DR. WALLACE: I'm a college student with a horrible habit. I started smoking a bit as a senior in high school and now I'm in my third year at college and I have a really bad smoking habit.

I started out smoking just a cigarette or two a day back in high school, but with the pressure of college, my part time job, dealing with my parents and my significant other, I find that I fidget a lot and I simply inhale cigarettes! I 'm up to nearly three packs a day now! I know it's beyond gross and you could lecture me about how expensive and bad smoking is, but I already know these things. I know because I pay way too much for this habit and I've developed a really bad, rumbling cough that makes me sound more like a 60-year-old lifetime smoker than a college student who will soon turn 21.

I've read your previous tips about how best to quit smoking and I'm trying to figure out what method might work best for me.

A friend of mine wants me to switch over to vaping, but I know you wouldn't approve of that either. My goal is not to trade one problem for another, so I'm not really thinking of trying that. What I want to know is, have I done too much damage already? Remember, I'm smoking over 50 cigarettes per day. — I'm in Pretty Deep, via email

I'M IN PRETTY DEEP: You're correct in that I'd advise you to also steer clear of vaping as it has its own set of problems, and your body has been through a lot already.

Do study each and every possible idea you can find regarding how to quit smoking. Speak to as many people as you can about this and seek to network with a few former smokers to get their insights into how they succeeded and what their journey was like. Seek to find someone who smoked quite heavily like you presently do since there may be more factors in play given your particular situation.

I'd also recommend that you visit your family physician or a local doctor for a checkup and take the time to explain your present situation and your goal of getting your health back on track. You'd be surprised how helpful and non-judgmental physicians are regarding this topic. They will provide you guidance and information, root for you and even help point you toward resources that may help you out.

I suggest you speak to many different people overall. Don't try to do this alone in a vacuum. You'll benefit by interacting with others and being encouraged to stick with your goal until it is successfully completed. Count me amongst those rooting for you and wishing you every success in this endeavor. It will be a tough journey for you, but one that is well worth all of the effort. When you arrive at your goal you will be a different person — in a very good way.

MY FATHER IS A TOTAL MYSTERY TO ME

DR. WALLACE: I've been raised by my mom my whole life and I don't ever recall seeing my father even once. The other strange thing is that my mom has no pictures of him, and she doesn't like to discuss much about him whenever I ask her who he was.

I'm a girl who is 13 and I'm lucky to have such a great mom. She put herself through college and she has a good office job. She also works a bit part time here and there to earn a little extra money so I can have nice clothes to wear to school. Overall, I'm very happy and I love her so much!

Yet I can't help being curious about my father. All she ever says is that he didn't want to be with us and that we are better off without him around. How can I get her to open up a bit more? I don't want to pressure her or make her mad, but I am of course curious to learn more eventually. — My Father Is a Mystery, via email

MY FATHER IS A MYSTERY: It's very commendable that your mother takes such great care of you and that she works hard to provide you an excellent life. I'm sure that she has her reasons for being a bit evasive when the topic of your father arises.

I suggest that you give your mother some more time and when you're a bit older, perhaps about 16 or 17, engage her in a careful, earnest conversation with her about your father. You can mention that at 18 you would likely conduct your own search for him, but that you'd appreciate any information she can give you ahead of that.

But for now, respect your mother's wishes and her space. As you get older, I trust the time will become right to have a more engaging discussion at the right time from her point of view.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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