Addiction and will power

I have always despised smokers. As a young kid I even spied on some of my uncles who used to smoke with sole intention of exposing them to disapproving gaze of family elders. While growing up, I gave up my revolutionary ideas of exposing people because one I realized not everyone is scared of smoking in public and second I realized that everyone has a right to choose his/her life and there is nothing I can do to stop them. Even now it is hard for me to understand why do people start smoking even when they know it is one of the most dangerous thing for there health and over course of time I have interacted with enough smart and intelligent people, who agree that smoking will kill them one day but they still can't give it up.
It is tough to understand what smokers go through when they try and quit smoking, until you have an addiction yourself and you decide to give it up. Only in the case of smokers it is probably hundred times more difficult because the substance is addictive. I am an addict myself, though my habit is not as bad as smoking but it is an addiction nonetheless.
Name of my disease is Television, now some of you will find it amusing, stupid or even crazy but watching too much television is an addiction in itself. To clarify as to why I am calling T.V. an addiction I will give you a recent example. This past Sunday, Boston was glowing in the morning, it was really beautiful outside, lots of sunshine, amazing temperature (kind of like mid March in India), a day which is a rarity for insane cold climate of Boston, but instead of stepping out and enjoying such an amazing weather I spent almost entire day at home watching Golf tournament, which I should admit was interesting but given the fact that I have never watched or played golf in my entire was just a game my mind was playing with me. Now, it is very easy to misinterpret me, let me clarify I am not saying T.V. is bad for everyone. Neither I am making any comment about quality of information provided on T.V. of course some of series and channels are amazingly informative, Nor I am denying the fact that watching an hour or half in the weekday can help you wind down. All i am trying to say is watching too much T.V. is bad not just for your physical health but your mental health as well and if you find it difficult to concentrate working and feel tempted to watch it all the time than you are an addict.
I don't really know how I became a T.V. addict but as far as I remember I have always loved watching T.V. I never cared about context, significance or content for that matter. I would watch anything and everything that is being shown on a T.V. set. Problem with addiction is not that you don't know what you are doing is bad, it is weak will power that prevent you from giving up your addiction and even if one day you summon up all the courage and stop it, the feeling of misery associated with not doing the act brings you back to it.
I was lucky enough to have amazing brother who realized how much involved I was with T.V. as a young kid and he didn't let it hinder my education. Obviously, I was mad when we lost our cable connection due to him but I don't remember I ever thanked him for doing that. Once I realized how stupid I was to spend most of time watching T.V. I worked very hard to curtail it. After graduation I stayed away from T.V. for a very long time, I didn't buy a T.V. and discourage my roommates from buying one. However, running away from the problem is only a temporary solution and one has to face his fears eventually. Recently, for the first time in last 6 years, I have moved in an apartment where my roommate owns T.V. and not just one. He has one in his room and one for the living room. I have started feeling miserable already. I have already told you about wasting a warm and sunny day. Now, challenge in front of me is to control my addiction and stop watching T.V. I am looking forward to this experience as this can give me some glimpse in the world of people who try to quit smoking.
Try giving up your addiction, might make you realize how hard it actually is?