Question: Hi, I stupidly started smoking 5-6 menthol cigarettes a day on holiday ( I'm not a big drinker) to calm me down due to an extremely stressful situation my husband and I are going through. This has led to me doing the same for two months. I don't feel addicted and I take precautions to avoid smelling of smoke at all costs because I hate it. Although I've always said its a disgusting habit,I really can't believe how much it has helped me recently. The worst part is I suffer from hormonal induced depression at times despite a healthy! Lifestyle,diet and exercise etc.It's as if I've been experimenting and although I hate to admit it,I've felt the benefit of this loathsome habit. I've no doubt in my mind that I will need to stop as quick as I started which won't be difficult as I plan on doing just that in the next week or two. My question is regarding how much damage I've done to myself already,will there be long term effects etc. I don't expect the answer to be positive about this blip in my life and I actually find it hard to believe I'm smoking in my 50s when everyone else is trying to quit and when I've spent a lifetime being totally intollerant of smokers.