The Fear of Quitting Smoking

[JackiMac]

I Wrote this before and still feel people who want to quit are not getting the message!

 

Death the one taboo subject.....the one subject most people are scared to talk about, it frightens me, scares me to death! I don't like thinking about it, its the unknown.............BUT what really gets to me now is that for the last 30+ years I was more afraid of giving up smoking WHAT seriously I was so so afraid to lose "my friend" the cigarette, the one thing that would most certainly kill me, I couldn't imagine life without smoking, yet I knew the pain and suffering it would most certainly cause, I kept telling myself it wouldn't get to that with me, I was special, I wouldn't suffer, I wouldn't get cancer, breathing problems, heart problems the list could go on.  Over the last few days I have sat and read shared stories, posts about relatives, friends, strangers who have lost their fight for life because of "their friend" the cigarette, and what struck me is although they all were scared to die, they still all were too scared to stop smoking, beggars belief.  My Ex husband (54) has recently come out of hospital after having a heart attack, first thing he did when he left Light Up a Cigarette, FFS, do we really think so little of ourselves, are we not far more important, we can get a second chance at life by keeping the quit, but once you are dying there is no second chance, so come on get over the fear of quitting, smoking is not your friend....it will kill you.

 

 

 

[Soozie]

Hi Jackie, excellent post thankyou ... I think I will print this off and put it with my collection ... just in case of emergency and I can't get to the board  :)

 

Sue x

[Leanna]

Jackie, this is a great post. Thank you for sharing it again. 

 

You know, you're right. I'm deathly scared of death. The idea makes me so anxious. However, cigarettes had more of a pull on me than death did a few years ago. That's sad and it shows you how crazy of an addiction this is. I would tell myself, "Well, if I die, at least I'll die happy." I don't even know WTF that means anymore, considering I'm much more happier and full of life than I was as a smoker. 

 

I'm glad I woke up and stopped toying with my life. I know death is inevitable, but at least by quitting, I'm not increasing my chances of a premature one. To those who are considering quitting, smoking CAN lead to an early death. Don't blind yourself with the thought that it won't happen to you. Stop messing around with your health and quit before it's too late. Unfortunately, a lot of illnesses related to smoking are irreversible. 

[Paul723]

Smoking killed my friend Mike yesterday.  Lung cancer was diagnosed 10 months ago; I quit a month later.  I'll miss him.

[El Bandito]

Paul, my condolences to you for Mike. Thoughts and prayers to you.

[JackiMac]

Smoking killed my friend Mike yesterday.  Lung cancer was diagnosed 10 months ago; I quit a month later.  I'll miss him.

Paul I am so sorry to read this, sending hugs to you, its terrible seeing someone you generally care about pass away with cancer, big congratulations to you and your quit, be proud of it, thinking of you x

[Leanna]

Smoking killed my friend Mike yesterday.  Lung cancer was diagnosed 10 months ago; I quit a month later.  I'll miss him.

I'm so sorry to hear about your friend Paul. That's incredibly sad; my heart breaks for you, his family, and friends. Sending hugs your way. 

[Nancy]

Smoking killed my friend Mike yesterday.  Lung cancer was diagnosed 10 months ago; I quit a month later.  I'll miss him.

So very, very sorry for your loss, Paul.  Thank God you quit...

[Still winning]

Paul, I am so very sorry. My heart goes outto you and your friends family. xx

 

Jackie, I can't believe we could do what we did, believe we would be ok. Plain scary justification.  Never again! x 

[Doreensfree]

Paul,

So sad,another person taken too soon....

Hugs to you and his family....

[Paul723]

My earlier post was too abrupt (I had just spoken to Mike’s wife). To topic, the fear of quitting smoking is success, not death. The fear of not getting nicotine causes our addicted brains to dump adrenaline into our system and causes a flight or fight response. We were nearly in a panic at the thought. If you even talk to a smoker about quitting, you can see the withdrawals you are putting them in. Some stop smoking classes even allow smoking until the message to quit has been delivered.

 

Mike had worked with me for about nine years and we took our smoke breaks together for all but the last two. He had been retired for three years when the doctors found the cancer. After the diagnosis, my wife and I drove an hour and a half to see him. I did not smoke along the way (wife’s car was non-smoking) and I did not want light up in Mike’s driveway as soon as I got there under the circumstances. We went to lunch and Mike was very matter of fact about lung cancer. His doctor told him the usual end game was pneumonia and suffocation. After lunch, I did not run out to the parking lot to smoke, though I was way into withdrawal, but out of respect refrained. We went back to Mike’s house to visit, as we say in the South, and I could feel the familiar trapped cravings. I was glad to leave my friend an hour later, drove two blocks from his house, got out of the car and smoked two straight cigarettes.

 

I had gone about four hours without a smoke. What was my fear, lung cancer or not getting another cigarette? I was proud I was able to tell Mike I had quit a month after this visit. Do not fear success in quitting.

[SueBeDoo]

Oh god Paul that is heart breaking, soo sorry to hear this, I hope he didn't suffer too much in the end, it's a cruel illness, hope you are ok and he would be soo proud that you are still quit, carry that quit in his honour aswell as for you x

[Tink]

Smoking killed my friend Mike yesterday.  Lung cancer was diagnosed 10 months ago; I quit a month later.  I'll miss him.

My heart sinks for you and thank you for sharing your friends story and hope it helps some one x