Smoking

[GreyFlannelMan]

In June 2005, after 15 years of a pack-a-day habit, I quit smoking. I used the patch, and for a year, I didn't really crave a cigarette. I loved smoking, at least a handful of the cigarettes I had each day. The rest were just a habit.

This past weekend, whilst out drinking, I had a cigarette. And then another. And one more after that. Then I didn't really think about. Tonight, I went out drinking with a friend, and smoked two.

Am I stupid to think that I can just smoke when drinking? I certainly don't want to develop the full blown habit again. (Perhaps I am fooling myslef, since I tend to drink three or four nights a week). But I really do enjoy that evil weed with my beer/gin tonic/ wine.

What are others experiences with this?

 

[Bradford]

Sorry - in my experience it's all or nothing.

 

[Aus_MD]

I started again after five years of non-smoking, and lasted another year. Stop while you can.

 

[Stax]

That is my experience, as well. Right now I am off the wagon but I bought the big box of Nicorette this morning. I can't moderate the smokes.

 

[Tokyo Slim]

My personal (and very passionate) belief on the matter is this:

If you want to quit smoking... you will quit. If you truely desire to quit, there is no "trying to quit" or "failing to quit". You just stop doing it. Quitting entails stopping a behavior permanently. You can't quit, but only smoke when you drink. That, my friend is called "being a smoker".

If you want to continue smoking, you will smoke. You may try and fail a hundred times, but you will continue to do it because it is what you want.

Being a "part time smoker" is just an excuse to condone your smoking habit. If you want to "quit" then "quit". Or come to terms with your desire. This comes from someone who smokes a pack plus a day, so there is no condemnation here, except of your wishy-washy behavior.

Time to figure out whether you want to quit or continue to smoke.

 

[Oldboy]

I think it varies from person to person. I smoked half a pack a day for two years while in college and then decided after graduation to cut down. Now I only smoke while drinking, partying, hanging out with friends, on vacation, etc. Several of my friends are the same way as well.

 

[LabelKing]

Some people have a nicotine addiction while others are not predisposed to develop one.

 

[whoopee]

Some of my friends and I are able to be strictly social smokers. But the majority of people I know can't really do it. It does epend a lot on biology and psychology.

 

[pinchi22]

I don´t smoke, but I have lost track of number of friends who have suffered this sort of relapse. There seem to be two consecuences: Some have justified the relapse by becoming militant smokers; others have tried again and kicked the habit.

In my experience, the latter have managed their addiction through sheer willpower and appropriate nicotone withdrawal meds (eg, patches). Good luck: if you have already kicked the habit, you have already shown the willpower.

P.S. If anyone doubts whether it´s a physical and pschcological addiction, ask THEM.

 

[stach]

When I started smoking it was something I only did in bars. That lasted about a year and it was downhill from there. Your bar smoking habit will lead you back to regular smoking imo.

 

[whoopee]

I had been smoking since the age of 14 and did not need patches or gum to quit.

 

[ccffm1]

Wait, let me put out my Gauloise first. Okay, here we go:

I quited smoking about six years ago. I used to smoke like a chimney back then and would never have had the self - discipline to quit if it hadn´t been for a severe pneumonia.
In 2004 I thought it couldn´t hurt to smoke a cigarette or two while hanging out with my friends. In the beginning it seemed to work out fine. But at the beginning of this year I was stressed out badly from my studies, and to console myself fell back into my old habit. Initially I told myself it wasn´t such a big deal and that I would be able to quit again after passing the exams. Pure self - disception. Now I guess I smoke more than ever before. Do yourself a favour and quit while you still can.
Oh, and don´t use nicotine patches or gum. A friend of mine tried it. Since that time he smokes two packs a day plus patches plus gum.
Good luck and regards

ccffm1

 

[ccffm1]

Originally Posted by Tokyo Slim

My personal (and very passionate) belief on the matter is this:

If you want to quit smoking... you will quit. If you truely desire to quit, there is no "trying to quit" or "failing to quit". You just stop doing it. Quitting entails stopping a behavior permanently. You can't quit, but only smoke when you drink. That, my friend is called "being a smoker".

If you want to continue smoking, you will smoke. You may try and fail a hundred times, but you will continue to do it because it is what you want.

Being a "part time smoker" is just an excuse to condone your smoking habit. If you want to "quit" then "quit". Or come to terms with your desire. This comes from someone who smokes a pack plus a day, so there is no condemnation here, except of your wishy-washy behavior.

Time to figure out whether you want to quit or continue to smoke.

TS, do I assume correctly that you´ve never smoked? I´ve concluded that from what you have written above and had faced this argument quite often before. The problem is that it´s the essence of addiction that it affects your freewill and determination, so things are not as easy as it might seem.

 

[Joffrey]

Sorry to go off topic but how do you pronounce Gauloise? I forget.

 

[Tokyo Slim]

Originally Posted by ccffm1

TS, do I assume correctly that you´ve never smoked? I´ve concluded that from what you have written above and had faced this argument quite often before. The problem is that it´s the essence of addiction that it affects your freewill and determination, so things are not as easy as it might seem.

read my post again...


...pack a day plus.