Friday, January 20, 2012

Addictions

Addictions come in all shapes and sizes and can  be a real problem to get rid of.  My younger sister is trying to beat her smoking addiction.  She has smoked since she was a teenager, but it is wrecking her health.  She has emphysema and was hospitalized with pneumonia and nearly died last year.  After that she managed to quit for 3 months.  Then she was hospitalized again just before Christmas with breathing problems  and she knew she had to try again.
I give her all the encouragement I can, I'm a former smoker, but I kicked the habit nearly 30 years ago.  It wasn't that hard for me, I was lucky.  Mac, a light smoker, quit with me and we learned how to do other things beside sit and smoke.
My sister says that even though the smoking is wrecking her health thinking about that hasn't helped her quit.  What's working for her right now is thinking about the money she's saving by not smoking.  It's an expensive habit.
I hope she can quit this time and that those around her who smoke, don't smoke near her.
As for me, I have an addiction that I've tried all my life to kick and still haven't managed. Not shopping, playing games, gambling or overeating, no  I bite my nails.  Not a life threatening habit, but one I'd sure like to get rid of.  It's not like cigarettes though, you have to go out of your way to get them, your fingernails are there all the time, tempting you.  Particularly when you're in the middle of a good book.  Crocheting which keeps my fingers busy helps, but I can't crochet all the time.  Others have told me that going for manicures helped them kick the habit, but I'm really not the manicure type.  I hope some day to lick this problem, but I'm not hopeful, addictions are exactly that addictive.

7 comments:

  1. The only addiction I have isn't life threatening fortunately _ I just can't stop buying books! I like chocolate a lot too but can go without it if necessary. I've never been a nailbiter so have no advice unless putting something like bitter apple on would do the trick - I used to use it to stop dogs chewing things but not sure whether it can be used to stop humans chewing things as well:)

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  2. There is stuff you can put on the nails to make them taste bad to help you quit. I don't think I ever used that though. I know I used to bite mine, long time ago... I'm not sure how or when I quit but I did. I have to always keep them cut very short though because otherwise they break.

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  3. Rowan, I have a chocolate and book addiction too, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

    DawnTreader, used something like that years ago, it didn't even slow me down.

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  4. My son smokes and keeps trying to give up, I wish he would succeed.
    I'm a book and chocolate addict too, I have never bitten my nails so can't advise on that. Hypnotism?

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  5. I've kicked the smoking habit and the nail biting habit. I'm afraid it's all down to willpower, and you'll only do it if you really want to. You really have to be in the right frame of mind to do it. I suffered from Cancer eleven years ago, yet it still took me until two years ago to stop smoking.

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  6. Very tough one to beat! But if you can quit smoking, you can surely quit biting the nails... I only hope it's not an unconscious habit.

    Chocolate and books are NOT addictions. They're necessities. :)

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  7. Thankfully biting nails is not going to kill you...something to be thankful for.

    SP

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