr 'the easy way to quit smoking' I felt like a switch had been flicked and I've never battled with it! It was really a line in the sand and never looked back. 7 years for me and it's such a relief

Yes it is important, as loads of people die of COPD, cancer etc. My grandparents and their friend all died of smoking related illnesses- their friend didn't smoke but was always round their house. My bestie/ex's mum also died of lung cancer.

One of my dearest friends has COPD and has been told she only has a year or two to live. She's still smoking, so they won't give her the oxygen cylinder.

Best wishes with giving up. I gave up and started again a few times, before finally giving up years ago. I smoked 40 a day. 'Used the patches and gum- there are more options now. Don't give up giving up'- if you find you have a fag, just get back on the wagon.

I didn't have depression or anxiety as a result, even though I have a history of them.

If you're still struggling with anxiety, please go back to your GP so he can try something new- there are loads of things they can try. Having your anxiety treated more successfully might well make it more likely that you won't go back to cigarettes.

Well done and good luck xxx

I don't smoke, so have no idea as to how hard it is to give up.

But clearly the bad breath and clothes smelling of smoke issue, along with yellow teeth not to mention literally burning your money has all had little or no effect to make you consider stopping for good.

Not to worry OP, the good news is, if you're lucky (and I think you will be) you'll end the final 3-5yrs of your life hooked up permanently to a full size oxygen tank, equipped with several metres of air line connecting said tank to a mask that you can wear whilst watching TV, cooking, Ironing, bathing, eating (that's quite difficult) basically whatever you choose within the confines of your house. The bonus is that you can go out with a little portable tank, this godsend will help you keep your social life active (I think you get 2-3hrs of freedom with those - yay)

Sadly, as grand as these marvellous things are, eventually your lungs will simply fail and as you stand/lie there realising that air simply will not inflate your lungs and that you are in effect suffocating to death, use the moment to reflect upon the pleasure that those cigarettes brought you over the years.
I think we both agree its not such a big price to pay for the enjoyment of a cigarette.

Sadly for me, I witnessed the above first hand - Horrific doesn't even begin to describe it.

Once you’ve decided to do it, just do it, no fannying about like ‘I’ll buy a box just to have/I’ll just have ONE’ no, something needs to change in your head and once that happens, you’ll do it. Find something else to do that’s not your routine of going out for one, and something to do with your hands that isn’t ravaging your nails or stuffing buns in your mouth. I vape, with no nicotine, I’m no longer stinking or burning a days wages each week. Find what changes your own mind-the prospect of slowly dying in terror unable to breathe/years of cancer treatments/burning your money/being disgustingly stinking and damaging everyone around you, anything. The prospect is worse than the reality, find something else to do for the first week make a new routine.

I gave up at 27 (started at 21) and still worry that I’ve done permanent damage. I always lose my voice when I get a cold and the viral mucus takes ages to clear (months even). Anyone know the chances of getting lung cancer when you haven’t smoked for 20 years?

Re giving up, just got to do it and feel the pain (slightly psychotic and spaced out for 2 days then not too bad thereafter). It’s totally worth it.

Remember lung cancer isn't the only cancer you're at risk of. I lost my uncle this may to throat cancer, which appeared three decades after he quit smoking. Apparently it was the smoking + drinking combo that did it.
Afraid of hospitals as he was, we only found out about the cancer when he literally fainted because the cancer got so big my uncle couldn't even drink water. It was a downright spiral from the diagnosis and he passed months later at 62.

Good luck at quitting (and like a pp said, you'll also be helping others like me, who cannot get close to cigarette smoke without having my throat close up).

I loved smoking. Had no intention to stop.

Had a nasty bug (felt too ill to smoke) so decided to finally read the Allen Carr book I'd bought years before.

I'm 8.5 years a non smoker. I've never had a single craving or urge to smoke. That book was a game changer!!

I quit cold turkey 150 days ago and I’ve put on 15kgs in weight, feel nervous and anxious all the time, am miserable and have been constantly sick since I stopped smoking.

I spend every day wishing I was still smoking but I can’t afford it and have to prioritise other things. If I do t start feeling better soon I’m going to start smoking again and find the money from somewhere.

I recently read a thread on a cancer forum full of posts by lung cancer sufferers and their family members. 90% Primary lung cancers affect smokers. There was a recurring theme on the forum of regret at having smoked and the family members of those that had smoked and then were dying of lung cancer expressed huge regret and anger at not being able to get their family members to stop smoking and at the smokers for having smoked. You are more likely to get nearly every type of cancer if you carry on smoking and that won't necessarily be at 70, it could 35/40.

It's an addiction and will take strength but if you give up before 30 you have a chance of suffering no long term damage from smoking.

Here's my story OP:
Smoked from 21 to 30, got really addicted, smoked a full pack a day.
Went to the Allan Carr clinic in London when I was 30 and stopped there and then. Best thing I ever did.
I didn't get depressed I was euphoric!
When I was a smoker I used to come home from work and lie on the sofa I was so exhausted (young woman in my 20's with an office job and no kids).
Within a few days of stopping I had the most incredible energy.
Allan Carr encourages you to visualise the craving as the nicotine monster within you wanting to be fed to keep itself alive. Deep breathing helps and with every clean breath imagine that monster dying.
That was 21 years ago for me OP. You can do this!

I know how you feel! I gave it up after years and was smoke free for over 5 years. Then started stupidly again
I smoked again for about 2 years, but not as bad as before. The first time i went through half a pack a day, more when out on weekends. Second time around it was more casual. Sometimes just socially, but when i bought my own then i fi ished the pack in about 5 days. Then i would go without again for a week or so. I also didnt want my kids to see it, so i was a bit restricted.
I quit again about 2 years ago or so and im not gonna lie, it was hard. I was so moody and felt so stressed all the time.
But i think once i was over the initial withdrawl i was much calmer. With the kids especially. As a smoker i always seemed on edge. I didnt notice it back then but now looking back i was actually way more stressed when i smoked (except right after having a cigarette! Then i felt very calm and relaxed).
Im more fit. Im a runner and i can feel a huge difference. I was still ok with running even while smoking, because i was used to it. And i kept up with my non smoking friends, so i never saw a problem. It wasnt until a couple weeks after i gave it up that i could feel the difference!
What worked for me was that i took it step by step. Everytime i passed a store i had to consciously make the decision not to buy it. Everytime i was offered i had to make the decision not to take any.
But yes, it sucks and it sucks for a long time. Even after a few weeks, when i was offered i would really want to say yes!

OP just imagine what you could do with £252 a month! That's some amazing holidays, or savings, or clothes, or anything you like.