Diet Soda's

Can we get real honest? I've been sober for 18 years and tobacco free for 16 years and sometimes it can be hard. But I must say the easiest bad habit I have had is yes.... you guessed it! SODA'S! They're so tempting and easy to fall back in that trap.
Now some have told me that it's better than going back to drinking of smoking but is that really true? Of course it is! But it's still not a good thing either way you look at it.
Now they're saying that the Aspartame in Diet Sodas have so many negative side effects that one wonders if it's just as bad as liver decease from years of alcohol abuse? But for me it's easier to refrain from smokes and booze than a nice cold diet drink at the end of a hard day....ahhh. That's and odd belief or is it? 
The one side effect that I don't like is the increase in my urine production when I drink soda's or for that matter when I drank booze or smoked. I notice when I stay on my Pi Mag alkaline water I don't want to drink the sodas and I pee less. But knowing that sometimes I still opt for a diet soda. What gives? 
It begs the question why would anyone do something knowing it's bad for them when the healthy alternative is sooo much better? Maybe I'm addicted to destruction of my vessel? Maybe I don't think I'm worth it and maybe it's slow suicide? But maybe it's neither and I'm an ignorant B*** and I need to put on my big girl panties and grow up? 
We only have one vessel in this life and we need to honor and take care of it. That means asking questions from Doctors about your meds and procedures and your health. That's easier said than done and just like the song says "only the good die young;" or do they? I think I'll choose quality of life over quantity and treat my vessel right because it's the only one I have. Be good to yours and it will reward you.