Every month someone starts a thread about weight loss, where would-be losers share ideas, recipes, and moral support. It’s one of the more useful recurring threads on the site, because it helps Dopers to live longer, healthier, happier lives. That alone was worth the former $15/year price of admission.
What does one think of a similar series of threads for smoking? If you are a smoker, would you read it to be inspired to quit? If you are trying to quit, would you read it? If you are a former smoker, would you mentor others?
I think it’s a great idea. I quite smoking in March of this year, in no small part due to wisdom gleaned from this message board. I’m up for mentoring!
I’m in the process of quitting. Like the weight loss threads, I would read and follow, though I might not post much. I may not succeed at either goal, but it’s always good to read and share.
I’m working on being completely quit by December 31st.
Mrs. Dvl and I have been quitting for about four and a half years now, so we’ve got all sorts of experience to share. :rolleyes:
Actually, this past stretch has been pretty good. Last May, we quit (again), and it (kinda) took for about nine months or so. In the nine months we had several small-time lapses (a smoke here or there at a bar or with friends, we ended up smoking for a couple weeks during a trip to Vegas), then we ended up in a two to three month oh-shit-we-can’t-believe-we’re-smoking-again situation.
We’re on about … about … I’m not sure how long it’s been. I think seven or eight weeks or so, and while still irritable, we’re achieving something of an equilibrium. The short bit of smoking after such a (relative) long stretch of non-smoking made stopping just a bit easier. And the motivation isn’t so much not to start smoking again, but not having to quit is pretty strong.
Of course, a (smoking) college friend of ours is flying in this weekend, so this is a well-timed thread.
To those trying to quit: I feel MUCH better, physically and mentally, now that I’ve dumped the smokes. 18 months without a single puff. I still hang out with some smoker friends and hit some smoky bars when I want to, and not even tempted.
I’m glad that there’s some interest in this, though I was hoping for more “wanna quits” chiming in.
Last week I signed up for a smoking cessation class at the hospital where I work. As well as being a place where ideas and facts are imparted, it works well as a support group. It’s very interesting to hear other people’s stories and how much they resonate with me. One thing that we did was talking about why it’s good to keep smoking, why it’s good to quit, what would be bad about quitting, etc.
One young lady said something that stuck me as very profound. She said that smoking is part of her identity. If she had to describe herself in a few adjectives or phrases, such as “kind towards animals” or “strong-willed” or “Libra”, one of the first descriptions she would use is “smoker.” It’s not something she does, it’s something she is.
Wow. I can so completely identify with that. If I removed “smoker” from my list of self-describing adjectives, it almost feels like I wouldn’t really know who I am anymore. I find that really profound, and really disturbing.
It is kinda scary. Here’s another kind of creepy tale for ya: I knew a dude who was a life-long smoker. He was about 60 at the time I met him. He was hospitalized for a stroke, and his family said that, even though he was sedated and out of it, his hand kept reaching up to his breast pocket to get his cigarette pack out. :eek:
I may have had it easier than some. I quit smoking when I quit that fattening beer habit I had.
My daughter is reading Allen Carr’s book, Easy Way to Quit Smoking. I’ve read it (after I quit) and it does seem like it would be helpful, but possibly not for everyone.
My husband’s starting Chantix in a couple of weeks (he wants quitting to coincide with our vacation). He smokes more than a pack a day right now.
He says he’s not apprehensive about it, which makes me think he’s either not being realistic or not being honest. It will be a really big change for him if he succeeds.