It's actually the opposite ... the habit becomes an addiction.

Habits are a lot easier to break (i.e., leaving the cap off the toothpaste) than addictions, which become physical/physiological dependencies. The body actually can't function normally without the addictive substance.

My parents both died from lung cancer as a direct result of smoking. My mother, 59 at the time, was in a wheelchair on oxygen within two months of being diagnosed with cancer, along with acute emphysema and bronchitis. From the lungs, it spreads to the spine and then to the brain. Once your brain is affected, you're a different person. Unfortunately, it took nine months for my mom to die. I actually was with her on her death bed and saw her take her last gasp. Once you've experienced that, you'll never even consider smoking again. My father quit smoking immediately, but still died from lung cancer eight years later. Fortunately, he only lasted three months.

Sorry to be so graphic, but if this prevents even one person from starting or gets even one person to quit, it's worth it.

 

CG, I SMOKED MY LASTONE IN 1981, kewl thats when i was born.... Ive neva smoked a ciggy in my life, but im addicted to sum green plants, doesnt do my wallet any favors.... hey good luck man itll be probaly the best decision of your life its really neva to early to quit.

 

Best decision you've ever made!

 

No gum, patch or pill, yet. I was at the doc and he was talking about a prescription for it (not Zyban/Wellbutrin but something else). I decided to try the old fashioned way first. Just my Brita sport bottle so far.

 

Here's a habit you could start: put left hand at 10 o'clock postion....now put your right hand at the 3 o'clock position.....

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Jay Li
[B]cthree, good luck with that.

 

congrats, cthree. You'll find that everything in your life will improve in a few weeks or months. You'll feel better, have more energy, have a better appetite (maybe a problem with some people), be more alert, and have more money for mods (as someone mentioned).

I quit many years ago and am now watching my friends and relatives who didn't quit die, many before their time.

And yes, it's an addiction, which means that "cutting down" in almost all cases is a sure path to failure. It's much easier to dump all the paraphernalia and quit cold turkey than to struggle day after day with the temptation to have "just one more."

 

Good Luke Cthree! My sister also quit smoking about the same time you did...I think a little over 2 weeks now?

So, how you doing now?

 

Damn, we lost another one. I'll quit someday, just not today.

 

been quit for 7 years, got pneumonia and found out what emph. would feel like. severely sick that day spiking high temp. it was the only time i've ever gone to the e.r. when the physician asked, "Do you smoke?" , i replied "no". When she asked if i had ever smoked and if so how long i had stopped, i replied, "yes i did smoke, what time is it?..it had been 4 hours since my last cigarette, and i have never had another one.

btw, i had a 40 pack year history at that point. if i can quit, so can you................