Question for anyone who currenty smokes cigarettes (or has in the past)

[jnelsoninjax]

I am going to start by saying I am a non-smoker and have never smoked in my life. My question is for you that do, what (if anything) do you get from it? Is there some sort of euphoric high that you gain from it? I admit that I am really curious about this, and I know one of the excuses I hear all the time is "I am so stressed, I need a cigarette" I also know that all the different chemicals in a cigarette cause increased blood pressure, which in turn would cause your body to be even more stressed or uptight. Also how many of you have tried to stop, and what seems to prevent you from doing so? I am not at all trying to bash smokers, I am truly curious about this

[The Evil Overlord]

First smoke of the day, kinda, during the day, habitual, stressful, it can help, a little, it varies depending on the smoker, personally, I wish I had never started...

[Slam Speech]

It's not necessarily the cigarette that gives you a high.  It the relief from the nicotine craving you get.  Think of it as the relief when you pee.  If you really have to go then you feel great once you let it out.

[Shiranui]

I've always put it down to insanity. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[The Evil Overlord]

1 hour ago, Shiranui said:

I've always put it down to insanity. Correct me if I'm wrong.

You're wrong, just sit there in your wrongness, and be wrong.

I am completely sane and normal, the voices said so

[IrfanL]

I used to be a chain-smoker... There were many occasions where I was smoking 2 packs of cigarettes a day. I was so hooked that I used to keep a pack in office, a pack in car, and there will be pack in my pocket. For me it all started as a release mechanism from personal and work life stresses. Plus for some reason it used to help me in concentrating and focusing on work or while brainstorming.

 

Then my health started to deteriorate... got diagnosed with hypertension (high blood pressure) while still in my late 20s. Migraine like headaches was common also started to gain weight. I ignored this and kept up with my habit of smoking. But then my younger brother started to smoke and we was caught smoking regularly at home which I never used to do because of my parents. This created rift with my family as they accused me of being a bad influence.

 

After that I started to mentally prepare myself and slowly reduced both the number of times and cigarettes I used to smoke. Then in 2015 I took a vacation and incidentally I forgot to carry cigarettes and as so happens I ended up not smoking the whole time. Encouraged by that once I returned I stopped it completely and avoided cravings and temptations. Definitely had to distance myself from some personal and work friends who I used to smoke with. Some awkward moments but most of them understood, supported, and are still friends. Also during this whole time used to do some exercises/workouts which were actually recommended by doctor when diagnosed with hypertension. I think that also helped allot as I physically started to recover from my crap state.

[jimkraz]

I had a massive heart attack at 43yrs old, I then had cardiac arrest during that night, the heart consultant came round next morning, "I see you used to smoke" he said, "I do smoke" I replied, "no you used to smoke, continue and you will die", I never smoked again and that was 25 yrs ago and I might add, never missed it, and hate the small of it now. 

 

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

On 11/06/2017 at 3:19 AM, jnelsoninjax said:

I am going to start by saying I am a non-smoker and have never smoked in my life. My question is for you that do, what (if anything) do you get from it? Is there some sort of euphoric high that you gain from it? I admit that I am really curious about this, and I know one of the excuses I hear all the time is "I am so stressed, I need a cigarette" I also know that all the different chemicals in a cigarette cause increased blood pressure, which in turn would cause your body to be even more stressed or uptight. Also how many of you have tried to stop, and what seems to prevent you from doing so? I am not at all trying to bash smokers, I am truly curious about this

Nicotine addiction. There is literally no other reason, just excuses to mask the true reason.

[dragontology]

I smoked for a few months when I was 16. Because I could, the thrill of doing something bad. My mother didn't really care that much, even though I had asthma. It didn't affect my asthma much, and I rode my bike everywhere. That was the summer of 1995, and California just started cracking down on having to be 18 to buy tobacco, but I knew all the places in my hometown that didn't 'card.' Also, for reference to the time, I never paid over $2 a pack, for Marlboro 100s. I quit when I started school. For one, it caught up to my lungs and it was hard to bike to school. Two, smoking wasn't allowed at school, so I kicked the habit.

 

When I turned 18, I picked it up again. Went to Camel filters, the regular ones, not the 100s. Only lasted three weeks before my asthma started acting up. Haven't smoked a full cigarette since.

 

I don't think I was ever addicted to nicotine. I just liked the smell of tobacco in a fresh pack, and the smoking mellowed me out a bit. I had another smoking episode a few years back, I don't know what year it was. 2007 I think. We rented a van to go up north to see family, and my sister in law went through a Black & Milds phase, and they smelled so good. So that week I was buying them, but I didn't want my in-laws to think of me as a smoker, so I just bummed hits off my SIL, or took a drive (in a full size van, in CT with its narrow windy little New England streets) to smoke one. My wife knew. And then I'd get off work and buy one (just one) and smoke it on the way home. My wife didn't disapprove, but neither did she approve.

 

Haven't smoked since. Grew up around the "other" kind of smoke (I'm from Northern CA) but never had much interest. My brother and I tried it once when I was in high school, and it went about as well as when I got into my mother's brandy. Badly. So when it comes to "drugs" (or things that aren't really drugs, wink/nudge), I'll just stick to coffee, thank you very much.

[Skiver Veteran]

I've tried smoking a few times but never enough to get used to it. I actually love the smell of smoke and could passive smoke happily. Nicotine addiction is the obvious reason why those who have smoked continue to do so but those who claim it relieves stress I honestly believe there is a subconscious side to that I do believe in.

 

Firstly, if you smoke in "stressful" scenarios then chances are you have to stop what you're doing and step away from whatever you're doing just to actually smoke, so you're immediately removing a stimulus you find stressful whilst taking a couple of minutes to distract yourself. I also think people can quite easily project "comfort" onto items, for me, it's Energy Drinks, if I'm having a crappy day at work and just need to chill out, the first thing I crave to help that is a specific energy drink. Maybe there is a sugar/caffeine craving in there too but whilst I know deep down it has no effect, there is also part me that believes having that sweet nectar will help calm me down. 

 

I think a lot of people will have a "go to thing" to help them in stressful situations, it may be a cigarette, a cup of coffee or even things like physical exercise. Whilst some are obviously worse than others I think you should have some sympathy for those who do rely on the cravings that aren't necessarily good for us.

[The Evil Overlord]

1 hour ago, Skiver said:

I've tried smoking a few times but never enough to get used to it. I actually love the smell of smoke and could passive smoke happily. Nicotine addiction is the obvious reason why those who have smoked continue to do so but those who claim it relieves stress I honestly believe there is a subconscious side to that I do believe in.

 

Firstly, if you smoke in "stressful" scenarios then chances are you have to stop what you're doing and step away from whatever you're doing just to actually smoke, so you're immediately removing a stimulus you find stressful whilst taking a couple of minutes to distract yourself. I also think people can quite easily project "comfort" onto items, for me, it's Energy Drinks, if I'm having a crappy day at work and just need to chill out, the first thing I crave to help that is a specific energy drink. Maybe there is a sugar/caffeine craving in there too but whilst I know deep down it has no effect, there is also part me that believes having that sweet nectar will help calm me down. 

 

I think a lot of people will have a "go to thing" to help them in stressful situations, it may be a cigarette, a cup of coffee or even things like physical exercise. Whilst some are obviously worse than others I think you should have some sympathy for those who do rely on the cravings that aren't necessarily good for us.

Well put