Do you think your actually addicted to smoking?

This I can't understand, I smoked for 13 years was on 40 a day for years. They say that nicotine is addictive, effects dopamine levels and such. If someone is addicted to drugs or alcohol after a short time of not having them they become feverish, shaky, and often suffer extreme pain, hallucinations and sweating and all sorts of physical ailments, yet when after 13 years of smoking I suffered no more than a bad cough, a bit of phlegm and a lot of getting over the habit of having a cigarette after meals and coffee, yet they talk of addiction like it is like coming of serious drugs and alcohol. I'm not sure whether there is really an addiction more that it's just such a habit that becomes an anxiety and makes the person giving up feel unhappy, I didn't like it but the physical problems caused by the poison, like a bad cough and not having one at certain times were the only problem.

Are we wasting our money on patches and sprays?

Alison, the holy than though

Yes. Will power works. 30 Marlboro reds to zero. Try a bit of cancer in your life. Certainly gets your attention and focus. Worked for me though wouldn't recommend it.

Alan carrs easy way book explains a lot about nicotine addiction, its a good read. I smoked for nearly 20 years but stopped 3 years ago now. Psychological addiction is harder to break than physical.

Carl

Surely that psychological addiction is just a habit, I have had to cut down alcohol from every night to just Friday night, putting it down to psychology is just accepting it as a habit, no more than giving up the gym once a week.

I just had to replace a fag with rolled up ciggy papers

Alison

I started smoking at 15, was a pack-a-day man from ages 20-34. Tried to quit the hard way several times.
Eventually I resorted to patches. 1 month with patches was enough to kick the habit of smoking itself. Then I quit using the patches and dealt with the nicotine addiction.
It's been 9 months now, and it feels like I never smoked. No craving for cigarettes and I don't even like the smell anymore.

The main problem for me is that due to my AS, I really need to focus 100% during conversations with "normal" people. Nicotine made that easier.
I'm still struggling on that front because my inability to focus means I need more time to think, I now make more mistakes and generally can't hide my handicap anymore.

AS? sorry for my obtuseness,but what is that? I suffered from breathing problems as a smoker, when I awoke I could not breathe, I was so ill I felt I was dying, I had smoked from 9 till 22, I know that's early but my mum smoked and someone gave her a large potato sack full of tobacco and it was like a bottomless pit to me and I abused it to the max, as an adult on 40 a day that was minuscule to what I was smoking in my childhood because of that sack. Yet when it came to giving up I just popped my fags into the neighbours, who were students, letter box, I never smoked again. Why is there a propblem, I don't get it.

Alison

my sister in law is dying and if she doesn't quit smoking she will be dead in 2 years.
yet she continues to smoke. and she can't live without an oxygen tank.
surely that is classed as addiction ?
i hate seeing someone throw their life away for the sake of a cigarette.

videojetman":woy7x56p said:

my sister in law is dying and if she doesn't quit smoking she will be dead in 2 years.
yet she continues to smoke. and she can't live without an oxygen tank.
surely that is classed as addiction ?
i hate seeing someone throw their life away for the sake of a cigarette.

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Sorry to be heartless, but, the smoking has done it's job, no matter if she gives up now. My Granddad died riddled with cancer from smoking, It was the most important loss of my life, I've never lost anyone before, but nothing would have saved him, he just thought it's got me what does it matter now, he did give up but it didn't make any difference. Is it addiction or just acceptance, to be addicted is physical not psychological, it has to be profound in a physiological way, like drug addiction, my son will without doubt describe my past life as an alcoholic but the medical profession would have described me as an habitual drinker however it effected my liver.

Alison

Isaac_AG":2pv1o09n said:

AS? sorry for my obtuseness,but what is that?

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Aperger Syndrome

videojetman":2pv1o09n said:

i hate seeing someone throw their life away for the sake of a cigarette.

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Yet you walk around in cities, surround yourself with toxic materials, use cellphones despite all the radiation, etc etc.

Yet you walk around in cities, surround yourself with toxic materials, use cellphones despite all the radiation, etc etc.

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toxic materials, please enlighten me ?
my mobile phone usage is pretty minimal.