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Unexpected Benefits Of Quitting...What Were Yours?

Colleen

By Colleen
in Quit Smoking Discussions

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El Bandito Apprentice

El Bandito

Posted
Posted

1.The sheer empowerment of being in charge. I used to do exactly what my addiction told me, when it told me. Now when it gives an order, I laugh at it and tell it where to go.

 

2. Time. I was spending three hours plus smoking. In the modern age, this smoking was done in specified smoking areas. Give or take, smoking was filling 20%+ of my waking hours. Just smoking.

 

3. You bunch of lunatics. :D

  • Like 4
Aine Rookie

Aine

Posted
Posted

No more chronic chapped lips. Seriously painful chapped lips. Who knew?

Life long insomnia pretty much gone.

And, yeah. . .only one burn hole in the new car I got in September. The trade in had, um, a few more than that.

No more chronic cough.

Cleaner teeth and mouth.

  • Like 3
Leanna Apprentice

Leanna

Posted
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Definitely better teeth! I have had two teeth extractions and a root canal and I'm only 26. :( My teeth are much cleaner/happier right now. 

Ladybug Newbie

Ladybug

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I met a lot of people willing to help and guide me, to entertain me, to make me feel their struggle, to listen to me, to count with me, to kill extra time I suddenly had, to reassure me, and to celebrate my milestones as I celebrated theirs. I will probably never meet any of you but quitting has brought me the unexpected benefit of your company. Quitting has a lot of benefits and it can include new friends that understand what you are what you are trying to do. I care for all of you.

I just want to give you a hug...I have never told you this...but I think you are very special. Meeting you has be my pleasure!

  • Like 1
Rain Forest Newbie

Rain Forest

Posted
Posted

Around 2004, I started getting sinus infections out of nowhere.  As time went on, they increased in frequency and duration.  Sometimes I had to be on antibiotics long term to get rid of it.  I almost always had a sinus infection.  It was a miserable way to live.  Fast forward to 2013, I saw an ENT.  Last April, I had a septoplasty, turbinectomy, concha bullosa re-section and sinus surgery on my ethmoid and maxillary sinus cavities.  While I could breathe better and the sinus infections weren't as bad, I still got them.  The doctor told me smoking was probably the culprit.  Yeah right, I thought.  A couple months later, I quit during a sinus infection.  I have had one sinus infection since then, just one.  Coincidence?  I think not  :)

 

Colleen, my husband used to also get bad sinus infections, so bad that I would end up taking him a few times a year to the ER (always in the middle of the nite, why is that???) so they could give him morphine because that is the only thing that helped the pain until they’d get antibiotics into him.  He quit smoking 10 years ago, and starting as soon as he quit, he hasn’t had one single sinus attack.  He gets (what I call) normal colds now, nothing that needs a doctor or pain medication.  I’m convinced his sinus troubles were smoking-related too.
 
As for me, one of my favorite things since I quit smoking: I can laugh and laugh and laugh now, and not once do I start choking up a lung 2 seconds later.
 
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  • Like 2
Jenny Newbie

Jenny

Posted
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No more putting out fires in the back seat of my car.

 

That's a big plus!

OMG, I had completely forgot about that.  I've had one brand new car my whole life.  In the first two weeks of owning it, I threw my ciggy out the window (so I wouldn't get the brand new ash tray dirty) and it flew back in on the back seat.  I didn't realize it at first.  Huge burn hole and I cried for days.  It still makes me feel sick to think about it. 

Markus Newbie

Markus

Posted
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I used to have sinus and bronchial infections also. After I quit I had a septoplasty and as a result of the ENT MD consultation I had a sleep study done. That put me on CPAP. Apparently was stopping breathing anywhere from 10 s to 45 seconds per minute of every hour that I slept. So sinus infections are a lot less maybe once or twice a year always during flu season, sleep is great, and not walking around like a zombie half the time or sleeping 12-14 hours a night on weekends trying to bank some sleep.

millie Newbie

millie

Posted
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Several for me

 

One of my main motivations for giving up smoking was that I had spotted the start of smoking wrinkles on my face.  That was the clincher for me.  I didn't want any more.  Within weeks of stopping my face started to lose that pale greyish colour and the skin looked much fresher and pinker.  

 

Other things: 

 

Much better circulation in my fingers and toes.  

 

No more rotten sinus infections.

 

No more embarrassing coughing fits whilst laughing at something funny.   

 

Much healthier gums.  

 

No more smelly clothes or car.  My car is 12 months old and someone got in it the other day and said.  Wow I love that new car smell  :)

 

Millie x

  • Like 3
  • 2 years later...
Sazerac Enthusiast

Sazerac

Posted
Posted

Found this way back in the library stacks.

 

I share most of the above benefits (well, other than Fertility thank you but, Please No thank you).

 

The major benefit for me is a deep level of inner strength I never knew existed.

It is more than 'strength', it has notes of compassion and understanding and more facets that I cannot articulate yet.

I also have a grand sense of Freedom.

It is Delicious.

  • Like 2
sharonsiff Newbie

sharonsiff

Posted
Posted

The mental peace, that it was finally over, and I knew this was finally it and would never have to do it again.

 

The current mental peace, three years on, that I would no more want to smoke than I would stick my fingers in a deep fat fryer. Given me an enormous sense on mental peace, finally.

  • Like 3
sharonsiff Newbie

sharonsiff

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Really good to see you Sharon...xx

Thank you Doreen, I'm on FB, are you? Be nice to keep up to date with you xx

 

Reminds me of another unexpected benefit! Can spend more time on my addiction I will never overcome, my addiction to Tenerife and spending lots of time on the Tenerife FB page.

Sirius Enthusiast

Sirius

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Took about twenty years to pay off the mortgage and other encumbrances.  I am DEBT FREE.

 

The same with smoking.  I am my own man.   I am SMOKE FREE.

 

Not certain what that means but I sure as hell know what it doesn't mean.   

 

I don't bend my knee to the Nicodemon   Never again.  Not one puff.

 

oh yeah, I don't snore anymore.  That was cool.

  • Like 1
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 years later...

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