Social Isolation Sucks...

Willing2Learn

I have hardly seen a soul since this all began.  I have started smoking the last two days as I have nothing else to do, spending £36 on cigarettes in the last two days.

Smoking is no longer in my monthly budget, since I stopped smoking in August 2019.  My plans to follow Jacques Cousteau with my scuba dives is on hold as I can no longer book flights etc.  May have to wait a year or two... 

joedenise

Give up smoking again!  You've done it once and you can do it again.  Do it before it gets a hold on you again.

I can't believe how much money I used to waste on cigarettes.  I know I wouldn't be able to afford it now if I was still smoking as I'm on a pension.

Think about your health especially as you want to go diving again when this is all over.  It won't last forever.

Willing2Learn

joedenise said:

Give up smoking again!  You've done it once and you can do it again.  

Oh...I have to stop again.  I saw a consultant last August with regard to my physical health.  (You need an up-to-date medical to go scuba at my age).  They said my lung capacity was too small and so I failed the examination.  I really am determined to stay off the smokes (although I've bought another 20 today)    I definitely do not want to have a monthly smoking budget category again)

I just need a new goal to set myself in the meantime.  Any ideas?  Need to get back on my bike to build up my health again...

On a more positive note - I went out yesterday and spent some quality time with a good friend.  I MUST have some social contact...

shoppingobsessed2020

How about cleaning your teeth more frequently?  It’s what I did to stop me drinking fIzzy juice as it tasted minging after I’d cleaned my teeth.

Can you phone a friend and chat to help with the isolation? 

Willing2Learn

Another £12.40 spent today on smokes.  This is ridiculous.  I have gone from not smoking to doing maybe 25/day.  I'll redownload the NHS no-smoking app as it helped last time round to stop.  I don't like the taste, the smell or the anything about smoking.  It is so uncool.  And yes...it's aftertaste is yucky.

And yes.  I am staying in touch with friends & family via voice-calls, emails, SMS etc etc.


I need to stop frittering money away so that I can keep my scuba budget intact until travel becomes possible.  I had a £10K budget for travel this financial year...I am just trying to keep my promise to the missus...

Willing2Learn

So, just downloaded the free NHS SmokeFree Android App.  Time to start over methinks!!

joedenise

Good luck with that Willing2Learn.  I know it's hard but you've done it before you can do it again.  Surely being healthy enough to go diving has got to be a good enough goal - it would have been for me!  I haven't dived for many years.  I had to stop because I developed high blood pressure alongside the COPD I already had and with both conditions I was told I couldn't dive any more.I didn't actually do many dives although the few I did I enjoyed, especially when we went to Egypt (although I hated everything else about it).  Fortunately diving was the main reason for going.

When I gave up smoking my life saver was eating crunchy carrots!  At least they're healthy!

Willing2Learn

Oooohhh - crunchy carrots    That almost sounds like a replacement for the hand-to-mouth behaviour, replacing the need to have a cigarette in my mouth.


The plan is to spend 4 weeks diving in Egypt with a further 6 weeks diving in Belize & Mexico.  Just worried about the cost of flights once everything settles down.  I am assuming that the cost will increase as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.


Bought another 20 smokes again today...

joedenise

Spend the money on crunchy carrots!  You're right about it substituting the hand to mouth movement, pretty much like a cigarette but definitely much healthier.

I suspect you're right about the cost of holiday being more expensive after COVID 19 but your plan to spend a month diving and a further 6 weeks in Belize and Mexico sounds amazing.  Come on how about this:  £10 into the holiday fund and the odd £2.70 (or whatever) to spend on healthy foods, like carrots, bananas, strawberries, grapes or whatever other fruit and veg you can pick at!  Frozen grapes are pretty amazing too!  Oh that's a point, how about ice poles you get the hand to mouth movement with those, maybe not so much now the weather has turned, LOL!

Wannabehousebuyer

@Willing2Learn what worked for me - free trial of  audiable - then listen to allen carrs - the easy way to give up smoking - or read it .. i am a audio person- but honestly, i'm telling everyone about it!

joedenise

I'd heard that the Allen Carr book is supposed to be really good.  I went cold turkey to give up but it was kind of enforced because I was in hospital and not allowed out of my room because they had no idea what was wrong with me and didn't want to risk me being infectious and infecting other patients!  Three weeks of not being allowed out done the trick for me.