What's your problem?

[nsd_user663_deleted]

- Giving up is as easy as not smoking next one, so what keeps you going?

- You want to stop, and yet you light up again and again. Why?

- It's an addiction. But is it really? How come some people beat it easily?

- Does stopping really outweigh the benefits?

- Do you really know what you want?

- Do you live according to your own values?

- Can you accept living a life which runs counter to what you really want?

Far from being radically for or against smoking, I believe in the choice to live one's life as one wishes (same for booze, sex, drugs etc.).

The only thing I care about is whether one lives up to one's own expectations and one whether one also respects other people's choices.

Call me naive (I'm learning fast!).

What really prevents you from quitting?

Michael.

[nsd_user663_17606]

My problem

Nothing's preventing me from quitting. I've Quit!!!

BUT

Yes, it is quite easy, but you don't realise that until you try...How many times have you said to yourself, I'll give up tomorrow.....then something comes up?

You light up again and again ....well yes............it's a habit, and as we all know habits are hard to break........but we can

Yes it's an addiction. But where there's a will, there's a way..

Don't understand the next one...

I know what I want, I want to see my kids grow up, I want to be happy.

Do I live according to my own values?......hmmmmmmmm, let me think..............I want my kids to grow up being honest and respectful of others. I don't like liars or people who are up their own a***s. I am respectful to my elders. I respect the church even though my faith left me many years ago, and my kids respect the rules of their schools.

Do I live a life counter to what i really want..... No, and I never did, though stopping smoking may make me see more of my kids lives.

Very thought provoking Michael

[nsd_user663_17606]

Ah but, Michael..going by our history on here, i thought it deseved an answer. and that is how i feel. No hard feelings......Rachel x

[nsd_user663_17606]

Err Michael

I answered your question on your post! Not sure why the answers weren't good enough for you!!!!

Actually I posted no hard feelings and you accepted..........so now back to my original thinking that you''ve either not given up, or are some health official or someone doing a thesis on giving up smoking, or just someone who loves to wind people up.

Either way please do not dismiss me, it's not in my nature to take that lightly. I've quit smoking for 3 weeks 5 days and I'm proud of that. So I'm well within my right to get upset & p****d off when you think that me reasons for giving up are 'trivial and emotional'.

[nsd_user663_18026]

michael, there was no need to post that last reply, reading it just made me think hes trying to get an argument started, bit of an internet bully i think

[nsd_user663_17920]

This is why I've put a certain person on my ignore list. I don't think I'd have come back on here until my OH pointed out that forums usually have this facility. That way, they can say what the hell they like and I can't see it, good job considering how much they'd upset me a few weeks ago. But it's pretty obvious from the responses on this thread it's happening to others. :rolleyes:

Don't worry about it Rach, I think you are great so there!

Trandem x

[nsd_user663_15147]

wow trandem, good tip! Clever people that make these forums...

[nsd_user663_15147]

Sorry Michael, hope you're not talking about me.

Maybe you could use this 'ignore' fuction on the forums to block out the people that are bothering you?

[nsd_user663_17388]

Michael - I know you are 'deleted' but I do hope you read this. You are right, it shouldn't be like this...at all. In fact I think it is a shame that you have left.

However, you mention the word troll and I will completely level with you here - I thought YOU were a troll. My reason being that at times you have been inflammatory, confrontational and on some posts a bit rude and insulting. When I saw what you wrote in the Champix thread I was pretty convinced you were green, mean, warty and lived under a bridge.

I've been on the fence with you as I can appreciate that some people need to feel the fervour in order to continue down a particular path. However, as with all forms of 'extreme' there are positives and negatives and unfortunately you strayed often toward the latter.

We are all grown-ups here, none of us needed preaching to, we were already converted. We have all already arrived at our destination - it's too late and unnecessary to criticise the journey we took to get there.

In the ideal world, what I would urge you to do in a non patronising way :p, would be to look back on some of your posts in a more objective frame of mind and see how certain comments could be taken negatively and/or misunderstood.

It's a shame you have felt the need to leave as your enthusiasm was pleasant to read, I do actually hope you reconsider. We could all put this down to a post quit strop (you know, like us mortals have very now and then) and your flounce can be forgotten.

[nsd_user663_15147]

right then, I didn't mean to offend you Michael. I assure you that I don't 'troll' forums looking for confrontation (in fact, this is the only forum I belong to!).

Eitherway, why don't you just block/ignore me using that forum function? Everyone is entitled to do what they like so stay on this forum if it's what you want. I know you're doing well in your quit but maybe if the road gets bumpy you might need some of the friends you've made on here?

Anyway, it's up to you.

[nsd_user663_14716]

Ah, what a bummer. I quite enjoyed Michael's thought provoking posts and direct manner. Sorry to see how others took em so differently and how some threats ended up in flames.

Come back Michael! Lets sit in the back row like all the cool kids :cool:

[nsd_user663_18145]

after reading the first message Michael posted about leaving i was shocked and upset

im glad to see that im not the only one who will miss his words yeah some can come across as being insensitve or ott but as someone wrote before after one of his messages we only go by what is written not by what he is trying to say in the message and some have taken offence and gotton upset which isnt what he wanted just wanted to get his point across

this forum is designed so people can share how they feel as well as for support in giving up the evil nicotine i really hope Michael that you come back

regards carol

[nsd_user663_18026]

anyone else think maybe michael has fallen off wagon and venting his anger!!! or maybe he doesnt like been told hes wrong

[nsd_user663_15147]

Hadn't thought about that, really hope not... like I said, never mind what anyone thinks about him, it's still a shame that the good friends he made on the forum wasn't enough to keep him online.

[nsd_user663_17388]

Hi Michael

Welcome back.

[nsd_user663_18145]

good to see your back Michael

regards carol