Cognitive Quit Smoking

— In CognitiveQuitSmoking@y…, Brenda Anderson <bandt90@y…
I read what Pam just sent and she’s right on as usual. Here’s
another thought. Write an ABC about arriving home after going to the
grocery store too (this may work for when you are waiting for your
ride also).
A = Activating Event
I have gone shopping. I’ve arrived home. Time to take a quick break
before putting up the groceries.
B. = Beliefs
B1. A smoke would be good right now. Or would it? In the past,
taking a smoke break would have been the only option, but now I know
that this is not a appropriate option as I have decided in my
foundation statements.
B2. I could reward myself with a special treat, like an ice cream or
candy bar, but that would only make me feel bad later because I’m
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Good morning, y’all,
Today is day three. So far, so good; yet, no situations have presented
themselves, nor have I put myself in a situation where there are smokers.
However…while reading a novel yesterday, a CQ thought popped into my head. The
protagonist woke from a horrible dream and lit a cigarette. “She thinks it’s
gonig to calm her down, but it’s not,” just popped into my head!! “Oh,” I
thought, “Cognitive quitting *does* help you think!”
Have a great day,
Harper

Hi Brenda,
good work on those 2 weeks. looking forward to those ABCs Steve

….the last couple of weeks have been hard going for a number of
reasons. Now, this isn’t a whine - Steve reckons the best I can
manage is a whimper - but it’s been a difficult patch.
I thought writing it down might help not just me, but maybe others
who can identify with some of the feeling.
Feelings….hmmm, I’m not sure I’ve actually felt any, or many, just
recently. Just ‘blah’, apathetic, dare I say it even bored with
this quit. You know, been there, done that, got the tshirt. But it
went a bit deeper than that - the apathy crept in pretty insidiously
to the extent that doing very much was too much bother. And from
there, a lot of things became too much effort. After some very
gentle shoves from one or two good people here, I went to see my GP,
and I’ve been diagnosed with depression. It’s actually a relief to
understand whats going on, and to know now that I’m on a course to
sort things out.
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Halleluja. Today I found something I though had been buried under
the fog, never to be found again. Yep - a brain. To use a quaint
British expression - maybe it’s an American one too - I felt like it
had been knitted in the 3 weeks since I quit.
For 3 weeks I haven’t had many times when I could follow a train of
thought through without forgetting the point I’d been trying to
make. Their were some moments when I’ve been fairly lucid, and a
lot of times when I `went round the houses’ trying to remember the
point of what I was talking about. Through it all Steve has
patiently listened and talked me through it, and got me to this
stage where I’m now feeling quit. (note - don’t ever admit to
Steve that you can think clearer, because he then asks hard
questions)
I know there are a lot of new quitters who’ve joined recently, and
sorry I haven’t jumped in before now. Having come through the fog,
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tried,but only lasted 13 hours.All I wanted to do was sleep.How bad
does it have to get before I can give these darn things up

I just wanted to say THANK THE GOOD LORD for Steve and his super
intelligence. His bringing CQ to our attention was the best thing
that ever happened. “A” I was typeing on the computer and got a
thankfull feeling. “B” I decided that my thankfull feeling was
because Steve started this and other web sites and for all the
supportive people. I should thank him and them. “C” I will post a
thank you to him and them. LOL. John

I really appreciate the love and careing you all have given me. I
thank my HP every day for this computer and it allowing me to be in
contact with so many careing and supportave people. I know without a
doubt that I never would have made it even this far without all of
you and the education I have received. Never would I have believed
how complex this addiction/learned behavior is. It is no wonder that
people who don’t know what it is all about can not quit. This roller
coaster ride of emotions is totally unbelievable. Thank God I tuned
into this site as if I hadent I am sure I would have checked myself
into the loony bin. LOL. Tonight I decided I would really challange
myself (Like I need more challanges) and perked a fresh pot of
coffee. I just wanted to see if I could drink it without exploding
from a cigarette craving. ( The Nicoderm gum was right at hand just
in case). My God was that coffee good. I don’t think I have ever
really tasted coffee before as the smokes have always numbed my taste
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Hi Harper - sorry the evening didn’t go as you would have planned. Can’t
really add to what Steve’s already said. Certainly, being in the wrong
place with the wrong ppl with no easy escape route was going to pile on the
pressure.
In the early weeks of my quit I kept away from pubs (bars) as much as
possible, and kept off alcohol - I hadn’t the reserves to deal with it, and
wanted to get my cog tools in place before I felt able to deal. If I did go
I drank mineral water, and didn’t stay long. I think Cat and Gail were
pretty much the same as me in this. After a few weeks when I’d got more
awareness about what those smoking triggers were doing to me - and how to
deal with them - I felt much more able to cope.
Dust yourself down and get those tools together!
take care
Pam
On 08 June 2002 Harper wrote
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Thank you everyone from the bottom of my heart. Your support and
careing is awesome. I went to bed last night positive I would not
sleep but woke up at 9:00am today feeling a bit better. We had a yard
sale until an hour ago so that kept my numb brain occupied. I am
still hanging in there with all of your words in my memory and that
is keeping me clean so far. This is the strangest addiction I have
ever heard, felt, experenced, tasted or read about. I am coming to
the realization not only is Steve totally right about the cognitive
part of it but things are happining to me that can’t really be
explained. For instance, why am I becoming so angry and I really
believe I could be violent. Why is my whole personality changing to
someone I don’t even like. This is not me anymore. I am normally a
thoughtful quiet introvert. It is like I have saved up all my anger
over everything since I was 12 ,when I started this addiction (I am
now 62) and now it (the anger) is all pouring out at once. I really
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