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Is it self-deceit trying to quit drugs if you smoke anyway?

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everteen

Bluelighter
Joined
May 4, 2016
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I feel stupid being in a rehab. Drugs are supposedly so destructive and addicting (probably are), but still everyone here is chain smoking tobacco, which is statistically by far the most addicting and damaging commonly used drug there is. Kills more people than other drugs (including alcohol) combined. I smoke probably twice as much now when I've been clean for a few months and it's supposedly all great, right direction etc. No one says a word about smoking and some of the staff are smoking with addicts and it's a non-issue. They even say that whatever you do, don't try to quit smoking. Social services are bitching about one little relapse, but smoking is a non-issue also to them. Which is literally saying that you can smoke as much as you want, but anything else once more and we stop working with you and cut your benefits.

It would probably be healthier to end this rehab and go back to other drugs. I would still smoke, but much less. Vaping bud and using opioids isn't as damaging, if I know anything.
 
Justification and rationalization are insidious. It is almost as if we were ingrained with a case building mentality. I have never seen anyone take a drag off a cigarette and fall over dead. I wish I could say the same thing for a needle, hit, or pill. Yes, statistically speaking, smoking kills more than any of the other behaviors by a significant margin, but as my doctor first told me when I got clean, "Let's worry about the stuff that can kill you today, and we will deal with the long term damaging behavior later." 4 years, 10 months, and 11 days later I am no longer a smoker. Using junkies don't die from smoking. People eating massive amounts of pills don't often die from smoking. Hard core drunks ... perhaps, but certainly not common. Stick around and you will have a choice to quit smoking. Get high and you may not have to worry about quitting smoking. Everyone quits smoking eventually.
 
You do realize that you can quit smoking even with people around you smoking, right? Sure, it will be harder, but in the end it's your decision and yours alone.
 
jdfisse said:
Justification and rationalization are insidious. It is almost as if we were ingrained with a case building mentality. I have never seen anyone take a drag off a cigarette and fall over dead. I wish I could say the same thing for a needle, hit, or pill. Yes, statistically speaking, smoking kills more than any of the other behaviors by a significant margin, but as my doctor first told me when I got clean, "Let's worry about the stuff that can kill you today, and we will deal with the long term damaging behavior later." 4 years, 10 months, and 11 days later I am no longer a smoker. Using junkies don't die from smoking. People eating massive amounts of pills don't often die from smoking. Hard core drunks ... perhaps, but certainly not common. Stick around and you will have a choice to quit smoking. Get high and you may not have to worry about quitting smoking. Everyone quits smoking eventually.
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I agree. But it feels like if I'm able to quit everything else but tobacco now, trying to quit smkoking later just increases the risk of other using drugs again.
 
jdfisse said:
Justification and rationalization are insidious. It is almost as if we were ingrained with a case building mentality. I have never seen anyone take a drag off a cigarette and fall over dead. I wish I could say the same thing for a needle, hit, or pill. Yes, statistically speaking, smoking kills more than any of the other behaviors by a significant margin, but as my doctor first told me when I got clean, "Let's worry about the stuff that can kill you today, and we will deal with the long term damaging behavior later." 4 years, 10 months, and 11 days later I am no longer a smoker. Using junkies don't die from smoking. People eating massive amounts of pills don't often die from smoking. Hard core drunks ... perhaps, but certainly not common. Stick around and you will have a choice to quit smoking. Get high and you may not have to worry about quitting smoking. Everyone quits smoking eventually.
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^ This

I started smoking again in treatment, a habit I initially gave up in 2001. I know I shouldn't do it. But on the flip side, smoking does not impair my ability to safely operate a car nor does smoking make me an irresponsible fuckup unable to live up to personal and professional commitments. Circumstances constantly change, but right now, it is the lesser of evils by a long shot.

everteen said:
trying to quit smkoking later just increases the risk of other using drugs again
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I would argue the opposite. IMO, the longer one stays sober, being sober just becomes the natural order of things and something you have to think about less and less. Once you've achieved that "equilibrium," (again IMO) drugs are not likely to occupy the space in your mind that having your next cigarette did because you've been able to gain some distance between you and drugs. On the other hand, some therapists I've had say don't quit everything at once, others say quit everything at once. You just have to figure out your own truths.
 
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everteen can't you ask the rehab staff if they supply nicotine patches as well as nicotine gum. That combo worked for me to quit smoking. Surely there must be one indoor room in the rehab that smoking is not allowed in.

Although i get what your talking about i haven't been to a rehab but i have been to acute mental health ward and it really is bizzare that smoking is almost encouraged by the nurses and strangely the majority of psych ward nurses smoke. But it's a tricky sitarution your in cos no one likes to be a heavy smoker chain smoking cigs but as jdfisse says "Let's worry about the stuff that can kill you today, and we will deal with the long term damaging behavior later." 4 years, 10 months, and 11 days later I am no longer a smoker. Using junkies don't die from smoking. People eating massive amounts of pills don't often die from smoking. Hard core drunks ... perhaps, but certainly not common. Stick around and you will have a choice to quit smoking. Get high and you may not have to worry about quitting smoking. Everyone quits smoking eventually.

This is sound advice from jdfisse because unless you are at the point you need a oxygen tank to breath smoking another 30 to 90 days or however long your stint in rehab is planned will not be fatal for you. I do however think it is good you are aware how bad smoking cigarettes are but if your plan is to stay addicted to other more serious and destructive drugs like opiates in order to smoke less but not quite fully quit smoking then that is one step forward two steps back. If you can go three months without weed or opiates then with those physical withdrawal symptoms behind you quitting smoking cigs once and for all will seem easy compared to being dope sick.

Be well everteen and good luck in rehab
 
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