No benefit to quit smoking.

[RickyShakaZulu]

I’m 3 years nicotine free. I find it a waist of 3 good years. I was happy and fun as a smoker. Now I’m just angry and frustrated. The 2 big benefits to quit smoking is health and money. But If smokers care about health or money we wouldn’t smoke!!! Take that out and what am I left with? 3 years in my prime, waisted and now I’m left angry and unhappy. I’m just trying to find a reason for why we kill ourselves and waist our money on cigarettes? Why we risk everything for a habit with no high or buzz to it. I know I was happy when I smoked. Now I’m very angry and sad. I only stay cigarette free so I can talk trash to anti-smokers. They are the worst people.

[Hb2003]

Anti smokers have there reasons . I don’t like it when someone smokes near me due to my asthma the smell of it makes me really sick

[RickyShakaZulu in reply to Hb2003]

I’m very lucky to have not caused any major damage to my lungs. Why are you hanging out with smokers if you have asthma? This isn’t 1950’s. Smokers are well regulated now and far and few between. They have to smoke in designated areas. Move away from them. When it comes to smell. I do find them to stink, but it’s not that bad. Arm pits and body odor are far worse. To each their own.Thank you for taking the time to go down the rabbit hole with me.

[Isinatra]

Hi RSZ, you just added three years on to your life. Cigarettes probably alleviated your anger. Try to work on why you’re angry in the first place. Wouldn’t you like to get rid of it? And no, I’m not a former smoker. 🙂

[RickyShakaZulu in reply to Isinatra]

Absolutely right. Smoking was a crutch my whole life. I think that’s my biggest issue. Why doesn’t the healthcare system think about the “why” you are doing something harmful and not “what” I’m doing. I try to work out a reason for all this nonsense. Why would someone put smoke into their body? That’s what people who don’t smoke should think about. Don’t tell people to stop.! There must be a reason they are smoking.

[Isinatra in reply to RickyShakaZulu]

I’m a current smoker, Ricky. I’ve managed to stop off and on. Finding the reason why you started smoking in the first place could give you some reprieve. With me at first it was to be cool and have something to do to avoid social interaction. And you know what happens after that, you’re addicted physically and emotionally. Cigarettes become your best friend. It tells you that it will relax you and you don’t have to think while your smoking. Dealing with that anxiety is a big part of quitting and staying quit. I have benefited from therapy in the past. I have all the tools and knowledge to quit again. The more time you have under your belt smoke free, the easier it is to say no. I will try to quit again and possibly add atleast another 3 years to my life as you did. So hang in there, good buddy, you’re an inspiration. 🏄‍♀️

[DodgeDhanda]

Whats stopping you going back to smoking apart from having an argument ?

[RickyShakaZulu in reply to DodgeDhanda]

That smile on anti smokers face when they find out your back to smoking. Talking trash to the people who gave me shit my whole life. They think us smokers don’t remember that. We do. People without children can’t talk to a parent about parenting. People who never smoked would know nothing about smoking. It’s a garbage habit but I’m trying to figure out why I’m still dealing with the after effects.

[DodgeDhanda in reply to RickyShakaZulu]

You know the ones that usually run child social services or any child agency NEVER seem to have children & those that make the laws spend years running away from their own kids . They just drown them in money & create ungrateful monsters.

But as a parent & former smoker I know what ur saying 👍🏽

[RickyShakaZulu]

Talking about health issues is standard stop smoking procedure. I know I’m very lucky to have stopped before I destroyed my lungs or heart. But. From day one, I knew cigarettes could cause issues. All cigarette smokers know they are unhealthy. We still do it. I feel like the message should be to figure out why we are doing it.why we are risking our future health. That’s my journey now. A very angry and unhappy one but still a mission for answers.

[Hidden]

Smoking does indeed give you a "high" or "buzz". That's from the nicotine. You just become used to after awhile.. personally I'm against smoking for obvious reasons. That said, there are smokers and non-smokers in this world. Choose which one you really are and be that person.

[RickyShakaZulu in reply to Hidden]

It’s all mindset. It’s in the brain. I don’t drink coffee because why drink it if I can’t have a cigarette with it. I don’t drink alcohol because why drink alcohol if you can’t have a cigarette with it. So now I understand why straight edge people are so angry. We love a life of purity. Purity means no fun. Maybe someday I’ll get to the reason I smoked and find a path to happiness again.

[lillyofthevalley37]

Did you know that cigarettes promote dopamine in your brain ?

You say you don't drink alcohol and coffee - both of these also promote dopamine?

Why not start having a cup of coffee every morning - never drink coffee at night - to give you a dopamine boost

My favourite is Columbian

I smoked for well over 20 years but gave up because I wanted to have a healthy pregnancy later I started having a glass of wine in the evening and I still do , it is cheaper than cigarettes in UK a pack of 20 cigs is £10

[RickyShakaZulu in reply to lillyofthevalley37]

My problem is I would never drink coffee or alcohol without a cigarette. I have a glass of champagne every year for my wedding anniversary. I hate that glass, I don’t like drinking it. All I want is a cigarette during and after. Maybe it’s too soon for me. In my mind, I still want a cigarette when I drink. So I don’t drink. If I can’t get through a simple glass , im not sure im ready for coffee or alcohol. It’s not fun without chain smoking.

[Agora1 in reply to RickyShakaZulu]

Hi Ricky, reading your responses sounds like you gave up on 3 addictions in your life..Smoking, Coffee and Alcohol. When you were smoking, one habit stemmed on another same now in quitting. Life is tough and we all need that little something that makes us

feel better for a while. Finding a healthy something is not always that easy. And so we

must choose to enjoy our lives and take the consequences or find other habits that are

less addicting and healthy. (a difficult find)

My habit is chocolate. It gives me the high I need when things are overwhelming.

The problem being after awhile, the craving is not there, it's just a simply reach

for what we think will help us (and that becomes a habit)

I'm glad you are here with us. I hope together with others, we can come to some

conclusions as to the question WHY?? xx

[Clarrisa]

People are said to feel their greatest sense of frustration after things have improved for them. Sounds like your body has improved!

[RickyShakaZulu in reply to Clarrisa]

4 trips to emergency room, fake heart attack. Multiple vasectomies, eczema on my hands now, always bleeding. Back has gone out twice in one year, was good for 16 years. Everything bad , has come to me after I quit smoking. My body is a mess, my mind is a mess, but I get an extra 7-10 years to live . Smoke free is highly overrated.

I do believe you, I think I am healthier, but not in ways people think of. My body and mind are messed up but my decisions have been better.

Hope I can look back at this time in my life and appreciate the choices I’ve made.

[Clarrisa in reply to RickyShakaZulu]

I have read on Thyroid UK that many smokers actually have thyroid problems (their smoking was (or is) helping to compensate for it). If you haven’t had your thyroid levels checked recently I encourage you to go on the Thyroid UK site & ask for advice on testing. They will explain the protocol for obtaining accurate results & what labs are of benefit to get.

[RickyShakaZulu in reply to Clarrisa]

HahahahahahahahahahNailed it

I don’t have a thyroid, it’s gone. Lots of eye issues too. Graves’ disease sucks. All issues the doctors told me to quit smoking. Said it would solve all my issues. I miss them days. Got it taken out right when the last Harry Potter book dropped. That’s how I remember, everyone came to the hospital with the book.

[Clarrisa]

I have thyroid issues myself so I know first hand it is no fun at all. As for smoking I have only read (a review for you undoubtedly) that the nutrients in the food you eat end up repairing cells damaged from smoking. I believe your body will prioritize repair in essential places like the cells & lining of your lungs. Less essential places are at the end of the line, thus prone to problems.

To illustrate U.S. president Jimmy Carter has a incredibly strong family history of pancreatic cancer. He is the stand out survivor in his family & the only family member of his generation that did not smoke.

My doctors want me to do all the many stress reduction measures that include counseling, you know the whole nine yards ... The sad reality is sometimes those doctors are right!

[Gunshipmusic26]

RickyShakaZulu my two cents: you gave up your social life and closest friends when you gave up smoking. Think about how smoking created a clique and a bond with your fellow smokers. Aside from our bodies learning the behavior so well that it becomes environmentally triggered rather than from a desire or craving that was present early on when you took it up, so every time you have coffee in a day you’re now pissed off knowing you must go without your running mate, the cig. I’d also suggest you think a bit about what brought you to decide to quit and stay cig free in the first place, to stick it to the annoyingly obnoxious anti smoking group that only riles smokers up…..yes, it’s a healthier choice, but in the end a choice borne of spite and disdain for others, which, at least for me, would not be enough for me to make that massive life adjustment…..actions and decisions borne of distress or anger rarely are able to keep our minds committed to cutting out what we see as a “pleasure” in order to make the other side eat crow. They’ll never concede their argument and nothing lasting is gained in your favor by telling them to kick rocks.

I always struggled with moderation in my life with everything, but your situation might be one where allowing yourself to enjoy a smoke daily makes you healthier Long term and also is something you see benefit in doing yourself too, because you have decided to make the change.

Make sense? Maybe? I’ve found my happiness these days (surprisingly) by keeping my mouth shut and allowing others to be heckled by hazed by other equally opinionated and unhappy individuals. Nobody ever changes someone’s opinion in one argument…..maybe ever these days. People literally hunker down and repeat their thoughts and opinions as proof the other side is wrong. Anti smokers will never concede a “win” to a smoker…….likely the only thing you’d get is more people shitting on you and ultimately pissing you off enough to fire back……..showing the anti smokers you could still smoke AND improve your Heath and be happy and not interfere with non smokers would be the ultimate middle finger retort in my book, but my book might be stupid or wrong, so take this diatribe with a grain of salt.