New prejudice against smokers

[RedRuby]

Since quitting on April 1st of this year (only a little over a month ago), I have developed a prejudice against people who still smoke, including friends and family.
No, it's not because I'm jealous of their smoking or wish I could still smoke. I am truly annoyed by and turned off by their smoking. I mentally criticize their weakness and feel like I'm better than them for quitting.
This is not a healthy way to think, although it does strengthen my ability to stay quit. Perhaps my mental quitting has gone a little extreme...so far as to be disgusted by it and those who still do it.

The people I work with that still smoke...I attribute their sicknesses, sick days, coughs, and hoarse voices to smoking. They sound sick all the time. They are. I can hear it. When they call out sick, I think "well maybe if she quit smoking.." When I hear them struggle to take calls, clearing their throats, and coughing, I think "well, that's what you get..." And I cringe at the smell after they come in from smoking.
Is this cruel? At least I keep my thoughts to myself, and don't say them out loud.

My mom wants to quit, and has cut back alot. I called her today for Mother's Day and during the conversation, asked if she had quit yet, and told her how well I was doing. I suck at Mother's Day phone calls. Maybe, though, it'll spark something in her to make her want to really quit for real.

I just...I don't know. I'm feeling very annoyed by and disgusted by smoking and smokers, even those close to me. At the bar, outside, the people smoking and blowing clouds all over each other is so unnatural and dirty. Breathing each other's smoke. Egh.

Has anyone else experienced this? Or am I just unreasonably irritable?

[Dime]

Hi RedRuby,

I guess we have a heightened awareness of the insanity of smoking and now that we understand the insanity we can't understand why others don't seem to "Get It". Since I have quit drinking I cannot and will not be around anybody getting drunk. Normal drinkers do not bother me. But I see myself in the drunks and it disgusts me and makes me feel very uncomfortable.

I guess what we have to do is to love the people and direct the intolerance and prejudice at "The Habit or Addiction" and not at the individuals who have not yet quit.

Someone once asked me what I see in the drunks at the detox hospital I visit. I tell them I see a bunch of good people trying to be freed.



And oh yeah, quitting smoking can make us a little cranky at times.

[RedRuby]

lol, yes, cranky. i am sometimes.
I will try to direct my fury at smoking itself, and not the smokER. good idea.