Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

In case you ever wondered how addictive nicotine is...

On my drive in to work today, I passed a gas station. Out front was an ad board for some patriotically-named generic cigarette or other. Since I saw that, my mouth has been watering to give Pavlov's dog a run for the money, and my lungs are whimpering and giving my those eyes. I haven't had a smoke since Oct 7, 2001! I shouldn't still get these cravings 13+ years on!

Stay strong, pull out your resources from when you stopped. Whatever helped fight the urge then should still help fight the urge.

The same happens to me from time to time. I quit 4 years ago and there are still times I think "I could really do with a ciggy right now". Fortunately they pass quickly and are not very often.

Odd thing is, I can walk through the no-smoking-in-this-area-but-everybody-does-anyway outside work, catch a face full of smoke, and my reaction is 'I can't believe that used to be me', but I'll be sitting at home, glass of bourbon-and-Coke in hand, and the whole time wanting a smoke in the other hand. Or I'll be walking down the street, see a half smoked butt on the ground, and suddenly Gollum is talking to me.

It's not the nicotine that is driving the craving after 4 years or 11 years or whatever - its a psychological craving.

I smoked for 8 years - quit a few years ago. Now I am mostly disgusted by it. If I'm drinking sometimes I will take a drag off a friends cig and immediately regret it because it's awful. I don't think it's the nicotine that makes it so hard for people to quit - the chemical dependence is pretty weak IMO. In reality it's the boredom without smoking that keeps people hooked, IMO.

Yah after 12 years of smoking it's been roughly 10 months quit for me. I'll get the occasional "craving" but mostly feel disgusted around smoke. Definately just a mental thing after that much time, just remember why you quit and stay strong

I didnt start. Had two cigarettes in my live, one from a packet of ciggies my dead left around when I was six. Took one drag coughed, took another then dippe it in water and threw it in the bin.
The other cigarette I had was when very drunk and at a student party. It was quite relaxing but unnecessary. It let me go. Never again. I drink freely but alcohol has no hold on me, becauise I enjoy it only to a limited extent, but I will not dare try and drugs or tobacco because I know I have an addictive personality.

Why, for many reasons but the one I will share here is because I like my cardboard crack, plastic crack, and when necessary my white metal crack and my resin crack. My local dealer is very expensive so I buy online, but still always come back for more.
Setting fire to my fix doesn't appeal to me, I just cram them in drawers and cupboards all over the house, and occasionally paint some of them.

 Orlanth wrote:
I didnt start. Had two cigarettes in my live, one from a packet of ciggies my dead left around when I was six. Took one drag coughed, took another then dippe it in water and threw it in the bin.
The other cigarette I had was when very drunk and at a student party. It was quite relaxing but unnecessary. It let me go. Never again. I drink freely but alcohol has no hold on me, becauise I enjoy it only to a limited extent, but I will not dare try and drugs or tobacco because I know I have an addictive personality.

Why, for many reasons but the one I will share here is because I like my cardboard crack, plastic crack, and when necessary my white metal crack and my resin crack. My local dealer is very expensive so I buy online, but still always come back for more.
Setting fire to my fix doesn't appeal to me, I just cram them in drawers and cupboards all over the house, and occasionally paint some of them.

Likewise, except I've never tried cigarette. I have taken a puff from a cigar once though.
And GW has very successfully weaned me off plastic and white metal crack.
I do still suffer from cardboard crack and cellulose crack addictions though.

I haven't smoked for at least 28 months, This includes vaping which I moved onto after I realized how much I was spending on fags.

I only really stopped the vaping as insurance companies deem it smoking and premiums are high for life insurance. I'm due a nicotine test in the next few weeks though, so I can finally get my premiums down to a more reasonable level.

I do really really really miss a good cigar though.

I'm curious, why does anyone even start smoking in the first place? Peer pressure? Accidental binge at a party while drunk off your mind? Curiosity? It's not like a century ago when the public wasn't really informed about just how bad cigarettes are.

 Wyzilla wrote:
I'm curious, why does anyone even start smoking in the first place? Peer pressure? Accidental binge at a party while drunk off your mind? Curiosity? It's not like a century ago when the public wasn't really informed about just how bad cigarettes are.

Well, as a Cig smoker turned Pipe Smoker, the reason I started wasn't so much peer pressure, but I was at work and was the only non-smoker there. I kinda felt left out and asked to borrow a cig from a coworker. A couple of weeks later I figured I better buy myself a pack.

I haven't smoked my pipe in two years, though I still get some cravings.

Started smoking in late 80's. Majority of the teens were doing it and look cool from the commercials and on TV movies/shows.

I've had half a cigar and half a ciggarillo (however you spell it). That's all. Never had much of an interest, those two items were for holidays, and I nursed them both for a long time, before letting someone else kill them.

 Slarg232 wrote:

 Wyzilla wrote:
I'm curious, why does anyone even start smoking in the first place? Peer pressure? Accidental binge at a party while drunk off your mind? Curiosity? It's not like a century ago when the public wasn't really informed about just how bad cigarettes are.

Well, as a Cig smoker turned Pipe Smoker, the reason I started wasn't so much peer pressure, but I was at work and was the only non-smoker there. I kinda felt left out and asked to borrow a cig from a coworker. A couple of weeks later I figured I better buy myself a pack.

I haven't smoked my pipe in two years, though I still get some cravings.

I thankfully at least have my Grandfather, whose life story scared me clean away from ever smoking. He apparently used to smoke quite a lot, but was in danger of dying from a heart attack. When informed of this by his Doctor, the crazy guy quit cold turkey.

Been on an ecig the last year or so. Still very hard with a beer in hand to resist a smoke but agree that when I do the next morning its a real "WTF did you do that for?". Everything about them is fairly vile.

Now to see in the few years if ecigs are proved 100% safe. Nicotine as a chemical is still pretty nasty.

 Wyzilla wrote:

 Slarg232 wrote:

 Wyzilla wrote:
I'm curious, why does anyone even start smoking in the first place? Peer pressure? Accidental binge at a party while drunk off your mind? Curiosity? It's not like a century ago when the public wasn't really informed about just how bad cigarettes are.

Well, as a Cig smoker turned Pipe Smoker, the reason I started wasn't so much peer pressure, but I was at work and was the only non-smoker there. I kinda felt left out and asked to borrow a cig from a coworker. A couple of weeks later I figured I better buy myself a pack.

I haven't smoked my pipe in two years, though I still get some cravings.

I thankfully at least have my Grandfather, whose life story scared me clean away from ever smoking. He apparently used to smoke quite a lot, but was in danger of dying from a heart attack. When informed of this by his Doctor, the crazy guy quit cold turkey.

I quit Cold Turkey when informed I had Lithoma Cancer

 Xenomancers wrote:
I smoked for 8 years - quit a few years ago. Now I am mostly disgusted by it. If I'm drinking sometimes I will take a drag off a friends cig and immediately regret it because it's awful. I don't think it's the nicotine that makes it so hard for people to quit - the chemical dependence is pretty weak IMO. In reality it's the boredom without smoking that keeps people hooked, IMO.

That seems odd, as I recall many studies have shown Nicotine to be one of the most addictive substances known.

Certainly after years of being clean the crave will be psychological at that point, but the substance itself is highly addictive.

I have never begun. I have never seen any reason to, and the stories of people being unable to quit terrify me.

I started smoking when I was 15, quit when I was 19, though I do smoke cigars and pipe tobacco once in a while (I get the stuff for free because of work, and chemically its not nearly as bad for you as cigarettes). My dad and I quit cold turkey when he saw a x-ray of his lungs after 30 years of smoking. My only addiction now is caffeine.

I smoked 3 cigarettes in my life time, all within the space of a week.

Even today when I smell cigarettes I always remember that feeling of my first smoke. Its the main reason I stay clear of any drug or caffeine or weed and so on.

I never got hooked from trying it, but it stayed with me. Scary stuff.

I also never understood smoking, but I've lived my life around so many smokers I'm sure my lungs are as black as theirs. I don't mind the stench of pipes and some cigars so much, if I get a quick whiff, but normal cigarettes just smell so nasty.. 'specially the stale stank on someone's coat when you open up the closet at work and gotta hold your breath.

I know it's tough to quit though. Just hang in there and don't give in

Nicotine is potent indeed. A drop of pure nicotine on your bare skin will kill you dead.

It's not really addictive, though. Smoking is a compulsive behavior, like sucking your thumb, picking your nose or incessantly scratching off the same scab over and over.

 Xenomancers wrote:
I smoked for 8 years - quit a few years ago. Now I am mostly disgusted by it. If I'm drinking sometimes I will take a drag off a friends cig and immediately regret it because it's awful. I don't think it's the nicotine that makes it so hard for people to quit - the chemical dependence is pretty weak IMO. In reality it's the boredom without smoking that keeps people hooked, IMO.

I hope the irony that your avatar is smoking is not lost on you.

 lord_blackfang wrote:
Nicotine is potent indeed. A drop of pure nicotine on your bare skin will kill you dead.

It's not really addictive, though. Smoking is a compulsive behavior, like sucking your thumb, picking your nose or incessantly scratching off the same scab over and over.

Nicotine is most certainly addictive. Possibly as or more addictive than Heroin.

http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/cessation/quitting/index.htm#dependence

My mom has been quit smoking for almost 40 years now.

And she still says that while the sight or smell of smoke no longer triggers the desire to smoke so bad, that the first thing she's doing if she ever gets a terminal illness is starting smoking again.

I've been quit for about 6 months now...I can't even be around cigarettes because the smell makes me like a starving dog near a dumpster.

I believe it when I hear it is more addictave than heroin, though of course I can't say for sure.

 Grey Templar wrote:

 lord_blackfang wrote:
Nicotine is potent indeed. A drop of pure nicotine on your bare skin will kill you dead.

It's not really addictive, though. Smoking is a compulsive behavior, like sucking your thumb, picking your nose or incessantly scratching off the same scab over and over.

Nicotine is most certainly addictive. Possibly as or more addictive than Heroin.

http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/cessation/quitting/index.htm#dependence

Aye. There's a difference between chemical dependence and psychological dependence, but Nicotine is absolutely chemically dependent (although you could argue there could also be a psychological component too).

Its probably pretty close, although the exact level of addictiveness will likely never be known because its so dependent on the individual's own body chemistry.

Some people get addicted with a single cigarette, others its takes a bunch.

And physically addictions are often accompanied by psychological addiction. They're pretty closely related.

IMO, there really isnt much difference between phsycological and physical addiction.

The mind is part of the body.

 Grey Templar wrote:
Its probably pretty close, although the exact level of addictiveness will likely never be known because its so dependent on the individual's own body chemistry.

Some people get addicted with a single cigarette, others its takes a bunch.

And physically addictions are often accompanied by psychological addiction. They're pretty closely related.

What about alcohol? I know long term abuse can make your brain chemically dependent, but initially, it's a psychological dependence, no?