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The health benefits of quitting smoking are well documented. Among other benefits, quitting dramatically lowers your risk for heart attacks, cancer and lung disease. But for many ex-smokers, quitting can also be a catalyst for major positive lifestyle changes.
Malcolm Parsons and Darlene Morgan are two Canadians who have quit smoking and turned their lives around in ways they never thought possible.
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Malcolm Parsons gives his trademark "high-five" to fellow runner and author of this article, Jennifer Schenkel. |
Malcolm's story
From 20-year smoker to long-distance runner
Malcolm Parsons takes a sip of water and a deep breath as he waits for the
traffic light to change. When it flashes green he's off, running at a steady
clip in the mid-morning sun. He makes it look almost effortless as he flashes
a smile that instantly puts people at ease. Malcolm, a father of three, a husband
and weekend disc jockey is training for his first marathon. Just five years
ago he would have considered this to be an impossible dream – he was once a
pack-a-day smoker and a
self-described couch potato.
Today, he is a quiet inspiration to the members of his local running club in
Orléans, Ontario. On most Sunday mornings after a tough training run, you'll
find Malcolm waiting at the finish ready to give each runner a high-five
for a job well done. It's something the runners here have grown to anticipate
when slogging through the final kilometres of a difficult training session.
After all, if Malcolm can do it, so can they.
How did this 20-year, pack-a-day smoker end up a serious long-distance
runner? Malcolm admits he even finds it hard to believe. "I could barely
walk up a flight of stairs," he recalls. Malcolm credits his son with
the inspiration he needed to finally quit for good. "My son came home
from school one day and he said to me, Dad, if you love us, why can't
you quit smoking?" A week later, Malcolm smoked his last cigarette.
The next six months marked one of the most difficult periods of Malcolm's
life.
"I'm a competitive person. I didn't want to let cigarettes win. I also
knew that if I even smoked once that would be it – I'd be smoking again."
Indeed, many people suffer relapse
– they quit for a while and start again. That's why it's important to
have a
plan for quitting and not become discouraged by setbacks. After two
months of coping with strong cravings and mood swings, Malcolm saw his
doctor and was given a prescription for a medication to help curb his
nicotine cravings Although he didn't fill the prescription, he says it
was reassuring to have it in his back pocket as insurance.
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Quitting smoking—one step at a time
Not everyone who quits smoking will become a marathon runner, but for many former smokers kicking the habit can be a major turning point in their life.
For most people quitting smoking is one of the hardest things they'll ever
do, says Niki Legge, Director, Cessation Initiatives & Tobacco Control for the
Newfoundland & Labrador Lung Association. Quitting takes careful planning, courage,
commitment and support. "Once a person has overcome tobacco addiction, which
is so very challenging, they begin to recognize the strengths within themselves
that can be applied to other facets of their lives." In her experience as a
counsellor with Newfoundland & Labrador Smoker's
Helpline, Ms. Legge notes that people commonly make positive lifestyle changes
while quitting, including healthier eating, exercising, volunteering in the
community or becoming champions for programs to help others quit. "Once people
have learned the skills to overcome a tobacco addiction, they easily apply those
same strengths and skills to other areas of their lives."
Replacing smoking with new hobbies and interests builds confidence and can
increase the chances of staying smoke-free. Ms. Legge also stresses healthy
eating and exercise – she provides each client with a copy of Eating
Well with Canada's Food Guide. As people become more physically fit and
healthy, they may be less tempted to light up and undo a healthy behaviour,
she explains.
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Darlene Morgan uses her experience to inspire others to quit. |
Darlene's story
Lung disease forced her to quit…now she helps others become smoke-free
Darlene Morgan is another inspiring account of how quitting smoking helped to open new doors of opportunity.
Darlene, 48, began smoking when she was 16 to be cool. Smoking
soon became part of her daily routine and for the next three decades she
was deeply addicted. Although she worked as an aide in the intensive care
unit at Manitoba's Brandon General Hospital and knew first-hand the dangers
of smoking, Darlene says she just wasn't ready to quit.
In the last few years, however, she began to feel tired and short of breath.
Still, she ignored these warning signs and attributed them to age, lack
of exercise, and too much work. Finally, last October, as she was heading
out for a doctor's appointment, she collapsed on the stairs struggling
to breathe as her 16-year-old daughter watched in fear. She was rushed
to hospital by ambulance where she was admitted and diagnosed with Chronic
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), a serious long-term lung disease
that makes it hard to breathe.
"I vowed two things on that day: first, never to smoke again; and second,
to do something good with the situation I now find myself in." Although
Darlene is living with COPD, she is finding comfort in using her story
to support others in quitting. She recently spoke to a support group for
women who want to quit but who are having difficulty staying smoke-free.
Now a non-smoker for more than six months, Darlene admits it's still hard.
But "knowing that the next smoke could be my last" is a sobering reality
and one that Darlene reflects on daily.
Like Malcolm, she says the key to quitting smoking is having a plan and sticking to it. Nicotine cravings usually pass within a few minutes. That's why it's important to fight the urge with whatever arsenal you can muster – deep breathing, gum, cross word puzzles, housework, a phone call to a supportive friend or a walk. Most people benefit from a using a combination of quit methods, for example, support groups, nicotine replacement therapy or self-help.
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Quitting checklist
One of the keys to quitting smoking is to have a plan and set small, achievable goals:
- Pick a quit date and mark it on your calendar or post it on your fridge. Tell your friends and family.
- Write your personal reasons for quitting on a card. Carry that card with you and look at it when you have the urge to smoke.
- Make smoking less comfortable and easy: Switch hands when you smoke, carry
cigarettes in a different place, switch to a brand you don't like, don't carry
a lighter or matches. Try scheduling cigarettes at set times or smoking only
half a cigarette at a time.
"I didn't want to let cigarettes win."
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- Make an emergency kit stocked with things to help you cope with cravings: gum,
puzzles, a stress ball, and inspirational quotes.
- Find things to replace your most important cigarettes. For example, if you
always smoke first thing in the morning, try chewing a piece of nicotine or
regular gum or go for a walk instead.
- Make an appointment to have your teeth cleaned on quit day. The fresh taste in your mouth and whiter teeth will help keep you motivated.
- Remind yourself that quitting is a process and relapse is common. Instead of focussing on failure, focus on being more prepared for success the next time you quit and keep trying.
Moving forward
Darlene is proud to be able to share her experience to help others. Speaking out affirms her desire to be a non-smoker and make the most out of this second chance she feels she was given. Life with COPD isn't easy, but Darlene says sharing her story "is a way of helping me make a good situation out of a bad one."
As for Malcolm, who is approaching his five-year anniversary as a non-smoker,
he never thought that quitting would lead to such incredible changes in his
life and bring him so much joy. On May 27, 2007, Malcolm Parsons reached his
goal and finished his first marathon. Through running, he has made life-long
friends and become a role model for his children. And, he says he's having more
fun than he's had in years.
Quitting smoking isn't easy, but it's worth giving it a try. It could change your life.
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This article was prepared by 
