Imagine if we were characters in a video game and cigarettes are our opponents. The object of the game is to be the sole survivor, the winner of the grand prize- A LIFE TIME FREE FROM DAMAGE!

Like a lot of video games you get three lives, in our game they're called relapses. Each relapse causes your character to become weaker and weaker from the effects of smoking and your opponent seems to be winning. So you fight a little harder but still not hard enough and you use another of your relapses.

Now you're down to your last life, you've used all your relapses and should you fail this time its game over.

That's how all of us should think about smoking. None of us know who among us will get a smoking related illness and some of us already have one or more. And some of us paid the ultimate price with our lives.

 

Wow jillar.  This is great way to present it!

My video game references are all outdated now.  That leaves me with the challenge of comparing quitting smoking with Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!.

 

Initially, quitting seems like a daunting task; downright scary even.  This is going to be the fight of your life.  Quitting looks like Tyson himself, the final boss.

 

Then you get into the quit and the cravings and nagging thoughts seem quite manageable.  Yeah, it's a fight, but a very winnable one.  Quitting is looking more like Glass Joe now.

 

You stick with the process, work your way through.  Figure out when to slip and when to punch...Keep racking up the wins.  You come out like Little Mac, victorious and triumphant.

 

Love this post Jillar....

Smokers play Russian Roulette every day ....Will it be today ?????.......

 

@Doreensfree I agree with this post by Jillar and your reply to it. I've always felt like continuing to smoke makes your chances of getting away from it, before it kills you, smaller and smaller the longer you keep smoking.

 I've been spinning that wheel, or chamber, every day for about 50 years. Taking the chance that at any point I could lose. For me it seems like I'm losing slowly, day by day, year by year. But at any time smoking could take everything all at once.

  I met an old friend from high school the other day. At 64 he looked so much younger than me and I know he has more energy. The only real difference between us is that he never smoked. The differences between the two of us are disturbing, to say the least. I'm sure he noticed it also!

Jeff

 

@JH63, Jeff, you will see your complexion improve as well as lots of other good things as you get farther into your quit so since we can't change the past we can embrace a smoke free future.   

I couldn't believe the changes that happened after I quit ....

Complexion,hair ...eyes brighter,..no film on the tongue ...Oh I could on..

Smoking effects every part of your body ....

Jeff...the magic will happen ...I even managed to keep my two feet....

I still get a massive Buzz about that ...

I feel younger now ,than I did 20 years ago....

Don't forget to tell us about changes you notice as you go along ..

The other week I ran into someone I hadnt seen in a while. Regular smoker, quitting was always on her mind and she did all the things so many of us have been doing for years: cutting down (result: enforcing her addiction) , limiting her smoking to 'only in the kitchen', quitting and starting again, etc. Living her life, but always with a sense of guilt about her smoking 'habit'. 

 

She told me she only just found out that she has advanced lung cancer. She's in her 50's. 

Edited January 23, 20215 yr by MLMR

This is very sad news ....

Another number to the Tabacco Companies .....this still makes me angry ....

I am so grateful I have not left this earth a SMOKER.....🐸