Most people know that when someone is addicted to a drug or alcohol they frequently lie to maintain their addictions. For example, they lie about how often they imbibe, how much they actually spend, etc. A certain degree of secrecy makes it easier for them to hold onto their addictions in two ways: they fool those around them in order to avoid the criticism, and they fool themselves into thinking that what they’re doing is perfectly healthy. What many people don’t realize (and I can include doctors in with this group) is that smokers are not all that different in this regard.

If a smoker tells you that he smokes half a pack a day, rest assured that he probably smokes closer to a whole pack a day. If he tells you that he spends only $30 a week on cigarettes, more likely than not he’s spending closer to $40, $50, or more. If you still smoke and this sounds like you, then you really need to start being honest with yourself. And, for your own benefit, be honest with your doctors and caregivers about how much you smoke. This is especially true when you’re going through a smoking cessation program because the type and amounts of medicinal treatment you receive will be determined based on how many cigarettes you really smoke each day.

Think about it: as with any life-threatening disease, nobody wants to be told that they’re only going to get half the amount of medicine that’s actually needed to beat it.

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