Cognitive Quit Smoking

Hello Group Members;
What a pleasent surprise to find so much assistance available.
To those of us stiil endevouring to overcome the control of our
lives
that cigarette smoking has,sites such as this one offer salvation.
My introduction to CQS is through participation in the NJ
QuitNet
and the educational contributations made by member DDsteve.
An opportunity like this is a Godsend And for it I am
grateful.
Happy to be aboard, Jim R.

I have been following some of the emails over the past several months but
have not participated. I started to once or twice, with the timer and ABC’s
but work always seems to get in the way.
I awoke with the flu this past Monday morning, and since I am not the type
to smoke while congested, I just kinda went for the quit. I have kept the
abc stuff in mind, regarding proper responses and how I’m feeling - I can
totally visualize what is happening when I get an urge, emotionally and feel
it physically.
I am almost well now, but not quite, and still haven’t “picked up.” I know
I know I know I should take advantage of this “accidental” quit. Those
dreaded first few days are over without my having noticed anything but the
dizziness, etc. that comes with flu symptoms. Now it is all mind over
matter.
My major trigger is the wine/cig factor. There isn’t one without the other,
at least not initially. What a horrible thing to have to give up both at
(more…)

Hi Mary,
Sorry I missed you in chat….. I got back just as you left. Hope you
get over whatever it is that’s got you feeling poorly.
Steve

Hi all,
I just dropped in to say hi. I stopped smoking a year ago and
thought I never would be able to stay quit for longer than six
month. After several downfalls I learned to use the tools Pam and
Steve gave me. I learned to use the timer exercise, how to make ABC.
Until today I use ABCs not only for staying quit but for different
parts of my life.
I have been through a lot due to illness over the last year and came
many times close to smoking. I have been diagnosed Bipolar and I
attempted to hide with ciggs behind the constant mood swings.
Whenever I felt down and used smoking as an excuse there was always
one question popping up automatically in my mind and that was
Steve’s question: ” Do you want to be a smoker” and I clearly knew I
did not want to be a smoker and then I knew what to do. I guess
Steve asked me this question so many times until I knew the answer.
(more…)

I’d like to welcome Bev, Charles, Bethany (Happy BDay), and those of you
who have joined but not posted. Our numbers continue to increase so I know
you’re out there and at least a bit curious.
And congratulations to Becky, Linda, Judy, Carol, Doris, Joy, and Gayle to
mention only a few who I’m aware of who are approaching quitting in a
cognitive manner. If I haven’t included you it’s only because my seniors
moments are running together to create a general state of senility.
Thank you to all who have posted and shared a piece of your selves and your
quit.
Steve

This is a repost. It’s also a ‘next step’ to the Timer Exercise I posted
recently…..
If you’ve done the Timer Exercise then you’ve got a data base of ’slices’
of your life at hourly intervals. That the time intervals are an hour apart
isn’t all that important. What is important is that each ’slice’ includes
the following info:
1- time
2- event
3- smoking situation (yes or no)
4- emotions/conditions (happy, sad, bored, etc and/or tired, hungry, cold, etc)
5- physical sensations (body cues)
6- rational response (how to deal with the body cues in a non smoking way)
One example of a timer entry might be:
1- 10 am
2- break time at work
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Hi everybody my name is Charles and I am new to the group. It has
been 7 days since my last smoke. I really want this to be my final
quit. The last time I quit I made it for 48 days, then I relapsed. I
remember how good it felt not to smoke. Well take care, thanks for
letting me ramble.

Hello Everyone -
I think I joined this group several weeks ago, and even posted here but I
honestly can not remember! I do know that the cognitive quitting approach
makes lots of sense. My quit date was Jan. 14; I have done the timer
exercises for several days and I think Steve said I should go on to the ABC’s.
(Jan. 14 feels like 3-5 mnths ago.)
Mostly, this is a good quit. I have read a few other people’s posts here,
and
one in partiuclar helped: she felt ill one day - and wrote, happily, that she
welcomed that de-tox sensation, and was going back to bed. That approach
- just deal with it, don’t “fight” it - also makes sense to me.
So, thanks again to everyone; I will try to get here more often. I tend to
get
caught up in the virtuality of quitnet . . . if you’ve ever been there . . . and
then, its time for bed! (more…)

Over a week now & feeling great! I went down to 10 mg patch
yesterday, noticed the slight difference,after a week on the 15mg,
but I begin to think I am only using them as a security blanket. I
don’t really feel I need them. Had a few new triggers arrive, going
out to our favourite restaurant on Saturday, had about a 3 minute
crave, then it was gone. I didn’t drink though. I think that would
have been a disaster. Then had one of those days, where nothing major
happened but every tiny thing that could go wrong did! Instead of
getting all freaked & heading for a smoke, I found I didn’t even
think of a smoke til much later & then it was…oh wow, I’d normally
have puffed about five after that! Warren seems to have trained in
well Would love to hear how everyone else is getting on!!
Slan
Gayle

Last week I experienced some small panic attacks which kind of threw
me…I started noticing a pAttern and realized they were occurring
in the am…
I rememebred reading that when you quit, caffeine becomes more
potent , and you need less coffee…and I think what was happining
was that I was getting jazzed on caffeine. (I tend to drink my
coffee very strong).
Just a heads up in case anyone else is experiencing these mysterious
anxiety attacks at coffee time!
e