So you know it's bad for you....so, why don't you quit?
By sweet_pea
@sweet_pea (3322)
Philippines
January 27, 2011 11:14pm CST
So you know the hazards of smoking, but you can't seem to quit.
So you know excessive drinking is bad for your liver, but you always get drunk.
So you know you are hypertensive, yet you don't watch your diet and love to eat fatty foods?
So you know, but still you do it?
In my country, people rationalize this by saying:
"If it's time you'll die, you'll die!"
"For what is forbidden, is what we like most."
So what do you think is the reason why people still do things that they know could harm them but have a hard time quitting?
3 people like this
11 responses
@sid556 (30959)
• United States
28 Jan 11
Hi Sweet Pea,
It's called addiction. I am a smoker and have tried countless times to quit and been successful only for a certain amount of time. It is hard for someone that is not addicted to anything to understand that. Addiction can be very powerful. Yes, I know all about getting professional help and all that. It is also costly. I've spent a lot of money that I don't really have in an attempt to quit and still have the addiction to boot. Is it impossible to quit? NO and will I keep trying? YES. One of these days I will succeed. In the meantime, you can't just judge someone for these things thinking that it is so easy to "just quit". If it were that simple there would be more people just quitting.
2 people like this
@sid556 (30959)
• United States
2 Feb 11
Hi sweet pea,
Yes...it is tough and I do work on it. I actually have cut way back on my smoking because I don't smoke around my daughter or in my home. I can't smoke at work and pretty much anywhere. I hope in time to be completly done with them.
1 person likes this
@rberon1985 (5359)
• Philippines
30 Jan 11
hi sid556
i agree with you.it is never an easy thing to quit on things that makes
us happy.i am not a smoker nor a drinker.but i am addicted in this site.
i know that being here for almost 3 to 5 hours in a day and being here
the whole day of my rest day is a sign of addiction.just like you, i can't
blamr myself.i am happy doing this.i know it is affecting my health but
i just have to do something to do resolve that case but definitely,i won't
stop doing things that will make me happy.happy mylotting!!
1 person likes this
@sweet_pea (3322)
• Philippines
2 Feb 11
@sid556. Yes you are right. People say it is "easy to quit" because they are not the ones quitting. They are not the ones addicted. I'm not trying to be judgmental, but it is through these discussions that we get to see the other side of the fence. That we try to understand and learn from their experiences. I think quitting an addiction is a process that starts within ourselves. The urge to quit should be far more stronger than the urge to smoke again. But since it is a process, it takes time and it doesn't need to be abrupt. I read that there are withdrawal symptoms a person experiences and it is tough. I hope in time you can get out of your addiction. Happy Mylotting!
@memoryporte (41)
• United States
29 Jan 11
I like to smoke. I don't do it often but I really think it's fun. You feel better and you can play around with it. There's social aspects to it. And I like the taste of some of them. Also, people get addicted.
2 people like this
@rberon1985 (5359)
• Philippines
29 Jan 11
hi memoryporte
it's nice to do things that makes us happy.but sometimes we have to look
at the disadavantages and advanatages of it.we have to make it sure that
our health will not be affected.
with me, i drink,but just occassional.i can feel that drinking and smoking
is not my interest.maybe because i'm always sick and i'm thin.
i am addicted here in the site.and so far it gives a lot of advantages to
me.i learn at the same time i earn.happy mylotting!
@sweet_pea (3322)
• Philippines
2 Feb 11
We can always do things in moderation. I also drink occasionally.
Too much of anything is bad and it kills.
@rberon1985 (5359)
• Philippines
30 Jan 11
hi djbtol
i definitely agree with you with what you say.emotional comfort,that is
right.when we are emotionally affected or sick,it is really nice to do
things that makes us happy.we just have to be in control.we just have to
manage yourself.you just have to be very careful.
1 person likes this
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
28 Jan 11
Hi sweet_pea,
They say that if there is something that will raise inquisitiveness and curiosity is - ban it or make it illegal or even make it non-healthy. Havent you seen this happen? Say no candies to a kid, and he will start to desire for them. Thats the point... we all know they are bad for health but still try out to find.
Really? Let Me Check
@loveandpeace (470)
• Indonesia
28 Jan 11
In my opinion, if people get addicted to something they'll have flooding their brain with dopamin, the excitement, the urge to have more and more, can't live another day without. And that'll make anything else seems less important even it's their own health. So the problem is in the brain, the treatment should have start in there.
2 people like this
@rberon1985 (5359)
• Philippines
29 Jan 11
hi loveandpeace
i agree with you,that is really what is hard to conntrol,the excitement.as
much as possible,if you are already addicted to it,you want to do it
everyday.as if you will be crazy if you can't do it just in one day.
just like me,i'm already crazy posting in this site.i feel incomplete if i can't log in to the site.but i don't regret being addicted here because it gives a
lot of benefits to me,not only with learnings but as well earning money and
gaining new friends.happy mylotting!!
@Ranonsbby2 (2)
• United States
28 Jan 11
I think that people do things that they know are bad for them and don't stop it because they don't think that cancer or lung problems etc. will happen to them.
They forget the reality of everything, or, they just don't care.
I don't understand how people could not care about themselves.
2 people like this
@rberon1985 (5359)
• Philippines
29 Jan 11
hi ranonsbby2
first of all i would like to welcome you to mylot community.i hope you
are happy in the site.if you have concerns,you can check our FAQ'S or
you can ask veteran members here.they are very approachable and kind.
anyway,going back to the discussion,people are always happy on things
that they are addicted at.as long as they are enjoying it,they will not
see the effect of it.
just like me,i am addicted to this site,i sleep late and wake up early.
so what happens to me is it affects my health condition but i can't stop
it because i am addicted to the site.happy mylotting!!
@sweet_pea (3322)
• Philippines
2 Feb 11
Welcome Ranonsbby! I hope you have a nice time here at Mylot.
Well people always have this notion "It won't happen to me."
Lucky if you don't. If it did, you should have prepared well for your medical insurance. Otherwise, money goes down the drain fast when you are sick.
@rberon1985 (5359)
• Philippines
29 Jan 11
hi sweet_pea
that is what we called "addiction." the feeling is like they can't live
without doing it or without having it in their lives.they don't see at
the disadvanatages of it.as long as their happy,and as long as nothing
is happening to them,they will not stop.
not to boastfully say,i'm a type of person who is not a drinker and smoker.
i just don't like doing it. i drink but very seldom.just occasional.because
i know to myself,I won't benefit from it.
i am addicted also but in other ways,just like being addicted here in the site.
i think it's okay to be addicted here since we are getting something.we also
get to learn a lot of things here.happy mylotting!!
@sweet_pea (3322)
• Philippines
2 Feb 11
Sometimes we get blinded by this happy feeling, we tend to be irrational. We say it is okay, because it feels okay. But we ignore the effects it may have to our body in the long run. We only tend to stop, when the symptoms comes in and the sad part is, it is already too late to do anything.
@cowboyofhell (3063)
• Philippines
28 Jan 11
Many people do not know what is real and false, to have revenge to these people, the heavy smokers/drinkers go with what they do so the badly educated people realize how bad they are doing with their false beliefs. Ego seem to be the culprit so ego will be the boomerang.
1 person likes this
@EdnaReyes (2622)
• Philippines
28 Jan 11
This is human instinct , we sometimes hate to be told of what's best or not for us. It's plain hardheadedness . Addiction and being weak is also a reason. Sometimes, pride is the culprit, but most of all, just plain stupidity and foolishness!
1 person likes this
@sweet_pea (3322)
• Philippines
28 Jan 11
Wow you stated a lot of reasons Edna. I remember when I was much younger, my mom would tell me not to do this, not to do that. And so foolish, as if I know everything. But when I get to her age, and I kinda look back. I find out that what she was saying were all right after all.
@changjiangzhibin89 (16788)
• China
28 Jan 11
It goes without saying that ones know smoking and excessive drinking are dangerous addictions,but they have fallen a habits of those for many years,that is to say,It takes more than one cold day for the river to freeze three feet deep,so it is difficult for them to kick the habit.
2 people like this
@Marmot (590)
• United States
28 Jan 11
I think smoking is just the one of the things that all people know it is bad for health, but a great many people don't quit. Some of them began to smoke because they think it is cool, some of them start smoking because people around them are smoking, and some people smoke for nothing. But all of them just don't quit. One reason I think it's smoking becomes a habit of them and they just can not help themselves to quit. Also, smoking doesn't bring a very serious bad effect to body and smokers think they can accept that.
