Have you given up smoking and were there any changes/benefits to your mental health?

[JBee 10]

Well I have recently given up and I'm really enjoying it.

 

I've found that my alcohol intake has halved too - maybe because cigarettes and booze go so well together that having one without the other doesn't feel right?

 

Whatever it is, I've been sleeping much better and feeling more mentally alert.

[cloudybay 17]

 

maybe because cigarettes and booze go so well together that having one without the other doesn't feel right?

 

 

That's the conclusion I came to JBee, so I've given up both. Tesco's will be announcing a profit slump shortly though.................

[Fareast 10]

No , I have never given up smoking . Fifty glorious years now ! [ 15 years -65 yrs ].

Still working full-time , never been in hospital , except for a fistula 30 years ago , very little time off work for anything , still go out at least once a week for a booze -up and still alert mentally , I hope . [ -----well trying to teach Chinese students about Shakespeare and Bacon keeps ANYONE alert ].

I eat , more or less , anything that's going and have lived in some of the hottest countries in the world . Never been on a diet and hate muesli ........etc........Overweight somewhat...........And never worry about scare stories --------particularly health -scare stories . I suppose I might regret all this , if I live to be 90 but it has been enjoyable

Bon Chance , everyone !

[English Glory 10]

I'm not a quitter so couldn't say.

 

One benefit i imagine quitters have with regards to mental health is they don't face the constant persecution inhibited by the nanny-state establishment.

 

Anyways, it's refreshing for a thread regarding smoking to have not got into such a persecutory (sp) line (yet!)

[alankearn 10]

Yes 35 years ago

Use to be 40 b+h then 15/20 Hamlet cigars then none

I am 73 years old, walk 4 miles (in an hour) every day no matter what the weather is like and never out of breath. Doubt very much if I would have been able to do this if I had kept on smoking.

[Fareast 10]

Alankearn :--

 

Do you really mean that if I gave up smoking I could walk EVERY day for an hour in the rain , snow ........etc ........!

Wow , that's worth bearing in mind .

[alankearn 10]

Well I would not be as healthy as I appear to be now if I had kept smoking, thats for sure.

You will be telling me next that smoking is good for you.

[gnomi 10]

i gave up in jan and have been plagued with cold and flu symptoms ever since? Im told this can be the case and have even heard of people developing pneumonia-maybe its something to do with detoxing....

In terms of mental health i dont think its made any difference really,well not after the first month when i wanted to kill/scream at/bludgeon anyone who annoyed me(and there was a lot of said people!)

Im hoping ill feel healthier soon....

[kirky 10]

Some people claim to become a new person when they give up smoking- problems with nerves / depression seem to go away. Has anybody thats given up smoking had any experience of this?

 

i gave up smokin 2 weeks and two days ago (national no smoking day) i don't feel any different at all.

[Tartempion 10]

I stopped three years ago and I've noticed lots of physical changes such as having more energy, finding it easy to keep fit, no horrible coughing etc. Haven't really noticed any mental changes apart from no longer feeling guilty and worried about being a smoker. I love the fact that I quit!

[Phanerothyme 12]

I read in the paper that niccotine is actually good for your brain, and can help prevent various mental problems, it's the rest of the cig thats bad for you.

nicotine seems to provide some protection against Parkinsons Disease and parkinsonism. It also increases the body's reaction to caffeine, so when inhested simultaneously, the stimulation from the caffeine is amplified.

 

At higher (shamanic) doses it is hallucinogenic, and in higher doses still, it's fatally toxic. Makes B&H look a bit, well, weedy.