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Help me quit smoking

Have been off cigs for 4 months and 3 weeks. All thanks to:

dy2IplF.jpg



However now I have an addiction to buying mods and juices. =D I'll take an enjoyable and less harmful addiction over cigarettes anyday.

BTW that is a Provari v2.5 modded to be R2D2. the fun world of vaping and ecigs you even get to dress them up! =D.
 
neversickanymore said:
Look at HoChi.... nice work!!
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Swimmingdancer said:
Nice job Ho Chi Minh!

And InvisibleEye, are you still planning on stopping in a couple days?
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Thanks guys. Sometimes I get impatient but it passes by fairly quickly. I've only had a couple intense cravings.

So I'm going to try my best not to trigger anyone.

I can't recall where/when I heard this, but it came from a well-constructed study with a control group and I'm pretty sure it holds true, though now that I think about it, it doesn't appear to hold true for other drug addictions, but maybe it does (I'm getting ahead of myself, theory...in...process...eureka!...wait...ok hold up).

So the study concluded that if you're trying to quit smoking don't disallow yourself of thinking of smoking, because those who consciously allowed themselves to think of all that goes in to the process (which we know is a large part of the addiction) when attempting to quit were more successful at such. We as humans have great imaginations, with for instance, the placebo effect sometimes being a very effective medicine.

If nothing else has worked, its at least worth a shot.

I think there's real logic behind this method for any drug withdrawal though. The problem is that is one isn't trained in separating their feelings from themselves, it can be very challenging.

In the West we have a habit of ignoring/numbing out feelings so that we don't have to experience them. Buddhism holds that the only way to resolve an unwanted emotional issue is to thoroughly realize it, or face it head-on, no matter how uncomfortable. Once the emotion runs its course, provided we're mindful enough to accept the girth of the emotion and no more, it leaves us on its own. This is non-intervention.

It takes a lot of training to cultivate this response. Us Westerners don't "get it", especially at first, but I can guarantee its an invaluable to practice, that of letting down psychological defenses, welcoming the "enemy" in, diffusing pressure by letting what will flow, flow.

Now I have an atypical method of quitting unhealthy habits: I almost always simply stop, just like that. What follows is what may appear to be an overload of emotions. My method of meeting this challenge is simple; metaphorically speaking, I say: "ok, you'll all get dealt with; I don't want to impede on your liberty; just please make a straight line". I think its important to almost literally say this, so as to affirm that the drug is separate from you.

The emotions are like children: they want attention, and they want it now. Its your job to be the adult about things, understanding that emotions, like children, must be listened to so that they ultimately grow healthy and go away (lol).

I theorize that there is a finite "amount" of painful emotion which must be dealt with to remove an addict from the clutches of a chemical, just as a child won't remain a child forever if they're patiently taught how to grow up, which is good news; the person who experiences a seemingly infinite stream of emotions is adding to the strength of them through unhealthy habits, just as screaming at your child keeps them a child.

One can choose to deal with these emotions gradually, by forcefully limiting the intensity of them at any given time (through tapering); as they naturally flow, which I believe to be the most healthy way (unless one risks permanent physical damage); or by numbing them out for the time being. Needless to say, I can assure you that they don't go away unless they've had their say.

It can take days, months, decades, or maybe it never stops. No one can say how long it will last, but its mortal nature is ultimately up to you.

We know that habit, or the initiation of an action on a regular basis, perpetuates itself; and that the subconscious, what you do or think "without thinking" is very powerful (this is off-topic, but I have been imbued with the curse or gift (depending on how you look at it, just as regards mental illness) of little/tenuous/fragile boundary between the conscious and subconscious)). Each successive time one completes an action it becomes not just easier to do again, but one will more want to do it again. Furthermore, dealing with the hardest aspect of any problem first makes the rest of it subjectively easier.

Here's the point: when a craving begins, milk it for all its worth, ask for more; if you cry, that's a good sign, you're washing the poison out quick.

The result of such a disposition is less discomfort overall.

And did I mention: the best way to turn an initially finite emotion into a cancerous mess is to bow to it by running away.

I would attribute my success to extensive involvement in mindfulness training for several years. Though I stopped meditating regularly with purpose, I'm sure my practice has attenuated some of the irrational feelings of withdrawal, even revealed them as silly.
 
day 1 of truly quitting nicotine

atm i just need to clean up my room a bit and make sure all butts etc and signs i used to smoke are gone

its helping a lot thinking of nicotine as analogous to heroin, because i have noticed that 1 drunken cigarette will make me crave buying a pouch really bad the next day, so i just need to cut it out of my life now

@^ thanks for posting that ho chi minh, im going to try welcome my cravings with open arms and i think that will help a lot!
 
stardust.hero said:
Have been off cigs for 4 months and 3 weeks. All thanks to:

dy2IplF.jpg



However now I have an addiction to buying mods and juices. =D I'll take an enjoyable and less harmful addiction over cigarettes anyday.

BTW that is a Provari v2.5 modded to be R2D2. the fun world of vaping and ecigs you even get to dress them up! =D.
Click to expand...

I want a R2D2 Vape :(
 
I'm setting a quit day for Friday, if anyone else would like to join me. :)

Need to get a few things first, make sure I'm ready. Lot's of gum, possibly an e cig. Not sure yet. I used to say why quit but still be addicted to nicotine - but honestly, there are plenty of reasons why switching to an e cig is at least a healthy start.
 
Leaving for a 4 day camping trip today - and I'm not bringing any smokes.


I'm going to fucking regret this hardcore haha. I need to do it though.
 
caseface99 said:
Leaving for a 4 day camping trip today - and I'm not bringing any smokes.


I'm going to fucking regret this hardcore haha. I need to do it though.
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Yeeeaahhh. So I followed through with not bringing any smokes with me..

However didn't anticipate the other 400 young & sober alcoholics that were there all being smokers and offering me cigs (and energy drinks..haha) all weekend. Go figure. 8(


I've since been doing well though, only had about 3 real cigs a day for the last 4-5 days. Along with my e cig of course haha.. but whatever. My lungs already feel noticeably different. I'm going to try vaping only in a few more days when my pack of camels finally runs out. %)
 
^^ Keep up the good work with the cigs..

But as far as everything else goes... This is a recovery based sub forum... Not sure if this is the right place to talk about using illicit substances instead of cigs...

Though the call isn't mine. Either way, I won't try and 12 step you too hard.. Just maybe think about how the other substances effect your life just as negatively if not more so than the tobacco. Good luck...8(
 
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