[GateandGarden]

Originally Posted by SuzeQuze

I quit smoking over 2 years ago. There is no "reason" to smoke, it isn't logical, it's a weird impulse to start and then you're hooked before you know it. Especially when you start young and think "yeah right, I can stop when I feel like it I don't believe what they say". You just feel invincible at that age.

I used to enjoy them occasionally but mostly it was gross to me too. It is strange when I think about it that I ever started because I always hated smoking. For me, it was definitely a rebellion which was subconscious at the time. You tell me I'm not supposed to smoke, I guess I'm going to smoke then! I bit off my nose to spite my face. I did not smoke for those 16 years straight, I had quit and gone back a bunch of times so smoked for about half of it.

Anyway, the best predictor of quitting success is how many attempts you've made, the more you have, the more likely you will quit. So never give up if you're trying and never let anyone discourage you by saying "yeah right you'll quit", don't even tell those people!

I wish my friends felt that way, that it's totally illogical and they have no reason to continue it. I wish they would try to quit. But I learned my lesson a few years ago when I told an old friend that I was worried about her and wished that she would try to quit because I cared for her so much. I was young and didn't realize that that was the wrong thing to say it anyway, because she got annoyed and said "IF I do try to quit, then it won't be for you." So, because of that experience, I just don't mention my problems with it to my friends who smoke. But I have a hard time seeing why many people don't at least try. I understand that it must be difficult, but I've seen people who just don't even give it a shot. I see it as more destructive than my tendency to eat a bit more chocolate cake sometimes. I'm not skinny, but I'm not really overweight, so I don't see how I'm going to be hurt in the longrun. Continuing smoking is much more harmful, I'm thinking.