Smoking

[Davison]

Ok, here it goes. I have been a smoker for about 13 yrs now, which is half my life considering im 26 yrs old now.

Recently, my best buddy's lung calapsed on him. I went to the hospital to see if he was doing alright and I spoke to the doctor about what happened and he said that when he came in, his lung was 50% calapsed and needed immediate surgery.

He put a tube in his lung and put him on oxygen. After a week in the hospital, he was doing fine and the doctor said that he was going to remove the tube because he no longer needed it . When the doctor removed it, it calapsed again, this time even worse. The doctor told him that emergency surgery was needed and when the surgery was finished, he said that he has emphasema and that his lungs are as bad as a 80 yr old smoker.

They had to cut part of his lung out and when it was all over, gave him about six months to a year to live. He is 28 and we both started smoking around the same time.

I have tried to quit many times and I cannot. I have tried everything and nothing seems to work. I am a very determined person and have always had a strong will to do what is right but even after seeing him like that , I still smoke. I even went outside at the hospital and had a smoke. I smoke alot. About two and a half packs a day . I can feel the effects from it and I can tell that it is getting bad.

So my question is, has anyone went threw the same thing that I am going through and if so , do you have any solid advise for me?

I know that it is easy for people,ecspecially people that have never smoked before to say,"why don't you just quit?", but it isn't that easy, not for me.

So any advice is more than welcome.

[seersin]

Man,I feel ya.I'm 23 I stoped two years ago I started when I was 10,So roughly 13 yeard,I started smoking constantly and everyday around 14.Got up to smoking over a pack a day.This continued on and at tha time I was also an alcoholic so it wasn't rare to knock out a few packs a day because I was drinking,I also smoked a lot of weed,which made me smoke even more when I was high.This continued on for some years.Started getting my life straightened out around 11/02-12/02 around that time I quit drinking and doing drugs,However I was still an avid smoker.I started getting involved with my church with my GF at tha time,Were married now,and in march 03,I decided I had a greater will to live,and that I was no longer gonna pay a company to kill me.I decided there are much cheaper ways to kill yourself.So one day I told tha Good Lord above,I can't keep smoking these cancer sticks.So I layed em' down and never picked em' up again.It was on a Friday that I quit,That following Monday I went out with my brother(who was a smoker,even to this day) he was smoking and I got tempted,I was like man freak it let me get a smoke,I took a few pulls on it,I looked at it and thought how I hadn't smoked in 2 days,I can't quit now.I put it out handed it to him and said I don't want this junk.Not one cigareete butt had touched my lips since.It's been 2 years,I hope you can quit man.I can't even explain in words how it will feel to feel like your out of bondage.Good luck man.

[Patrick]

It killed my grandfather and the last 5 years of his life were very much reduced quality wise because of the smoking.

As far as advise, I don't know. Death should be a good motivator. Being able to live your years in a quality fashion. If you have family, being able to see and do things with them longer. So many things in the world you enjoy and smoking can affect all of them.

Maybe more people who have successfully quit smoking can reply.

Good luck.

[CompactDinnerFork]

Smoking Sucks

[aefibird]

Man,I feel ya.I'm 23 I stoped two years ago I started when I was 10,So roughly 13 yeard,I started smoking constantly and everyday around 14.Got up to smoking over a pack a day.This continued on and at tha time I was also an alcoholic so it wasn't rare to knock out a few packs a day because I was drinking,I also smoked a lot of weed,which made me smoke even more when I was high.This continued on for some years.Started getting my life straightened out around 11/02-12/02 around that time I quit drinking and doing drugs,However I was still an avid smoker.I started getting involved with my church with my GF at tha time,Were married now,and in march 03,I decided I had a greater will to live,and that I was no longer gonna pay a company to kill me.I decided there are much cheaper ways to kill yourself.So one day I told tha Good Lord above,I can't keep smoking these cancer sticks.So I layed em' down and never picked em' up again.It was on a Friday that I quit,That following Monday I went out with my brother(who was a smoker,even to this day) he was smoking and I got tempted,I was like man freak it let me get a smoke,I took a few pulls on it,I looked at it and thought how I hadn't smoked in 2 days,I can't quit now.I put it out handed it to him and said I don't want this junk.Not one cigareete butt had touched my lips since.It's been 2 years,I hope you can quit man.I can't even explain in words how it will feel to feel like your out of bondage.Good luck man.

Thank you for sharing your story with us. I'm glad that you were able to turn your life around.

My mum quit smoking in the same way as you did. She was a heavy smoker for many years but one day decided to pack it in for good. She asked God to help her then threw her cigarettes in the bin. She's never smoked since.

Davison, I hope that you manage to be able to quit. My dad is currently attending a government-run quit smoking class and one tip that they tell people is to get a stress ball or piece of blu-tack to play with when you feel like a cig.

Also, try to avoide smoky places and smokers in your first few days of quitting. Try to pick a day and a time to quit and tell yourself that "this is it, no more after tomorrow".

You could also get a jar and put some money in it every time you want a cigarette but resist. That way you'll see the 'reward' for your efforts.

Good luck!

[Cmon]

Iam 16 and i have never smoked, it has never really tempted me. The only thing i can think of is, think about what you will get out of this. You will be healthy, better off financially the people around you will be healthy (2nd hand smoking is just as bad). AND your fitness for MA training will be better goodie!!!

[HumanTyphoon]

Davison, sorry about your friend. I'm not sure if there is a 100% guarantee way that we all can use to give up our habits, but what I do know is that if you can, you should just smoke less and less each week, while trying to stop the use of cigarettes everyday. I heard methods like that before, and they've worked. So don't give up, don't let time fade you, always motivate yourself, look at life's brighter sides, and have faith in what you are able to do.

[Davison]

Thanks everyone for your replys. I'm just going to have to keep trying to kick the habit . Thanks again.

[greenbelt_girl15]

I'm 15 and I've never smoked before, but I do have some advice that I've heard works.

1)Try praying.With God nothing is impossible.

2)With some people it's impossible to stop cold turkey, try to go one less on your first day do the same for several days,then drop another.Keep up this pattern.

3)Break quiting down into steps, When you complete a step reward yourself with something you like (a good movie, some candy somthing like that).

4)Try nicotine gum or a patch to reduce cravings, and(this is going to sound silly)when you feel the urge to smoke stick a carrot stick in your mouth and go though the actions of smoking .

Okay I'm done now

Good Luck!

[seersin]

Hey Judo guys don't do a lot of kicking,maybe you'll have to choke tha habit:),okay bad joke but oh well.