Don't wait for the stroke before you decide
I had a small stroke on Sept 11 2017, I was 62. I sort of knew that smoking played a big part in causing the stroke, most smokers are playing Russian roulette every time we light up, but we love it. Some times you need to have a very powerful argument to convince a smoker to stop. A stroke is a pretty powerful argument. My last cigarette was Sept 11 2017. My method was this. I was given a packet of 30 patches in hospital, which I used for the first month and they helped with the nicotine craving and the habit of smoking. Because i'm a bit tight I would'nt buy any more patches, so from then on it was just will power. I did'nt feel any physical pain it is all mental signals, after breakfast, after dinner, qtr time watching the football etc. Now I would never say that mental strength is one of my strong suits, but given the option of getting maybe another 15 years out of this bag of bones or having another more serious stroke, you just have to toughen up. If I am told by a doctor that I have months to live I will go straight to the supermarket to buy a packet, but not until that day. I am sure every one can stop smoking, you have to want to and it does require some determination. Don't wait for the stroke before you decide.
Hi Stevo. Unfortunately I waited too long to quit and althought quit over a year, I had a stroke and still recovering. Thankfully I did not have to deal with quitting smoking at the same time. Thankfully, I survived and hope to recover 100%. It could have been worse if my body had not been given the chance to heal itself for that year.
People fear the change that goes with not smoking. You seem to view it as temporary necessity and that does not make it easy to quit, nor easy to sustain. Look at the opportunity as a second chance. Embrace it and truly be free of its hold both physically (the nicotine addiction) and psychologically. (thinking that you enjoyed it or that it ever did anything for you)
Welcome Stevo, a great post, a lesson learned - " Necessity is the Mother of Invention" being short of money is one way to start off your quit, with or without any aids, you need to keep on being vigilant when you regain your health, this could present a problem for some people, so keep on posting