Cognitive Quit Smoking

Hi there,
I’m not sure if I’d include these in the first set of foundation
statements. But I do think they ‘belong’ somewhere. Ideas? Suggestions?
Steve
“If I’m thinking about cigarettes, regardless of how strong those thoughts
are, it’s because I’m uncomfortable for some reason. My established
response to discomfort is to light up or want to light up.”
“I’m uncomfortable. I also know, regardless of how I’m feeling, that a
cigarette is NOT the response I’d like me to choose. Smoking will only make
me feel a failure once again and will set me right back at the beginning.”
“If I can understand why I’m thinking about smoking i.e. what triggered the
thoughts, and if I can come up with a reasonable and appropriate response,
then I can address this ‘urge’ in a not smoking manner.”
www.cognitivequitting.com

Foundation statements are a set of statements that are true all the time,
anytime, and regardless of what emotions we may be feeling at the moment.
The following questions will help define those statements:
1- Is this a calm, rational moment where I can ask myself some
questions. Can I answer those questions honestly without the answers being
influenced by any emotion or physical sensation? If the answer is ‘yes’
continue, otherwise wait until a more appropriate time.
2- Do I want to be a smoker? (meaning do I want to respond to my life
by lighting up?) If the answer is ‘no’ continue. Otherwise, I should
examine why I’m trying to do something I don’t really want to be doing.
3- Having stated that “I don’t want to be a smoker.”, can I think of
any exceptions? Don’t confuse the desire to relieve discomfort (a perfectly
normal and natural desire) with the thought(s) that a cigarette is the
appropriate tool for relief. The question here is simply, “Is a cigarette
ever an appropriate response?”. If you can think of situations where it
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Hi Sue
My name is Indi and I’m up near Manchester. So glad you joined and well done
on your 6 months.
I’ve only recently met Pam but am pleased to have her around as one of my
cyber friends and supportive people.
It would be really cool if we could all meet up for real one day instead of
just online - who knows with all the money we save from smoking maybe its not
far from a reality.
I’m sure someone (notably Steve, Pam or Pat) will comment on your abc with
regard to your hubby smoking.
Don’t feel that I can cos I’m just trying to learn how to put them down on
paper and into practise myself.
Let me know if you have ICQ or aol IM - my aol screen name is Jacknindi and
my ICQ # is 131142968
Catch up with you soon I hope
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Hi Everyone,
Just wanted stop in a minute and introduce myself. I quit smoking about 3
1/2 years ago, using just about anything that I could think of including
zyban, the patch, AS3, #nosmokers, lots of kind people, and jolly ranchers.
Steve introduced me to cognitive quitting and indeed it was helpful (at least
as much as it could be in the fog I was in). Despite all of this I got
depressed and am still using antidepressents.
In those early days of my quit, I didn’t want to hear about depression
because it set me into a panic. I commend new quitters who are open minded
enough to be on the lookout for depression. Here are some things that I
learned about quitting and depression that may be helpful.
-If you are reaching for St John’s Wort consider getting some professional
help instead. Better to be supervised while you are being medicated even
with St John’s Wort.
-Catch depression earlier rather than later, it is easier to deal with in the
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Hey Indi and everyone;
Glad you worked on those lists. I really think they help. I like lists
so this was not so difficult
for me to do I guess. One way that they will help is just from the
simple act of writing , you are
putting some of this information into your subconscious. That’s why
teachers want kids to take notes
in class. Even if those kids never look at those notes again, the
information has been input via
speech and then again by writing that information down. The brain is
hit with the info twice. In our
case, we think of our reasons for quitting, etc. and then we write it
down for reinforcement. Bam Bam
- double whammy and commitment is more secure. I used this when I
smoked my last cigarette, only
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sorry bout that other post.
everything below the ’spinchat’ directions was to have been deleted
before posting as it’s all corrections and trimmings that normally don’t go
out with a post. if you delete everything below the ’spinchat’ directions,
it won’t be nearly as confusing. maybe.
www.cognitivequitting.com

Hi Folks just thought I would let you know where I am up to and I am very
surprised as I sure you all will be too.
I have just reached over my 3 week mark with some pretty severe cravings
which I managed as best I could with talking myself out of wanting to provide
the usual thing in my case a cig. So looked for alternatives to provide
which didn’t involve me smoking a cig. This was my best one of the night I
was going around shouting ‘IF I ALWAYS DO WHAT I’VE ALWAYS DONE I’M ALWAYS
GONNE GET WHAT I’VE ALWAYS GOT. IF I WANT TO GET SOMETHING DIFFERENT THEN I
HAVE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. This has helped enormousy so off to bed
tonight with cravings pretty quiet.
Spent about an hour working on the lists you first gave us Steve and wondered
what the purpose of them is? I need to know that they have a purpose cos I’m
not a great list person and don’t want to feel that its been a waste of time
what I have done so far. Well thats me folks - Pam liked your article on
depression so filed it for further reading.
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First, a couple of characteristics of driving:
1- Driving requires that we sit in one place (drivers seat) , in one
position (hand(s) on the wheel, generally with at least one foot on a
pedal), eyes mainly on the road ahead.
2- Driving requires most of our attention. Many think they drive
automatically. The reality is that regardless of whatever else a person
might be thinking, we must start and stop the car appropriately, control
speed, stay within lanes/lines, be aware of other vehicles (at least those
immediately in front of us). This requires constant attention on some level.
3- Depending on traffic and road conditions, some degree of stress might be
expected.
Given both the conditions that are inherent in the driving situation and
our historic beliefs re: dealing with those conditions, it’s not surprising
that smoking was such a part of driving. A cigarette would have relieved
the anxiety, cleared up the foggy head, and provided a nicotine rush
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Indi;
I can’t believe I called you Pat in this reply, but then again…mush
brain, yep,
situation normal. Hey, I like the positive affirmation exercise. I think it is a lot like the
ABC’s - taking a situation and changing the result. OK, let me see if
it works:
The dishes need to be washed, I am visualizing clean dishes, I feel like doing
the dishes. Nope, sorry, I guess I need more work.
Just kidding, actually I do know what you’re talking about because I’ve
used it
on my kids before when playing soccer. My daughter still jokes with the other
kids that I’m always telling her to visualize the ball going into the
goal. She
thinks it sound goofy (mainly because I’m the one saying it) but when I
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In a message dated 29/10/01 03:29:56 GMT Standard Time,
catmohan@… writes:
Well Cat I guess we can blame the fact that you are quitting smoking cos my
brain is a bit like yours seems to be too.
Mush brain Steve calls it - think he’s right
Think you put Pat instead of Indi cos the post you are referring to was from
me - hee hee.
The management technique that is soooo simple works on the premise that the
brain is divided into 3 - the conscious, the subconsious and the creative
subconcious. It sounds very much like the ABC’s that Steve is trying to help
us with.
Based on the fact that our self talk affects the choices/decisions we make
about things which keep us in our comfort zone. So when we feel
uncomfortable for whatever reason our self talk tells us to reach for a cig -
this will fix it.
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