Rhonda, Pam, & Steve, Thanks for the words
Didn’t really know what to expect in a group on a computer this is
all new to me. Thanks for the words of encouragement, somehow it
does feel good to know that others are at the edge or have been
there looking down in that pit of no more nic, fix. I am losing my
best friend, my confidant and dence. The warm snuggley feel of
contentment after an especially good meal, that after cigg was the
best. I can go on lamenting the delight of nicotine fixes. However
now my best friend has turned its back on me and became my enemy, I
am a little confused and heartsick to think that it would do these
things to me. So I think I am in mourning over this loss. I am
having to face a little of Glassers Reality therapy right now,
choice theory. I chose at some point to use ciggarettes as my
everything and it filled that need, now I need better health and it
sure isn’t measuring up. A lady at the cessation class I am
attending sold us some suckers that have 4mg of nicotine in them
1sucker=1pk of ciggs, the idea is to pull it out of the little sack
and in your mouth 30-45 sec= 1ciggs worth of nicotine, put it back
in the sack and wait till you feel you are going to burst if you
don’t get a cigg, 1 sucker should last as long as a pack of ciggs.
She said the patches are desined to keep a steady flow of nicoine in
your body and that isn’t exactly what happens when you smoke it
fluctuates like with the sucker thing and it will also help with the
oral gratification thing don’t know but am going to try it out.
Anyway after a couple of weeks on the 4mg you go to a couple of
weeks on 2mg suckers,then your done. In a months time you are
suppose to be able to break the habit and the addiction she says we
have both. Any ideas or helps I have been checking the links and
copying stuff to use to help. Thanks I appreciate it very much.
Susan, soon to be smoke free.
June 13th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
Abusive relationships.
If you’re paying cash for it, it’s not your friend. Friendship can’t be bought
If it’s physically harming you, it’s not your friend. Friendships benefit
you not harm you.
But you knew that, you just weren’t ready to admit it.
Nicotine inhalants are the closest to cigarette delivery systems. Ingested
nicotine takes slightly longer.
A part of you remembers how wonderful food use to taste. Since your sinuses
are charred & your taste buds are seared, you no longer get the full
pleasure payoff anymore from your food so you compensate by upping your
serotonin levels with a cigarette.
Thank you for the intro to Dr. Glasser. Cognitivequitting is also about
making informed choices.
Steve’s way to handle quitting originated with cognitive behavioral
techniques but has been simplified to what we call cognitive body techniques.
Nicotine is a just a chemical that acts on the body. It simulates the
brain, relaxes muscles, suppresses appetite & gets you to breathe from your
diaphragm. It takes care of some immediate biologically needs & does it
fast & very effectively.
Because it works so well, for so many needs, smokers form an strong
emotional attachment to this chemical. They build elaborate
rationalizations & justification for using it aside from the physical
addiction. So when they decide to quit it appears to be a humongous &
onerous task. But it doesn’t have to be. Go back to where it started - the
body. The fastest way to find out what nicotine does for you is to bypass
the emotions & go to straight your body. Use your mind to take care of the
body first & the rest will follow.
How does nicotine take care of anger? check out your body - tense muscles?
Nicotine relaxes them or stretch.
How does nicotine take care of anxiety? check out your breathing - shallow
& rapid? Drag deep on a cigarette to stop the panting or take a deep slow
breathe.
How does nicotine take care of hunger? check out - 4 hours since
nourishment? Smoke to suppress appetite or eat (& we’re not recommending
scarfing down large amounts of food).
Groggy? immobile for too long? Nicotine stimulates or deep breathe to take
in oxygen & stretch or move to circulate it to the brain.
You are also clearly aware that smoking takes care of your anxiety but when
your nicotine level drops you feel “antsy”. Nicotine takes more than it gives.
The Greeks weren’t wrong - healthy body, healthy mind.
You can do this. Care for yourself & take care of yourself. - Mairead