Scared to socialise with smokers
Today is day 15 without cigarettes and to my surprise it has been relatively easy once I made my mind up. It certainly helped thinking how if I got COVID I would most certainly die after smoking for 38 years. I know however, I am not out of the woods I have been in lockdown with non-smokers, so what happens when I venture out and am around smokers. My best mates are all smokers, what do I do? Avoid all smokers until I feel ready? It will be like extended lockdown, no friends or the pub or do I just brave it and hope I can control myself? Any advice??
Hi Ris and congratulations on Day 15!!! That is awesome! Unfortunately, I don't have advice for you because I only have two friends that smoke and I hardly socialize with them. Maybe some other people from this community can pitch in with some helpful advice.
I do know though, my friends, non-smokers and the two smokers are behind me all the way and very supportive. The two smokers are encouraged by me and one has tried over and over again to stop but to no avail. You can be an example perhaps.
I wouldn't drop them as friends. Someday, they too will stop smoking. It's almost inevitable. Perhaps by a health risk, or maybe the costs,.. I am sure they are very proud of you and they wish they too were in your shoes.
I think having gone 15 full days you are smarter and you are well aware of your triggers. Knowing your triggers ahead of time is helpful - get your mind in the right spot to be strong while with smokers.
You have gone through the worse and it only gets better Ris. You can do this! You ARE doing this!!! Hang in there, be brave, and choose not to let nicotine make you an addict!! Best wishes...
Hi Ris, I too stopped smoking during lockdown because I was scared too thinking imagine being a smoker and getting covid😳 I live with 2 smokers my husband, and my 20 yr old daughter. My daughter is encouraging me on, she recently quit 10 days cold turkey, but has fallen off the wagon. I am encouraging her to go again.
My opinion about having friends or family smoke is who cares, if you choose to become a non smoker and despise those little poison sticks for what they truly are, there is not one bit of temptation. It stinks and truly repulses me now. I look on and feely pity that they haven't found the light to freedom yet, I wont give up on my quest to try to encourage them to join me in my freedom.
The point is theres smokes at your nearest service station or any supermarket, they are readily accessible, so to me who cares if friends or even family members smoke, and they are in your house, I simply don't smoke anymore nor want for one. You need to beat the addiction in your mind, hate those poison sticks for the trapment of slavery to the addiction and get excited and embrace the choice to be free. You truly do not crave something you despise. Stay strong Ris and keep going, we are behind you, it gets easier, so stick with us and congratulations on 15 days, you've got this🙌
Thanks for all the encouragement and kind words. I think as Jess said just stay away until I'm ready, I just can't take the risk yet two weeks is not long enough. What I am thinking is I will line up my mates to do healthy activities like walking or swimming to catch up but avoid times when they will smoke. Might just keep myself in lockdown till Christmas to be sure
Hi Ris. I missed your post .
You are giving up smoking,...not your friends. Yes perhaps stay away while they smoke a few minutes or stay and observe how after the first couple puffs, they lose interest in smoking. It was just their "FIX". See how they wish they too could quit smoking, but lack the confidence to try. We need to WANT to quit and to BELIEVE that we can. I quit before my hubby with him smoking next to me.. That may be a problem for some, but the right mindset makes it easy.
We are missing nothing, as smoking really never did anything for us. We were just chasing that dopamine fix. Imagine the pleasure you can buy with the money saved. Imagine how confident you will feel after beating this addiction. Imagine how good your body will feel with all the toxins gone.
Think Positive. Knowledge is Power. Quitting Smoking CAN even be easier than we ever thought!
Thanks everyone, its really great all of us sharing and helping each other . As for me, I might wait till December 1st to be on the safe side. This has to be the last time I give up, and if it takes me 6 months solo without my mates then so be it