From one ex smoker to another
Some people can't understand why giving up smoking is not easy for us. They think its a matter of just not smoking. If that was the case, then why would we need blogs like this? Why do we need compassion and understanding from other ex-smokers? There is so much falsehood and lack of understanding in the world but all we need is for someone to understand us, especially if they've been through something similar. As for me, I'm the kind of person who responds better to people who care.
Some people will look at heavy smokers thinking that they have no will power. That might be true in a sense but think about whats going to happen to a heavily addicted smoker who quits and finds his will power again. Its going to be awesome! The same person who stopped smoking is going to find he can also begin to control other things in his life. When I was a heavy smoker, I got so used to functioning like a person in a nightmare. That's how I see it now. I am amazed that I could even doing anything with the suffocation and poisoning I made myself go through every day.
This whole escapade is not just about quitting nicotine but for many of us including myself it is part of discovery.
If we've given up smoking for a little while and are craving nicotine we can think about staying quit to be able to find out how much better its going to get. Of course its going to get better!!
if quitting smoking means 4.30am walks in the howling cold wind then sign me up LOL I wouldn't have done that when smoking.
so at least one thing has changed for the good now other than not smoking, so yes things have to change I agree with that.
have a good smoke free day MC and all :)
IC
Hey IC,
I have been going for a walk almost every day since I quit smoking. Sometimes I go twice a day. I just came back from my early morning walk and am going to have breakfast soon.
My upper body head, neck and shoulders are seriously stiff (think they've been like that for years) so when I walk, I jog with my arms backwards and forwards a bit. I also roll on my left and right side to loosen up the shoulder. My shoulders really feel like they are rusty clock internals that have not moved for ages. I need time to blow out the rust and put in some lubricants. I hope I learn something from my exercise that I can pass on to others!
Just today I heard two people in my office talking about the stupidity of smokers. I felt like saying to them 'You have never been addicts so how can you be so judgemental'. One thing I have learned from this experience is that the only people who can truly relate are fellow addicts who have decided to do something about their addiction. As you say, they learn compassion along the way.
I think what you have done is extraordinary.