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You reply just sounds condescending. Yes, smokers (myself a smoker) know that their logic isn't ideal on this and we're aware that much of it is biological and

You reply just sounds condescending. Yes, smokers (myself a smoker) know that their logic isn't ideal on this and we're aware that much of it is biological and emotional, but there is room for reasoning about when to try quitting for a less stressful and more likely optimal result. We're not simply blind rats in a cage just because we have this ferocious addiction, and we don't need to be implicitly told by others that all such reasoning about how or when to go about quitting is nonsense, that we "should just do it".

ta1234567890 6y ago
Sorry about the tone, wasn't my intention to be condescending. Just wanted to offer a different perspective. > we don't need to be implicitly told by others that all such reasoning about how or when to go about quitting is nonsense, that we "should just do it". Never said anything like that or even tried to imply it. I personally struggled with smoking for many years, and I don't wish that or any addiction struggle upon anyone. And because I've been there, I know logic and reasoning don't cut it. In my case, what pushed me to quit smoking was someone very close to me who helped me do it with some tough love and a lot of support. Definitely did not "just did it", but also reason didn't really play a central role either. Also no one said addicts were akin to blind rats in a cage. You might actually want to go and read about the rat park experiment. It basically suggests that our environment and overall social situation are way more important factors in triggering and sustaining addictions, rather than any individual trait or pre-condition.
- shadowprofile77 6y ago
  Thank you for the apology and I myself apologize for my own annoyed tone. Your first comment just struck a chord with me and especially since I was out of cigarettes right when I read it (nasty little coincidences). That said, I agree that our social situation and environment have a lot to do with addiction, and definitely think this applies to cigarettes as well. Moving with the same thread in mind, this is also why I think attempting to quit, either cold turkey or incrementally, is usually better when one has the time and lack of other major stresses to seriously try it. I've had many periods of being near broke, barely making ends meet with work that is underpaid and difficulty focusing on the steps necessary to improve my situation. In such situations, smoking has been one of the small dirty pleasures that helps ease these anxieties. And if focusing is already difficult in such a crucial moment, well you can imagine trying to hold onto focus while also trying to quit. None of this is to downplay how dangerous it is to smoke under almost any circumstances, but i'd definitely say that there are both better moments and worse moments for trying to leave it behind.

ta1234567890 6y ago

Sorry about the tone, wasn't my intention to be condescending. Just wanted to offer a different perspective. > we don't need to be implicitly told by others that all such reasoning about how or when to go about quitting is nonsense, that we "should just do it". Never said anything like that or even tried to imply it. I personally struggled with smoking for many years, and I don't wish that or any addiction struggle upon anyone. And because I've been there, I know logic and reasoning don't cut it. In my case, what pushed me to quit smoking was someone very close to me who helped me do it with some tough love and a lot of support. Definitely did not "just did it", but also reason didn't really play a central role either. Also no one said addicts were akin to blind rats in a cage. You might actually want to go and read about the rat park experiment. It basically suggests that our environment and overall social situation are way more important factors in triggering and sustaining addictions, rather than any individual trait or pre-condition.

shadowprofile77 6y ago
Thank you for the apology and I myself apologize for my own annoyed tone. Your first comment just struck a chord with me and especially since I was out of cigarettes right when I read it (nasty little coincidences). That said, I agree that our social situation and environment have a lot to do with addiction, and definitely think this applies to cigarettes as well. Moving with the same thread in mind, this is also why I think attempting to quit, either cold turkey or incrementally, is usually better when one has the time and lack of other major stresses to seriously try it. I've had many periods of being near broke, barely making ends meet with work that is underpaid and difficulty focusing on the steps necessary to improve my situation. In such situations, smoking has been one of the small dirty pleasures that helps ease these anxieties. And if focusing is already difficult in such a crucial moment, well you can imagine trying to hold onto focus while also trying to quit. None of this is to downplay how dangerous it is to smoke under almost any circumstances, but i'd definitely say that there are both better moments and worse moments for trying to leave it behind.