Why do I smoke? Help me understand how addictions work, please

[[Ca...]]

Cant - Are you on reddit? The Stop Smoking sub really helped me in the first few weeks. I also got an app on my phone called Smoke Free which was awesome. And every time I craved a cig I would remind myself that I was excited to be escaping the ball and chain of nicotine addiction. After 3 days the nicotine is flushed out of your body so if you can make it past the first 3 days then you have gotten through the worst of it. Which, is not nearly as awful as benzo w/d. You are a warrior! We all are! 

Thanks Olive..

Yes, I probably should think about this a bit deeper, and use some tools... I have some strong reasons to quit, as we probably all do..

Thanks for the info...

[[ri...]]

Its been two months since I quit and omg do I feel better. Everytime I smoked my anxiety levels would go from a 2 to a 9 where I would have panic attacks.

 

Since I've quit the anxiety has reduced so much. I hope you choose to quit, it's hard but nothing like benzo withdrawal so I'm sure you'll be able to. Alan Carr saved me. 

[[Sc...]]

100 hours without nicotine: cravings are still bad but other than waking up earlier I have no physical withdrawal symptoms

 

There's a book "Freedom From Nicotine - The Journey Home" by John R. Polito.  It made me understand why I was addicted to nicotine, and it helped me quit permanently.  You can download it for free, I highly recommend it.

Ginger, the book is great and is helping me a lot, thanks!

 

Do you have anyone around you that smokes? -that is always my problem, though im usually safe at home..

No, nobody smokes at home and it's not possible to smoke in public places here, job, restaurants, etc. I was always escaping for a cigarette. I guess it's good that nobody smokes around me but I kind of miss my escapes I won't give any advice, Cantfly, I'm still new to this quitting nicotine business. The only thing I can say is to avoid nicorettes. I got badly addicted to them a few years ago and almost got poisoned by so much nicotine

 

I think it’s all of the things people have mentioned wrapped into one. But I do think it’s very physically and phsychologically addictive. I stepped down on nicotine patches for 5 months, with pretty much no cravings the entire time till down to 7mg would sometimes get cravings. I removed my last 7mg one a couple of weeks ago and am having long strong cravings, like when I first quit but the habit part is gone like, I don’t want one right after I eat, when I first wake etc. Just random strooong long cravings. I read it takes your brain 3 months to adjust without the nicotine. I believe in nicotine replacement therapy along with counseling, other support, and exercise. I havnt been exercising because I’ve been so depressed and exhausted, but will hopefully get there soon. I actually was getting on here to see if anyone was able to taper benzos while taking Wellbutrin for depression and or energy, cognition or quitting smoking. Only psych med I’ll consider at this point. Good luck.

Good luck to you too, Scaredie! I hope things get better soon. I don't know much about Wellbutrin but wikipedia says its most important side effect is an increase in risk for epileptic seizures. Since benzo withdrawal also involves the risk for seizures, perhaps it would be better to not mix the two. I'm on an AD, Effexor, which I don't recommend and I'm dying to quit. I'll start tapering it off as soon as I feel more stable without nicotine, possibly within two weeks, I hope.

Thank you and good luck with both quits! Yes I’ve heard of people getting addicted to NRT at least the oral ones, not sure about patches. I have a pack of losenges in purse havnt touched since removing patch due to that fact and pure stubbornness of not wanting to go backwards and put nicotine in my system. Good luck

[[ma...]]

4 days after quitting: cravings are still very bad but I'm surviving

[[pi...]]

I'm  just seeing this thread for the first time. YAY everyone for quitting!!!!!!! As Uni said, I quit halfway through my taper and it couldn't have been a better decision!! Allen Carr's book helped me immensely, I mean, of course you are going to have some cravings but the main thing I got out of the book was that the very thing that was keeping me smoking was that last cigarette I had. The moment you put a cigarette out you are already starting to withdraw and need another one. The other BIG thing I realized was that 'withdrawal symptoms' of quitting nicotine are like a day in the park in comparison to benzo withdrawals!!!!! I'm in a couple of smoking cessation support groups and I almost laugh about the withdrawal symptoms people talk about (Of course I don't actually laugh) but compared to the Benzo Buddies board these people have nothing to complain about! Anyway, I was nervous to quit during benzo withdrawal because I was worried that I would not be able to handle it but in actuality the day I quit smoking my body started to feel so much better. Less poison. Plus it gave me something else to focus on besides benzos, and something to feel accomplished about.

You guys are AWESOME for quitting and please let me know if I can support you in any way! 

 

great positive post......I feel like i went through exactly the same thing you did with the realisations and book and groups. It was so strange being on the forum of a smoker cessation group cause it was a whole different level your right. It actually made me feel better when i would read it cause i was like "phew, thats it, at least its not like benzo wd"

[[gi...]]

4 days after quitting: cravings are still very bad but I'm surviving

 

Good for you, you can do this! Avoid triggers.

 

 

[[Ca...]]

4 days after quitting: cravings are still very bad but I'm surviving

Great stuff!!!

Do u feel any "cleaner" or "lighter"..??

 

Im done, Starting right now..!!

Chewing gum and pistachios..!!

Probs why I ate all the raw organic carrots last year..!

 

Anyone want to share smoking histories...

 

6-9 yrs old.. a young thief..!! -bored in the bush...

14-20... then kids around...

-Then I started after many years off, on the first day out of 2yrs in hospital, with a cigar..!!

My partner had started while I was in hospital...

-Starting while so ill and broken, and totally high on pain meds (unbeknown to me, -i just felt my old normal self), seemed to create an addiction that was 10x harder to break... -many failed attempts...

 

Then 17months ago i gave up, or more, just stopped, -While at the start and worst of my benzo taper..  I started having a couple around others and in no time was smoking again.. (after 10months)

-Now its been about 6months smoking...

 

And im kinda over it...!!

(For the next 30 min)...

 

 

 

[[Ol...]]

I will share my history!

18-21 Occasional Cloves at parties

21-28 Pack a day Kamel Red Lights

2003 Finally quit using the patch, didn't take even 1 drag for 12 years, and I didn't miss it AT ALL.

2015 Trip to Mexico, smoked a few drags off some rollies.. somehow ended up addicted again, this time American Spirit Blues. 3 more years of smoking!!!! Finally quit on November 12th 2017 and haven't had a puff since! I have vaped a little bit but it doesn't have the claws of a cig. I am so happy to be free of that addiction!!!! I can't believe it pulled me back in after 12 years. The funny thing is I never missed it during those 12 years and if you had told me I would smoke again I would have laughed at you. It's a good reminder that you always must be vigilant, even when you don't even care about it anymore.

[[az...]]

Never a smoker, I tried.

 

Mostly when I was 4 sheets to the wind. Not all bad, some pretty hilarious times and friends who always come back eventually.

 

Once so drunk and used chewing tabacci. Woo, never spun so fast. Disoriented mischief.

 

I really tried to be a smoker, wanted to be feared...” too “ compassionate. Can kill you

[[Ca...]]

Yes Olive,

-EVER VIGILANT...!!

Already this is so differrnt and adgitating..

Im irritated and moody...

Feel kinda lost...!!??

Interesting...?? -only a damn little..!!! Lol

 

Stay busy i guess...!!

 

Hang in there Magnisi..!!

-was there anyone else in the process?

 

[[ma...]]

Thank you for the encouragement everyone I feel cleaner and have more energy since the first day. However, my muscles started feeling tight like during benzo withdrawal and I found out that nicotine is also a muscle relaxant! I had no idea, how ignorant! So I'm back to the long immersion bathes and daily stretching exercises.

 

Here's my story: I started smoking when I was 13 because I wanted to be cool and a boy I liked also smoked. How silly! I stopped smoking when I got pregnant, a few decades later, which was not difficult because tobacco made me sick. But the desire returned immediatly afterwards, stonger than ever, and I resumed smoking. The same thing with my second child. Lately I managed to get used to not smoking before lunch. And during a certain period I only smoked one cigarette a day but I spent all the remaining time suffering, waiting for that moment, and it didn't take very long to start increasing the number of cigarettes. This made me understand that I'd never be able to stop through a gradual reduction but only now I had the courage to stop C/T.

 

Cantfly, fantastic news Hang in there, you'll make it!

 

To all: I'll add our quitting dates in the beginning of this thread, if you agree. Please let me know. 

[[Ca...]]

Thats a good idea..

Cant... 15/4/18

 

Im getting tense too...!!

Am hoping i wake up better, am just coming out of a wave too..

 

Hang in there..!! Stay Vigilant..!!

[[Ol...]]

Great Idea, magnesi! November 12th, 2017

And yes, C/T is definitely the way to go with cigs, or NRT. Gradual reduction is the hardest!

[[be...]]

I recently understood that while I'm dependent on the benzo, I'm addicted to smoking cigarettes. I really don't understand why I do it as it's bad for my health, makes me look and smell bad and it's expensive. I consider myself clever but I keep on doing it despite wanting to quit. And then I realized is that if I want to stop, I'll have to understand why I do it.

 

So, to the people here that know about addictions, could you give me some guidance? How can I learn about this subject?

 

----------------------------------------------------

Recent nicotine quitters in this thread:

 

OliveKitty - 12/11/2017

Magnesi - 10/4/2018

Cantfly - 15/4/2018

 

If you are quitting, ask to join the list!

 

edit: member request

 

I quit the ciggies in Dec. 2015. I vaped my way out of it. I still would sell my mother for one....I did have one light smoke a couple of months ago and my BP sky rocketed. Never again!

[[Ol...]]

I vaped 6mg for about a week after I quit just in the moments where I was about to say fuck it and go by cigs. Then I bought some 0mg juice and diluted my 6mg to about 3mg or so, that lasted for a month or so and then I switched to 0, no problem. 'tapering' is MUCH easier than benzos. Then I didn't touch my vape for several months. I have recently used it a couple of times and don't find that it has the power of cigs to get me addicted. It's nice.

 

Fun fact:

When you first start smoking cigs you don't need very much nicotine to feel the effects. As time passes your brain actually grows new nicotine receptors and starts to need more and more to be satisfied. (About 1 cig every hour) When you quit, those receptors go dormant but don't actually go away. If you pick up a cig or two after not smoking for several months or years, it activates all of those extra receptors almost immediately, so a former smoker is much more likely to become addicted again after 1 cigarette than a non smoker if they smoked just one.

[[be...]]

I figured a had gotten pretty addicted over the years, but I always stuck to the lights. I used 3 mg for vaping. That was the lowest dose possible. It still was not easy once I stopped vaping. Still is at times, especially when I am stressed.

[[Sc...]]

I recently understood that while I'm dependent on the benzo, I'm addicted to smoking cigarettes. I really don't understand why I do it as it's bad for my health, makes me look and smell bad and it's expensive. I consider myself clever but I keep on doing it despite wanting to quit. And then I realized is that if I want to stop, I'll have to understand why I do it.

 

So, to the people here that know about addictions, could you give me some guidance? How can I learn about this subject?

 

----------------------------------------------------

Recent nicotine quitters in this thread:

 

OliveKitty - 12/11/2017

Magnesi - 10/4/2018

Cantfly - 15/4/2018

 

If you are quitting, ask to join the list!

 

edit: member request

 

I quit the ciggies in Dec. 2015. I vaped my way out of it. I still would sell my mother for one....I did have one light smoke a couple of months ago and my BP sky rocketed. Never again!

Well, I’m not sure how best to learn about it. I google things. You could look for an online support group, thats for quitters, that may be helpful and have people with insight into this aweful addiction that could point you in education direction as well as lend support. Best wishes

[[Ca...]]

Great..!! -keep those "fun facts" coming...

 

...if someone smart (ir not) wanted to compile a list..  Sorta like the Long Hold propaganda list..

Bit fiddly from my fone... -Hey Bets..!!

Perhaps the OP scaredie, would prefer (or not), -a Quit Smoking Support Group started..? -if there isnt one already?

But I guess this is a good way to learn some stuff... -like just how nuts Cant can get in nicotine WD...!!

 

 

I am sooo irritated today... WD x2...

 

A war between fatigue and anxiety...

-Distraction..!!

 

Hang in there Guys... Olive, Mag...

 

 

 

[[Es...]]

Okay guys, so I will be coming here to cheer you up. Only smoked for 2 weeks as a teen. Wanted to be cool. And "adult". Couldn’t stand cigs. Made me nauseous. Then smoked occasionally at parties. Husband smoked 2 packs a day. He quit in 2014, I think. Will be checking for updates. Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

[[Ol...]]

A quit smoking support group is a great idea!!! I'm on one through S.M.A.R.T and it is very nice, but no one there understands benzo withdrawal so it would be really nice to have a support group here, and hopefully we can inspire more people to quit. One thing I thought of a lot when I was still smoking was that I'm sure this W/D process has really compromised my immune system, so it seemed extra dangerous to be adding more poison to the mix. Maybe something like that can be in the propaganda.

[[Es...]]

Husband has been very much into AA philosophy for many yrs. To keep away from booze and drugs. He succeeded 100%. So he finally applied it to cigs and it worked. I never thought he would manage to quit cigs. I still remember how he didn’t want to look at smoker’s lungs at the "Bodies" exhibition. That was kind of funny.

[[Ol...]]

Just how nuts can a Cant can get

if a Cant can can can nuts

[[Es...]]

Can’t is still very young. He’ll make it

[[Ca...]]

A quit smoking support group is a great idea!!! I'm on one through S.M.A.R.T and it is very nice, but no one there understands benzo withdrawal so it would be really nice to have a support group here, and hopefully we can inspire more people to quit. One thing I thought of a lot when I was still smoking was that I'm sure this W/D process has really compromised my immune system, so it seemed extra dangerous to be adding more poison to the mix. Maybe something like that can be in the propaganda.

Hi Olive and Estee..!!

 

Its all in the name..!! Lol

I would hate for the name of a support group to kinda exclude those that smoke...

Hmmm...??

 

**** Omg..!!!

 

I can can cant I..??

 

Yes, yes, young... -in an old kinda way...!!

 

(Good try estee...)

 

I thought my immune ststem was screwed from everything accident related... -but my Dr is noting that all is rather good, and my body has won some great fights recently.. -no spleen so regular bloods n swabs etc...

But.. my immune system is still out of whack in a dyslexic type way... some messages are really ringing the wrong bell...  capable but not so functional... -perhaps.. Obviously i couldnt say its all benzo in my situation...

there was a time no bug would live in me (even VRE) and mozzies wouldnt feed on me...

 

 

 

[[Es...]]

Can’t, you’re a survivor. You’ll make it.

 

I know you’re young...

 

But want to seem older just to be accepted by all those ladies older than you