The Difficulty in Kicking the Habit

[Christopher1]

Smokers may have started smoking because their friends did or because it seemed cool. But they keep on smoking because they became addicted to nicotine, one of the chemicals in cigarettes and smokeless tobacco. Nicotine is both a stimulant and a depressant.

That means nicotine increases the heart rate at first and makes people feel more alert (like caffeine, another stimulant). Then it causes depression and fatigue. The depression and fatigue — and the drug withdrawal from nicotine — make people crave another cigarette to perk up again. According to many experts, the nicotine in tobacco is as addictive as cocaine or heroin.


Put it in writing. People who want to make a change often are more successful when they put it in writing. So write down all the reasons why you want to quit smoking, such as the money you will save or the stamina you'll gain for playing sports. Keep that list where you can see it, and add to it as you think of new reasons.

Get support. People whose friends and family help them quit are much more likely to succeed. If you don't want to tell your parents or family that you smoke, make sure your friends know, and consider confiding in a counselor or other adult you trust. And if you're having a hard time finding people to support you....

[Woody]

Very informative as ever Christopher

What always amazes when I would tel my worker or someone like that I wanted to quite smoking I got jokes and kidding around. Couple of anecdotal stories about grand pa. But if I even hinted that I had a substance abuse problem like booze or drugs I'd be in a rehab program fast then you can spell rehab.

[A.E.V.]

r...e... um......
LOL
I quit smoking 14 years ago. I had pneumonia so bad I was freaking out, and that wound up being my last cigarette. I would also get the jokes and negative comments if I insinuated I wanted to quit. But I showed them all! ;P

It's certainly not easy, but well worth it.

Anne.

[paul m]

Quitting is certainly hard to do. Staying off is hard too. I used to make the mistake of thinking that because I had been off for a yr or so, I could handle a couple, wrong! Actually its been yrs since I last quit and I still get cravings all the time. It's a tough habit to kick. Take Care. paul m

[Woody]

The timing of this post is eery.

The last couple of night I have had to wake myself up because I am having one of those cravings. Right in the middle of a dream. It is like I am sabotaging myself and I have no clue as to where it is coming from.

[Elaine]

I don't believe smoking tobacco is all that bad for you and in some cases quiting is worse. The only reason I would like to quit is the money it costs me. I know people who smoke pot, some addicted and some not, that in my opinion is far more dangerous and unhealthy in so many ways, and the Government is not getting any taxes off of it. When they quit advertizing booze, quite lowering the taxes on booze, quit allowing it a sporting events so people can drive home drunk, then maybe I will consider giving up smoking. There are far worse things to do - BOOZE - drunks are just so very stupid. Elaine . I have to ask why are all the names not real and why all the non photos, are people ashamed of themselves or is it against some rules in here to be honest about ones self...? ? ?

[bluebandaid]

honesty and pseudonyms

Hi Elaine,

I don't think using a different name makes you less honest here. In fact, I would argue the opposite is true. We share so many of our deepest struggles here, our thoughts, our feelings. I think people would be less honest if our real names were used. I mean, if I thought there was a possiblity that people from my company could recognize me here, then I would be revealing less personal stuff. Much less. I don't think these forums would work at all if our public selves were inextricably tied to our "mood disorders website" selves.

So, that's why I think that using pseudonyms and non-portrait pictures allows us to be more honest, more close and more helpful to each other here.

BBA (bluebandaid isn't my real name hee hee)

[paul m]

Hello Elaine and welcome. I agree with Bluebandaid that many people would not post their stories for fear of retribution or gossip.

I cannot think of any open forum that deals with mental illness where people do not use pesudoyms.

Even many support groups oly first names are given. I am not positive, but I think A.A. and N.A. also have a policy where you do not have to reveal your name at a meeting.

Besides, I could say that my real name was John Jones and nobody on this forum would know any difference.

For my myself. paul is my first name and my last name starts with m, all that proves is that I have no imagination. Take Care. paul m

[Woody]

Hi Elaine and welcome aboard

Some doctors will push real hard to have you quit smoking even to the point to refuse to treat you if you do smoke. At one point I told my Pdoc that I wanted to quit smoking. His reaction was that it would be great if I did, but that if trying to quit smoking was going to make things worse, than wait till I am doing better. One last tidbit of information, tobacco by itself acts as a mood stabilizer.

From the forum rules "You have the ability, as you register, to choose your username. We advise that you not use your real name, and ensure it is appropriate."
Personally, I think it is up to each individual user to decide on how much information they wish to disclose about themselves. There is a popular website that requires that you use your real name and because of that I will never become a member of that site even though I have had several requests. Paul and Bluebandaid also make some valid points.

For your FYI ... This is a very open forum. If you want to see just how open it is, take an post that is more then a couple of days old. Select a phrase from that post and copy it. Now go to Google and search for that phrase. That phrase will come up on Google! PM (private messages) are excluded. Google; that is how I found this site and that is how a good majority of us also found this site.

[paul m]

Hello Woody. I understand your pdocs point of view. In the short run smoking releases dopamine and endorphins which help a person through a bad time and sometimes producing some calm in ones life . Smoking also increases the heart rate , temporarily heightens altertness and in several other ways acts as a stimulant.

If nicotine was a true mood stabilizer than I would be using more nicotine patchs and less lithium and other meds as the side effects are less and nicotine patches are cheaper than some of my meds .

I 100% agree that the time to quit must be picked with care for a person with a mood disorder.

Thx for all of the info Woody. Take Care. paul m

[AJ]

I am a moderator on another forum (computer related) and post on a few others (computer related). Most people choose to use a 'cyber' name rather than their own. For many it's more about being cyber safe than it is about anything else. But as Woody has said, it's up to you how little or much information you give.

[Woody]

Sorry Paul, I got my information from the small pamphlet that came with the patches that I had purchased. I would certainly never tell someone to smoke instaid of taking there lithium or other mood stabalizer.

[paul m]

Hello Woody. I wasn't trying to be critical of you. You are quite correct that someone who smokes should be very carefull about when they try and quite.

Smoking does temporarily calm one down and even today, years after I quite smoking, I often wished I could have a cigarette to calm my nerves. Take Care. paul m