American filmmaker David Lynch has revealed what the extent of smoking can do to the body, as he can now no longer walk without needing oxygen.
The filmmaker, behind well known films such as Twin Peaks and Lost Highway, began smoking cigarettes at just eight years old and has only officially gave up for good in 2022 at the age of 76, better late than never!
That's nearly 70 years of continued smoking, with Lynch now suffering from Emphysema, which has left him struggling to breathe if he does anything further than walking across the room.
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Lynch was diagnosed with Emphysema in 2020, which is part of COPD otherwise known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
According to the Mayo Clinic, Emphysema is "a lung condition that causes a shortness of breath. In people with Emphysema, the air sacs in the lungs (alveoli) are damaged. Over time, the inner walls of the air sacs weaken and rupture — creating larger air spaces instead of many small ones. This reduces the surface area of the lungs and, in turn, the amount of oxygen that reaches your bloodstream."
According to the American Lung Association, the latest figures state that more than 11 million people live with COPD in the U.S., and that having COPD can make people more vulnerable to other illnesses including having a higher risk of Pneumonia and flu complications.
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Speaking to PEOPLE, the filmmaker explained how having it has impacted his life: "I saw the writing on the wall. and it said, ‘You’re going to die in a week if you don’t stop'.
"I could hardly move without gasping for air. Quitting was my only choice."
Whilst the diagnosis of Emphysema came in 2020, it still took Lynch two years to fully stop. He'd previously tried to give up cigarettes, but always found he lapsed as he described smoking as "a one-way trip to heaven".
Lynch, a father of four, has previously spoken about his love of smoking and was often pictured at red carpet events or on film sets with a cigarette in hand.
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However he now largely keeps to his home, as needing oxygen has left him housebound.
You'd think given the state of his health now that Lynch would be urging others to stop and expressing his regret over his lifelong smoking habit. Yet actually he doesn't as he said: "I don’t regret it. It was important to me. I wish what every addict wishes for: that what we love is good for us."
He does have a message for others who smoke though as he added: "I really wanted to get this across: Think about it. You can quit these things that are going to end up killing you,” he says. “I owe it to them — and to myself — to say that."
Topics: Health, Celebrity, Film and TV
Niamh Spence