05-19-2009, 07:49 AM
Greg, thanks for the further clarification. I'm a substance abuser. I was addicted to cigarettes (2+ packs per day) for close to 30 years and after noticing changes in my health, I finally realized that if I didn't stop, I was going to die. Being the stubborn character that I am, I went cold turkey without any gum, patches, or whatever. It was horrible beyond description, and I began to overeat to compensate for the craving. Between that, and what I'm assuming was a biological change in my body due to the removal of nicotine, I gained 60 pounds within 2 years of quitting. That was 14 years ago and I've been unable to shake the weight because of my addiction to overeating, and having just turned 62, I know that if I don't do something about it, my heart will kill me rather than my lungs. Food is now my drug addiction; which I substituted for nicotine. I know it, and being the person I am, I'm going to have to lose this weight on my own without group sessions, pills, etc. What's amusing is that when you look at the numbers, you will see that it was easier for me to quit nicotine than it is to cut back on my calorie intake. Go figure.