Running the Gauntlet

[Sirius]

Was doing some light reading over here Medical Study

 

Basically the study interviews a bunch of ex-smokers and asked them how long ago they'd quit.

 

Two years later they re-interviewed them to see if they had stayed smoke-free.

 

The study showed failure rates at various lengths of time from the point they quit.

• Less then one month into a quit.............88% failure rate.
• one to three months...............................75% failure rate.
• three to six months.................................48% failure rate.
• six months to 12 months........................40% failure rate.
• 1 to 2 years............................................24% failure rate.
• 3 to 4 years............................................10% failure rate.
• 5 to 9 years.............................................4.4%
• 10 or more..............................................2.2% 

So if you'd quit smoking for over ten years odds were pretty good you still be a non-smoker two years later whereas somebody who was initially interviewed having quit

less then six months ago would only have a 50/50 chance of having stayed smoke-free two years later.  <===and that, folks, is a run on sentence!

 

Fewer than one in eight former smokers who had abstained for a month or less at baseline were continuously abstinent over the next 2 years. 

 

What does all of this mean?

 

As an individual trying to quit it doesn't mean a damn thing.   You are responsible for your success or failure regardless of what any study or survey reports. 

 

Okay that was my drill sergeant sounding off again.  Perhaps a cautious optimism that the longer your journey the easier it gets.   At the same time, a note of caution that even people who haven't smoked in ages can still fail.

[Nancy]

Very interesting post.  We must stay vigilant.  Thanks, Sirius!

[PorkandPancakes]

Wow. It never goes away does it? I look forward to a world where cigarettes no longer exist. I can't get excited about nicotine not existing because I don't believe that. I think the tobacco companies will keep finding alternative ways to sell their drug. But I can hope they at least get rid of cigarettes. As for me, I've passed 6 months. My stats are looking better!!

[beacon]

That's very interesting. I am very surprised that I actually quit and stayed quit after 30 years of smoking.  Many times over the years I have given in to the craves or urges for things that are not good for me. When I first quit, I decided that I would ignore the statistics.  And after surviving the few  months, I decided I could quit forever. Who wants to go through that nightmare again....Nancy is right, we all must stay vigilant  by not taking a puff. No need to over think,  just not one puff ever. 

[Boo]

Nancy is right, we all must stay vigilant  by not taking a puff. No need to over think,  just not one puff ever. 

 

What Beacon said...Keep it simple and commit to NOPE.  

 

The numbers broken down one way look dire.  On the other hand, there is the fact that in the United States ex-smokers outnumber current smokers.  The number of people with successful quits outnumber those who continue to smoke.  Quitting is very doable.

[Sirius]

The numbers seem to suggest that it's easy enough to quit but difficult to maintain a 100% quit.   You can't quit all week long and take a break from it on Saturday night.  Well you can but then your not quitting.  You're merely cutting back.

 

Sadly, those of us attempting to quit seem to have to learn about these pitfalls first-hand.    When experiencing a nicotine fit the junkie thinking pretzel logic is truly a wonder to behold.

 

Regardless, I like to think that each attempt arms us with greater resolve and a better understanding about what needs to be done.  

 

For those of us with years of successful quitting the real danger is a significant life event that unhinges us.  

 

I don't have advice for this other then to recognize the threat.  If your spouse or child dies, or an earthquake levels your home, or you get drafted into a major land war, etc.

[bakon]

I believe we have a higher rate here. more education and help, plus the time put in to "work" on the quit is like a support group. Think we would be in top 10 percent of "effort" put into working on quit which would pay off into a much higher rate of success. Plus we are mostly all good looking, which is rare too.....

 

 

I said mostly.... Duck

[Slow]

I reckon my 25% chance of statistically staying quit is a lot higher by being here with the education and accountability . BUT my face belongs on the radio lol

[Doreensfree]

I'm a addict...I will always have to be on my guard...

I live by nope...I can never take another puff...

Smoking is not on the table...no matter what...

[bakon]

I had a pencil behind my ear the other day and thought it was a smoke I didn't want to drop when it felt like it was moving.

[Sunnyside]

very interesting post. I have heard that 95% of self-reliant quitters fail and that you have more change of quitting if you are in some kind of support group.