
I started smoking when I was 14 – it was the cool thing to do back in the 70’s.
It was sexy - there were coloured ones and pretty cigarettes and everyone was smoking. The health risks weren’t really known at that stage and I just continued smoking out of habit, but that habit soon increased and before I realised, it had become my best friend. It was my comfort.
I continued to smoke for the next 44 years – except on a Sunday. I never smoked on a Sunday.
I stopped once about 20 years ago for 18 months but getting caught out in a snow storm and staying in a house with several people drew me back into it. Then I just started where I left off and it was like having my best mate back.
I was so angry at myself for starting again. I’d let myself down and I was feeling a bit depressed about the amount of weight I had piled on when I hadn’t been smoking.
That’s actually why I was nervous to stop smoking. Putting on the weight again worried me, but it turns out It can be done and in fact I’ve even lost weight! It’s all a mind-set thing.
I’d been thinking about stopping for a while, it was becoming so expensive, but it wasn’t until one of my clients at the Golden View Lifestyle Village rest home said she was stopping and I thought ‘well if she can, I can!’ Next thing I knew Alison was arranging a meeting with me and I would visit her at Junction Health in Cromwell. On the 23rd of June I had my last cigarette.
I’d tried the patches but they gave me bad dreams so I ended up stopping without any NRT. I haven’t even had one cigarette since. I would be so angry with myself if I did!
I don’t miss smoking at all and in fact I found it quite easy to stop. Alison was a huge support and I looked forward to her visits. I’m excited about the amount of money I have saved to far ($600) because by the time my son gets married on the Gold Coast next year, I will have tons saved!
I’m so pleased to be smoke free and I’m excited about the future.
It was sexy - there were coloured ones and pretty cigarettes and everyone was smoking. The health risks weren’t really known at that stage and I just continued smoking out of habit, but that habit soon increased and before I realised, it had become my best friend. It was my comfort.
I continued to smoke for the next 44 years – except on a Sunday. I never smoked on a Sunday.
I stopped once about 20 years ago for 18 months but getting caught out in a snow storm and staying in a house with several people drew me back into it. Then I just started where I left off and it was like having my best mate back.
I was so angry at myself for starting again. I’d let myself down and I was feeling a bit depressed about the amount of weight I had piled on when I hadn’t been smoking.
That’s actually why I was nervous to stop smoking. Putting on the weight again worried me, but it turns out It can be done and in fact I’ve even lost weight! It’s all a mind-set thing.
I’d been thinking about stopping for a while, it was becoming so expensive, but it wasn’t until one of my clients at the Golden View Lifestyle Village rest home said she was stopping and I thought ‘well if she can, I can!’ Next thing I knew Alison was arranging a meeting with me and I would visit her at Junction Health in Cromwell. On the 23rd of June I had my last cigarette.
I’d tried the patches but they gave me bad dreams so I ended up stopping without any NRT. I haven’t even had one cigarette since. I would be so angry with myself if I did!
I don’t miss smoking at all and in fact I found it quite easy to stop. Alison was a huge support and I looked forward to her visits. I’m excited about the amount of money I have saved to far ($600) because by the time my son gets married on the Gold Coast next year, I will have tons saved!
I’m so pleased to be smoke free and I’m excited about the future.