I have just been reading a post from Shells where she says it was particularly difficult at work trying to stay off the old nicodevil and it got me a thinking.
I am slightly luckier than most I suppose given that I am the boss, however it does seem that my quitting has changed a lot of attitudes.
Since I have quit (and I do not lie here folks) this has happened.
On day 1 (the day I officially count as my day 1 - no NRT) one of my guys came into my office and started asking questions about how it feels and how difficult it is etc (he is a smoker).
By day 3 my receptionist had quit using NRT - although this lasted for 4 days.
Today another one of my guys came in and told me him and his wife are both quitting.
Now, I do talk to everyone about my quit, but I don't ram it down peoples throats, if you ask for my opinion or advice I will give it to you.
So my point here appears to be more people than you think actually want to give up, but for one reason or another need to see someone they know going through the process before they summon up the courage!!
I reckon by the end of Jan I will have got the whole place smoke free :D
My husband quit in August, and seemed to find it OK using Champix. So I waited to make sure he'd really quit this time (we've both tried to give up together numerous times, and only lasted a couple of weeks), then I bit the bullet and started Champix. I think it was slightly a case of, well if you can do it.....
Our friends want to stop, and the husband was actually prescribed Champix before me. He is yet to start using it though and has cancelled a few appointments with his quit nurse. He keeps coming up with excuses such as waiting for his wife to get an appointment to get her patches (she doesn't smoke as many). Or I'll do it after the weekend, cos I'm going out/staying in/having a drink etc. (Come to thing of it, I used all those excuses too :o)
I was told that Champix is only prescribed for a maximum of 2 attempts at quitting (not sure if this is because of the high cost to the NHS or other reasons) so I hope he quits soon as it wouldn't be good if they throw him off the programme. It's his choice though and up to him if he goes through with it or not.
I have found that the people who are supporting me the most are the smokers, or ex-smokers.
Hi Rachel
I agree it is almost like escaping from prison - all the other inmates want you to succeed so that you can "stick it to the man".
Sometimes seems like people feel they should be seen to be doing something because we have quit? Odd isn't it?
I think we remind them of what they had stuck in the back of their minds for so long... the desire to quit!
No one I know has tried to quit by seeing me do it tho.. but I can tell my mum wants to. She quit last year using Allen Carr (but didn't intend to at the time as she had just picked up the book someone had left at a coffee place) but then she started again a few months later (suprise suprise she was a few pages from the end when she quit - just shows you that you should follow his 'finish the whole book!' rule...). Eitherway, she asked me to get the book for her in Spanish as she doesn't read English well so fingers crossed after Xmas I'll have officially inspired one person to quit!
Sadly I can't say the same about the work place, I work with mostly French and Belgian people, they seem to consider it their birthright to spoke AND egg each other on! Some are open to the idea at times but some are still lying to themselves with the 'what does it matter? I'm only hurting myself and I could get run-over by a bus tomorrow anyway'... I just choose to not comment on that! They all know about Allen Carr, they need to take the step...
Yes it is a fine line between pointing out the benfits of not smoking and become that annoying ex-smoker that everyone wants to avoid!!
As the old saying goes you can lead a horse to water.........
I've had quite a lot of smokers asking me what it's like. In fact, I went into the shop I used to buy cigarettes from when my multipack was running low (at least once a week, yuck!) for the first time since I quit last night. The shopkeeper is a smoker and when I took my bits and pieces to the til he said "and 40?".
When I told him no thanks, I've quit, he was gobsmacked and said, but you seem so calm. Then started asking me loads of questions about what I was using, how was I sleeping, what were the cravings like etc.
During my last quit, one of my friends continuously asked me how I was getting on and quizzed me over and over about it. She then started her quit when I was about eight weeks into mine. I caved after six months, but she's still not smoked (used patches just like I'd done) and that was almost five years ago. Now she's one of the ones who's inspiring me!
Another thing that I'm finding fascinating is the amount of people I know who I thought were lifelong non-smokers, but are actually ex-smokers. Turns out about half the people I know where puffing likes chimneys before I met them! That gives me a lot of confidence, because if I assumed they were always non-smokers, perhaps one day I'll give that impression too!
Hi Trandem
Rather oddly I have not run into any ex-smokers since I quit. A few family members have quit previously but that was some time ago.
I know what you mean about ex-smokers, although I just knew a fair few anyway, and always was slightly distressed that I appeared unable to join their ranks! My mum and aunt quit over 30 years ago, my housemate quit with me in 2003, only she stayed quit! One of my best friends from school quit around 4 years ago and is still quit. WIth my old housemate and my school friend what was frustrating to me (and them!) was that I was always the "strong" one yet could not kick the habit longterm, now I know if ya can't beat em, join em!
My only concern is returning to the states where so many of my social group smoked. the ex-ex detested it, but most of my college friends smoked (probably cos I made most of my friends as the novelty smoking Brit, freezing in the snow outside during breaks!).
Hey, maybe I can be the one to show quitting can happen when I get there!
It is lovely to be a role model, it also helps us, because this is a good thing we do, not something to grit our teeth about. Oh but it is a fine line between encouraging and preaching and I crossed it yesterday with my best smoking friend, she has hearing problems and wears an aid. She has had a continual ear infection for weeks, and is considering a risky operation that may make her hearing worse. Our boss asked her if there were any "diet or exercise" changes she could make to improve her health. This is plainly ridiculous, but then I said that of course, there is a link between smoking and ear infections. She was cross, and wouldnt have it, but I know I'm right- just googled it.
well, to be honest if she doesn't want to pay attention to what you're telling her then there's not much you can do.
Chances are you've planted a little seed of doubt and now she's gone and googled it too! remember what it's like to be a smoker tho, even if she sees that there's a way out of this operation she might still have it just so that she can continue 'enjoying her habit' (aka 'suffering through her addiction').
Genes, that's great tho! I wish I had seen that many people beat the addiction. I don't know anyone within my circle of friends and family who has succesfully quit.... many say they have but that's because they've now become 'social smokers' or instead they smoke weed... how you can say you've quit tabacco when you're smoking tabacco PLUS another another drug is just beyond me.
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