The Truth About Smokers "Pleasure Paradox"
by Neil Stelling
Smokers love excuses. Nothing makes them happier than, 'I can't quit because…'. They really believe their own excuses.
But all these excuses are cop-outs. There's no reason to smoke. Smoking doesn't have any redeeming benefits. It's 100% harmful, poison.
But many smokers don't want to hear that. In fact, they already know it's poison. They just haven't yet discovered how to quit. Reading the truth, in a non-aggressive, non- threatening way, helps to get started on the quit smoking path.
So the excuse, 'I enjoy them', 'they give me pleasure', needs to be looked at carefully. Do they really enjoy them, or are they making a 'Can't quit' excuse.
In reality, the pleasure comes from the experiences associated with smoking. It doesn't come from smoking itself.
In fact, smoking becomes the 'avoidance of displeasure', rather than the 'gaining of pleasure'. Smoking brings temporary relief to the withdrawal symptoms that smoking caused in the first place.
Have you always smoked ? Or do you remember back to a time you felt peace and confidence, before this addiction took hold of you ? Any pleasure comes from temporary relief of withdrawal symptoms. That's the sad truth.
Where's the pleasure in loss of taste ? A build up of tar and other chemicals causes a gradual loss of taste. Smokers sometimes don't notice since it happens over years.
Then they can't taste expensive restaurant meals, and think multiple cigarettes before, during and after the meal provides the answer. Sound familiar ?
In fact, good company and conversation provide the pleasure, which a smoker mistakenly associates with his cigarette.
What else causes us to associate pleasure with cigarettes ?
Unfortunately, over many years, cigarettes have featured prominently in movies. Famous, beautiful people seem to love their cigarettes.
Have you noticed how most romantic movie moments used to involve two people lighting up cigarettes together ? Luckily that's less common in modern times, but who can forget Bogie and others in the classic old films.
Cigarettes still get advertised around the world, associated with something pleasurable. Once again, romance, freedom, open countryside, tranquillity.
This psychological conditioning prevents thousands of people quitting. The myth of 'pleasure' is stronger than the reality of physical nicotine dependency.
Ever heard a smoker say they can't wait for their children or grandchildren to get started smoking ? Of course not ! They know it's harmful, and usually openly admit they'd like to quit. They even agree with policies that restrict smoking in public places !
They admit they found the taste awful at first. But persevered so they could seek the pleasure they hoped to emulate. Nature makes poisons foul-tasting for good reason - a warning not to use that substance.
Smoking actually removes pleasures previously taken for granted.
We've already covered taste. How about fitness ? How about the ability to run more than a few yards without gasping for breath ? How about your non-smoking friends and family, who must breathe passive smoke, and find their clothes foul smelling in the morning ?
So the biggest pleasure in quitting smoking actually comes from regaining past pleasures ! Unless you're a lifelong smoker, you've forgotten the simple pleasures lost.
But here's some good news. Those pleasures can come back. When you quit, your senses eventually return to normal.
Once again, you can taste and enjoy food. Taste starts to return after only a few days. Over time, your fitness will improve. Your habits will change as your non-smoking personality starts to emerge e.g. no cigarette between meal courses.
The pleasure of non-smoking far outweighs any imaginary pleasure from smoking. Regaining life's simple pleasures is a worthwhile goal, and good reason to quit smoking right now.
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