Are we all addicts?

Last updated on June 23, 2015

“You smoked, you are an addict” that’s what I learned when I quit smoking and it made me flinch inside.

I just smoked and I stopped, so why am I an addict? It bothered me so much. How can I use words like addict and addiction, if I don’t really understand the meaning.

“Junkie thinking” and “you are in denial”, I heard that as well and I tried so hard to accept it, but I had questions and didn’t get the answers. Platitudes…slogans…but no answers!

If you make 100 people drink alcohol every day for half a year, will every body walk away being an alcoholic? The answer to this question is “NO”.

So, if 100 people smoke every day for half a year, will they all walk away being addicts? The answer -so I have been told- is “YES”. Conclusion in my little mind “Nicotine is more dangerous than alcohol”????? Unlikely!

A lot of us did some drugs when we were young, some of us for quiet some time. Then we settled down, stopped and walked away, never used drugs again. So, if 100 people use drugs every day for half a year, will 100 people walk away being drug addicts? The answer is “NO”. So, does that mean Nicotine is more addictive than drugs???? Unlikely!

It wasn’t so much about the word addict, it was more about not understanding. I had so many questions on my mind and couldn’t find answers for it. I got the feeling the word addict  was thrown around by many without actually understanding the true meaning.

Is Nicotine addictive, yes it is! Are other addictions more dangerous? Yes! Drugs and alcohol, that’s some serious stuff! Alcoholics and drug users are in recovery when they stop, smokers just quit smoking…we don’t say “we are in recovery from smoking“.

It is a very complex subject, it made my head spin!

The support boards are wonderful and a tremendous help…but they didn’t answer my questions at all. “You smoked, you are an addict” …period, no questions ask, please! 

That wasn’t good enough for me, but where do I find the answers. I served the internet and found some information…but not for all my questions. The most websites about addictions mention alcohol and drug abuse, they don’t use Nicotine or smoking in the same sentence.

I read about highly functioning addicts, like alcoholics who drink on a daily base, but won’t miss a day at work and are able to hide the problem, even though it’s in plain side. Does that mean I am a highly functioning addict?

I read so much and a lot of things raised red flags in my head. The question “what else am I addicted to” came to my mind. I love a good glass of wine and don’t mind a second one…does that mean I am going to be an alcoholic as well? Could it mean I am already an alcoholic? I asked a Lady and she said “if you can give something up for one year without a problem, then you are not addicted”.

“Holy crap…I am addicted to cheese and chocolate -and my husband (not in this order) that was the first thought, that came to my mind.” Screw alcohol and Nicotine, cheese and chocolate are my real problems!

My husband smokes and I am not going to tell him to quit as well. Either he will or he won’t; it is going to be his call, not mine! We talk about everything and of course I had to share my new found wisdom with him. My husband is a sweetheart, he just listened to me. I looked at him and said “you smoke, you are an addict”, he looked at me and said “you just quit and you are funny”. We both laughed.

If I go to a buffet place and look at all the overweight people, running around with plates full of unhealthy and greasy food, accompanied by a large plate of desserts…are they addicts?

Alcohol, drugs, pills, nicotine, gambling, shopping, sex, food, hoarding…are the most of us addicts and we just don’t talk about it?

I got an email from an addiction center. That’s sounds weird, doesn’t it? I have a small business and they wanted me to look at a job and asked for a bid. I was thrilled, picked up the phone and called back.

This poor guy didn’t know what hit him :-). The addiction center lives of donations and of course their budget it tight. I told him right then on the phone “I am going to outbid everybody…I want this job and I will do it for an apple and an egg, but you have to sit down with me for lunch and have to answer some questions”.

This was a while back and I thought I blew it, because I never heard back from them…until today.

The job is mine (dahhhh that was a given) and I will work with them in October. We made an arrangement, there will be a 1 hour lunch with an addiction counselor (my treat I am afraid) and I will be able to ask all my questions.

Good! I am looking forward to this.