GUS (Gave Up Smoking) is a community support diary for Kossacks in the midst of quitting smoking. Any supportive comments, suggestions or positive distractions are appreciated. If you are quitting or thinking of quitting (or want to support quitters), please - join us! We kindly ask that politics be left out.
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A message to all quitters: you don't have to avoid GUS if your latest attempt to quit didn't work out. We won't give you a bad time and we consider the attempted quits as "practice" for the real quit.
Update: I can't get the linky to kcc's most excellent comment to work, so please see flumptytail's most excellent linky in the comments.
I've been a lurker on this diary for a couple of years now, posting a comment here and there, but generally just reading. I've watched commenters battle what must be one of the most ferocious addictions known to humankind. I'm not and never have been a smoker, but my heart has always gone out to those who fight this addiction every minute of every day. I can hear your voices as you describe your struggles, and I want to hug each and every person and hold you, tell you it's going to be all right, tell you that you will have a new life free from cigarettes. I literally cheer when you post milestones: smoke-free for a month, a week; breathing is easier; food tastes better; blood pressure's down; you saved a pile of money by not buying cigarettes.
I watched my own parents struggle to quit smoking. My father quit because he had no choice--he became ill with Hodgkin's and spent a year in the hospital, which didn't allow smoking. After he came home, my mother finally quit, too. But now, at age 84, she is suffering from emphysema. She is tethered to an oxygen machine 24 hours a day. Her lungs are, as her pulmonologist describes them, "full of holes."
The thing is, my mother quit smoking over 40 years ago.
This is where the lie comes in.
I'm an armchair student of the psychology of advertising, and it doesn't take a rocket surgeon to see that the cigarette ads from the 1950s, showing doctors smoking and recommending which brands of cigarettes their patients should smoke, hit all the right notes in post-war, white-bread America. That's why the only good cigarette ad is the one that doesn't exist: there is no redeeming quality to this product that makes it possible to honestly advertise. The only way is to do as kcc suggested yesterday in a most excellent comment. It makes me wonder--what products are killing us now that we are told are super-cool?
My mother told me that when she found out she was pregnant with me, in 1962, she asked her doctor if she should quit smoking. This doctor, one of the top OB-GYNs in New York City, told her no, but that she should cut back by half. A pack-a-day smoker, my mother diligently laid out ten cigarettes every day on the dresser and made sure to smoke them all--and not one more--throughout her pregnancy.
The tobacco companies also promote the idea that once you quit, your lungs go back to the way they were before you started smoking in something like seven years. This, as my mother's experience makes painfully clear, is also lie.
I'm angry that corporations can manipulate us with lies that make us sick. I'm angry that a product takes away our freedom to choose so that we feel not just a desire, but a need to have it. I'm angry that medical authorities told us one thing during one era and another thing now. I'm angry that my mother's lungs didn't go back to the way they were before she started smoking.
That's why I wanted to host this diary. I wanted to get all this off my chest, and I knew that everyone here would understand. For that, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
But I also wanted to host the diary because I've grown to love the people here and all the positive messages of hope. We all fight epic battles every day, and here we find comfort and support regardless of our type of struggle.
May peace and success be with everyone today and always.
Who's Your Little Buddy?
1BQ, 3rdGenFeminist, Abra Crabcakeya, Actbriniel, addisnana, AfroPonix, aishmael, Alise, Alpha99, A Man Called Gloom, ambeeeant, American in Kathmandu, amk for obama, andsarahtoo, angry marmot, Anne933, anodnhajo, aoeu, aquarius2001, arcadesproject, Archie2227, arodb, Arthur Wolf (in memoriam), assyrian64, awkawk, b4uknowit, bamablue, BARAKABETH, barnowl, b barrie, bdizz, beatpanda, Beefydaddy18, BFSkinner, bgblcklab1, BigAlinWashSt, Bike Crash, BirderWitch, BJKay, bleeding heart, blingbling65, bluedust, blue husky, Blue Intrigue, bluedust, BluejayRN, BlueJessamine, Bluerall, bluestatedem84, BoiseBlue, boudi08, Brahman Colorado, breedlovinit, BrenP, Bronxist, BrowniesAreGood, bsmechanic, buddabelly, bumbi, burrow owl, BusyinCa, Carol in San Antonio, CathiefromCanada, CathodeRay, CDH in Brooklyn, cee4, Cen Den, ChiTownDenny, ChocolateChris, ChurchofBruce, ciganka, cinnamondog, citizenx, ClapClapSnap, Cleante, Code Monkey, codobus, Coldblue Steele, Colorado is the Shiznit, coloradomomma, common green, commonmass, Common Sense Mainer, congenitalefty, coppercelt, dadanation, dangoch, DarienComp, Dauber, Dauphin, Dave in AZ, Dave in Northridge, deedogg, demkat620, Dexter, Diana in NoVa, Dickie, DiegoUK, Dingodude, dirtdude, distraught, djMikulec, dolfin66, donnamarie, Donna O, dotsright, DRo, droogie6655321, Dube, duckhunter, Eclectablog, Eddie C, EdgedInBlue, effervescent, elbamash, El barragas, el vasco, ericlewis0, Everest42, Ex Con, ezdidit, fhamme, Fineena, fiona2, fishhawk, Flea, flumptytail, fritzi56, FrugalGranny, Garrett, Gator, gchaucer2, GDbot, Geiiga, GenXangster, Georgianna Darcy, glpaul, GN1927, gooderservice, gooners, gravlax, greylox, grndrush, GrumpyWarriorPoet, gzodik, Haole in Hawaii, HappyinNM, henlesloop, HeyMikey, hideinplainsight, High Tide, hiliner68, hold tight, hulibow, I love OCD, Im a frayed knot, imisa, Indexer, indubitably, indyada, Interceptor7, inventor, I said GOOD DAY sir, itsbenj, Jahiz, JamesEB, janl1776, Janeo, JayinPortland, jayjaybear, jbou, Jeffersonian Democrat, jmadlc55, jmonch, Joe's Steven aka Steven, john07801, johngoes, jsfox, JVolvo's Mom, jwinIL14, kai99, kailuacaton, Kamakhya, kat herder, Kelly of PA, kestrel9000, khloemi, Khun David, Kitsap River, kittania, Kodiak54, Kristina40, Ksholl, labwitchy, Lady Kestrel, ladypockt, Lahdee, langerdang, LarsThorwald, LA rupert, last starfighter, LaughingPlanet, Laurie Gator, Lipstick Liberal, litoralis, lmdonovan, lockewasright, Lonely Texan, longislandny, luvsathoroughbred, maggiemay, magicsister, mango, Marc in KS, Marjmar,, marknspokane, marsanges, maryabein, Matt Esler, mdemploi, Meteor Blades, Micburke, michael1104, MillieNeon, Minerva1157, MinervainNH, Missys Brother, mjbleo, MnRaindog, mntleo2, Morague, Mr Bojangles, mrsgoo, mskitty, msmacgyver, MsWings, Murphoney, nannyboz, ncsuLAN, NearlyNormal, Nedsdag, Nick Zouroudis, notgivingup, NY brit expat, OleHippieChick, one pissed off democrat, Onomastic, operculum, OrangeMike, Ordvefa, Overseas, OverTheEdge, pager, paige, PaintyKat, paradox, parryander, paulitics, Pennsylvanian, phrogge prince, Positronicus, post rational, Proud Mom and Grandma, psycho liberal, ptolemynm, Purple Priestess, PvtJarHead, racheltracks, randallt, ray bob, real world chick, red mittens, Reepicheep, regis, relentless, revelwoodie, revsue, Rex Manning, rexymeteorite, RiaD, rickeagle, ridemybike, rightiswrong, Rileycat,rincewind, rkex, roadlion, Roger Fox, Rosebuddear, roses, rscopes, Rudini, Safina, SallyCat, Sanuk, Sark Svemes, sboucher, scooter in brooklyn, Scrapyard Ape, seenaymah, sfbob, sgary, Shahryar, sheddhead, shesaid, Shifty18, shmuelman, shopkeeper, sidious666, slowbutsure, smartcookienyc, smeesq, Smoh, snoopydawg, snorwich, SnyperKitty, SoCalHobbit, sofia, soonergrunt, sostos, sowsearsoup, SpecialKinFlag, spmozart, spotDawa, SpotTheCat, StateofGrace, Statusquomustgo, stiffneck, sunbro, Super Grover, Syoho, tallmom, Tay, tdslf1, teknospaz, theatre goon, The Eyewitness Muse, TheGeneral, TheStoopingRabbit, TigerMom, tiredofcrap, TomP, tonyahky, Toyotabob7, Treefrog, triciawyse, trs, trueblueliberal, ttanner, Tulsonian, Turn VABlue, Turtle Bay, Tyto Alba, uc booker, UncleCharlie, Unduna, Unforgiven, ursoklevar, USArmyParatrooper, VA02 femocrat, Vacationland, valadon, Vayle, Vetwife, vgranucci, Village expects idiot home soon, waytac, webranding, weelzup, Wes Opinion, Whimsical Rapscallion, willy be frantic, willy mugobeer, Wood Dragon, wolfie1818, Wordsinthewind, Wreck Smurfy, x, xopher, yet another liberal, Zotz
Has your life been affected by smoking or smokers in your life?
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Diarists in regularly-scheduled time slots are listed in bold.
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Coming Attractions: eeff hosting Friday 6/1!