I want to admit why I started smoking in the first place (analogs) and how the ecig helped...

[sam12six]

I think the OP has an awesome story. And I don't understand why so many people are being aholes about it. I don't know about anyone else, but just about every smoker I came into contact with says "Don't start smoking"...but we do it anyway right? So, with the exception of the people who started smoking in the 20's before everyone knew it was bad for you, we are all "stupid/idiotic" (as you kindly put it) for starting in the first place. Someone's age should not be an excuse of why it's ok to start smoking IMO.
That being said, I started because many people I looked up to (when I was 19) smoked and I wanted to see what it was like. OMG!!! It was the most relaxing feeling I had ever experienced. I never did drugs, so I was not aware there was anything out there that could make me feel this way! I was in a very stressed and depressed (to the point of suicide) part of my life. And WOW!! The way smoking made me feel...there was no way to describe it! Then I met the love of my life and he smoked! So there was no reason to quit.

I completely agree!!

I sometimes think a lot of people have had sand kicked in their faces for so long by smoking nazis that they look for the opportunity to dust off their own soap box. For any one of us who wasn't around when they had doctors on commercials telling us cigarettes were good for us, smoking was stupid. When you get down to it, those of us who vape are still smoking, we've just found an alternative to cigarettes that we believe is safer for us. However we justify it to ourselves, I'd say 99% of us started the exact same way the OP did, people we respected and cared about were caught in the trap and we jumped in right next to them. We were all equally idiotic.

 

[Curvychic]

I also don't understand why people are jumping all over the OP, name calling, and being critical. For whatever reason he started, he joined the rest of us who have become addicts (many of us former analog addicts). It does sound like an incredibly stupid reason to start smoking, but honestly....is there a good reason to kill yourself with over 4,000 toxic chemicals??????? I haven't heard a good, solid reason yet, and I was a pack and a half a day smoker for fifteen years, so I've heard 'em all. The thing that matters now is that he's looking to find an alternative. Maybe sharing his story is just one way that he can put analogs behind him, or inspire someone else to kick the habit. Each of us has found different things that help us along on our journey. I know that for me, this forum has already been an immense help in keeping me from picking up another analog. Granted, I'm only in week 2 of my personal journey, but you have to start somewhere, right? Instead of bashing the OP, why don't we all offer our support and encouragement to help him continue his efforts to quit??????

 

[phoenix6]

Maybe sharing his story is just one way that he can put analogs behind him, or inspire someone else to kick the habit. Each of us has found different things that help us along on our journey. I know that for me, this forum has already been an immense help in keeping me from picking up another analog. Granted, I'm only in week 2 of my personal journey, but you have to start somewhere, right? Instead of bashing the OP, why don't we all offer our support and encouragement to help him continue his efforts to quit??????

You have pretty much nailed it on the head. We all start smoking somewhere, we all start the quitting somewhere, I am in my process of quitting and I LOVE reading all the stories of support from others on here. I wanted mainly to open up my story and receive advice from others. Yes I accept ANY criticism on the matter, laugh at what I did, call it stupid, anything, except personally bashing me as an individual as we all do not know each other on that level. This is an online forum where to which I know NONE of you in person, but we all share ONE common ground... vaping. There are people on here who I am sure I would have an issue with knowing them in person, for whatever reason, but on here we are just people who share the interest of vaping and to my understanding, are here to support each other in every way each of us can, to further improve this past time. I thank EVERYONE who has replied to this topic, positive or negative, it gives me true insight on many things. I do however especially want to say thank you to the individuals posting in my support, no matter how ridiculous they thought my story was, I think the only thing on here should be good laughs, (with or at me, honestly I dont care) and support for everyone in their journey.

 

[HarmonyPB]

However, I like one thing you did. You found out what it was like. Way too many non-smokers act like quitting is as easy as getting up in the morning.

I agree completely!!

 

[Curvychic]

Yes I accept ANY criticism on the matter, laugh at what I did, call it stupid, anything, except personally bashing me as an individual as we all do not know each other on that level... but on here we are just people who share the interest of vaping and to my understanding, are here to support each other in every way each of us can, to further improve this past time... I think the only thing on here should be good laughs, (with or at me, honestly I dont care) and support for everyone in their journey.

And that IS what this forum is all about. Unfortunately, not everyone remembers some of the silly choices they've made in life....and believe me, we ALL have some of those skeletons in our closet. (And if you say you don't...you're in denial...no one is perfect.) Don't they always say that admitting it is the first step? Admitting the reason you started in the first place gets that out in the open so you (and others) know how to continue through this journey to reach success. In order to reach the end of the story, you should always start at the beginning. Whether we agree or not with your reasoning as to why you started, I think we can all agree that you've made a wise choice to find an alternative. And for me, that's all that really matters! I wish you much success, and while I'm new to vaping myself, if I can be of any assistance, please don't hesistate to pm me. It's nice to know you're not alone in this fight....and most of the people I've talked to in this forum have the same frame of mind as you and I do. (Sorry, in addition to my nictione habit, I'm also a smiley face addict. LOL)

 

[Rosa]

I'm not going to beat you up. I will say I suspect there was a little rationalization. You were probably more than a little curious. However, I like one thing you did. You found out what it was like. Way too many non-smokers act like quitting is as easy as getting up in the morning. You now know better.

As long as it's true confessions time. I was a "troubled" youth and started at a very young age. At the time it was rebellious and I was doing a lot of other things that were likely to kill me before the smokes did. I could have cared less. A few years later, I straightened out but, I had this one bad habit.

I was a troubled youth too.

People used to say, "you know, smoking will kill you. You'll die too young."

I'd say, "good. I don't want to prolong the agony."

Who knew I'd end up wanting to live!

 

[GMoney]

I was a troubled youth too.

People used to say, "you know, smoking will kill you. You'll die too young."

I'd say, "good. I don't want to prolong the agony."

Who knew I'd end up wanting to live!

Yeah, Rosa, Who woulda figured?

Somewhere along the way my "We all gotta die sometime" attitude seems to have changed a bit.

 

[n2xe]

I was a troubled youth too.

People used to say, "you know, smoking will kill you. You'll die too young."

I'd say, "good. I don't want to prolong the agony."

Who knew I'd end up wanting to live!

And I understand that. It's a real story. All I'm saying is that I don't think the OP's is real.

 

[Mr.JcP]

For what ever reason I read 2 pages of this thread it left me with one thought..........


REALLY ?

 

[ckgjt]

I started for the EXACT same reason as the OP. The very same stupid Reason. My parents smoked and as long as I could remember all I heard was "it is so hard to quit. It's a habit and its hard to stop." Blah, blah, blah. They tried over and over to quit only to start up again. So, one day, sitting in the break room at work, I was giving my co-worker a hard time about smoking. I said, "give me that". He says, "you don't smoke". So, I took it from him and took a drag off of it. From there, I did it a few more times before I thought..ya know, I'm going to get addicted so I can show my parents how easy it is to quit if you really want to. They just don't really want to quit. My plan was to smoke and hide it from them then walk in one day and say, "Don't be mad but I have been smoking for the past 6 months but I quit a week ago. See it's easy if you really want to."

After about a month, I decided that it was stupid and threw the half pack of cigarettes out the window of my car. (litterbug, I know, but I was mad at myself at this point for starting) Instead of going through the next stop sign in the direction of my house, I drove around the block and went back and got them. It was at that moment I realized I might be addicted but still thought well, I could quit I just don't want to yet. But I will soon.

That was 24 years ago. Was it stupid? Certainly. I didn't understand addiction.

 

[yohann976]

Wow, really people? For some, get off of your high horse! It's absolutely pathetic to degrade anyone's reason for smoking. Whether you thought it was cool, or peer pressure or whatever; it was an illogical move however you look at it.

And to stick with analogs is just as illogical. We can justify our reasoning till the cows come home, but it doesn't change the fact that there is NO reasonable excuse to smoke. So if one's reason is considered idiotic, then ALL of our reasons are idiotic. I believe that this is the case too.

Just take a good look in the mirror people, I'm sure that you can justify your reason as being better than others...

 

[ckgjt]

I agree. All the reasons are stupid no matter what they are if you started after you knew they were bad for you. I don't think any of us should feel justified pointing fingers.

 

[Bijou]

I don't think the OP's reason for starting was so much more idiotic, but to claim that such classic hubris was motivated by selflessness seems to me a bit self-delusional.

 

[Rosa]

I don't think the OP's reason for starting was so much more idiotic, but to claim that such classic hubris was motivated by selflessness seems to me a bit self-delusional.

Any reason to start smoking is self-delusional. Really, is there a reason that makes sense in hindsight?

 

[Bijou]

Sorry I was not clear--I was not talking about whether the decision was self-delusional, but saying that the characterization of the motive for that decision was.

 

[knobbysmoo]

I did not start smoking because I thought it was cool, in fact I hated it. But I idolized my oldest sister so would tag along everywhere she went. She smoked and wouldn't drive me home unless I smoked too (so I wouldn't tell our parents). I loved hanging out with her more than I hated smoking. So, by the age of 15 I was hooked. She ended up quitting a few years later but I ( the one with the addictive personality) continued for the next 33 years. Last week we finally got together to celebrate my 9th week free from cigarettes. I don't know if it meant more to me or her. She never got over the guilt of forcing her little sis to smoke (among other things) just so she wouldn't get busted. So, Phoenix good for you! It doesn't matter why we started, what matters is that we are all here to support and encourage eachother as we quit.

 

[phoenix6]

Sorry I was not clear--I was not talking about whether the decision was self-delusional, but saying that the characterization of the motive for that decision was.

I can agree with the fact that it comes off at such, at the time I didn't see it that way (when I started smoking). I don't think my reasons were any better than anyone else here or anywhere, I hold myself in the same light as I do anyone else on this planet, knowing them or not.

We're all human, we all make mistakes, and I chose to learn from mine, some people don't. I will say I would never belittle an individual for making a mistake, a true, honest mistake that they can own up to committing. Seems ignorant and mean to me, if we all helped each other, no matter what the scenario, this world would be a better place. I truly feel sorry for the people who feel the need to do this, it doesn't piss me off, it just makes me want to shake their hand and show them we can all be friends and I'm open to discussion if anything I've said offended them.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk

 

[swedishfish]

Sorry I was not clear--I was not talking about whether the decision was self-delusional, but saying that the characterization of the motive for that decision was.

You were clear. Feel better now?