6 ms·

When I used to smoke, one of my worries about quitting was that I wouldn't be able to do those intense, uninterrupted, full focus 10-12 hours coding sessions.

by ht85 9y ago

When I used to smoke, one of my worries about quitting was that I wouldn't be able to do those intense, uninterrupted, full focus 10-12 hours coding sessions. Every couple hours, those 5 delicious minutes, the fresh air, the nicotine rush, then right back at it. I quit smoking a few years ago when my wife got pregnant and have smoked only twice since. I can actually grind more nowadays, and I'm less tired when it ends. It probably doesn't have anything to do with smoking or not, but that fact would be very surprising for my old smoker self.

analogic 9y ago
ya its kinda crazy. the realization that nicotine doesnt actually calm you, just stops the lack of nicotine from stressing you out.
- jacobolus 9y ago
  In low doses (like smoking cessation meds rather than cigarettes) nicotine is a pretty effective occasional stimulant for someone who does not have a tolerance for the drug. https://www.gwern.net/Nicotine https://www.gwern.net/Nicotine
  - analogic 9y ago
    To a new user, heroin is f'in amazing, so I hear. For an addict it just gets them back to normal. Absolutely there's a reason people get addicted to cigs in the first place. But say, driving down a scenic road on nice day with window down, without even the slighted urge to light up a cig, is not something I would have imagined while still a nicotine addict. I mean I'll think about smoking a blunt sure, but that different. Also glad I quit before all the e-cig stuff came out. If I was able to smoke AND breath prob woulda never got off.
- ht85 9y ago
  Yeah, makes you wonder how much the psychological part affects you physically, and vice versa. I often ask myself if the positive things about smoking were just delusions to justify feeding the nicotine addiction, or if the physical consumption was a product of my mind being convinced it was a good thing somehow.
ikurei 9y ago
> I can actually grind more nowadays, and I'm less tired when it ends. It probably doesn't have anything to do with smoking or not[...] Well, your respiratory system is probably much healthier now. I would expect better oxygenation to make you less tired, to give you more stamina. I've never been a smoker, so I'm curious, how big an impact would you say healthier lungs had in your life?
- ht85 9y ago
  Surprisingly, when it comes to stamina and general energy, I couldn't tell the difference. I don't practice any sport consistently, from time to time I'll join someone for a long jog or go hiking or whatever, but only a few times a year. I tend to walk a lot though, as I don't drive. Maybe there were changes but the lack of being regular and measuring my performance prevented me from noticing them. The big difference was more about the upper respiratory system, with huge improvements in terms of taste, snoring, and the throat. I wasn't coughing much when I smoked, but I had a significant amount of mucus, especially in the morning, and had to clear my throat often. I'm also less prone to headaches if I drink a bit less fluids than I should, I feel dry but without the pain.
InitialLastName 9y ago
I don't smoke, but I go outside every few hours with the smokers, just to get that change of pace. I find the combination of fresh air, a change of scene, and a chance to look at something further away than the wall of my office help to give my brain a quick break. I can usually keep myself in flow, and it sometimes even jogs my brain around a puzzle I've been working at.
damla 9y ago
I have managed to quit smoking in my fourth attempt. It's been nine years. Being able to work uninterrupted with an urge to smoke and deciding my breaks with my own free will motivated me. This was not the reason for me to quit, but it helped a lot.

by ht85 9y ago

analogic 9y ago

ya its kinda crazy. the realization that nicotine doesnt actually calm you, just stops the lack of nicotine from stressing you out.

jacobolus 9y ago
In low doses (like smoking cessation meds rather than cigarettes) nicotine is a pretty effective occasional stimulant for someone who does not have a tolerance for the drug. https://www.gwern.net/Nicotine https://www.gwern.net/Nicotine
- analogic 9y ago
  To a new user, heroin is f'in amazing, so I hear. For an addict it just gets them back to normal. Absolutely there's a reason people get addicted to cigs in the first place. But say, driving down a scenic road on nice day with window down, without even the slighted urge to light up a cig, is not something I would have imagined while still a nicotine addict. I mean I'll think about smoking a blunt sure, but that different. Also glad I quit before all the e-cig stuff came out. If I was able to smoke AND breath prob woulda never got off.
ht85 9y ago
Yeah, makes you wonder how much the psychological part affects you physically, and vice versa. I often ask myself if the positive things about smoking were just delusions to justify feeding the nicotine addiction, or if the physical consumption was a product of my mind being convinced it was a good thing somehow.

ikurei 9y ago

> I can actually grind more nowadays, and I'm less tired when it ends. It probably doesn't have anything to do with smoking or not[...] Well, your respiratory system is probably much healthier now. I would expect better oxygenation to make you less tired, to give you more stamina. I've never been a smoker, so I'm curious, how big an impact would you say healthier lungs had in your life?

ht85 9y ago
Surprisingly, when it comes to stamina and general energy, I couldn't tell the difference. I don't practice any sport consistently, from time to time I'll join someone for a long jog or go hiking or whatever, but only a few times a year. I tend to walk a lot though, as I don't drive. Maybe there were changes but the lack of being regular and measuring my performance prevented me from noticing them. The big difference was more about the upper respiratory system, with huge improvements in terms of taste, snoring, and the throat. I wasn't coughing much when I smoked, but I had a significant amount of mucus, especially in the morning, and had to clear my throat often. I'm also less prone to headaches if I drink a bit less fluids than I should, I feel dry but without the pain.

InitialLastName 9y ago

I don't smoke, but I go outside every few hours with the smokers, just to get that change of pace. I find the combination of fresh air, a change of scene, and a chance to look at something further away than the wall of my office help to give my brain a quick break. I can usually keep myself in flow, and it sometimes even jogs my brain around a puzzle I've been working at.

damla 9y ago

I have managed to quit smoking in my fourth attempt. It's been nine years. Being able to work uninterrupted with an urge to smoke and deciding my breaks with my own free will motivated me. This was not the reason for me to quit, but it helped a lot.