Alex's Answer

Hi there and welcome to Ask Alex, 

Thank you for contacting us. We do understand that it’s not always easy to share how we’re feeling, but we also know how important it is for our wellbeing to talk about our worries and frustrations. 

You have said how scared you are that your dad could die because of smoking.  This sounds like a very frightening thing to have on your mind. When people feel worried about somebody it tends to be because they care, and it’s natural to care for a loved one. I wonder have you spoken to your dad about how you are feeling about this? 

It’s important to remember that although you care about your dad, his smoking is not your responsibility. He needs to decide when the time is right for him to stop. The good news is, that once somebody stops smoking, their health will start to improve almost straight away. 

Smoking can be very difficult to give up. There are chemicals in cigarettes that people can become addicted to. When somebody has an addiction to something, they want it really badly all the time and find it almost impossible not to have it. Stopping smoking can be a bit like being very hungry and trying not to think about food. As you can imagine, this doesn’t make life easy. 

When your dad is ready there will be help and support out there for him to quit. A good place to start could be his local doctor.  

Perhaps you could also talk to an adult that you trust about how much this is scaring you. This could be a family member or family friend, whoever you feel comfortable with. If you can’t talk to an adult in your life, you are very welcome to chat with the Childline Team by phone on 1800 66 66 66 or through our web chat on www.childline.ie you can start a chat at any time by clicking on the Orange Tab. Childline services are free and confidential, and are available 24 hours, 7 days a week.    

Thank you for reaching out to us.   

Take care of yourself,     

Alex