Let's talk addiction.

[BlueberryMUNCH]

So, I started smoking cigarettes a few months ago. I'm addicted.
I know it's stupid and I know it's bad for you, but I still do it. I tried to quit last week but I just couldn't and...it's scary, actually.
Thing is, I'll be (pretty much) physically unable to smoke from next week onwards...and I don't know how I'm gonna cope.

SO, Escapist, first of all: do you have any tips for overcoming the addiction of smoking?
(patches and gum are also not an option).

Secondly, I want to hear your addiction stories. What were/are you addicted to? Have you overcome it? ...and anything else you'd like to share.

So yeah, I leave the floor to you guys.
Let's talk addiction.

Edit: I'm trying to reply as much as I can but...it's tough haha. But know that I read and appreciate every post<3.

 

[capper42]

I think I'm quite addiction resistant.

I drink a fair bit, but when I'm in a situation where I drink much less (when I'm at home or have less money) I don't really miss it. I also toyed with smoking last year, having one about every other night or so for a few weeks. I never felt compelled to do so, I just enjoyed having something to do really. Once my housemates went to bed (I stay up late) I'd pop into the garden, listen to some music and have a fag. I stopped without problem when I realised it was a silly thing to do. Perhaps if I'd smoked more I would have become worse, but like I said, I never really felt compelled to.

I smoked weed quite heavily when I was about 15-16, but quit because my girlfriend hated it, and didn't have any problem giving that up either. I know people say it's not addictive, but I know people who would have a hard time stopping.

Why won't you be able to smoke anymore, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[krazykidd]

I'm addicted to videogames . I'm serious . I cannot for the life of me go a whole day without playing SOMETHING. ANYTHING . Iv'e tried to before and i start feeling bored , sad and easily irratated . Even if i have to play a stupid iphone game i NEED to play a game . Iv'e been using games as a means of escapism so long that my mind doesn't know how to cope with real life . I spend the majority of day either playing games ( if i'm not working ) , reading about games (like here on the escapist ) or thinking about games ( if i can't be playing a game at for any reason ). Iv'e actually lost a couple of girlfriends to gaming . Now i could probably quit gaming if i really tried , but i enjoy gaming , yes i am addicted but i enjoy it, so i never actually put an effort to quit it .

As for OP. Good fucking luck . Seriously . Apparently smoking is the hardest addiction to quit. The withdrawl effects are suppose to be horrendous . So here is my advice . Man the fuck up , summon all your will power , and don't smoke . I helps that you cannot for a week . My next suggestion is to continue after the week is over , do not start again . Just tough it out . Try to replace it with something. Anything . Get some tictacs and start poping them in your mouth when you got a craving . Also keep your hands busy . Find something to keep on your a all times to play with . Just so you hands have somethig to do .

Good luck.

 

[BlueberryMUNCH]

Once my housemates went to bed (I stay up late) I'd pop into the garden, listen to some music and have a fag. I stopped without problem when I realised it was a silly thing to do. Perhaps if I'd smoked more I would have become worse, but like I said, I never really felt compelled to.

I smoked weed quite heavily when I was about 15-16, but quit because my girlfriend hated it, and didn't have any problem giving that up either. I know people say it's not addictive, but I know people who would have a hard time stopping.

Why won't you be able to smoke anymore, if you don't mind me asking?

Yeah, I was fine when I smoked really really occasionally. Glad you stopped when you did.
As for weed...yeah, it is addictive no mater how much people tell themselves it isn't haha.

And it's because I'm going home for off-term. I can't smoke at my parents' house and I can't risk them smelling it on me because they're very anti-smoking, especially my father.
I dunno, I just don't want them to know that I've let them down, eh.

As for OP. Good fucking luck . Seriously . Apparently smoking is the hardest addiction to quit. The withdrawl effects are suppose to be horrendous . So here is my advice . Man the fuck up , summon all your will power , and don't smoke . I helps that you cannot for a week . My next suggestion is to continue after the week is over , do not start again . Just tough it out . Try to replace it with something. Anything . Get some tictacs and start poping them in your mouth when you got a craving . Also keep your hands busy . Find something to keep on your a all times to play with . Just so you hands have somethig to do .

Good luck.

Thanks so much mate, and thanks for the suggestions and sharing your story:].

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

To be honest, I couldn't really help you with nicotine, it's supposed to be pretty addictive, I've never really dealt with it.

Currently I'd say I'm stuck in an alcohol addiction; I have to get blackout drunk once a week. I just cannot do without doing it. I know why; I've been drinking since I was fifteen and I've also had habits in several illegal substances (although I never liked coke and I never went near heroin), but I have always been in control of my usage of anything. The reason behind most addictions I think, is to do with the reason for you taking whatever it is you're taking. If you're taking something just for a bit of fun, you're probably relatively safe from addiction to a lot of substances. If you're taking something to escape from your troubles then you will become dependent on it, and that is what I'm doing at the moment. I'm quite aware of it and I don't care enough to stop right now (I will probably have to cut down when I am at home over christmas anyway).

Although I hear trying to quit smoking on your own is significantly harder than doing it in a group or with someone else. Can you convince a smoker-friend to try and quit with you?

 

[capper42]

snip

Krazykidd says apparently smoking is the hardest addiction to quit. Whilst I don't think it actually would be compared to say... heroin because of the actual physical sickness you feel coming off it, the prevalence of tobacco makes it much easier to relapse. Popping into a shop and buy a pack of cigs when you feel crappy must be a very tempting option, and it can't be helped by seeing other people smoking all around you, something that's easier to avoid when coming off hard drugs.

Hopefully the fact you really don't want your parents to find out will keep you through temptation. Nothing beats the risk of a good bollocking (or worse, an awkward conversation) to keep you from doing something. Just try and avoid areas where people will definitely be smoking, outside bars and pubs (I know, much easier said than done) and hopefully being forced into going cold turkey will keep you off them. Good luck, it can't be easy.

How much do you smoke, by the way, like, how many a day?

 

[Zykon TheLich_v1legacy]

I used to find it very hard to go to sleep without smoking some weed but I wasn't a huge fan of it during the day, in the end I just stopped smoking it because I didn't really like the way it clouded my head.

Had some minor problems with coke but that was comparatively easy to give up once I started doing loads of ecstasy instead, which was very easy to stop once I felt like it.

I found it very easy to quit smoking as I'd never really been into it for itself, I just used to smoke because my girlfriend did and it slightly took my mind off not having any heroin. Also heroin. That has been slightly more problematic.

 

[BlueberryMUNCH]

I will probably have to cut down when I am at home over christmas anyway).

Although I hear trying to quit smoking on your own is significantly harder than doing it in a group or with someone else. Can you convince a smoker-friend to try and quit with you?

Yeah hope the christmas break helps you man. Interesting what you said about the reasons behind addictions though. I think you're right o.o.
Good idea for sure, buuuuut...none of my friends smoke. Huh.

How much do you smoke, by the way, like, how many a day?

Thanks for the suggestions and sympathy. Appreciate it. You're definitely right about just how easy they are to get them, too. That's the reason why I totally failed my first attempt to quit><;;.

I don't smoke too much I think. Tomorrow, I'll probably smoke one on the way to Uni, one or two during, one on the way home, and one in the evening. So meh, 5 a day maaaaximum I'd say? I had 2 today...so it varies.

 

[M K Ultra]

For me quitting cigs is difficult because of several things.

1. Easy as hell to get a pack. When you can buy a pack at a gas station, corner store, grocery store, big box retailers, etc. its that much easier to grab a pack.

2. Smoking became part of my routine. Going anywhere in my car the routine is :unlock, buckle up, start car, roll down window, light up. Whenever I go to an ihop or the like, it's always a seat in the smoking section.

3. You'll see smokers everywhere when you quit. Sometimes you won't even see them, you'll just catch a wiff of smoke in the parking lot or sitting in traffic. Which just reminds you that you could be having a smoke too.

 

[BlueberryMUNCH]

Also heroin. That has been slightly more problematic.

Wish you the best of luck with that.

For me quitting cigs is difficult because of several things.

1. Easy as hell to get a pack. When you can buy a pack at a gas station, corner store, grocery store, big box retailers, etc. its that much easier to grab a pack.

2. Smoking became part of my routine. Going anywhere in my car the routine is :unlock, buckle up, start car, roll down window, light up. Whenever I go to an ihop or the like, it's always a seat in the smoking section.

3. You'll see smokers everywhere when you quit. Sometimes you won't even see them, you'll just catch a wiff of smoke in the parking lot or sitting in traffic. Which just reminds you that you could be having a smoke too.

Yeah routine is definitely a massive part of why I still smoke, actually. Interesting.

 

[Zykon TheLich_v1legacy]

Wish you the best of luck with that.

Thank you. As for some non-specific addiction advice, I would say replacing whatever it is with another (hopefully less harmful) activity is a good idea, you need to fill the gap with something.

 

[M K Ultra]

Yeah routine is definitely a massive part of why I still smoke, actually. Interesting.

Things that I have found helpful in stopping

1. Any kind of aerobic exercise. Pain is very helpful in reminding me that lungs aren't east to replace.

2. Listening old smokers cough & hack up phlem. My neighbor has smoked for years & just hearing her laugh turn into a mucous-y splattery coughing fit is enough turn any smoker into a nonsmoker. Seriously find an old smoker that hasn't died yet & just listen to them.

3. Getting sick. When I'd get a cold or flu smoking was one of the last things I'd want to do. Smoke feels like sandpaper on dried out sinuses.

 

[Mr.Cynic88]

I smoked a pack of Newport 100's a day for five years, quit for two months, smoked for another nine, then quit again, so I understand the psychology of cigarette addiction.

It's really not about the nicotine for most people. Nicotine is devilish because - like other types of speed - it works fast and ends fast, leaving a craving in its wake. But because it leaves your system so quickly, your body quickly realizes it doesn't need it.

The problem is, the body gets over cigarettes way quicker than the brain. It becomes an anxiety trigger, because once your brain associates smoking with a quick pleasurable fix, everything seems wrong until you smoke one.

The good and bad news is: it's all in your head. Unlike, say, alcohol, which can be dangerous to quit cold turkey, the body doesn't crave cigarettes. Nicotine replacement therapies like the gum or patch work because of the "replacement" factor. Every cigarette you smoke is a conscious decision by your brain, so instead, you have to make the conscious decision not to be a smoker, and/or make the gum take the place of cigarettes in your head.

When I decided to quit smoking, I would wake up each day knowing I would not be inhaling a cigarette. With that my mindset, each cigarette I avoided smoking was as mentally pleasurable to me as they used to be when I smoked. Knowing I had no intention of smoking made it fine to be around fellow smokers, and I still love participating in smoking circle discussions, albeit without a cigarette in my hand.

It sucks to hear that there is no trick other than stopping, but that's the truth. It's also the beauty of it, since you know smoking is bad but your mind will keep tricking yourself into smoking one, whereas by being honest with yourself and your intentions you can exercise the willpower to make yourself quit.

My biggest advice: don't guilt yourself. It accomplishes nothing. If you're smoking, smoke proudly and don't be all "I'm only going to smoke 5 today," because that never works and only makes the cigarettes you're killing yourself with less pleasurable. On the same token, once you've quit, you've quit. Make it a black-and-white issue for yourself: just like theists unquestioningly accept that there is a god, when you're ready, you can have the faith that you're done smoking.

Having quit other drugs as well, smoking is not the hardest to quit, the problem is like others have mentioned, cigarettes are super accessible. That's why you have to make the decision to be done, and not waver. After a week you'll feel less tired and your chest will hurt less, and that should be all the physical encouragement you need.

 

[Strazdas]

The best way to quit smoking is to realize how much it costs to be a smoker. well unless you are stupid since fool and his money is soon parted anyway.

The only addiction (that im aware of) that i had was to this game called Tibia way back when i was young. i would intentionally get ill just to stay home and play it. (kinda helps that i completely hated school and everyone in it).
But then i discovered the rest of the world via a local torrent site. being obsessive that i am i wanted the rest of the internet too and then i realized just how freaking big life is and that this Tibia was such a small part of it. From then on i gradually lost my drive for Tibia and i dont play it anymore. Gaming is a hobby for me now, but im not going to loose some sleep (or work) over some loses in an online game or anything like that. You could say that torrents saved my life. Obviously i dont use torrents anymore (i kinda have to point this out, yay escapist censorship), but at that particular time, 7 years ago, they changed my world around.

 

[Colour Scientist]

If it's only been a few months, it's probably just the action of smoking a cigarette you're addicted to.

Find something to chew or suck on when you have a craving. Even having water to sip on helps.
At this stage I seriously doubt it's a nicotine dependence so patches wouldn't do much.

Edit: i've been a smoker since I was 14 and in the past six months I've cut down to 0-3 a day and I'll have a few more if I'm out drinking.

Also, telling people they're stupid for smoking never entices them to quit, you just sound like a smug asshole.

 

[Colour Scientist]

Well, I quit weed after smoking everyday for years. It wasn't that hard actually, for some reason I just lost all craving to smoke it slowly until I didn't really feel like smoking any at all. Went through some minor problems sleeping initially and that was about it.

Now, cigs are a different story altogether. I want to stop smoking around Christmas and the prospect is already pissing me off. I need 3 cigs every morning to function. Without them I'm some kind of half asleep, really pissed off guy who's in a permenant bad mode. Good thing I'm going to quit smoking in the holidays, I think if I got on a bus in the morning while going through "withdrawals" I might lash out at some random kid who looks at me funny. They already piss me off, I dare not imagine how badly they would if I was going through the trauma of not being able to smoke.

And if this post made no fucking sense, it's because I haven't smoked in like an hour. So with that I will bid you farewell and good luck. Now excuse my, I have a pack of Gauloises to buy.

Yeah, in the process of cutting down I've said some pretty nasty things to people. At first, when I stopped completely, I was so irritable it was ridiculous.

 

[bartholen_v1legacy]

Get a water tobacco pipe (dunno if that's what they call 'em). They sell them with flavors. During my military service I saw some guys take them up instead of cigs, and it didn't seem to bother them.

 

[Denamic]

Tip: Stop smoking.
Problem solved.