Lived Experience Forum

[CheerBear]

I'm not hugely surprised at the amount of smokers here @TAB. I kept it quiet here and had only mentioned it in passing in early morning chats I think. I do the same in not here life with most people too.

@Zoe7 totally understand and feel the same way! I think about it, get myself all motivated and ready, then a life bus smashes me and I turn straight back to that one. I want to by the end of the year and had done really well not smoking for years, but I think I have to be in a bit of a better place before trying again or I'll probably fail at it.

[TAB]

Same and same re not mentioning if can help it on here or IRL @CheerBear and also not surprised  tho when you think about it

[Zoe7]

Just like @CheerBear  @TAB I haven't really mentioned it - not something I am proud of but also something that gets me through on the really tricky days. I am sure there have been multiple studies done on the correlation between mental health and smoking. It definitely seems to be more prevalent with people with MH issues. I definitely smoked less when I didn't have any money but that is precisely when I wanted them more - addiction is a nightmare in itself. I don't drink though so that is one thing in my favour I suppose. 

[TAB]

there is no 'failing' @CheerBear ..it's 'practice' ..at least that's what I read the other day 

[TAB]

Yep and yep and ..yep .. @Zoe7 totally agree re mh correlation, getting through bad days, well I drink as well so having to stop to get smoking stopped at least so ... yes lucky you and my body is hating me, but it was hating me a couple days ago when doing both vices to excess. The Joys ....

[Zoe7]

I get that @TAB - it feels like failing when you don't give up completely but like anything it takes practice ...and often multiple times trying ...that is in the future for me but hopefully not too far away... needing to get back to work first and jump that hurdle first then I may be better able to cope with giving up.

@CheerBear Go and take a look at the last post I made to F&H on the Far and Away thread - it is a bit more of an update on some things happenign for me that you may be interested to read. 

[TAB]

its priorities I guess @Zoe7 Im just lucky in a way that I have time off work so can concentrate on this

[CheerBear]

It's funny that with all we share here it seems the three of us have had some reluctance to disclose this one @TAB and@Zoe7. Wonder how my others there are. After what I opened up about on the forum over the last month-ish, talking about being a smoker is a bit of a whatever thing to me here now, plus it really helps the more people do talk about things like this I think.

Like you Zoe, it isn't something I am proud of but also like you it is something that gets me through in a way. I dont drink either and have given up lots of my more unhealthy coping strategies. This one will go too when I'm ready.

There's a resource here somewhere I think that mentions stats re smoking and mental illness. This one maybe.

[Zoe7]

Yeah priorities it is @TAB and good that you have time off work to concentrate on it. For me it is a big thing that I can't concentrate on right now because I still need to get other things sorted and that is one big thing that needs to be down the track - I am not saying never - just not right now. I think I have come a long way over the last few months though so giving up may be just on the horizon too. I'll talk about it with my GP next week too.

[Zoe7]

For me @CheerBear it has simply not come up here and if it had I certainly would not have said too much about it ...but I wouldn't have denyed it - just one of those things I don't generally talk about I suppose.

This may be a busy thread @TAB if all the smokers get together lol