I’d like to talk about something that changed since I became a non-smoker.

I stopped saying I had no options anymore, because in fact, I had began the journey of finding solutions in life, not a drag from a smoke. Cigarettes are a drug, we all know that. In my opinion the pathology of a smoker is this:

1. Trouble starts.
2. I need a smoke to deal with the initial shock.
3. While sitting down I realize something else I forgot to do because of #2 & 1
4. While I got my buzz, I forgot about #2 & #1 trouble
5. Then I realized that I can put off the other problem until later, it’s not too bad.
6. My judgment by now is cloudy, I’ve just pulled the needle out of my arm.
7. I need a victory smoke.
8. Repeat.
9. Eventually between repeats a problem gets solved.

With a non-smoker, the problems start like this:

1. Trouble starts.
2. I deal with the problem right then and there.
3. I don’t need a smoke to deal with the problem before I fix it.
4. Afterwards, no victory smoke needed.

See? I’ve just saved 4 steps, maybe 20 minutes due to removing smoking from my day.
Do I need to make a phone call? No need to smoke up before the call. Was the call a success? No victory smoke needed.

Smokers create more problems by the habit than the habit seems to have solved for them.
Chantix helped me through that vicious cycle. Why puff on something that tasks like crap for a victory smoke or to clear my head?