Smokers still addicted?

General Discussion
#1

I wonder whether the smokers who really considered themselves addicted lost their addiction when they got PFS or it made it easier to stop (for a while)? I never smoked or had any real addictions before getting PFS so I cannot really tell.

I cannot imagine being addicted to anything anymore since I feel no desire to do literally anything. Everything I do comes from a rational consideration.

It seems the dopaminergic system is somehow (in)directly affected by PFS. It would be interesting to know whether this is a recurring phenomenon among PFS sufferers.
It would be a relatively objective sign something’s been completely altered by finasteride.

#2

Smoker here and whilst pfs has made it easier to stop because I am so desperate to get better that I know I cannot continue to smoke cravings and the dopamine hit still remain.

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#3

I tried “snus” while I had PFS for a couple of months and I had zero issues quitting.

Never even had an urge after I decided to quit.

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#4

Yeah - I quit and start again whenever I feel like it, and the only withdrawal I tend to experience, if any at all, is some cravings.

I quit a 3 month long pack a day worth of nicotine habit cold turkey and had no withdrawal symptoms besides some cravings.

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#5

I went from light tobacco use before the crash to chain smoking during the crash trying to catch the positive aspects of a nicotine buzz that were unattainable. Lost the good effects but not the addiction somehow. One of those things I noticed that changed about me that I never thought to mention before.

Heard “tobacco use can cause ED” and had a gf pressure me into stopping for a year. Withdrawals were being hyper/panicked for a day, then sleeping for a day. After that, it was just cravings. (The year hiatus from tobacco didn’t help in any way.)

Light use from 2002-2018 became heavy use in the past few years. It’s difficult to completely stop when many people around you smoke or chew and the addiction is tough to beat, even without the full effect. Have seen some regular smokers just up and quit without issue. I think it’s highly dependent on the person.

On a side-note, I would lean toward snuff, snus, or gum over smoking because the effects of smoking on athletic ability are clearly noticeable for me.

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#6

Is this different from before you had PFS? Or have you always been able to stop whenever you feel like it?

#7

Yeah we are somehow unable to feel desire/satisfaction anymore like we used to in the past, and especially the warm feelings accompanying them. On a much broader level than just sexual.

It’s interesting how you are still able to have an addiction, there are such complex mental mechanisms at play.

Good point on the interpersonal differences regarding the ability to quit smoking.

A better general question would be: Do we as PFS sufferers notice a big difference in the ability to stop smoking before and after we acquired PFS?

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#8

I only quit once (prior to PFS), when I travelled and didn’t take my tobacco with me, and found that the withdrawals were fairly mild for me. I’d get irritated, angry and have cravings, but that was about it. Nothing unmanageable. Now, it feels like that’s been dampened. I get some cravings, but they’re not as strong as they used to be. When I quit cigarettes, I notice I have weird sleep for a few days as well.

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#9

This is exactly my experience with it. You described this so well. It is crazy how it is strongly linked with sexual desire. I mean I’m still able to feel pleasure and libido (when stimulated) to a certain degree but everything is just extremely muted.

I actually don’t know if this got better for me or if I just got used to it.