For the 400,000 American smoking deaths every year, the end of the poisoned path is not a new beginning but a dead end. With every puff, you get closer to the death pit. So if you do not want to become a mere addition to the tally (400,001), act now - decisively, and before the dead end strikes break free from this life consuming addiction. To help you strengthen your resolve to act, here's in retrospective the path every smoker has traversed.

Bon Voyage

An innocent puff and the journey began.  In his early days of smoking, the smoker derived much pleasure from the pharmacological action of nicotine.  It made him feel alert, energetic, or maybe even had a calming, relaxing effect.  It helped in studying and in learning.  Sometimes it made him feel more mature, confidant, and more social.  Depending on the circumstances surrounding him while he smoked it, it pretty much did whatever he wanted it to.  In these early days, he smoked maybe 5 to 10 per day, usually just when he wanted the desired effect.

Break Fail

But gradually, something happens to the smoker.  He becomes more dependent on cigarettes.  He no longer smokes to solve a problem, to celebrate, or to feel great.  He smokes because he NEEDS a cigarette. Ask  any current smoker why he continues to indulge in such a dangerous habit and he will normally reply, "Because I like smoking."  While he may say this in all honesty, it is a very misleading statement, both to the listener and to the smoker himself.  He does not smoke because he enjoys smoking, rather he smokes because he does not enjoy not smoking.

Nicotine is a powerfully addictive drug.  The smoker is in a constant battle to maintain a narrow range of nicotine in his blood stream (serum nicotine level).  Every time the smoker's serum nicotine level falls below the minimum limit, he experiences drug withdrawal.  He becomes tense, irritable, anxious and, in some cases, even shows physical symptoms.  He does not enjoy feeling these withdrawals.  The only thing that will alleviate these acute symptoms will be a cigarette.  The nicotine loss is then replenished and, hence, the smoker feels better.  Thus he enjoyed smoking. What he actually enjoyed was 'avoiding not smoking'.

In essence he smokes because he is a smoker, a nicotine addict or, more accurately, a nicoholic.  No longer does he get those special smoker highs--now he smokes because not smoking makes him feel withdrawal.  Not smoking means feeling nervous, irritable, depressed, angry, afraid, nauseous, or headachy just to mention a few effects.  He grasps for a cigarette to alleviate these symptoms, all the time hoping to get that special warm feeling that cigarettes used to give him.  But, to his dismay, all that happens is he feels almost normal after smoking a cigarette.  And 20 minutes later the whole process starts up again. This cycle continues till the dead end strikes. He smokes till he becomes 400,002.

Did you identify yourself somewhere in the retrospective? If you did, decide now whether for you the end of the poisoned path will be a dead end or a new beginning.  

_________________________________________________

Article Index |Classifying the Dead End

Quit smoking index page