Quitting Smoking - How Hard Is It?

I am interested in what you all think about how hard it is to quit smoking.

I have smoked a bit, but not enough to consider myself as a real smoker (5-6 cigarettes a week at most, during maybe one year). I stopped smoking without feeling the need for it.

I have known some heavy smokers, I mean smokers who had to smoke a cigarette every 20 minutes, otherwise they would get crabby and aggressive, who managed to quit.

I have known a smoker who tried for months to quit and simply could not.

They say that even if you quit smoking, you are always one cigarette away from being addicted again. Is that true? Even after 20 years?

I remember talking with people about a guy who quit smoking because he got a chronic disease, and smoking would interfere with the treatment. Some told me: Ah, of course it was easier for him, since he had a good reason. I thought at the time that "wanting to quit" was an even better reason. (There are of course also people who keep smoking even with such a good reason.)

People talk of nicotine addiction, but apparently, most people who manage to quit smoking do it without using any means to satisfy the addiction (e.g. patches) and just stop cold. One of the heavy smokers who quit told me the hardest was to stop all the little habits, like having a cigarette while drinking coffee, a cigarette while reading newspaper, a cigarette while waiting for the bus, etc.

All in all my take on this is: If you really want to quit, you do. People who have trouble quitting might be those who are not motivated enough.

What do you think?

I am sure it is hard as hell; hence why I refuse to take a single puff.

Speaking for myself yes, it's very hard. I quit MANY years ago. Had a 3 pack a day habit. It can be an urge that never goes away completely. I had a lot of stress last year that I gave into & ended up smoking again. I was able to quit after a few months but it wasn't an easy thing to do. Your willpower has to be greater than the urge. Different things work for different people. I've been told I'm tempting fate by having an unopened pack in my purse. But for me it actually helps. It eliminates wanting something I don't have. I know it's there. And I don't want it. That probably makes no sense but it works for me. And that's what people have to do. Find that thing that works for them, whether it's cold turkey, gradual or using some kind of substitution.

I quit smoking 12 years ago, and it was difficult, but not like I would imagine quitting heroin might be. Then again I only smoked for 5 years, and only a pack every few days.

I think some people's brains are just wired differently. I've never been a smoker (tobacco anyway) but I have several friends and family members who managed to stop relatively easily and others who have never been able to. I don’t agree that if you haven’t been able to quit it’s because you really don’t want to but I would agree that until a smoker (or other addict) reaches the point where they don’t want to smoke anymore, they shouldn’t bother to try.

I think it's especially hard if you have an addictive personality and most smokers do. All of my uncles smoke and I couldn't stand it growing up. Never liked the smell but that wasn't enough to turn me off from trying it. I did, and I still didn't get the appeal.