More to the newbies
It’d be great to hear how some of the newer quitters are getting
along with their quits (big hint!) So - seven, Harper, diana,
Brenda, Sharon, ebby, Amber and Paulette (to name but a few) - how
are you doing? Need any help? Anything you’d like to share with
us? Whatever’s happening, most of us - if not all of us - have been
there at some point and can relate.
hope to hear from you soon,
take care
Pam
July 28th, 2004 at 3:28 am
Wow, Brenda, I can relate. It’s a hard thing, fighting the nicodemon. I
belong to Nicanon but have also joined CQS because I like the cognitive
approach to quitting even though I don’t understand it completely, yet.
But I do realize that a different way of thinking about quitting has to be
addressed along with the physical part. I’m trying to go with the flow of a
craving and tell the nicodemon, ‘Ok, you’re attacking me again, but you’ll go
away in a minute and I’ll still be smoke free”. I find this works. If I fight
and fight the craving, it makes it worse for me. Yesterday I was craving all
day, no particular reason, no significant “triggers” just craving. So I went
to an online meeting and that helped a lot. Do you know if CQS has online
meetings? I didn’t see any posted in the calander on site.
Anyway, One day at a time and with your strong resolve, you can do this.
Email me at mwanck@… if you want to chat.
A friend in recovery (Afir)
Maryann
July 28th, 2004 at 1:06 pm
Hi, Pam and everyone,
Thanks for asking how it’s going. It’s definitely different this time –
thanks to the cognitive approach. I got to day 7, which was the dreaded
Saturday, and my husband came home after 10 days away. I ended up smoking
Saturday, and woke up with a horribly dry throat Sunday,and today I have been
ill all day, trying to catch cold. I did not smoke yesterday, however; had a
couple of urges at dinner with some neighbors. These neighbors don’t smoke,
so it was easier to ignore the urges. Last night I dreamed I smoked, though,
and was disappointed when I woke this morning until it hit me that it was a
dream.
I’m still hanging in there — have been writing furiously in my quit journal,
and listening to some cessation tapes a poster on another board was kind
enough to send me. They have helped, too. There are wonderful visualization
exercises the tapes lead one through.
Thanks again for asking! And best of luck to everyone. We can do it!
–Harper
July 29th, 2004 at 8:27 am
Thanks Pam - will do.Want to get to know this cognitive approach.
afir
Maryann
July 30th, 2004 at 8:35 am
Hi,
Have to tell you that changing my thinking of smoking urges/cues from Nicodemon
to Warren has helped so much. When I thought of the demon nicotene trying to
ensnare me, a) my thought was, “gee, it’s too powerful to fight. I’ll never make
it. If I do, I’ll get tired of fighting it all the time, might as well smoke;
and b) I was able to rationalize slips. “Too hard.” “Too addicted.”
“Too
July 30th, 2004 at 8:41 pm
hi all,
i’ve quit (after 16 years of smoking) 8 days ago with acupuncture. it realy
so here’s my story
helps a lot with the withdrawl symptoms.
day 1-3 was hell, but still was possible to survive. i’ve never succeeded to
stay even 1 day clean before just so. even with Zyban. a big warning to everyone
who reads this - DON’T USE ZYBAN !!! IT CAN KILL YOU ! i nearly died on it….
then, after the 3d day it got better, breathing is a lot easier and my hearth
doesn’t race anymore.
i have found Steve’s site and it was very helpfull. very nice written and true
stuff. gave me some thoughts. once you realize the idea behind the ABC stuff
it’s easier not to smoke. i’m to lazy to write such things down etc. but just
the thought that the cig isn’t the one and only answer to everything is enough.
it still is tough, but i don’t have that much carvings, and i hope once i’ve
belived that i’ve quit i’ll stay clean for a long time.
so, now a couple of questions - what do i have to expect form the near future ?
when do one usualy has a crisis ? when beginns the coughing and when does it get
better ? when do you feal a lot better ?
thanks,
seven
July 31st, 2004 at 6:26 pm
proven itself to be
sure, but Zyban will kill in a lot more cases and not depending on dosage.
that. I am
and i just wanted to give a warning. this is something i have personaly
expirienced, not something from the web ! now you know somebody who has nearly
died. and not ‘heard of somebody who had problems’
i must admit that it is very efective as an aid for quit smoking (it makes so
that smoking is no fun or relief/whatever anymore), but the side effects are
horrible and severe.
because of depression.
i suffer from depression in the last 6 years or so - zyban had no effect on it.
quit smoking had ! it’s surprising for me - i thought that i’ll get even more
depressed, but i feel much better now.
seven
August 1st, 2004 at 1:41 am
proven itself to be
sure, but Zyban will kill in a lot more cases and not depending on dosage.
that. I am
and i just wanted to give a warning. this is something i have personaly
expirienced, not something from the web ! now you know somebody who has nearly
died. and not ‘heard of somebody who had problems’
i must admit that it is very efective as an aid for quit smoking (it makes so
that smoking is no fun or relief/whatever anymore), but the side effects are
horrible and severe.
because of depression.
i suffer from depression in the last 6 years or so - zyban had no effect on it.
quit smoking had ! it’s surprising for me - i thought that i’ll get even more
depressed, but i feel much better now.
seven
August 1st, 2004 at 4:18 pm
Hi Seven,
you wrote:
“..once you realize the idea behind the ABC stuff it’s easier not to smoke.
i’m to lazy to write such things down etc. but just the thought that the
cig isn’t the one and only answer to everything is enough.”
Most of us are too lazy to write it all down. Try this…. don’t write,
just ‘think’ about 3 events that will happen tomorrow. They can be any
events, like meetings, lunch, the drive to work, the drive home, getting up
in the morning, breakfast etc. For each event, think of two or three things
that you can expect to feel when the event occurs. For instance, if it’s
lunch and you’re hungry, you’d feed the sensation of an empty stomach. If
it’s getting up in the morning, you might feel physically sluggish and
mentally groggy. If it’s a drive in traffic, you might feel tension.
Today or tonight, collect those thoughts about the events and the
sensations you expect to feel. Tomorrow when each event occurs, see if you
really do experience what you expected to feel. Test reality against what
you thought it would be. Pay attention not just to what you’re feeling,
but also to what and how you are thinking. This is practice in being aware
of what we feel so that we might choose an appropriate response.
Again, many of us are too lazy to write things down. But we can think. In
fact, we are thinking all the time, constantly. Take advantage of that and
work at directing your thinking where smoking thoughts or behaviors are
concerned.
Steve
www.cognitivequitting.com
August 2nd, 2004 at 6:41 am
hi Steve,
glad to hear that others are lazy too
i think all the time and try to avoid cigarettes as an answer to anything.
thanks.
seven