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Give and get support around quitting

DONE48done
Member

Quitting again after a relapse and looking for support

Hi all!

i am a 48 yo man who has been somoking a pack a day for 2.5 years.  I had somoked for 15 years then quit for 10 years then relapsed. I am so ashamed and scared about this addiction.  I am convinced I have lung cancer and carry great guilt.  I have tried everything from medication, support groups, acupuncture, meditation.  I have a cough and can be short of breath.  It makes me feel gross.  I relapsed after my mother died and was very depressed.  I was back home and smoked a friend’s cigarette and I was off to the races.  

I decided this this morning that I just can’t live like this anymore.  Any words of support would be greatly appreciated.

thank you,

Jay

Tags (1)
23 Replies
Mandolinrain
Member

First of all  you have my sympathy for the loss of your Mother  I smoked after my Dad passed years ago and it took awhile before I was back trying again. 

Secondly, welcome to Ex. So much information on this site. 

My best advice is to dig in your heels, stay awhile. Train your brain on the WHY the addiction keeps attracting you. Your brain has these receptors that wake up every time you take a drag. Start to get familiar with your brain, this addiction.....Prepare for the craves, become wise on recognizing its pre-game so you can be left standing at the post-game. Read, journal, come here and blog.

We're on your side. Glad your here. Also...would not hurt to visit your Doctor for a physical. It may erase some fears your having about your health

karenjones
Member

Well, listen to what you are thinking.  Are you worried about cancer? good, you should be. I smoked since the age of 13, but started with my pack a day habit when I was 18, from the time of about 40 or 35 I started worrrying about the effects of smoking on my health.  God, it was a terrible worry, during that time of my smoking it went from people smoking in grocery stores, on busses and even in airplanes and restaurants, now it is illegal to smoke on the street in some municipalities and definitely you would get thrown in jail for smoking on a bus or a train. I couldn'[t smoke in a hotel room and even thought I was not supposed to smoke at work the last 10 years I worked there, I smoked. I had gum disease from smoking. And I believe that a cat of mine died from second hand smoke. I feel very badly about that.

During this time in my life, my father died, my sister died, my mother died.   In a way, this was a blessing for me. I had never known people who had died. At first I couldn't make any sense of the deaths of my relatives,  but after a while the deaths of my relatives spoke to me.  After a long time. I am pretty dense sometimes. And what the deaths of these people told me is, prepare for your own death now. 

I will just share a truth with you that most smokers ignore.  keep in mind that I am one of those smokers (an ex variety of smoker) you will quit smoking before you die.  You can either do it yourself, here now, and extend your life and live the rest of your life free from a serious addiction that is destroying your health. Or you can continue to ruin your health and pay richly for doing so, and let it make you unhappy, and continue to worry about your health constantly until you are finally in the hospital dying from smoking related illness and  DOCTORS AND NURSES WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO SMOKE IN HOSPITAL, NOBODY WILL ALLOW YOU TO SMOKE IN HOSPITAL.  So your choice, you can quit here , now, or you can carry on smoking until you have to go through withdrawal in a hospital bed.  A brand new life, or the same old same old addicted despair.  It is not easy to quit, but in some ways it is.  Imagine not having to worry about health problems from smoking, your body will forgive you and begin to heal almost immediately from the evils of tar and nicotine and the 7,000 other chemicals in tobacco. I think you will take this step in your life. You have to be a hero in your own life. To save your own life.  See you around this site.   Karen 7 months and a half of freedom

maryfreecig
Member

Welcome to Ex. Stay invested in your quit plans. Might seem daunting now, but with a little bit of learning about the addiction once a day and support from Ex you'll find your way to your quit.

bonniebee
Member

So many helpful  comments ! I will just say welcome you will have lots of support here !