I was about 13-14 when I first started smoking. I look back now and think how horrible it was and how stupid I must have been to have started doing it in the first place.

Vx.

Well for me, it was my children. I have a 17yr old son, when he was around 12, he turned me, looked me in the eye and said "Mum, stop smoking.. It's damaging you" I know it's hard to believe, but I stopped then. It was too much for me to handle, looking him in the eyes.

How did you, or what made you consider stopping?

Vx.

Well, it's a hard story to believe, but it was all down to my son.
I was sitting there one afternoon, smoking cigarette after cigarette. My son walks out and site next to me- hugging me. The next thing, he's coughing. I didn't notice what it was doing to him until I stopped to think about it.
Well, he looked me right in the eye and said "Mum.. stop smoking.. it's damaging you.." and that was it. I couldn't resist anymore. As hard as it sounds, there was no way I could keep smoking in front of him.

Sure, I had the urge to many times but I couldn't find it within me to go behind his back and smoke again. I've been free for over five years now.

Vx.

Well I've taken it up and I don't think it helped, honestly. It gets alot of urges out of your body but if you're a smoker or you take a drug that leaves you breathless, then I highly doubt Exercise is for you.
That's just my humble opinion, however.

Vx.

Well my son used to do drugs, his friends at school got him into it. I suppose you could call it peer pressure. Well as I stated, he did drugs and no matter what I told him, it never seemed to work. Well I moved, he obviously had to come, and he made some friends- that didn't do drugs. They were all really nice people, he started going out with them more often and got more involved with IT, (internet technology) and within months, he was completely recovered. He didn't need any kind of treatment or anything.

Just a heads up to all mothers out there.

Vx.

Well I drank large sums of alcohol on several occasions, which led me to throw up each time. Now I stick to the glass of wine for dinner- only. Alcohol definitely isn't for me and I won't be overdrinking again!

Thanks,
Vx.

That's great news! It's always good to hear that more and more smokers are cutting down. It'll definitely help keep you healthier, It'll keep your liver cleaner and overall you'll be alot more active!

Vx.

I agree with the hobby theory. If you get a hobby, It'll keep you occupied when you're feeling the need to eat- you could always buy fruit or vegetables, when you feel hungry, try eating those instead. Those should help burn off any unnecessary pounds! Plus you'd be eating healthy. ;)

What exactly are you craving? And what exactly are you trying to stop
if I might be so bold as to ask.? I doubt you need a clinic either way
though.

Vx.

That's great! As long as you're on the road again now, you should be fine. Just don't make the same mistakes twice. That's something alot of people seem to do; they always make the exact same mistake another time.
I've been homeless twice, I know how it feels and it's horrible. I never want to be in that kind of situation again, believe me.

Vx.

sunshine wrote Where does alcoholsim start, it is when you drink to get drunk or is it when you drink for drinking sake (you know you have had enough but you carry on?)

How it started for me? Well I've never really had a problem with this, although I did definitely have a few problems with it for a while. It started with someone getting me a drink of it- then continuously asking me if I wanted topups.

Vx.

I was wondering, as I have an 11yr old daughter who's just getting into her teens; wondering, "what are drugs like, what does alcohol taste like", and what parent doesn't dread their kid getting into that kind of stuff.?

Now, how do you avoid letting your children get involved in that kind of stuff?

Vx.

Hi,

I was just curious, I know alot about drugs in general, though I'm not certain what Ice is exactly.? I know I've heard it from time to time, although I never really got the meaning or what kind of drug it is/was.
Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Vx.

attagirl wrote
marijuana is a drug that is definitely over looked. Although it does not have the same effects that other drugs have it is can be worse for someone who is driving and is still illegal. Therefore should be treated in the same manner. Although I would have to say that is a natural drug where meth is a man made drug (very big difference between the two).

They either need to legalize it or treat it the way they treat other illegal drugs.

In my honest opinion, Drugs should only be used if prescribed by doctors. In any other case, I think it's unnecessary, it's unhealthy, illegal, and just plain wrong. One of my kids have done it and I've hated it from that point on.

Vx.

How many times do you tell yourself this.? "I was so close, I know I'll get it the next time!" you put the money in the slot machine, you get 2 of a pair and then you miss the 3rd. Is it just me, or does this seem to happen to everyone?

Vx.

That's great news! I also had a problem similiar to this, where I would always think that the next try would be the lucky one that made me rich! It never worked out though.. I'm still not over the addiction, I just try to avoid casino's and the races though.

Vx.

To be honest, I don't see anything wrong with that. Sex is a natural part of one's life. If you like getting the attention from it then I'm sure it's ok. So long as you know when enough is enough I'm sure you'll be fine!
But these are my views. Nobody elses.

Vx.

Well honestly, I don't find anything wrong with wanting and/or craving sex. I'm not sure why, but I always want it, I always end up finding my way browsing the internet for some kind of porn to satisfy myself- my partner isn't always here and I'm always wanting..

Does anyone else think there's anything wrong with that?

Has been having sex for about.. 2 years now. I think he craves it more often now then he used to and I'm not sure if it's partly due to myself or due to something else. I just want to know how to stop his cravings before it goes too far.?

Thanks,
Vx.

Well the ISP's have no way of monitoring everything and everywhere you go, all the time. Sure they know where you go, sometimes, ocassionally, but never always. The children will find it at someone else's house, if not their own anyway.

Vx.

I have a thing for buying expensive bags. Bags that are worth anywhere between $1000- $5000. Does anyone else buy these? Am I the only one who seems to have an addiction to bags? Is this weird?

Thanks,
Vx.

I try and tell them not to, but they seem overly obsessed with them. Is there any way I can prevent him from doing it? Getting a hobby or maybe.. collecting something else?

Thanks,
Vx.

Bullying plays a major part in school life for starters. There are
always people there who think they're better then everyone else, though
a rather common occurance everywhere, it's still pretty serious in
school. You go there to learn, though I never learned shit from there
but that's a different story. People get bullied over everything; how
they look, what they wear, how they speak, if you can come up with
something then I'm sure someone's been picked on over it in the past.



Teachers claim they prevent bullying, but get serious, teachers do shit
all to stop it. They might break up a fight or two but that's just to
keep up appearance. They figure that stopping the fight will stop the
kids from hating one-another; but they miss the big picture. They might
discipline the child, send him outside, send him to the principles
office, whatever. Like getting a lecture ever did anything good to a
kid with a bullying problem.



I know the teachers can't really do anything about bullying, I mean,
It's inhumanly possible to keep an eye on all the kids 24/7. Though I
do figure that if they position certain teachers around certain parts
of the schools where these "bullies" hand out, then they could isolate
the problem before it arises. If they can make it seem as if they're
keeping a very close eye on the troublemakers then they might not be so
inclined to pick on other people.



I was also curious how many people believe bullies are only the way
they are because of what's happened at home? When I was 13; I was only
about 4'5 and was picked on cuz I was short. I was always bullied over
that. When I was 15 I was over 5'8 and one of the tallest people in my
grade. Nobody even attempted to pick on me and I became one of the
"popular" people. But! I don't get why they feel the need to pick on
people younger, weaker or worse off then themselves. Is it because
their parents show them no love? Is it because at home, they're parents
are never there, is it because their parents bully them?



There are surely alot of theories already been expressed about the
subject, though I don't really follow them. There has to be a deep,
consious meaning to why they do it. I used to bully people around when
I was 14 or so because I could;
not because of something at home. I was bullied for so long I wanted to
feel what it felt like, what motivated them to do it, you know? I never
figured it out. It was an adrenaline rush, sure, I felt like I was the
king of the world and everything but then afterwards I remembered what
it felt like when they did it to me and well.. I stopped.



There's also bullying around the worlplace, bullying in the streets,
online even. It's everywhere, you can't escape it. Does anyone even
believe it's possible to nullify the problem and stop it; I see people
getting bullied all the time, I try and break up as many as I can but
it gets tedious and sometimes I don't give a shit. What I am, however,
getting at, is; there has to be a way to stop global bullying. Imagine
the effect it would have on everyone. All the 'nerdy' kids would stop
getting their heads flushed, people wouldn't miss as many days off
school, there'd be alot less dropouts, alot more successful individuals.



It's a big problem that has yet to be fixed. Does anyone think it ever will be?



Lol, sorry for the huge post and sorry if it didn't make much sense.



Thanks for reading though,

VietX.

What goes around, comes around.

That has to be the wisest saying any one person can think of. It has so many different meanings and can be interpreted in so many different ways.

Vx.

Hi,

I read on the front page of a newspaper the other day that more
children have been introduced to gambling at a younger age last year
than any other year, and that more children have admitted to gambling
with play money or chips.



This I find totally ironic as I have a fifteen your old son, and him and most of his
friends love to play poker, they even play it at school, sometimes for real
money, and most teachers don't care.



Something I also find ironic is that he owns his own gambling website and he's only fifteen, I think I should send in a letter to the editor lol.



What do you think of kids gambling?

Thanks,
Vx.