Quote:
Originally Posted by afc wimbledon
As an ex smoker (3 packs a day, 2 smokes before I got out of bed) I am quite clear that the only thing anyone likes about smoking is the wave of nicotine that hits you after the first drag, with the feeling of calm that comes with it. If it was about smoke why waste 10 bucks on a pack? roll up some paper and puff away.
You can do what you want, and you may be able to control your addiction, but thats no different from chipping skag, I have worked with junkies that managed it but could never see the point.
|
Well then clearly at 3 packs a day you have no idea what it is like for me.
I started at about a 20 pack per week and at my "worst" I was about 6-8 smokes a day. And I smoked full time for about 4-5 years.
I have no intention of ever buying a pack again. I have no intention of letting smoking control my life the way it used to. I've already shared several stories of people like me who smoked in their teens and early 20s who have been able to kick the habbit without a ton of trouble. I'm sure it wasn't easy but they don't tell me that they have a daily struggle. I hang out with these people and they are able to have a smoke now and then without going crazy and buying a pack.
Other than the Heritage Classic when I'd had a few drinks I've hardly even thought about smoking after the initial week.
However, I'm not going to pretend I somehow know other peoples situations better than they do. I don't doubt that for some of you it will be a daily struggle for the rest of your lives. I'm certainly not going to go the condescending route of some in this thread and pretend that they are somehow weaker than me or that because their experience differs from mine that they must be lying to themselves or weak.
Each individual will have a different situation. I fully respect how difficult it is to quit smoking for someone who smoked a cigarette a day or 3 packs a day. But not for a single moment will I assume that all addictions are identical.
My own opinion is that comparisons to crack, cocaine and heroin are totally bogus. I've seen people addicted to cocaine and it is not pretty. Never seen anyone sell their car for smokes before. But if any other posters who are quitting get strength from thinking they are quitting a drug more powerful and addicting than crack/cocaine or heroin then more power too them. Whatever works for them. If some people want to got the AA route and say they are powerless to their addictions, even though I strongly disagree with that line of thinking, once again more power to them.
No addictions are good. Gambling, Fast food, alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, crack, cocaine, heroin. Whatever. For each individual quitting that addiction will be different. Acting like a condescending know-it-all and trashing other people's quitting habits is nothing short of shameful IMO. Quitting is tough to do. Making lite of it is not cool.