My First Post
Hi Everyone,
My name is Marcia and my husband Jim and I quit smoking on January 1, 2003, as
did many other people, from what I am reading on this and other sites. We used
the Smoke Away system, which I guess worked for us. Really, I think we were
both mentally ready for this transition. Did not really notice too much of a
difference using the the system, but the aromatherapy did help get over some
rough spots that first week, and you can purchase aromatherapy for a lot less
than we paid for the system. Just a thought for anyone experiencing the same
discomfort.
I had been smoking this time for about 3 years. I had quit for 17 years. I
started up again when I met my husband, who of course smoked. I found it very
difficult to live with a smoker and fought the nicodemon furiously for about 1
year, but then certain stresses, etc., caused me to give in — STUPID, STUPID
STUPID!!!! Anyways, not that all the stresses in my life have calmed down. For
background, I just graduated barber/stylist school and am now gainfully employed
in a body and hair spa where no one else smokes. And my husband declared he was
ready to quit for good. We are both in our 50’s and health issues have become a
concern, so we made the commitment to quit for good TOGETHER! My husband seems
to breezing through his quit, but I find the support of this and other sites
very helpful in dealing with the mental issues.
So, that’s my story. We are quit for two weeks today. Right now I am off to
aerobics before heading into the salon. But I will be visiting the site often.
Thanks for being here.
Marcia
June 19th, 2005 at 3:12 pm
Hi Marcia,
As far as the ‘nonstop eating’, many who quit replace their smoking with
Welcome to you and Jim. Cognitive quitting is an active approach to
quitting. It comes with homework
eating. In most quit smoking venues the general advice is ‘eat now, lose
the weight later’. You won’t hear that from us. Two reasons why replacing
cigs with food isn’t a good idea: 1- most of us are mid 40’s and up and
pounds don’t ‘melt’ off easily, 2- smoking was often our way of responding
to moments in life (not ‘just’ keeping the nic level topped up) and eating
instead is simply perpetuation of a pattern of behavior where we put
something to our mouths and inhale/swallow, and 3- ‘eating our smoking
habit’ can swing back to ’smoking our smoking habit’ with startling speed
and force because there is so little difference between the two.
If you want to start to get a handle on your run away eating, ask
yourself “am I mouth hungry or stomach hungry?” everytime you are about to
reach for something to eat. The consequence of this is that you’ll have to
be honest with yourself and then act appropriately.
Steve
April 9th, 2007 at 8:10 am
Posted to the Usenet group alt.support.stop-smoking:
Date: 1996/03/15
Subject: Disconnected Unsubstantiated Musings
Habit, n. Settled tendency or practice.
Tomorrow I’m not going to smoke. I’m not going to engage in an activity
that I’ve practiced to perfection. I’m not going to repeat, 20-30 times a
day, a mechanical routine that is probably more unconscious than I’m
aware. When I think about what smoking is(soon to be was) to me, I come
back to the mechanics. It starts by picking up the pack and the lighter
which automatically end up in their respective and appropriate hands. I
open the pack and take one out. This can be done as deftly as a surgeon,
and without looking. Then, between the lips, always in exactly the right
place. When was the last time you saw a sober smoker stick it in his ear by
mistake? Light it, one handed of course. And then the first one or two hits
of nicotine. And with that I’ve completed the pattern. The same pattern day
in day out, time after time in the same way.
It seems to me that that’s about all there is to the pattern from a
mechanical point of view. It’s the practiced hand motions, the oral
attention, the deep breath. If I stop smoking my hands won’t have anything
to do, my mouth is going to feel neglected, and my breathing, well I’ll
probably keep on breathing whether I smoke or not. Maybe I can find
something else for my hands to do like scratch some part of my anatomy that
needs or could use a scratch. Brushing my teeth often might satisfy my oral
cravings. That would help to create a new environment in my mouth. I
suppose my mouth will be able to get used to not feeling burned out. And
the breathing, I think I’ll go breath some fresh air deeply.
And then there are the triggers. Actually they come first but never
mind. The phone, the car, when I wake up, just before I go to sleep,
coffee, a meal, a snack, sex, fatigue, hunger, before I start anything,
during, after I finish everything, STRESS! A smokers automatic response to
any kind of stress is to reach for a cig.
I think its all about habits, patterns. This pattern we call
smoking has taken up an incredible amount of my life on a day by day basis.
When I get up tomorrow I’m not going to smoke. Something huge is going to
be missing. I’m going to fill that time with embryonic new patterns. Day by
day they will grow and begin to fill the void. Exercise will strengthen me
as the air begins to get past the crud in my lungs. I’ll get extra things
done because I’m not procrastinating by having “one more” before I get started.
Unrelated Thought-
New Habit = Craving Management
Got a craving? Decode it-hungry, tired, bored (thats a biggie)
Distract it- Do something different, get up, take a short walk. Use
imagination, not will power.
Repattern-Alter old patterns that were associated with smoking. Change the
morning routine. Forget the coffee that has always gone with the cig. Do
something different.
It’s time to go to bed. So GO TO BED. Just kidding. You can stay
up as long as you want. I’m off to bed to wake up tomorrow and not smoke.
Good night all,
Daredevil Steve (0)
ps- If any of you were looking for coherent or meaningful, the header did
say “Disconnected and Unsubstantiated”. Next time pay attention.
Hi there,
That was one of my first posts on the topic of smoking and quitting. I
certainly had no idea that 10 years later I’d still be at it or that
helping others quit and stay quit would become such a passion.
I also couldn’t have begun to imagine the depth and richness of experience
that these 10 years and all the hours spent on line have given me. I’ve met
people from all over the world. Each of them has taught me something about
the ways in which we are part of each other. Some have become friends who
will be part of my life for the rest of my life.
To those of you who have shared even a moment of this journey with me,
thank you.
Steve
April 9th, 2007 at 3:25 pm
Thank you all
It’s interesting for me to read back over posts like that. I get to see how
The first couple of days/weeks were a wild ride. So much time spent trying
my perspective and understanding has changed. The ‘kernal’ was there from
the beginning. But it took time to find it and begin to really articulate
it. I’m still trying… there has to be a better way to present the
‘gospel according to ddsteve’
to be aware, questioning, raging… did I mention that my most intense
quit symptom was rage? Anyway… here’s another post at 3.5 days quit
after a couple days of observation in one particular area.
From a Daredevils group email:
“Smoking had physical connections I hadn’t even thought
about. Up until 2.5days ago I’d start my day with a coffee
and a cig. I mean out of bed straight to a coffee and a cig
and about half way through the coffee, straight to the
bathroom, if you know what I’m saying. Well for 2.5 days I
haven’t had a coffee and a cig. Can you guess what else I
haven’t had for 2.5 days? (Damn, I know there’s some ExLax
around here somewhere.)”
A tip from Daredevil Dana about unfiltered fruit
juice(local health food store) has got everything flowing
smoothly once more, if you know what I’m saying.
It’s all about patterns. Try and find those patterns.
Daredevil Steve(3.5d)