Idk if anyone will take anything useful from this but I tried smoking and loved it. Did it for years, thought it was great. Slept like crap, was stressed all the time, couldn't be athletic. It was so awesome.

I finally quit nicotine completely 5 years ago and all that stuff I thought it helped with? Yeah that was just withdrawal. Now I'm stuck with cravings I don't think will fade any time soon and elevated cancer risk.

Just don't smoke, it's not worth it. Do fun drugs that are easier to quit instead.

[–] PraiseTheSoup@lemm.ee 14 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I just quit nicotine 4 months ago after smoking for 17 years. You're telling me I'm still gonna have these cravings 5 years from now?

[–] naevaTheRat@lemmy.dbzer0.com 17 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (2 children)

I started at 16, switched to vaping about 23? quit at 27. I smoked about 1-2 packs a day, and when I switched to vaping did it constantly.

I don't think cravings this long are usual and suspect it's a result of how intense my addiction was/was the reason my addiction was so intense. There is limited medical literature on persistent cravings but it seems to happen to some people.

Deadset I found quitting morphine trivial compared to nicotine. Just fucking fuck idiot lonely teenaged me who found a way to make some friends. I don't blame that stupid goose barely hanging on but also fucking fuck them.

[–] PraiseTheSoup@lemm.ee 11 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I also started at 16 and after 17 years was up to a little over a pack a day. I tried vaping and chewing but always ended up back at the same menthol cigarettes I started with. When I quit I chewed nicotine gum for 2 months and now I'm 2 months completely nicotine free. I still think about cigarettes every day and when people smoke around me it smells so fucking good. I still smoke a fair amount of pot though and that definitely helps. Driving is the hardest part as my work commute is 30 miles one way and I would chain smoke cigarettes both ways. I really hope I'm not still craving cigarettes 5 years from now.

[–] naevaTheRat@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 7 months ago

It defs has lessened but like relaxing in an afternoon? craving. Break in the park? craving. Cool sunny morning? craving. Programming? craving.

Also seeing anyone smoke it still smells appealing.

Kinda sucks, brains R poop. Wish we did more for keeping smokes outta stupid kids hands than shame and harrass them.

[–] TheFriar@lemm.ee 7 points 7 months ago (3 children)

I’ve heard from many long time users that those cravings never really go away. But I wouldn’t describe it as “cravings.” I would describe it as rose colored glasses. You’re reminded of the sensation/taste/whatever when you see someone else smoke or you smell cigarettes (cigarettes still smell good to me, years after I’ve quit. But they always smelled good to me, even when I was a kid. Burning cigarettes, not ashtray. That shits gross.), so you only remember he good parts of smoking. When you go back, you kinda have to push through a period of not even enjoying it. At least I did most recently. But the most recent time I quit, I quit at like 27 and started again at like 34. I smoked 1-2/day for a while, but it always just made me feel like shit. If I started smoking constantly again, that feeling would’ve gone away. But I never pushed past it.

[–] NielsBohron@lemmy.world 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I’ve heard from many long time users that those cravings never really go away. But I wouldn’t describe it as “cravings.” I would describe it as rose colored glasses.

I never really thought I had a serious habit, but I dabbled in uppers for a few years before getting diagnosed as ADHD (and then taking Adderall for the last decade), and your words perfectly describe how I think about cocaine. I really did enjoy coke, and I had a lot of good times with my buddies while doing lines all night, but I don't really "crave" coke. I miss the ritual of it and the rush as it hits your bloodstream, and if the right person offered me some right now, I'd absolutely rip a rail, but I know the experience simply will not be as good as it was then.

Once you know what you're missing, you'll always miss it, I think.

[–] TheFriar@lemm.ee 4 points 7 months ago

Oh-ho-ho yeah. I lived in South America for a few years. And I did absurd amounts of coke. Like…it was beyond a problem. But, the thing is, I don’t enjoy coke. I still don’t. I didn’t then. I’ve been offered coke since leaving and I have no real desire to do it. But there is still a lot of positive memories associated with it, sure. It was fun. Kinda. But I still don’t like coke. I don’t really like uppers, honestly. But I still miss the numbness and the feeling like you’re just…I dunno. Super fuckin high. And geeked and ready to do whatever.

But again, I still hate coke and have no desire to do it again lol

Molly on the other hand? Yeah, I’d still do that every few months if I had easy access to good shit.

[–] naevaTheRat@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 7 months ago

It's not the crawling up the wall tear your skin off craving of withdrawal. But the same feeling that makes you want an icecream at the beach, a hot coffee on a cold day, a chocolate when you're bored.

Except I reenforced it a shitload more than any of those things. Obviously I don't want to smoke again or I would, but it's still a craving.

[–] TexasDrunk@lemmy.world 2 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

I can say this sounds like me. I'm not in continual withdrawal for cigarettes. I remember smoking when having a drink and those were good times. I remember smoking on road trips and it was a good time. Smoking with coffee, same. Bad things happen? Walk away to gather myself by having a smoke. Not a good time, but definitely part of coping.

I loved smoking. If it weren't for the terrible health shit I'd recommend it to everyone.

I quit and am not looking back. But I still feel the call.