Breaking an addiction

reply to post by Max_TO


Thanks for your kind reply.

The ATTACHMENTS book has 10 steps to take in the back of the book toward overcoming the ravages of ATTACHMENT DISORDER. It's just the best book I know of on the topic. And, the price has come down a lot from $50 to around 15 or so, IIRC, at AMAZON.com

It is a huge help in relationships and work situations to deal with that stuff, too.

My students found a doc the last semester on smoking addiction documenting some recent research about the effects of nicotine on the brain. It helped explain why it's soooo . . . challenging . . . to quit for many people. Please avoid berating yourself because it's challenging. There's a bio-chemical basis for the difficulties. Just use that as evidence of your need to redouble your RESOLVE and to !!!!STOP!!!! the first hint of

'going there'

in your mind. That's where the battle is--mostly--in your mind. And you can make choices there relentlessly until YOU WIN instead of the poison stick wins.

I also thought the suggestion with the ciggy butts in the Mason jar of water was a great one.

A similar but bit more drastic measure would be to collect--FROM YOUR "FRIENDS"--about a gallon or two of ciggy butts & ashes & and pour them in your bed and force yourself to sleep in them. Naturally, you'd need to shower in the morning before work! LOL. My guess is, that IF YOU FORCED yourself to sleep in them as long as you could stand it, up to 7-12 days, it WOULD HELP YOUR RESOLVE AND DISGUST with anything to do with the poison sticks.

Of course, you'd need to consider sleep, work, etc. priorities. Might need to take a vacation to do that. Nevertheless, IF that's what it took, IT WOULD STILL BE WORTH IT.

I would not be overly caught up about folks who say they did XYZ and never had another craving etc. etc. etc. Some are like that.

DISCIPLINING YOUR THINKING CAN HELP MAKE THAT TRUE FOR YOU. However, YOU ARE YOU. Each person is unique. No need brow-beating yourself that your experience is not identical to someone else's.

I do think that the poster just after your reply had some good points. However, guilt is a poor motivator. REALISTIC HONESTY WITH ONE'S SELF, IS A GREAT TOOL, THOUGH.

The best to you,

Wow pretty good post.

I was reading the OP like it was my story, i just decided to not have a cigerette the other day. I've only been smoking for 4 years but i went from a whole pack to nothing, dont get me wrong i do want a smoke, but i just figure it's best to quit now while im ahead.

reply to post by pop_science


PLEASE NO apologies for length.

You wrote every word heart felt and wise. Congrats.

I was very impressed with your experience; your pluck; your wisdom; your insights; your resolve; your perspective; your courage.

I believe any addicted person could learn from your narrative--and book length would probably not be too long.

May you continue to help many people as I'm sure is your natural bent now.

Congrats. You are a winner.

Am honored to have read your narrative.

Thanks.

Star and flag. I so know what you're going through.

Good luck!

reply to post by Max_TO


Hey Bo, I have been smoking for 35 years, and just recently, because of my health, decided to quit, for the first time ever. I am avoiding the use of any product meant to help me quit, for me I think those items are not needed and just more chemicals in my body. But who knew it was going to not only be hard to do, but such a mental struggle!

I started off by telling myself certian places would for now on, be off limits for smoking. Such as, my car, my front porch, my bathroom (I used to stand in the window and smoke my first one of the day there) I made a rule that my first cig of the day can only be smoked after I have been awake 1 hour, now I am up to 2 hours. I keep a cig in my hand to keep my hand busy.

I was down to about a half a pack per day, or less, then one night I was drinking with my BFF, and smoked it up! The next day, I couldn't get right back on track, starting with the first cig of the day. Now I have to start all over, and am smoking more than before, and I just cant seem to get started back to quitting! But, I will, and I hope the next time I am more successful. I wish you all the will and luck in the world on quitting.

[edit on 21-6-2009 by space cadet]

I have had to stop doing some much enjoyed things from time to time for circumstances beyond my control.

What was in my control was ceasing indulging in certain things that I until faced with the weight of circumstances never missed an opportunity to indulge myself in.

Some of these are considered extremely hard if not the hardest type of habits to break that included some unpleasant withdrawls as my physical body was use to those indulgences.

Yet...it truly is all about...mind over matter...

Fortunately I have no mind so it didn't matter...but in reality I always just insisted that because I had made up my mind not to indulge in what I was suddenly abstaining from that I would not indulge my mind in focusing on anything unpleasant about that decision.

I would just block it out and tell myself "No, you can't and that's just the way it is, suck it up, deal with it, don't cry, don't fuss, don't make a big deal out of it, just do what you have to do"

It's what I call my one step program!

A journey of a thousand miles begins with but a single step, and you have already taken it.

Don't look back, look forward!

Thankfully there is one thing I have never had to give up...being a sadist...time to go smoke a ciggarette! Good luck Max...Agent 99 and I are both pulling for you!

reply to post by pop_science


Thanks for taking the time to share your experience

Your post may have been long but was worth it , thanks !

reply to post by Ansiroth


Good luck to you . Yes you are right , quit while you are ahead !

reply to post by space cadet


I wish you the best of luck with your next attempt and I am sure you can do it

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler


Insightful yet funny

Thanks

Originally posted by Max_TO
reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler

 

Insightful yet funny

Thanks

Laughter is the best medicine friend! I hope you persevere in your struggle to your desired outcome and pay no attention to the fact I ride my bicycle 20 miles each day despite smoking three packs a day for 33 years and recently won the Swiss yodeling contest!