Today is No Smoking Day
It is great to have a day when there is national support for those folk who really want to stop smoking. I have blogged about stopping smoking before and the services available from Barnton Pharmacy, so this time I wanted to tell you about my friend Debbie.
Debbie has always smoked - well for 33 years to be exact. For as long as I can remember I have not known Debbie without a fag in one hand and a large G&T in the other. Up until fairly recently Debbie was definitely a "contented smoker". No amount of lecturing, cajoling or any other sort of nagging would have persuaded her that giving up the fags was a good idea. She had tried many times without success and had tried patches, gum and all combinations of nicotine replacement.
Determined to change things a couple of years ago, Debbie found a gym which was working for her, bought a bike and she was fitter than she had been for years! The next thing to tackle was smoking. The next quit attempt was going to have to be different. ......So what was different?
This time Debbie discussed her smoking with her GP and a course of Champix was prescribed. This, together with great determination, planning and an even better reward system (beauty treatments, days out with the girls, champagne - whatever works!) means that this No Smoking Day Debbie has been smoke free for EIGHT WEEKS!!!! This is even more incredible if you know her husband is still smoking, but there is another story altogether!
Debbie is feeling and looking great! She can now run for 30 minutes without stopping and for the first time in 33 years she watched her beloved Newcastle United play Sunderland without caving in to nicotine (it was a draw in the end, I believe). There is even talk of a climb to the top of Ben Nevis in May!
Apart from being a true success story for Debbie, this tale is for anyone who has tried to give up before and gone back to the fags. Most people have to fall off the wagon a few times before giving up for good. It is for those of you who are "contented smokers" and for those of you who have tried every product available before.....try again!
If Debbie can do it.....so can you!
Well done Debbie.
ReplyDeletei hate it when people smoke at me.. is it so hard to cut out the habit ..........
ReplyDeleteIn 33 years of smoking, I never knowingly smoked "at" anyone else, particularly non-smokers. Unfortunately, some people, both smokers and non-smokers, do lack manners.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, Daniel, it IS rather hard to cut out the habit even when you have made the decision. But I do think it's worth it.
And thanks for the kind words, Sally and Ellen
xxx
Yeah that is so true and a good to know that there is a at-least single day on which there is no smoke at all as although it is very unhealthy and causes health issues to many but still some people who are addicted cant stop it so easily but if some one is determined about this thing can do by using the alternatives for smoking like a vaporizer or e-cigs which is a safe and easy way to quit smoking.
ReplyDeleteHey this is really appreciable that you did this and it really means a lot to many. As second hand smoke also affects very badly and causes many problems.
ReplyDeleteThat an nice effort to stop this killing habit , i hope it will help.
ReplyDeletea vaporizer is a good alternatives for smoking. Anyway, smoking is not good, especially when people smoke at somebody else.
ReplyDelete