39_https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNxWYEkzQg8_smoking cessation 
gpt
Um, so you've talked a bit about like the emphysema. Um, what did the doctors say to you when you were diagnosed? I mean the obvious, right?
human
Every time I go-- Excuse me. -to any doctor, you know, you need to quit smoking and—
gpt
Mm-hmm. Finger comes out.
human
Uh-huh and I kind of go, let's move on, you know because I've heard the lecture. Um, and I really don't put much credence into what they say. I did have- I did have a neighbor who was smoked for many, many years and, um, she had the Oxygen-- Oxygen tank that she would have to sleep at night with the oxygen on and even that didn't deter me from that smoking. I don't really know. It's like, um, a power greater than myself. This is controlling me like this, you know, the angels on this side, the devil's on the other.
gpt
Mm-hmm. And there was a war going on?
human
Mm-hmm, yeah. And common sense somewhere in the middle.
gpt
Yeah. Well, and your daughter.
human
Right.
gpt
And the social stigma, because you don't want your daughter to think of you like that, whatever that- that as a smoker, you know. You know there're people who make the assumption and it- it sounds like those are more important to you than the medical things, and who cares why it's important?
human
Right.
gpt
It doesn't matter. So what- what ideas do you have about what might be most helpful for you in quitting smoking?
human
Well, you know, I was thinking along the lines of meditation. Um, you know, I- I do practice yoga, um, not consistently, but on and off. Um, and when I was in the hospital, I had to do that breathing apparatus and they didn't want to let me go now, like, you know- you know what, I'm not doing that it's already blurry then to this thing, to see the level, um, some pretty obstinate about it and yet I want to do it, you know?
gpt
So that was helpful for you that it's a, um, I can't remember. I know what you're trying to get a little ball.
human
Mm-hmm.
gpt
It shows you your lung capacity.
human
Right. Which I barely have any.
gpt
But it might be helpful if you- if you quit or it's, you know, it did if you were gonna decrease or whatever, to see how much better you're doing with the ball going up and your lung capacity increasing, is it?
human
Right- right.
gpt
Okay.
human
Yeah.
gpt
So, I don't even know where you can get those. I think—
human
Oh, I already have one.
gpt
Oh, you have one?
human
Yeah, [laughs].
gpt
Oh, okay- okay.
human
It came home with me.
gpt
Oh, did you?
human
Yeah.
gpt
Okay. All right.
human
It's stuff that I learnt in class.
gpt
It's so interesting because there's immediate feedback. I mean, that's immediate feedback. Um, so we're- we're talking about quitting or here quitting completely. What thoughts do you have? You tried the Chan- the Chantix, meditation, you like that so, um, I can run some ideas that some other clients have used [crosstalk]-
human
That'd be great, yeah, please.
gpt
So, um, since you like meditation so much, it's highly likely that you'd be a great candidate for hypnotherapy.
human
That's- that's something I'd be really interested in.
gpt
Yeah, okay.
human
Yeah. I mean, I- I, um, I've always liked therapy itself, and I- I've heard, I don't know if it's accurate, but if you have the willingness that is you're ease- more easily hypnotized, I don't know is it true?
gpt
Yes, it is true. Yeah. It is. I mean, people don't come walking through the door who are not interested in it, you know? So, um, yeah, so that's-- So you'd be interested in something like that and, um, what- what other ideas have you thought about that would work for you?
human
Well, I mean exercise, but really, you know, I have the mindset, you know, like, okay, tomorrow I'm going to get up and I'm going to do this, but I really am not a follow-through type of person with this.
gpt
Okay. Okay.
human
Because you know I've never been really athletic. I mean, so it's kind of like, I know that when you substitute something for something else, other than chocolate, which is my best friend too, [laughs].
gpt
Might become a better friend when you quit.
human
Yeah.
gpt
Um, because I know you mentioned you tried the Chantix. Um, what have you tried? Uh, Zyban or Wellbutrin?
human
You know, I've heard of Welbutrin.
gpt
Okay.
human
My girlfriend quit smoking. She quit drinking. She quit doing everything with this Wellbutrin. Now I- I- I am on some medications, like some, like I think that's an antidepressant.
gpt
Yes, it is.
human
Okay. Um, I'd be open to that and then I'm not sure-- I'm not familiar with the other thing that you had suggested. Um, I don't know what that is.
gpt
It's the same thing. It's Wellbutrin, and when they found out by accident through what we call serendipity that you know what, Viagra. [laughs] That when- when people were on Wellbutrin that they tended to decrease and stop smoking, and, um, there were a couple of different reasons for that. Number one, people tend to get depressed when they quit smoking, because it puts you in such a state of deprivation and, um also-- well, so Wellbutrin really is a good antidepressant for them.
gpt
The other thing is its a slight stimulatory effect and when people go off nicotine which is a stimulant the-they tend to get pretty tired overheard-- you know it's the opposite of however the nicotine makes them feel. And the Wellbutrin kind of with stimul-- you know stimulatory enough. [crosstalk] [unintelligible 00:05:56] And I-- the last I've read, and I've not kept real current about it, but I'm wondering about the-- what your thoughts are if any about the-- any of the nicotine replacements like the gum patch, the inhaler.
human
Um, you know I'd be-- I've heard a little bit about them, but I mean I do know some people, but they're not exactly reliable, um, as far as you know really having a desire and sticking to it that they smoke on the patch and-and then it causes this you know extreme, you know? Like you're getting double the nicotine or whatever so it's almost like they're getting a buzz from it you know so that's my fear and the cost of the patch because it's not covered you know through your, um, your- your insurance and the Nicorette same thing it's very expensive you know. And I'm not really a gum sure but here I am because—
gpt
Chewing gum.
human
[laughs] but I mean I'd be interested I wish they'd make it more affordable for people or you know they haven't covered by insurance because you know the risk of it you know that the premiums for insurance- insurance for people who smoke are so high you would think that they would have like, um, what do they call that? Preventive. Um, I wish I never would have started and I'm proud of my daughter you know because I started smoking a little bit earlier than her age, and I'm proud that she is at this point not smoking this manifestation she might pick it up but it's- it's like-
gpt
That strong spirit of you got instilled with her.
human
Yeah-yeah, maybe I'm the best example of why she doesn't want to [laughs] you know
gpt
Could be?
human
Whatever you know and her friends. I think a lot of her friend's parents don't smoke and I'm constantly running like outside to smoke and-and-
gpt
It is becoming a pain in the butt
human
It is. It really is. It's a monkey on my back
gpt
Mm-hmm
human
And um for me smoking is like a calming effect, you know. And some people it's a stimulant you know and then for me, it's like, I look forward to relaxing on my couch after a long day and then watching my you know news or whatever the heck I'm watching or reading and having my cigarette, um, I'll tell you-
gpt
Like it's a little treat.
human
Right. Exactly or you know like I'll do some work, and then I'm like okay you know as my ex-husband says Union break and it's a cigarette break. [laughs]
gpt
I've never heard of Union break. I love it how you said. I love it.
human
Yeah. Absolutely it's not my quote but he actually he would mind.
gpt
I love it. Union break.
human
Yeah
gpt
It's great
human
Yeah, you know how those union workers have to have you know, Union break.
gpt
Union break. Yeah. le-leverage, and you know so it's something else you might know about nicotine is, um is that actually depending on how you smoke it, it can- it can be stimulant when you want it to be a stimulant if you smoke it in short, shallow puffs and then it can be a depressant like after a meal and you take longer inhalations, and it really tends to act on your central nervous system as a depressant. So it kind of does whatever you want at any given moment and yet there is this price that you pay
human
Yeah, financially too, which is [inaudible 00:09:27]
gpt
Financially. Right, getting back to the finances and you know, you know, you know I'm thinking your daughter what a pain but it's become the finances the emphysema. I'm really-- because I would think that in 10 years, how much are you smoking now?
human
Well, uh