Chained smoker 'heartbroken' by stories of addiction
A SUNSHINE Coast mum who chained herself to her bed in a no-holds-barred attempt to kick her smoking habit said she was "heartbroken" by the tales her story had unearthed.
Images of Krystel Spicer chained up in her bedroom have been beamed into television screens across the nation as she explained how a health scare pushed her to the extreme quitting measure.
She has since told the Daily she had been brought to tears reading stories from others struggling with their own addictions, or the addictions of family members.
"I've been bawling my eyes out," she said.
"There are about 2500 comments ... and most of them are either asking for support or tagging others and saying what about trying this."
Ms Spicer, who has gone to extreme lengths to beat her smoking addiction, locking a 9m chain around her ankle for nearly two weeks so far, said their "support for the chain" was moving and their stories about their own addiction issues were upsetting.
"A lady asked to be chained from drinking and her besty told her she'd be boring," Ms Spicer said.
"One offered to buy a packet for someone to try the method.
"There were like 10 comments in a row at one point, all saying 'hey such 'n' such, why not give this a try?' or the like.
"Addicts of all kinds waltzed in; all kinds all sitting on the page like they're in line for some miracle rescue mission.
"There are people losing the loves of their lives and I want them to come with me. I want a rattle so loud it's heard from space."
Ms Spicer's quitting journey has happened mainly inside her bedroom.
For the past 13 days she has chained herself inside her room, only removing the shackle from her ankle for one hour every three days to shower, do the laundry and access the fridge, which is just a couple of feet out of reach when she has the chain on.
She said it has been a "boring" time but has weathered first uncontrollable shaking, fidgeting and emotional numbness, and planned to remain chained up for another week.
"After so long on the chain it causes indents in my ankle, so now when I take the chain off it feels like it's still on," she said.
"I have formed some sort of bond with my chain."
Once her three-week period comes to an end the shackle will come off, but Ms Spicer said she would not be throwing the chain away.
"I think I'll keep it on stand-by for a while," she said.
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