One puff too many...

I've always thought of addiction as something that happened to other people.  It turns out yours truly is addicted to nicotine.  I've also always thought the withdrawals from nicotine were relatively minor - headache, flu like symptoms, etc.  I've come to realize (the hard way) that nicotine withdrawals, at least in my case, are very real and very scary.  I'm one of the lucky ones that gets to experience the joys of the panic attack.  Imagine feeling the walls closing in.  Imagine having the sensation that your throat is closing.  Imagine feeling lightheaded and you're going to pass out, but you don't (although you get to keep feeling like you will).  Now imagine there's absolutely nothing you can do about it (the drama...the horror).    

Anyway, I have a new appreciation for the struggles people go through when having withdrawals (even though oftentimes the cause is admittedly their own fault), and figured I would put my thoughts on digital paper.