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Which of your vices or bad habits would be the hardest to give up?
One of the things that we have been told during the Covid-19 pandemic is to avoid touching your face. I admit that this is a habit that has always been difficult for me to break. Due to dry eyes I have a tendency to rub them a lot. When I’m deep in thought my hand often goes to my chin with my index finger touching the corner of my mouth. I’ve been making an extra effort not to do these things.
What about you? Are there vices or bad habits that you have that could be detrimental to your health? What efforts do you take to avoid doing them?
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17 Replies
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Hehehe I have the most wicked and detrimental of all vices- smoking too much for too long.
When I was first diagnosed I went cold Turkey and that lasted about 3 months but then I couldn’t anymore and I started again.
Fast forward Corona virus. When my government announced lockdown they also announced the banning of the sale of all tobacco and alcohol related products. Go figure they seem to be on a major power trip. The nation was ready to revolt.
We’re now 85 days into lockdown and I think I’m the only person in the village who doesnt have their own personal supplier of black market products. I dont know where to start finding such a person and no one will tell me.
So thank you to President Cyril Ramaphosa and the people of my village from stopping me from smoking. NOT I dont like any of you at the moment ????
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Oh, I can relate! I’m such a face toucher. I have the dry-eye situation, too. And constantly having to blow my nose.
I think the hardest vice for me to deal with (which has nothing to do with the pandemic safety issue) is my love of and need for SALT. And second to that trying to adhere to a fluid-restricted diet.
I crave salt. But I do try so, so hard to behave. If someone brings Pringles into my house, I have zero self control. lol! Fortunately there’s now a lightly salted version.
Also a couple of the other medical issues I have sort of require for me to stay very hydrated. And then there’s my heart doc telling me, “I want you to be borderline dehydrated for your meds to work best.”
UGH. I feel like a tightrope walker.
I want to salt everything! I want to have a beverage constantly! I’m in a state of self-denial at all times. Ooooo, I wish I could just stop wanting both of those things. -
Oh, Tracey, I feel for you! I’ve never been a smoker, but I do know several people who have struggled with quitting. And I saw how hard that was for them. I can’t imagine the being put in a situation where they had no choice because the government banned it. I’m hoping for the best for you, in that maybe this extended period without will help you give it up for good.
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@colleensteele, I certainly relate to your face touching. My dry eyes don’t help either. I’ve noticed just how much I do touch my face during this pandemic.
@traceyaustralianmigration-co-za, I cannot imagine smoking and quitting cold turkey. My stepdad smokes and has for years. He uses oxygen most days but continues to “ need” to smoke. I hope that you’ll kick the habit now after going this long without. It’s like you were forced to stop.
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Hi @robin-webster, great to see you here. I hope that you are doing well.
Salt is the devil, I say. I also crave salt, and Pringles sound great. I just ordered groceries and may need to add these. I didn’t realize that they have a low sodium version. A PHriend of mine loves the tortilla chips from Walmart. She found a low sodium one.
I think my sweet and salty cravings are what would be the hardest to give up. If I’m not craving one, it’s the other. Before PH, my BF and I would eat popcorn with peanut M&Ms. That satisfied both cravings.
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I have the vice of over eating. I have always been a big eater. Last at the holiday meals, picking at the left overs. Salt and sugar are a part of my diet, both to excesses. I was lucky tho, did not gain weight until I hit the forties. And then the sixties brought health problems and more weight. Doctors want to blame my health on weight but I have lived in this body and know the illness’s caused the weight gain.
I do not think touching our faces was/is a bad habit. My nose needs wiping. My eyes need rubbing. I get food in my mustache. Oh and wear oxygen 24/7. That is a big challenge. In my opinion scratching our privates in public would be a BAD habit. Al -
@traceyaustralianmigration-co-za oh my goodness….well, you found one positive that came out of lockdown. You must have been climbing the walls though! Did being forced to quit cold turkey like that make you feel sick? Are you going to try to resist the urge to smoke again once lockdown is over?
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@robin-webster both my son and I love salt too and both of us need to be very careful with our intake. Your doctor’s request that you stay borderline dehydrated for your meds to work best, is interesting. I can’t remember my son ever being told that. It seemed like we were always trying to get him to drink more…but that’s because he wasn’t drinking enough and always wanted to grab a soda instead of water.
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@alfredjohn you made me laugh out loud with your “privates” comment. I agree, much worse that touching your face.
Overeating is a struggle for many, myself included, and aging mixed with health issues make matters worse. I use to NOT eat when I was stressed but when I hit my 40’s I suddenly turned into a stress eater. Do you find yourself eating more when you are stressed or feeling down due to your health?
That is frustrating when doctor’s want to blame health problems on weight. Sometimes it can play a factor but not when you have PH. I’ve known other PH patients that battled their doctor’s with this thought process as well. You are not alone.
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Oh, @alfredjohn, too funny! I agree that scratchy your “privates” in public would certainly be a bad habit-hehe
I also tend to overeat at times. Although I generally have a poor appetite, when I do overeat, it is usually junk. You sound like my hubby as he was always a big eater and thin until he got into his late 30’s. He now says he knows when I say, “looking at that makes me gain weight” what I mean, hehe.
It is not unusual for doctors to blame weight on everything with patients. This can be extremely frustrating. Excess weight does cause health issues, but it is not always the answer. I wish that doctors would dig deeper. Do you remind the doctor that you do have PH? If so, what do they respond with?
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@traceyaustralianmigration-co-za
I thought I would be the only one here that still smokes. I’m so embarrassed that I do it. I saw that in other countries they banned selling alcohol and cigarettes and I thought to myself that would really suck. ???? -
@kelliwarden dont be embarrassed quitting is one of the toughest things I’ve had to do. It really is very difficult and being thrust into the situation has actually made it more difficult because you’re resenting that this is not something you choose to do
Some organizations have actually taken the government to court over this test the constitutionality of the situation. Judgement to be heard on Thursday. -
Hi @colleensteele it did make it extremely difficult to quit and I, together with a nation of other smokers, felt really resentful because the decision to ban tobacco made no sense. It was a politically motivated decision by a corrupt government
Will I start smoking again?? My head screams no bur my body screams YES PLLEASE. You’d think after 3 months the craving would have gone but it hasnt.
I’m seeing my doctors later this morning, it is now 4.45 and I need to get going to Johannesburg. I’ll make my decision based on my prognosis.
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@kelli-paige, don’t be embarrassed. So that you know, I know several PH friends who continue to smoke. Are you a long-term smoker? How long prior to PH have you smoked? Has your medical team advised you to stop? I know the others who continue to smoke do not tell their medical team.
I can imagine that just as any habit, it is difficult to stop. My hubby dips Copenhagen, and he has tried several times to quit. His agitation is so bad. Usually, if he does not give in, I tell him to buy a can if it makes him that irritable. I know that is not in his best interest, but he has stopped once for several months. The craving for the nicotine never left.
I forgot about the other bad habit that I have, Coke. I had stopped drinking all soda until a hospital visit. The nurses brought me a few mini cans, and that started me back. I always have the mini cans in my house for my cravings.
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Hi @traceyaustralianmigration-co-za, I am sending you positive thoughts as you see your medical team today. I am sure the trip there and home is a long day.
I can only imagine how difficult this has been to be forced to stop smoking, especially if you are a heavy smoker. I am sure that you and many others who were forced to stop by bans will be craving that first smoke. Has your area opened this ban yet?
Knowing the feeling that some things are bad for your body, but your mind says yes, is an ongoing dilemma. Please do keep jus posted on your appointments.
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@traceyaustralianmigration-co-za and @kelli-paige I just want to stress that you should never feel embarrassed about sharing anything here in the PH forums. We are not here to judge and if someone tried, we wouldn’t allow it. We are humans above all else and face individual struggles – vices and habits included. We will offer encouragement and understanding. I hope you can give up smoking but I understand how very hard it is to do.
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Well said, @colleensteele. We all are humans and have bad habits. We do not judge here. We are here to support one another.
I wish that I could give up sugar and Coke; those are probably my worst habits. Salt is another-hehe.
@traceyaustralianmigration-co-za, how was your appointment?
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