We bond with them because smoking affects how we feel. It is easier to ignore negative facts when something affects your feelings so positively. Today, most smokers no longer are indifferent or unconcerned about their smoking. Far from denying the negative health effects of their habit, smokers often feel intensely guilty about their habit. Those who have tried over and over again to quit without success can feel especially bad not only about smoking, but about themselves as well.
Many smokers feel conflicted about the role smoking plays in their lives.
You know you're a fool, but you just can't help it. Those who have children at home feel the guiltiest of all. One father tried very hard to hide his smoking from his toddler son. He even hid his cigarettes in his closet, and only smoked away from home. One afternoon, he was appalled to see his young son walking out of the closet with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth.