Breaking a Habit

[china]

Let us find out how to understand this whole process of habit forming and habit breaking. .I am experimenting with the problem of smoking. It is a problem, it becomes a problem, when I want to give it up; as long as I am satisfied with it, it is not a problem. The problem arises when I have to do something about a particular habit, when the habit becomes a disturbance. Smoking has created a disturbance, so I want to be free of it. I want to stop smoking; I want to be rid of it, to put it aside, so my approach to smoking is one of resistance or condemnation. That is, I don't want to smoke, so my approach is either to suppress it, condemn it, or to find a substitute for it - instead of smoking, to chew. Now, can I look at the problem free of condemnation, justification, or suppression? Can I look at my smoking without any sense of rejection? Try to experiment with it and you will see how extraordinarily difficult it is not to reject or accept. Because, our whole tradition, our whole background, is urging us to reject or to justify rather than to be curious about it. Instead of being passively watchful, the mind always operates on the problem

 

[Vereya]

I tried to quit smoking about a year ago. I found a book by Alen Carr, if I am not mistaken, telling of an easy way to quit smoking. Well, it really seemed very easy, and I would've quit smoking but for one thing - I got terrible insomnia, from the first day to the last while I was trying to quit. I lasted for five days (it is a heroic deed for me, in fact, because I am a terrible smoker), and I can honestly say that I only felt a very slight urge to smoke, that was very easy to control. And it was the psychological stuff mostly, not the physical. And I haven't smoked a single cigarette for five days. But it was so difficult for me to fall asleep, that I gave it up. Next time I will try to quit on vacation, when I don't have to wake up early.

If you could find that book, China, it could help you a lot. I will try to find its title in English for you.

 

[jimmoyer]

It is a problem, it becomes a problem, when I want to give it up; as long as I am satisfied with it, it is not a problem.
-------------------------------------------china-------------------------------------------------------------

That sentence is the one that caught my eye. Satisfaction doesn't necessarily mean there is
no problem, n'est pas ? I can't just have one potato chip. I love the damn things and I'm
really happy eating a whole pile of them during my orgiastic romp through the whole bag of them.

The rest you conjecture about is respectfully
too much mental gymnastics, typical of those under the gun of an addiction.

I know. I did it.

I quit July 12, 2006.

 

[Libra Girl]

You know, it's strange; I sometimes smoke, but I might have one whilst at a party, and then won't have one for three weeks, or three months. Sometimes I might smoke a whole packet in a week... but that's rare. I have gone a year without smoking; I just don't seem to be addicted to the habit. Weird!

 

[jimmoyer]

That's how I got hooked.
I actually got full time hooked on smoking at the late age of 27.

Now I'm 51, and wish I had quit years ago---or better yet---never started it.

I just had a dream about smoking one cigarette in front of two close friends,
and in the dream I didn't realize what I just did until after I finished the smoke.
I woke up feeling really relieved it was just a dream.

And I quit july 12 2006.

Strange effects. Vampire like.

 

[L Gilbert]

I simply quit. 2002. No gum, no patches, no hypnotism, no books. I just wanted to quit so I did. Now I puff on the odd Captain Black, no inhaling. Had one yesterday. Had one 8 days previous to yesterday's. The point is that you really have to want to quit and put a concerted effort into it.

 

[L Gilbert]

And I quit july 12 2006.

Strange effects. Vampire like.

lol.
I vont to drrreenk your neecotene. lol

 

[jimmoyer]

I don't believe in WILL POWER.

Denying yourself something you like is a plan to fail.


Vampires are real.

 

[L Gilbert]

I don't believe in WILL POWER.

Oh, well.

Denying yourself something you like is a plan to fail.

I didn't have a plan. It just happened.

Vampires are real.

Bats? You betcher boots they're real.

 

[hermanntrude]

I don't believe in WILL POWER.

Denying yourself something you like is a plan to fail.


Vampires are real.

you believe in vampires (i assume u mean the humanoid blood sucking undead, rather than the rather small blood licking bat), but not in willpower?

oh dear

 

[#juan]

Quitting smoking is simple. All you do is cut off both your hands and feet and have your lips sewn shut. Once that is done, you will have little time to worry about smoking.:wave:

 

[jimmoyer]

All you do is cut off both your hands and feet and have your lips sewn shut. Once that is done, you will have little time to worry about smoking...
-------------------------------------------------------------#juan-------------------------------------------

LOL !!
Right on Juan !!


Forget about the braggers.

Worry about the vampires.

 

[L Gilbert]

Quitting smoking is simple. All you do is cut off both your hands and feet and have your lips sewn shut. Once that is done, you will have little time to worry about smoking.:wave:

rofl. Also an effective weight-loss program.

 

[jimmoyer]

EVIL.

Evil habit.

eeeeeeeee-v-i--l

Emancipation wished for all.

 

[marygaspe]

I tried to quit smoking about a year ago. I found a book by Alen Carr, if I am not mistaken, telling of an easy way to quit smoking. Well, it really seemed very easy, and I would've quit smoking but for one thing -.

My husband has been smoking since I met him in 1965. It was considered cool in those days. He's tried quitting half a dozen times. Last time he tried the patch but two weeks after it was done he bought another pack of Rothman's.
I don't know what the best solution is for this addiction. It seems one of the hardest things for people to give up.

 

[hermanntrude]

i have a habit of leaning my neck on my fists instead of my chin on my hands and it drives my wife nuts. I can't stop it for the life of me though, i've been trying since people made fun of me for it at school

 

[L Gilbert]

Don'tcha choke?

 

[Vereya]

I don't know what the best solution is for this addiction. It seems one of the hardest things for people to give up.

It is, indeed. A stupid and meaningless waste of health and money, but give it up I can not. It doesn't even give me much pleasure mostly, but I keep on smoking. The strange thing is that I can give a reason practically for everything that I do, but if you ask me why do I smoke, I would just stare stupidly, blink my eyes and I won't say a single intelligible thing. :| I guess that's a good definition of addiction - doing something for no purpose at all, and not being able to quit.

 

[El Barto]

I don't have a problem with smoking . Never really smoked . I grew up with both my parents smoking at least two packs each a day. Even grew up nagging my mom to quit. Never really had freinds that smoke when I went to High school. But I believe why I never was drawn to it was thanks to my father. When I was four at a party, for some reason I don't know, he put me on his knee and put a lit cigarette to my mouth. After that my memory was blank, Still blank now for you wise crackers..
I think it kinda killed it for me to wanna try it. Though I do enjoy a good cigar on a special occasion.

 

[jimmoyer]

When I smoked I didn't want to hear about any of the details about it. I was interested
in other experiences on quitting, but I did little research about online about it, nor did I seek
out interesting quitting angles online about it.

Now having quit, I found a wealth of interesting tidbits about how to quit and some ways
of quitting and exactly what withdrawal does. Penalty for early withdrawal ??

One little example of what few smokers know :
When a smoker urinates, almost all of the nictoine leaves their system, causing
a withdraw symptom in the smoker who rarely puts two and two together.
Also a diet that increases acidic or alkaline can produce greater cravings
on top of the overlay of a mental habit that likes the immediate rush of the
nicotine to the brain.