Quitting is Tough

[roneo]

The general perception of smokers by both non-smokers & smokers themselves, is that smokers are weak willed slaves to a dirty habit.

On the contrary, it's clear to me that SMOKERS ARE TOUGH! T-U-F-F! .....Tough!

Who didn't cough & splutter at their first attempt of that crappy tasting weed. How tough you had to be to persevere until you could accommodate a lung full of smoke. Smokers are aware they are inhaling hundreds of poisonous chemicals with each cigarette....how tough is that! Show me someone who will go outside in the depth of winter, wind swirling around them, every hour or so just for a smoke. How tough is that! Notice how much worse a common chest cold is for a smoker, yet they persist even though they feel like they're about to cough up a lung. No, smokers certainly aren't weak. It takes a great deal of grit & determination to smoke under these circumstances.

I recall as a 12 year old, trying to fit in my newly adopted football team. They had played together for a number of years & I was a short chubby "unknown quantity". On the way home from training we shared a smoke. I was highly admired because I did the drawback (inhaled). That may have been the first time I associated smoking with a reward of status & acceptance. No doubt the serotonin & oxytocin were flowing. I'll bet I'm not the only one on this forum to first smoke to show I was TUFF.

Then, there are those who are even tougher. Everyone here who is reading & contributing to this forum. Those who are daring to thumb their collective noses at cigarettes & choose to become non smokers. If you have any doubt that you have what it takes to kick the weed, you've already proved you have what it takes when you were a smoker.

[daicha LONG TERM WINNER]

Last smoked 30/1/14. Still think about it. Want it but don't want it. I know if I had one it would be disgusting but after a few I'd be back "enjoying" it.

Funny but I quite like the smell of fresh smoke - only the stale is stinky. Good to not be slave to the wanting - always hanging out.

Keep it up - it's actually not hard. Wish I'd known that about 40 years ago.

[roneo in reply to daicha]

Thanks for the encouragement Daicha. I know what you mean about the smell of cigarette smoke. I liken it to walking past a bakery. The aroma is so much more alluring than when eating the bread. I suspect it isn't the actual smell that's pleasant but the subconscious memory of the feelings invoked by smoking. It can be discouraging to think that the potential will always be there to react to different situations by reigniting memories of smoking pleasure.

[Kas100 LONG TERM WINNER]

Interesting/amusing post Roneo.

I remember hiding in the bushes on school cross country runs having a sneaky fag trying to fit in with the "in crowd"

So many non smoking girls I could have been friends with- I look back at myself and think how sad and weak I was.

But as they say youth is wasted on the young

Kas

Xx

[droopyJ]

Very funny post....😁😁

Oh I totally agree with you roneo, I changed schools when I was 14 and I was excepted because I was 'the new girl that smoked' which now I know is nothing to brag about!!!😁😁