Addiction or No Addiction?

I actually picked out my next story last night, however today in my health class we happened to be talking about nicotine. This brought up my memory of yesterday reading through different stories and came across one about a man who gave up smoking easily.

"I'm a person who walked away from smoking forever about eight months ago and now I can't help but ask this question. I realize that everyone on the television, radio, and internet claims that nicotine is addictive, but is this really true or are they simply trying to get you to buy into the hype so they can get your money? I have to tell you, as a person who smoked for fifteen years and walked away without the aid of any gum, patches, pills, or anything else, I have to tell you that I honestly believe it's all hype!Really, if it were true and there are actually withdrawals and the like associated with quitting smoking, wouldn't I have experienced some of them? Were there times I wanted a cigarette? Of course, but my conclusion is that it was because I was used to sticking cancer sticks into my pie hole for fifteen years, not because I was addicted to anything. I was just used to smoking. I mean anything that you engage in for 15 years is bound to feel like "normal", right?The conclusion that I came to is that I wasn't actually addicted to anything and that it was all hype. So I decided not to buy into the hype any longer. Anytime I heard about being addicted or how hard quitting smoking was going to be, I simply said to myself, "I don't believe that, it's going to bee easy to stop." I did this while I was still smoking. When I was by myself smoking, I would look at the cigarette and say the same basic thing directly to the cigarette.And do you know what. Within a couple of months of doing that, I went in my pack to grab a smoke only to find out that it was my last one. I looked at that cigarette and said, "this is it, I'm done." I proceeded to smoke that cigarette and haven't touched one since that day.It was literally as simple as that. I've realized that quitting smoking is what you think about quitting and not about being addicted to nicotine. You're addicted to nicotine if you believe that you're addicted to nicotine. It's as simple as that, and if you buy into the hype, you'll believe that you're addicted to nicotine. I'm simply telling you that you're not really addicted to anything you just think you are. You can do exactly what I did and be free of cigarettes and nicotine forever. Unless of course you believe that you can't."
-- Trevor Kuglar


Now, I somewhat agree with this man. I do believe that once you've done it so long, it comes natural. Like taking a shower or brushing your teeth, which you should do anyways for good hygiene, but anything you do over and over again, your bound to just keep doing it because it feels normal. I was thinking about this story the whole discussion today, but then the teacher told us how once you smoke your first cigarette, your body takes the nicotine and as you know, you just cough alot, your body doesnt know how to react to it, but once you smoke two or three more cigarettes, your body regulates the nicotine and it becomes a "normal" level of nicotine. Once your body runs out or lowers the level, that is when you go to reach for a new cigarette, to actually regulate the nicotine level.
Overall I agree that its not an actual addiction where your mind is what needs it, the only thing controlling the "addiction" is that your body wants to regulate the nicotine level.
So, what actually causes people to want to smoke? I know the normal answer would be "they think its cool".. but cmon.. do YOU think its cool? Who ACTUALLY thinks smoking is cool? I sure don't. I think it's the worst and nastiest habit. I would never even hold a cigarette for someone. I find them repulsing. So what is it that causes teenagers to smoke their first cigarette? Their second?(addiction hasn't yet kicked in) If we have been learning about the bad side affects of smoking since what.. third grade? Why would people want to do it? Now I know people think "but it won't happen to me".. but with me, well, I'm the "weird child" I've had many different medical conditions, I even had cancer at age 6. The side effects afterwards, I'm still overcoming, so, I believe that anything could happen to me. But any other teen? They may think it won't happen. But to most people, it actually does. You know, smoking a pack a day for a year puts a large jar of tar in your lungs? That is repulsing. Learning these things.. they make me wonder why on Earth someone would want to stick one of those sticks in your mouth, or even the chewing tabbaco. Yeah, maybe your friends are doing it, but why give in? With everyone as unique as they are, doesn't most everyone try to stand out amoungst the crowd? Well how about we stand up for ourselves and not give in, theres no actually pro to smoking or chewing tabacco. So why do people do it? Thats my question today... Why?


Well, thats all for today,
Until next time,
Skylar : )