By: Neva Marjory

Neva Marjory — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 15:06:34 +0000

Hi Joan,
I really wish I could offer you what you need, but I’m sure the other folks
here, who’ve
been more successful than I, will do it for you.
I’ve got two multi-year quits, and probably should be posting things about
how a while
after I quit I’d found a cigarette but or two around the property, and thought
‘Boy, I can’t
believe I acutally sucked on these things for so many years.’ Then I’d have the
credibility
to say that some self-hypnosis, and work on self talk, really changed things.
Actually,
they did, or I’d probably not be alive to quit again (I’m 51, and have been
smoking for a
number of years, except the quits).

There’s no spouse in my life, though there was when I quit the first time.
Once I’d made
the decision, and suffered through the first couple of days, she was amazed that
I wasn’t
more stressful to live with. I think the idea was that quitting was my
decision, no
something imposed on me from without. I think the hardest thing about quitting
is the
very word: it implies work, struggle, something negative. Maybe “letting go”
would be
better, or “moving on”. I think the hardest thing for me is guilt: I probably
smoke to
relieve the guilt about smoking the last one.
Then there’s the associations. What’s the first thing you do after a great
accomplishment?
Light Up! So, you’ve been off cigs for a few days, how best to celebrate?
That’s the “Cognitive” part, I think, the worst. Oh, I know the withdrawls for
me feel like
each hair on my head is actually 3 or 4 mosquito bites and it itches like hell.
Is that really
more painful than getting smokers’ illnesses, burning clothes, looking bad
socially, etc.?
I’m acting like it is.
So, I’ll be joining you soon. meanwhile, my prayers and best wishes are with
you,
Tony

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By: Neva Marjory