Hacker News Reader

Comment by stuhood | Hacker News Reader

That's kindof like trying to quit smoking cold turkey. It's killing you, and you know it, but you still have to make the transition gradually.

View on HN

Bad analogy. It is actually easier to quit smoking cold turkey than gradually. The reason is that a nicotine addiction comes back every time you smoke a cigarette. So if you've just tried to limit your smoking, then you are constantly in the position of craving a cigarette with a recently re-established addiction. You're drawing out the pain. By contrast when you quit cold turkey you have a rough time until the addiction fades, but then it is over.

It's been three years for me. Still not over.

You're no longer chemically addicted, but you're still fighting the habit you've formed.

Some people are chemically dependant, some smoke through habit, most are a combination of both. Knowing which applies to you can really help you quit and there's questionnaires that can pinpoint which you are.

Sample questions:

Do you smoke a cigarette when you wake up? (low nicotine in the blood)

Do you smoke after a meal? (force of habit by mental connection)

I strongly suspect that I am (was) a lot of both. I also strongly suspect that the distinction is hard to make.

I smoked to wake up, to go to sleep, to be alert, to relax, to suppress hunger, to get an appetite to think, to take a break or to sooth the lonesome heart. I really loved smoking. Still dream I'm smoking (and feel guilty) about once a week.

What a load of waffle. You still get to write documents, do spreadsheets, you just use different products to do it. Products that have some advantages, and disadvantages.

It is more like changing your brand of cigarette.

Clearly not a follower of logic, are you?

Reply on news.ycombinator.com