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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 20 of 20. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by TexasChic on June 3, 2004, at 14:58:48
I was just wondering because I feel like my smoking is linked with my anxiety and depression, which in turn makes it hard to quit. Does anyone else use cigarettes as a crutch?
Posted by Susan J on June 3, 2004, at 16:01:13
In reply to Survey: How many people here smoke?, posted by TexasChic on June 3, 2004, at 14:58:48
Nope, never smoked. *Food* is my crutch....
> I was just wondering because I feel like my smoking is linked with my anxiety and depression, which in turn makes it hard to quit. Does anyone else use cigarettes as a crutch?
Posted by partlycloudy on June 3, 2004, at 17:53:53
In reply to Survey: How many people here smoke?, posted by TexasChic on June 3, 2004, at 14:58:48
Nope, me neither.
Posted by lepus on June 3, 2004, at 18:02:45
In reply to Re: Survey: How many people here smoke?, posted by partlycloudy on June 3, 2004, at 17:53:53
I do on and off. I also feel like it is a crutch. I will quit for a long time and then I will get in a stressful situation, something will snap and there I am at the convenience store buying a pack. I recently smoked for a week during a stressful time. I have no idea why I do it when I think it makes me feel worse in the long run.
Posted by Somaticide on June 3, 2004, at 21:49:59
In reply to Survey: How many people here smoke?, posted by TexasChic on June 3, 2004, at 14:58:48
Yes, I think I am using cigarettes as some form of self-medication, definately a crutch!
Posted by octopusprime on June 3, 2004, at 22:39:08
In reply to Re: Survey: How many people here smoke?, posted by Somaticide on June 3, 2004, at 21:49:59
i smoke
i like it
i just yelled at somebody today for encouraging me to quit
the only reason i would quit is that it's expensive.well that's not entirely true - last weekend when i was doing yoga i thought about quitting because i didn't need it so much when my brain was all empty like yoga brain
but then again the effects of yoga lasted three hours. i get a smoke every two hours when i'm awake all week long.
i like smoking. i like stepping outside the hustle and the bustle and getting that five minutes of me time. i like playing with fire. i like that little rush of endorphins that you get when you take that first drag. i like the ritual. i like the comraderie among smokers.
i tried to quit a few times but like the others under times of stress i returned to smoking. it's not my time to quit yet. i'll know when it's my time.
but i won't call it a crutch; i will call it one of life's small pleasures
Posted by jane d on June 3, 2004, at 23:09:26
In reply to Survey: How many people here smoke?, posted by TexasChic on June 3, 2004, at 14:58:48
I think cigarettes are a medication, not a crutch. Just a medication with some particularly nasty long term side effects. They are also the only one many of us are able to get at some time or another. Nicotine is currently being researched for all kinds of disorders now in fact.
Jane, non repentant ex smoker
Posted by Scott in Vermont on June 4, 2004, at 9:05:22
In reply to Survey: How many people here smoke?, posted by TexasChic on June 3, 2004, at 14:58:48
I smoke about a 1/2 pack a day. More when I'm stressed, less when I'm outside working.
I have no interest in quitting right now, and both my T and my pdoc agree. They say wait a while more (at least 6 months) to get settled into what's going on before making such a massive change.
Posted by karen_kay on June 4, 2004, at 9:41:58
In reply to Survey: How many people here smoke?, posted by TexasChic on June 3, 2004, at 14:58:48
not that i've ever tried to hide that from anyone. the first time i met my old man's parents, i said 'hi, i'm karen. and i smoke. hope you don't mind.' they didn't. they smoke too.
i smoke alot. i've found old pictures of me and i have a cigarette in almost everyone. i can't say with precision how much i smoke, but i think it's very close to 2 packs a day. but, after i light that smoke, i'm ready to run a marathon.
i've tried to quit 1 time. for financial reasons. i cried for 6 hours and decided that i'd rather starve than not smoke. i think i may be addicted?
i would say that my smoking increases when i'm anxious. and i always get anxious when i run low on smokes.
i don't use them as a crutch, more like a leg dear. i'd honestly go without food before i'd go without smokes.
Posted by AuntieMel on June 4, 2004, at 11:01:27
In reply to Survey: How many people here smoke?, posted by TexasChic on June 3, 2004, at 14:58:48
Like a chimney.
I have a bumper sticker hanging on my wall at work. It says 'I smoke and I vote"
Posted by B2chica on June 4, 2004, at 11:19:25
In reply to Survey: How many people here smoke?, posted by TexasChic on June 3, 2004, at 14:58:48
yes and no. I absolutely think mine is linked. i started when i was almost 15 and smoked till i was 22 then i started last sept. which is when all this stuff started happening again. (emotional issues that is) my anxiety was so bad i couldn't stop shaking so i would have a cig and i swear it would calm me down. then with the depression i would feel SO heavy and when i had a cig i would literally have a litte more gas to keep going and keep thoughts of death away.
and THEN, the day i left the hospital is the day i quit again (in march). but i know it was because of the wellbutrin XL they put me on. my pdoc new i was smoking and asked if i wanted to quit and i told her yes but i just couldn't. So she told me that Wellbutrin is the same thing that they give people to quit smoking(but uses a different name).
It became awful tasting and the cravings were COMPLETELY gone.
So as of now i'm smoke free, but i KNOW it was Definately related to my emotional issues. That was Definately a crutch for me.I've also know that cigs do cause a physical reaction to your body, even though it's a stimulant i heard that people with ADHD (and i thought it said anxiety and depression but not sure) react differently to stimulants and instead of hyping us up they can actually relax you, -that's why they give things like ritalin to kids that can't sit still.
However, because of my mania my pdoc recommends staying off caffine cuz it could send me off (i haven't had any since last november- yeah!)
so anyway these seem to be contradicting statements but both are said to be true.
FWIW
b2c.> I was just wondering because I feel like my smoking is linked with my anxiety and depression, which in turn makes it hard to quit. Does anyone else use cigarettes as a crutch?
Posted by TexasChic on June 4, 2004, at 11:22:11
In reply to Re: Survey: How many people here smoke?, posted by AuntieMel on June 4, 2004, at 11:01:27
Maybe crutch was the wrong word. I was just wondering if anybody else felt they used cigarettes as a way to help the anxiety and depression.
I quit for a solid year last year, and I was quite happy being a non-smoker. But all my new friends smoke, and eventually I started bumming, and before I knew it I was smoking again. I know it had alot to do with stressers in my life. It just somehow calms me. I have gone a whole day or two without one lately, but that's usually when I'm stuck at home with my mom. The hassel I would have with her just wouldn't be worth it.
I do worry about my health, I have almost chronic bronchitis. But I still had it when I quit smoking too. But I'm sure it doesn't help. Anyway, I was just curious.
Posted by B2chica on June 4, 2004, at 12:47:57
In reply to Re: Survey: How many people here smoke?, posted by B2chica on June 4, 2004, at 11:19:25
Posted by Susan J on June 4, 2004, at 12:54:33
In reply to i smoke, posted by octopusprime on June 3, 2004, at 22:39:08
> i smoke
> i like it
> i just yelled at somebody today for encouraging me to quit
> the only reason i would quit is that it's expensive.<<I've never smoked but both my parents did. My dad still does. Yeah, it's unhealthy, but I do think everyone has a right to choose whether or not they smoke. I'd get annoyed if someone got in your face about it. That's like telling a pregnant woman how to eat or whatever. None of their business.
As long as people try to be considerate of others around them, I see no problem with people choosing whether to smoke or not.
Posted by spoc on June 4, 2004, at 20:31:06
In reply to You go! » octopusprime, posted by Susan J on June 4, 2004, at 12:54:33
> > i smoke
> > i like it
> > i just yelled at somebody today for encouraging me to quit
> > the only reason i would quit is that it's expensive.
>> As long as people try to be considerate of others around them, I see no problem with people choosing whether to smoke or not.
+++ Plus it finances a WHOLE LOT of stuff!!! Pretty ironic to be reamed at the same time huh? :- )
Posted by kellyr. on June 4, 2004, at 22:21:15
In reply to Survey: How many people here smoke?, posted by TexasChic on June 3, 2004, at 14:58:48
> I was just wondering because I feel like my smoking is linked with my anxiety and depression, which in turn makes it hard to quit. Does anyone else use cigarettes as a crutch?
I would say I use cigarettes as a crutch most likely linked to my A/D.
Posted by jane d on June 4, 2004, at 22:46:44
In reply to Re: Survey: How many people here smoke?, posted by TexasChic on June 4, 2004, at 11:22:11
> I do worry about my health, I have almost chronic bronchitis. But I still had it when I quit smoking too. But I'm sure it doesn't help. Anyway, I was just curious.
I think that it took more than a year to go away after I stopped. Much, much longer than I expected.
J
Posted by Sinnielou on June 5, 2004, at 15:13:12
In reply to Re: Survey: How many people here smoke? » TexasChic, posted by Susan J on June 3, 2004, at 16:01:13
yep I smoke it stops me from eating!!
Posted by TexasChic on June 7, 2004, at 9:27:08
In reply to Re: bronchitis » TexasChic, posted by jane d on June 4, 2004, at 22:46:44
That's encouraging though that it eventually went away. I figured I was just damaged for life and might as well keep smoking. But now I know that's not necessarily true. It gives me something to strive for. Thanks!
Posted by bobby on June 7, 2004, at 20:56:04
In reply to Survey: How many people here smoke?, posted by TexasChic on June 3, 2004, at 14:58:48
i've cut my smoking in half.:)
This is the end of the thread.
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