Implications of giving up
Roger writes: I recently gave up smoking for 4 months. Having been previously healthy I began to feel quite poorly after 3 months and was diagnosed with a suspected heart problem. (As it turned out the consultant could not be sure whether I had a problem or not.)
In relating this story I have now come across three people whose health suffered after giving up smoking. In my case I am back smoking again and feel much better. I have only ever been a moderate smoker and currently smoke a maximum of 10 roll ups per day. I am left wondering whether moderate smoking is actually harmful. I am interested in any research done on the health effects of giving up smoking. Can you point me to any information sources on this issue?
posted by Simon Clark @ 21:23
8 comments
8 Comments:
Ali : that Ozzie report was great. Perhaps it should be forwarded or posted to those killjoys who intend to stop us smokers from remaining healthy!
My mom quit smoking recently and immediately came down with a nasty lung infection. This happens to her every time she makes this attempt. When will she learn?
I absolutely refuse to give up and will be even more determined NOT to give up if a total ban is introduced.
I did try giving up once and put on so much weight that regardless of what tactics are employed next, such as refusing medical treatment to those who are smokers or obese or heavy drinkers, I would currently only fall into one of these categories. If, however, I gave up smoking I would be likely to fall into both the other 2, so would have even less chance of treatment.
I am also quite a nervous, uptight sort of person and have been prone to stress and depression. Without my 'sanity sticks' I would be on so much medication it would cost me far more than smoking does and would probably do me more harm too. I may even have to give up work and live on the state.
As it is, even with smoking, we could finish up going mad if and when we can't go out anywhere to relax and unwind and enjoy ourselves. I currently am not a drinker, nor is my husband. Our treat and little pleasure each week is going for a meal out our local Indian restaurant. There is no way we would go out for a meal without being able to smoke between courses and in our climate there is no pleasure in going outside most of the year, so we just won't go. Another little local restaurant that will suffer.
Before any self righteous non smoker replies with any inane comments I will add that, on occasion, we have gone to non smoking restaurants with my mother and both of us have had indegestion as a result. These non smoking restaurants seem to us just like fast food places where they serve you course after course as though it is a race and in order for your meal not to get cold you eat it as it comes and feel sick afterwards. At least when we are able to smoke between courses each course has a chance to go down properly first - much healthier, you ask any dietician.
Some years ago I gave up smoking for almost 4 years. I developed bronchial asthma during that period, which was very distressing. Shortly after I resumed smoking (for other reasons), the health problem disappeared. I no longer have to use inhalers, nor do I suffer from bronchitis.
I've tried on 2 occasions to give up smoking, both times I ended up at my GP's with Clinical Depression...
I'd rather die of lung cancer aged 60, than suicide aged 35, thank you very much!
Lyn said "I did try giving up once"
So you wish to stop smoking then, just be honest!
The rest of you the easiest person to fool is very often yourself. Keep up the good work!
To Nick Berry
Yes I did try to give up once, 30 years ago when my then fiance asked me to. I found I was far less healthy without my ciggies than I was with them and chose the ciggies over the fiance.
30 years on I still feel the same and will continue to do so.
lyn wrote: "I am also quite a nervous, uptight sort of person and have been prone to stress and depression."
We all have at some time "nervous" problems and it is a natural reaction to look for something to help us "calm down". Our ancestors used all kinds of herbs and secret mixtures. It looks like nicotine is one of the substances that has similar effects as Ritalin (but not the same profit margin for Big Pharma).
"In another study, non-smoking adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) showed significant improvement in their ability to inhibit a motor response following acute nicotine administration. Nicotine produced a short-term improvement that was as large as the improvement seen after giving them Ritalin, the standard drug used to treat ADHD, says Alexandra Potter, PhD, of the University of Vermont in Burlington. "
More here: http://apu.sfn.org/content/AboutSFN1/NewsReleases/am2003_adolescent.html
Post a Comment
<< Home