traderjane

Thank you, all. It's good I'm not addicted to nicotine. Thanks for the insight

Dee74

I'm glad you're not picking a fight - I couldn't out where you were coming from. Yr post about the date made it clearer. My bad.

I'm glad you decided not to take it up.

Do think about your wanting to chase the buzz tho Laura - and your need to rebel - that's trouble a-brewin'....and I'm speaking from experience.

D

littlebluedog

No.

I currently do, need to set a date to quit, NOT looking forward to it.

traderjane

I know what you're saying, Dee.

The rebel streak in me is clearly trouble. I have called my therapist and I know I need to figure it all out. She is out of town for a bit, she will call me back. I'm not going to pick up a smoking habit right now, well, probably ever

Weird that I picked a guy with addiction issues, I think it will not be good for me.

TTOSBT

There is nothing "good" about it. I started smoking at 16 and smoked for most of the next 25 years (quit a couple times). I have been sober 15 moths and quit smoking 4 weeks ago.

It sucks!! If you think quitting drinking is hard...you have NO IDEA how hard cigarettes are to quit! But I am SO happy that I quit!

traderjane

Thanks to you all. I am actually sorry now for the guy I am dating. I don't think he wants to smoke, I think he is addicted and just keeps doing it. I don't think he enjoys it, either.

I will not start, a nice warning, ---- thank you all

yeahgr8

Yup get down to the counselor asap!

This thread is just too funny though so thanks for it:-) I especially like the bit where apparently smoking is worse than drinking for an alcoholic...quality! I doubt whether all the dead alcoholics who didn't smoke would agree...another classic;-)

Dee74

I don't know the guy but I do agree any serious dating is probably left for a bit.

even leaving Smoky aside, I know I wouldn't have wanted to date me under 6 months recovery anyway - I was all over the shop emotionally ....

D

penny74

What do YOU think ??

Sikkisirus

I can only reiterate what everyone else said. And smoking doesn't calm the nerves, thats a myth, it actually aggrevates the nervous system as the body needs to work that much harder to get rid of toxins. There are NO benefits to smoking. Not one.

Tazman53

Well I smoked for about 42 years, I drank for 40, I have been sober almost 3 years and smoke free for almost 2 years so I have a bit of experience with both addictions and also a little expereince in the freedom from both as well.

The "Buzz" of smoking was gone in a few weeks, the "Buzz" I got from drinking lasted for many years, but took more and more to get where I "Needed" to be.

The "pleasure" of smoking melted quickly into a dirty addiction with no pleasure except when lighting up to get relief from the quick withdrawals smokinig brings. There was no "pleasure" the achieved my last 5 years of drinking, I drank when I did not want to drink just to feel normal, I either felt normal drinking or slipped off into oblivion.

Of the 2 which was the worst? The drinking by far, I endangered no one smoking and driving, but I endangered all while I drank and drove.

I hurt everyone including myself when I was drinking, except for some second hand smoke I hurt no one except myself smoking.

eddie73

Replacing addiction is common chat here. I understand totally what u mean by taking the edge off. What about medication?

Introspection is the root of our addictions. Replacing drinking with another vice would only start more trouble. Yoga or Tai Chi is an excellent idea. Anything with meditation involved in it sounds like a good experiment. We are probably all more spiritually attuned beings as addicts.

lauraandersen4

I like you Laura. I don't know what we are missing out on re: nicotine high. My grandparents on my moms side died really young 57 and 60 from smoking. That risk was too high for me to ever want to touch a cigarette. I have never even put one in my hand. Why not make your addiction running? Run for the high! I get it after about 4 miles.

NEOMARXIST

In answer to your question I would say No TBH as smoking don't really do anything, more of a bad habit IMHO.

However if it was a toss up between smoking and drinking alcoholically then take the smoking everytime. No-one has ever lost anything (other than health) due to smoking, drinking will take everything you have, taking your dignity, self-respect, sanity withit.
Drink a can of Coca-Cola instead, more of a buzz off that than a fag Tbh.

ClaretandBlue

From an addiction and recovery standpoint, smoking is better than drinking. You're not going to get a DUI/DWI for smoking. You're not going to stumble off a sidewalk and into oncoming traffic. You're not going to have a cigarette and then physically abuse a spouse or child.

Internally, smoking is probably worse in the long run than drinking, but neither is a great choice. I do plan on quitting smoking eventually, but right now it's a coping mechanism, and I consider my sobriety more important than my health as it relates to smoking. After all, if I go back out drinking, you think I'll refrain from smoking, too?

That being said, for those of us who smoke, and are new enough in recovery where quitting smoking alone would put us in a mental position to think about drinking, I say smoke away.

If you've made it through recovery for a good period of time and never smoked, I honestly cannot come up with a good reason to start.

If you really want to smoke for some strange reason, I'd recommend the electronic cigarettes. All nicotine and water vapor, no tar or tobacco, much healthier and it even looks like you're smoking. I actually bring mine with me on the airplanes to avoid the nicotine withdrawal.

C&B

Tosh

My Dad was a 'real' alcoholic; an early morning and all day drinker; he lost jobs, wives, children, and houses.

He died of lung cancer funnily enough from smoking!

BreakFree

(((Laura)))...I vote for the running high! :) I started smoking at 13 and smoked until I was about 24. I LOVED smoking until I started to work out and then it lost it's luster quickly. I'm thinking that even on a temporary basis, it would not give you that rebellious thrill or release...it would make you feel sick and yucky. For the longest time, even though I quit smoking on a daily basis, if I was drinking, I would crave a cigarette. If there were friends around, I was almost guaranteed to smoke. It was too much temptation for me. This was back when I was only drinking socially...occassional weekends kind of thing. The fact that I knew I would smoke kept me from going out! :O Anyway...you get it. No cigarettes for you girlfriend :)

getr345

Willfully taking on a new addiction is not the way to get over an existing one.

Bad idea.

And as an aside: It was not alcohol that killed AA Founder Bill W but rather, it was smoking.

gerryP

I found it more difficult to quit smoking than I did drinking Jane and I've heard the same from many EX drinkers and just because I quit, doesn't mean that I won't get cancer down the road.

I think you know the answer to this question, but i have to say...I read your thread twice...didn't think i had read it properly. lol

smacked

Oh gimme a break..

No.. you should not start smoking.

Seriously!?