Never been addicted to cigarettes

[Mr. J]

Once we are hooked on smoking, our tolerance to nicotine never declines, even years after not smoking (thats why someone can rapidly go back to a pack a day, even after not smoking for a long time).

[IHrtHalucingens]

Recently i tried quitting using the nicotine replacement patches, and realized that im more addicted to the act of smoking and to actually having smoke in my lungs than the nicotine. Theres just something very comforting, as funny as that sounds because its so un-natural, about feeling the smoke filling my lungs. I have tried the nicotine inhalers too, but again no smoke no satisfaction.

[metatriptical]

Originally Posted by IHrtHalucingens

Recently i tried quitting using the nicotine replacement patches, and realized that im more addicted to the act of smoking and to actually having smoke in my lungs than the nicotine. Theres just something very comforting, as funny as that sounds because its so un-natural, about feeling the smoke filling my lungs. I have tried the nicotine inhalers too, but again no smoke no satisfaction.

I can relate. I tried the nicotine patch too and even though the nicotine in it made me feel as though I just smoked a cigarette, but I still craved the act of smoking. Smoking is a ritual. But I am trying to quit because I'm starting to get a nasty cough. SWIM thinks smoking pot hurts her lungs way more than smoking cigs. Gives her a cough when she breathes deeply.

[IHrtHalucingens]

My SWIM is the exact opposite, weed seems to not effect his lungs at all, where as cigarettes just destroy him. He has smoked weed since he was 11 years old and played football, swimming, and lacrosse his whole high school career and was not effected at all, until he turned 18 and started smoking cigarettes, he noticed a huge drop off in cardiovascular performance. He hates the adverse effects but loves the short term and immediate gratification of smoking a cigarette. So what'll you do live life to the fullest while you can cuz you never know if your gunna get hit by a bus tomorrow.

[bombastique]

SWIM has recovered from a hard-core cigarette addiction. Sounds a bit exaggerated perhaps, but thats the way he feels about it. Cigarettes are very, very addictive for SWIM. Keeps him in perspective when SWIM experiments with other drugs. Addiction is f*cked up. Don't ever let any substance control your life in such a way that you can't do without is SWIM's advice. But, then again, if you're on top of it, and enjoy smoking, just go ahead!

[greyskylullaby]

swim also never got addicted to cigs the first few times, and then just decided to stop, since they are a waste of time money and lungs, since she never got any posative feelings from smoking either.

however, swim recently started smoking again, and now it helps her relax. she notices very rare cravings to smoke now.. and she realizes she is starting to get addicted. now she is trying to stop again, since there are better ways to relax.

[grandbaby]

Originally Posted by greyskylullaby

swim also never got addicted to cigs the first few times, and then just decided to stop, since they are a waste of time money and lungs, since she never got any posative feelings from smoking either.

however, swim recently started smoking again, and now it helps her relax. she notices very rare cravings to smoke now.. and she realizes she is starting to get addicted. now she is trying to stop again, since there are better ways to relax.

Ladeeees aaaand Gennlemin! Theee classic caaasual smoker who gets adiiicted!

I started this way too. Do Not Continue Smoking. Full Stop. I've spent the last fifteen years of my life on a merrygoround of addiction. I've lied to my loved ones, stolen, sneaked, and skulked my way through half my life because of cigarettes. It is an addiction as destructive as any other, and hell, more destructive than many. As motorhead said above, it's sneaky. Sneaky sneaky sneaky.

Nicotine's a stimulant. Why do we take stimulants to relax? I don't get it.

Originally Posted by AceOvArts

Its weird to non-smokers but probably very simple to smokers why they smoke

Not simple at all. A couple of weeks ago, in preparation for THE QUIT, I started keeping a journal about smoking, and reading everything I could get my hands on about it, and analyzing my sensations as I smoked, in order to get insight into it so I could beat the sneaky fucker. I can't believe how COMPLICATED my relationship to cigarettes is. I'd never understand it if I wrote a million books about it!

[prescription]

IHeartHalucigens and metatriptical have both made points which i whole heartedly agree with. For me the reason to start smoking was the effect that it had on me, now i smoke because im addicted to the feeling of a cigarette between my lips (quite phallic) and the smoke coming down my lungs. Iv decided to cut down because i can feel my health slipping but i also realise that ill never manage to quit wholly because i smoke when im drunk, its an almost unavoidable procedure.

[High_Roller]

SWIM had been smoking socially (on weekends only) last fall and winter, and started smoking habitually in January. He feels addicted to cigarettes purely by association with other pleasurable things; i.e. driving ANYWHERE with the windows down, post-bowl cigarette, smoking and talking with other smokers, etc. SWIM barely ever just sits down somewhere and smokes a cig, it's always either while driving, on break at work, or wasted. SWIM quit for two weeks, but fell back into smoking when SWIM's friend came into town with an 8 ball. Since then, it's back to a pack a day :\

[Forthesevenlakes]

Often use is initiated in adolescence, which is a time of experimentation, and use builds slowly. Adolescents tend to have a feeling of immortality or that long-term negative consequences will not happen to them. There are documented positive effects to smoking, although by the time one is addicted, their primary reason may well be to stop withdrawals, and have a desire to stop. So there are some reasons that use begins, despite the facts.

Also keep in mind that until 20-30 years ago, nobody really knew that cigarettes could definitively lead to ANY health issues. The tobacco companies had denied it up until then.

[AntiAimer]

Originally Posted by Forthesevenlakes

Try to keep your comments here encouraging, AntiAimer. Sometimes its not so much what you say as how you say it...

Sorry, it's just cigarettes is a topic that can't be argued. Pretty much the information IS there, now it's your choice to take it or leave it. Which is actually surpriseing since the government thinks society can't make these types of decisons on there own and always misguide then educate. Furthermore, nothing but evil has ever came from cigarette use. But yet, everyday Smurf still see's people who are regular users and people who just start. Always wonder WHY start? There's really no appeal, then in the end they want you to be sorry for the decisons they made. Really makes me a sad sad panda, because it's not about education or whats right or wrong, it's just simply ignoring the facts. Not careing, untill it happens to them. Then another person is dead at the age of 30. Really makes me a sad sad panda.

Now Smurf has a grandma, who's smoked since she was 8. She's now 84, with pratically perfect lungs, the doctor has said. Cigarettes is her oxygen. But, she does have a brain tumor, which brings nasty nasty seizures(Where it came from, I dont know,pure speculation) So, it is very true that not everyone get's this and that from cigarettes and dies. With addiction, you must take it one day at a time.