Non-Smoker

[thomas_hochard]

I do not smoke, I've never smoked, and I'm only here to offer help to others to overcome their addiction to smoking.

[CommunityAdmin]

@thomas_hochard Welcome!

Are you a tobacco treatment specialist? Or do you have family members who smoke or previously smoked? What motivated you to come here and participate on EX?

[thomas_hochard]

I am not a treatment specialist of any kind. I found my way to this community through my employer as part of our healthy lifestyle program. I hope that every smoker will realize that Tobacco Companies are relying on additive personality traits to exploit their financial and physical assets. And equally, they have no idea the stench they drag along with them from cigarette smoke. Many former smokers I've known find themselves apologizing for their stench once they quit smoking and regain their sense of smell. 

In the immortal words of Yul Brenner, "Now that I'm gone, I tell you: Don't smoke, whatever you do, just don't smoke."

[CommunityAdmin]

That's extremely noble of you to want to provide support to others. Do you have co-workers that do smoke/vape/chew that you'll refer to EX?

I know there are lots of stories here on the community where people are quitting and they want their co-workers to understand what they're going through in their attempt to quit. Having someone like yourself here learning though reading member's journal posts about their struggles during their quit journey will enable you to be more empathetic and also supportive to those at your work.  I would guess there are people here who would have appreciated having an accountability partner and advocate at work to support them throughout their day or distract them by changing up their normal routine.

Before I managed this community I was virtually an accountability partner for a friend who wanted to quit smoking and I know he greatly appreciated my support and understanding even though I didn't know exactly what he was going through at the time. I really wish I had a resource like EX to understand him and help him further back when he was on his early quit journey. I also wish I could have helped my late uncle to quit as well. 

[Justdeda1]

Thank you for caring about your fellow person, @thomas_hochard !  Please feel free to ask for help here if you’re faced with a colleague’s “quit emergency” (sigh…we get those, especially at the beginning, a lot!), and don’t have time to look it up or check it out for them—someone will always be around who can answer or direct you to the proper resource!  If you @someone you’ve found helpful, like Mark, who has so many resources at his fingertips, or others you will come to know by hanging out here a bit, they may be alerted, and be quicker to respond (-:

Best of luck in your endeavors!  Here’s to a smoke-free workplace!

Deda

[Barbscloud]

@thomas_hochard Thanks for stopping by.  This is a judgement free site for individuals desiringg to quit smoking.  As ex-smokers we share what we have learned about nicotine addiction and tools to help them quit based on what we have learned along the way.  

Some smokers don't know or acknowledge that they leave a "stench" behind them, well other's, like myself, did.   Personally, I quit for my health, not what other's thought about me.    

If your coworkers are asking for help, I'm glad you'll be there for them.

Barb

[thomas_hochard]

Whatever it takes to quit is the best thing for every smoker.

[Barbscloud]

@thomas_hochard What?

[NeverSmokedEver]

I'm glad I found this thread. Good information. Thanks!

[thomas_hochard]

Keep up the good work!