[Ripose]

Chain-smoking is given as an example of excessive addictive behaviour in the DSM5.

Well, looks like I've got another MI now.

[Hellion]

Do you smoke by choice, like you could quit if you wanted...or more like wanting to quit and not being able to? I mean it could be an addictive behavior, but some people who don't smoke very much will chain smoke if under a lot of stress but then normally don't continue that so not sure it would always be a sure sign of nicotine addiction.

I am sort of confused about myself since I do smoke, sometimes I find myself smoking when I don't really want to more feel like I need to...but then still enjoy cigarettes and rarely if ever chain smoke, sometimes if I am drinking I might end up smoking a lot not sure why..so don't know if that counts as being addicted to them and if so given my other issues I'd say its the least of my worries.

[Ripose]

I really can't quit, I have tried many times and after every attempt I actually end up smoking more.
I'm up to 50 smokes/day (minimum) now.

[Hellion]

That is why I quit trying to quit partially...it would just stress me out so I'd smoke more. I find limiting how much I smoke works better because trying to quit also means more time thinking about smoking which increases the urge to do it more.

50 a day does sound like a lot, certainly not healthy at worst I might smoke a pack in a day....so I'd recommend trying to cut down but without pressuring to 'quit'...the quit entirely thing doesn't work for everyone it seems and can make one want to smoke more in my experience. I would probably be smoking more if I didn't smoke american spirits since most kinds burn quick and leave me wanting another one quite soon.

[thickntired]

They list adderral as a cause of excessive chain smoking.

[Ripose]

I've never been on adderal but I abuse almost every substance that I put into my body, except food.

[cosmic.yiana]

Also if you are mentally interesting smoking helps with symptoms. I can't believe they put that in the dsm as an example.
Also I used to smoke American Spirits so I know what you mean. I do the vaping thing now and yes I smoke it to excess.

[SnakeCharmer]

Smoking has been put in the DSM so people who have severe trouble quitting, but want to, can get counseling to help them and it can be paid for by their insurance. No DSM code, no insurance payments, usually.

This is vital for some people, say someone who has asthma or COPD, heart disease or cancer, or kids they don't want exposed to tobacco. Or any other reason.

I view the DSM as an insurance coding book, more than anything else. Other people take it as gospel. It's probably somewhere in between.

But I'm pretty sure the inclusion of tobacco addiction doesn't mean you have another mental illness. Pretty sure.

[gma45]

I am with you SnakeCharmer in regards to the DSM pretty much just for ins billing. I have found I too smoke more if I try to quit. I just try and cut down the smokes I smoke out of habit, like the one I light up when I start the car, now I try to wait till I have gone a few miles down the road. Seems if I think before I light up I can at least prolong it a while and maybe not smoke as much. I like American spirits they do last longer and don't have as much chemicals in them. Just wish I could afford to smoke em! Would be nice to quit but don't see that happening any time soon. I have tried many times.

[IrisBloom]

I don't chain smoke, but you're asking for trouble if you try to take them away.

[sadp8r]

Hi I've been a smoker a long time although I feel I have 2 choices to make because of a physical I had today There may be a chance I have done major damage to my lungs tho I know this sounds stupid but I started smoking at 13 my Mom although she never smoked passed away at 49 of lung cancer I was 10 when I lost her and started smoking to get lung cancer there were more circumstances for after She passed away there was a lot of abuse in my family Physical sexual mental n emotional smoking became an escape a way to cope now tho I've been doing better this year emotionally n mentally I'm faced with a choice to quit or keep smoking. Thanks for letting me share this

[Altered Moment]

I have never been able to understand someone who could smoke one or two cigarettes a week or only when drinking. But then I could never understand someone having two beers. I'm truly an addict. I can say though that cigarettes are the only substance I am addicted to. (There used to be a lot more) Even coffee I can take or leave now. I've managed to stay at a pack a day. I do worry about the health issues more and more but don't really have a desire to quit. Ahhhh what's another DSM label or two at this stage.

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[angelene]

I'm an addict as well. If money wasn't such an issue I would chain-smoke like a train. I've been able to keep it down to a pack a day. I've never tried quitting but based on how I act in smoke-free homes, I think I'd be able to do it.

I don't think of it as a mental health issue...

Originally Posted by zinco14532323

Ahhhh what's another DSM label or two at this stage.

Exactly.

[Juniebug]

Being on Wellbutrin makes cigs taste like absolute crap, and is really the only reason I can't chain smoke currently. Luckily, I have many more qualities that qualify me as crazeballs.

[thickntired]

Originally Posted by Ripose

I really can't quit, I have tried many times and after every attempt I actually end up smoking more.
I'm up to 50 smokes/day (minimum) now.

You can do it! I unsuccessful quit about a hundred times. Once I started again after 4 freaking years smoke free!! This time I had to give up a lot of other triggers to quit. I gave up cigarettes, alcohol, coffee, tried to avoid stressful situations and drank buckets of sedating herbal tea. Don't give up.

[thickntired]

Originally Posted by Ripose

I've never been on adderal but I abuse almost every substance that I put into my body, except food.

Me too and damn I wish I could cross food off my list.

[thickntired]

Originally Posted by sadp8r

Hi I've been a smoker a long time although I feel I have 2 choices to make because of a physical I had today There may be a chance I have done major damage to my lungs tho I know this sounds stupid but I started smoking at 13 my Mom although she never smoked passed away at 49 of lung cancer I was 10 when I lost her and started smoking to get lung cancer there were more circumstances for after She passed away there was a lot of abuse in my family Physical sexual mental n emotional smoking became an escape a way to cope now tho I've been doing better this year emotionally n mentally I'm faced with a choice to quit or keep smoking. Thanks for letting me share this

Thank you for posting this. My husband started smoking when he was 13. He is older and has smoked as long as I've been alive. Every morning I get to hear him hacking up phlegm. He says it's because of his "allergies." I know I'm going to lose him early if this continues. This makes me feel like a horrible person, but if I have to be his nurse for 20 years while he slowly dies I will be resentful. His father died of emphysema at age 65. My husband says it was a heart attack and had nothing to do with smoking. He says his aunt is 90 and smoked all her life blah blah blah. I know from being an addict that his decision to quit is out of my hands.

What really scared me into quitting was the commercials from the CDC at the link below. These are former smokers, some have passed away, and most are in their forties!

http://m.cdc.gov/en/HealthSafetyTopi...gns/Tips/index

[Altered Moment]

Originally Posted by thickntired

You can do it! I unsuccessful quit about a hundred times. Once I started again after 4 freaking years smoke free!! This time I had to give up a lot of other triggers to quit. I gave up cigarettes, alcohol, coffee, tried to avoid stressful situations and drank buckets of sedating herbal tea. Don't give up.

Haha. We drank buckets of sleeping time tea in treatment. We damn near rolled it up and smoked it. I tore the bags open and drank it all. Two bags per cup. It takes the edge off.

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[Hellion]

Originally Posted by cosmic.yiana

Also if you are mentally interesting smoking helps with symptoms. I can't believe they put that in the dsm as an example.
Also I used to smoke American Spirits so I know what you mean. I do the vaping thing now and yes I smoke it to excess.

I have a vape cigarette, but I still just really prefer the american spirits...basically i use the e-cig for when I don't have cigarettes and either cannot afford to go get some or when I don't want to put in the effort to go get a pack.

[Angelique67]

I have e cigs here too but they're harder on my lungs than tobacco feels. I've been rolling my own for 15 years and smoking for 40 years. I'm scared I can't quit.

[Swabbingred]

Smoker since 15. I've watched cigarettes skyrocket in price and it makes my knees weak. From $11.00 to now $25.30 for a packet of Marlboro Red. Pfftt. I'm going to smoke 'till I choke and will continue to smoke my Port Royal Rum & Wine shags.

[thickntired]

Originally Posted by Swabbingred

Smoker since 15. I've watched cigarettes skyrocket in price and it makes my knees weak. From $11.00 to now $25.30 for a packet of Marlboro Red. Pfftt. I'm going to smoke 'till I choke and will continue to smoke my Port Royal Rum & Wine shags.

WOW! Where do you buy your ciggs, NYC or LA? The last time I was in Ireland we paid about $15 for a pack of Camel. I liked American Spirits because they are supposed to have less chemicals. My die hard favorite was Camel Lights. I'm such a freak that I started smoking in my twenties after hating to be around it my whole life. I had a manager who started smoking in his forties!

[Hellion]

Originally Posted by Swabbingred

Smoker since 15. I've watched cigarettes skyrocket in price and it makes my knees weak. From $11.00 to now $25.30 for a packet of Marlboro Red. Pfftt. I'm going to smoke 'till I choke and will continue to smoke my Port Royal Rum & Wine shags.

what? My goodness I can get a pack of american spirits for like 6 something depending or one store I know of has them for 5.50 a pack marlboro are cheaper but I only really smoke spirits anymore....is there seriously that much price fluctuation of stuff in this country? that is ridiculous.

[Altered Moment]

I bought my first pack of cigs for 50 cents. Back then they didn't care if you were 13 they sold them to you anyway,

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[thickntired]

A really good friend of mine refused to pay for packs and started rolling her own. She bought high quality imported tobacco and French rolling papers. It was still way cheaper than buying packs. I always bought cartons from discount tobacco stores.