Oh, nicotine is way worse. It may not harm your health directly, but addictiveness is exponentially worse.
Wikipedia: Caffeine - Dependence and Withdrawal: Moderately physical dependence and withdrawal symptoms may occur upon abstinence, with greater than 100 mg caffeine per day, although these symptoms last no longer than a day
Wikipedia: Nicotine withdrawal: Symptoms are usually strongest for the first few days and then dissipate over 2–4 weeks (…) In a minority of smokers, cravings may persist for years.
Edit: Left out the “Caffeine” in “Caffeine - Dependance and Withdrawal”
Edit to add:
Caffeine withdrawal causes you to be annoyed for a day. Nicotine causes real, actual cravings (you know you need nicotine, whereas for caffeine you’re just generally “moody” - most people don’t feel “i need caffeine, now”, and even if you do, chances are, if you run out of coffee and can’t get it within less than a day, the “craving” just stops).
For some, many of whom I know, quitting nicotine is downright impossible due to the cravings. For quitting, toning down is key. Those that quit either relapse momentarily in times of stress (usually for about a week or so), or complain of very strong cravings every few weeks/months.
Additionally, nicotine isn’t the only addictive compound in cigarettes, and from what I’ve heard, vaping, gum, etc. just isn’t it for some - people also get addicted to cigatettes themselves.
Not to mention, vaping causes pneumothorax and all the other alternatives cause some harm as well, although much less than cigarettes proper.
I smoked cigarettes for four years, then quit for a decade. I was incredibly stressed out and had 2-3 cigarettes for a couple days in a row and now I’m addicted again. I hope I will be able to quit soon, I just have to stop working where I am first, because I need the five minute breaks and don’t get them otherwise.
It is, but I feel like the additional harm to myself is worth not getting a vape with all of the environmental drawbacks to the casing and battery, especially because I really think it’ll only be another few weeks. I already have a new job lined up, and I won’t be able to smoke during that really at all.
As a long time daily coffee drinker, that is definitely not accurate about caffeine withdrawal. Every time I try to quit caffeine I go through multiple weeks of depression and physical weakness symptoms.
And as a former smoker, nicotine is still significantly worse. Never touch the stuff, not even once. For a lot of people, there just is no going back from it. It claims you.
I’ve smoked cigars occasionally, maybe as many as 2-3 per week for 2 weeks in a row and then just stopped with no signs of addiction. Nicotine is often described as one of the most addictive drugs and I sometimes wonder if I just never took enough to get addicted in the first place or my experience is a result of lower than average susceptibility to nicotine addiction.
Oh, nicotine is way worse. It may not harm your health directly, but addictiveness is exponentially worse.
Wikipedia: Caffeine - Dependence and Withdrawal: Moderately physical dependence and withdrawal symptoms may occur upon abstinence, with greater than 100 mg caffeine per day, although these symptoms last no longer than a day
Wikipedia: Nicotine withdrawal: Symptoms are usually strongest for the first few days and then dissipate over 2–4 weeks (…) In a minority of smokers, cravings may persist for years.
Edit: Left out the “Caffeine” in “Caffeine - Dependance and Withdrawal”
Edit to add: Caffeine withdrawal causes you to be annoyed for a day. Nicotine causes real, actual cravings (you know you need nicotine, whereas for caffeine you’re just generally “moody” - most people don’t feel “i need caffeine, now”, and even if you do, chances are, if you run out of coffee and can’t get it within less than a day, the “craving” just stops).
For some, many of whom I know, quitting nicotine is downright impossible due to the cravings. For quitting, toning down is key. Those that quit either relapse momentarily in times of stress (usually for about a week or so), or complain of very strong cravings every few weeks/months.
Additionally, nicotine isn’t the only addictive compound in cigarettes, and from what I’ve heard, vaping, gum, etc. just isn’t it for some - people also get addicted to cigatettes themselves.
Not to mention, vaping causes pneumothorax and all the other alternatives cause some harm as well, although much less than cigarettes proper.
I smoked cigarettes for four years, then quit for a decade. I was incredibly stressed out and had 2-3 cigarettes for a couple days in a row and now I’m addicted again. I hope I will be able to quit soon, I just have to stop working where I am first, because I need the five minute breaks and don’t get them otherwise.
Is switching to vaping an option? You’d still be getting the nicotine, but not the smoke/tar
It is, but I feel like the additional harm to myself is worth not getting a vape with all of the environmental drawbacks to the casing and battery, especially because I really think it’ll only be another few weeks. I already have a new job lined up, and I won’t be able to smoke during that really at all.
As a long time daily coffee drinker, that is definitely not accurate about caffeine withdrawal. Every time I try to quit caffeine I go through multiple weeks of depression and physical weakness symptoms.
And as a former smoker, nicotine is still significantly worse. Never touch the stuff, not even once. For a lot of people, there just is no going back from it. It claims you.
I’ve smoked cigars occasionally, maybe as many as 2-3 per week for 2 weeks in a row and then just stopped with no signs of addiction. Nicotine is often described as one of the most addictive drugs and I sometimes wonder if I just never took enough to get addicted in the first place or my experience is a result of lower than average susceptibility to nicotine addiction.
Probably both. They’re not mutually exclusive