Cigarettes

[Boricua7]

I was just wondering, would anyone here consider smoking cigarettes as a form of self-injury? I mean, a lot of people smoke and a lot of people become dependent on cigarettes as a means of coping. I have a lot of friends who when they are mad or upset say, "I need a cigarette". So would you consider this a form of self-injury? Is this something to be worried about to the same extent as if someone who is mad or upset would go and cut themselves? This is something that I have been contemplating for awhile and now I am interested in seeing other people's views on this matter.

[Süsser Tod]

No, it has to do with a lot other things. For once, it has somewhat the same effect than food, satisfaction/reward = endorphines, that makes you feel better on those rough times. Also, nicotine has an antidepressive effect...

[DN]

Not just self-injury but slow suicide.

[Mrocza]

Interesting perspective.

 

I think it's possible. When a person choses to smoke for the hell of it, not only because of cravings and stress, it's kind of like something to soothe you through harm.

[CarnelianButterfly]

I do, it is just a widely accepted from of self-harm. Since most people now a days are educated as to the effects of smoking, but still continue to smoke. I consider the short and long term effects far more damaging than cutting, but cutting is still viewed as a taboo while smoking is still seen by many as cool. The popularity of cigarettes are becoming less and less as more people become angry by the effects of second hand smoke, the trend in my state is that cities are placing smoking bans. Maybe this is an indication of the eventual death of cigarettes or smoking in public.

[Boricua7]

For the record, I smoke as well but I didn't start for any other reason other than it makes me feel good (something cutters tend to say when asked why they cut). I know that they don't allow smoking in restaurants anymore here in Georgia and I think the same ban holds true for many other states. I guess you're right in saying that it isn't taboo like cutting is but should it be? Maybe it's not so much because, like Süsser Tod said, nicotine has an anti-depressive affect. It is slow suicide. I am just curious as to what other people think. I mean, knowing the negative effects smoking has on your body and doing it anyway...how could it not be considering self-injury, even if to a small degree?

[tylercdurden2004]

Depends on the persons intention. Cutting is clearly intended to harm yourself. However smoking, most people know the risks, is not so much the intention to harm oneself. I mean we all know the risks of getting into a car, we dont stop to think if its self injury.

[Boricua7]

I mean we all know the risks of getting into a car, we dont stop to think if its self injury.

 

Good point!

 

I know many people who do, however, become dependent on cigarettes and use it as a form of substance abuse as an alternative to liquor, drugs, or taking too many Tylenol PMs. Is it only then when one should consider smoking self-injury?

[tylercdurden2004]

Good point!

 

I know many people who do, however, become dependent on cigarettes and use it as a form of substance abuse as an alternative to liquor, drugs, or taking too many Tylenol PMs. Is it only then when one should consider smoking self-injury?

 

Again its all about intention. I would imagine most heroin addicts do think about the harm they are doing. I mean yes all these things are self-injurous but its more the intention.

[CarnelianButterfly]

I think that one of the big issues with smoking being harmful is that its not only doing you injury, but to those around you. I've cut in the past, the only harm done was to myself, it involved only me. Smoking can cause serious health problems for the people around the smoker and they have no choice in the matter.

[coollady1957]

I smoke as well. I know its a very nasty habit. Originally I started smoking because I just wanted to , and not for reasons to take the edge off when I was nervous or anything.

 

All my friends smoked, and I guess I just fell into the habit by being around them. Sometimes I even hate myself for having allowed myself to do that. Wish I had been stronger.

 

I did quit once about 5 years ago and stayed quit until my husband died. That is when nerves, stress, and anxiety set in, and I started back smoking. I knew that from before, when I smoked it took the edge off my nerves.

 

Smoking , drugs and drinking are all bad nasty habits, but we all chose our poison, or NOT. I have never done drugs or pills, and drink only socially or maybe once a month for the hell of it. If I were not smoking I think I probably would have over indulged in drinking. I suppose if I had to chose the lesser of those evils, the smoking would be it.

 

I am one of those that keep saying I am going to even quit smoking again one day. Although, I am one of those people that is afraid of gaining weight if I quit.

 

I am at the stage of going through the change of life, and I realize I need to take better care of myself. Now I need to put into action what I know I need to do. I just do not have anyone here to support me when I do make efforts to stop. It was easier when some one else was around and could and would encourage me on the quitting. Now I am just bored so I pick up a smoke !! ARGH !!!

[tyler711]

I mean we all know the risks of getting into a car, we dont stop to think if its self injury.

 

Cars are a necessary part of every day life. You can't climb onto a pack of cigarettes and fly to work, and if you can then let me know how. Gas is so expensive.

[tylercdurden2004]

Cars are a necessary part of every day life. You can't climb onto a pack of cigarettes and fly to work, and if you can then let me know how. Gas is so expensive.

 

So are cigarettes! Yeah for some cars are necessary but I imagine most people drive their cars whether its necessary or not. Ie to go to the shop thats a 10 min walk away.

[anonymous_presence]

As tyler711 said, it's absolutely all about intention. One of the key defining characteristics of self injury is that the person in question is fully aware that s/he's doing it to hurt him/herself, and the person will refer to the acts s/he commits as self injury.

 

Not a lot of smokers (who don't SI) call themselves self injurers. I suppose that's an important distinction.

 

Smoking, drug and alcohol addiction are all socially "accepted" forms of self injury, and I say accepted in the sense that people recognize the negative effects it has on the user, yet we don't name it self injury, in the same way we don't call tattoos or piercings forms of self injury, although if you want to stretch the definition with a lawyer's cunning, I suppose you could if you were terrible misinformed of what SI is.

 

Basically, there are many things people do to hurt themselves, many things, even innate things like the mechanisms in our mind that make us feel remorse and regret, but they are not self injury because when we commit them, we do not consciously intend to inflict pain upon ourselves.

 

It's the same concept as suicide: if someone gets hit by a car because he didn't look both ways while crossing the street, is that suicide? No, although if he had seen the car coming and wanted to end his life, then it would be. The other extreme exists as well: some people accidentally die while doing extreme sports, like snowboarding. And some people mask their suicidal intentions by making their deaths appear like accidents. It's all about intention.

 

Going back to smoking: I don't think smokers smoke because they know that their lungs are shriveling up inside them with every pack consumed - they do it in spite of the harmful effects to enjoy the short-term relief associated with the cigarette.

[shyanne]

thats the first thing i want when i'm upset about something. i have no idea how to stop it. i'm working on it still...

[itsallgrand]

Interesting. I really think it is, only it has such cultural/social wirings that most people do not see it as such.

 

I smoke, and am constantly aiming to quit. The better I feel - stronger - the easier it is to live without cigarettes.

 

The intention may not always be to self harm, but that is exactly what we are doing when we smoke. It is a poor coping mechanism, a system of rituals and habits, and can be self medicating.

 

Smoking is actually a very complicated matter when I think about it! lol.

[Outcast-Angel]

tyler711 and anonymous presense are both right. it does depend on the person's intention. if a person start smoking, and doesn't realise the dangers, or just don't believe that it could hurt them, it's clearly not SI, because the intent or desire to injure themselves isn't there. when they're addicted, and get stressed out, and crave a cigarette, it's because of the effects the chemicals in it have on the body. it does relax them, and calm them down.

if a person is aware that of the risks, and starts smoking because of that risk, i'd say it's an indirect form of SI, because there isn't any gurantee that they'll be affected.. so it's not like cutting, or burning yourself, or any direct sort of SI.

however, if you're like me, and asthmatic, and allergic to smoke, and smoke when you're upset, but can't get away to be by yourself to indulge in SI in private, that does classify as SI. because i know it'll make me sick, at the very least. at it's worst, i'll pass out, or stop breathing.