Ex Smokers?
ScorpioHR
338 Posts
Has anyone out there quit smoking and are willing to say how? Please, no "cold turkey" stories, been there, done that, didn't work. My latest attempt involved a small gun like instrument that shot electrical pulses in certain parts of the ear, it is called "Auriculor Therapy" and for a mere $115.00 did absolutely NOTHING! I am frustrated, irritated and tired of smelling like smoke, but, I reach for that nasty cigarette anyway, somehow. x:'(
Any ideas, input would be appreciated.
scorpio
Any ideas, input would be appreciated.
scorpio
Comments
Visit a hospital and watch someone dying of emphysema, otherwise known as slow-suffication. When combined with medical help (patches, etc)if the emphysema exposure doesn't scare you into not smoking, I'm not sure what will. Seriously, I've known several individuals that stopped smoking after actually seeing someone in the terminal stages of emphysema. You have to actually see their suffering, not just read about it. Good luck!
It's a horrible way to go....if seeing this doesn't do it, Scorpio....I don't know what will.
Truthfully, I don't think the actual hypnosis works...but suggestion is incredibly powerful...and maybe it's just that little bit of help you need to get through a few weeks smoke free.
When I was a teen a friend's dad caught her smoking...made her smoke a whole pack right in front of him....one after the other...CURED FOREVER! x:D
Yefim Shubentsov (The Mad Russian)
1680A Beacon Street Suite 201
Brookline, MA 02445
(617) 232-3930
Good luck Scorpio!!!
Like most things, it's mostly a matter of 'how bad do you want it'?
Your Quit Date is:Wednesday, January 12, 2005 at 10:22:00 PM
Time Smoke-Free:89 days, 8 hours, 34 minutes and 24 seconds
Cigarettes NOT smoked:1787
Lifetime Saved:13 days, 15 hours
Money Saved:$315.00
Those 13 days could be the most important days of my lifetime, you never know and every week I buy myself a new "non smoking" outfit....I've spent WAY over the $315.00 but hey it's only $$.
Good luck with quitting and remember once you decide to quit you are "just one puff away from a pack a day."
Reach out for support it is a very important aspect of quitting.
#1 thing a consultant shouldn't say: "I could tell you the answer right now, but we're committed to a three month project..." #-o
On another note. My mom also will absolutely not quit smoking. Has already been through many health related problems including near death about 10 years ago due to heavy alcohol drinking. So I guess I have a lot to look forward too! Emphysema!
One guy I listened to about one year ago, a hypnotist (I was attending to see if we would offer his tapes to EEs through our wellness program for weight loss and stop smoking) - indicated that once you really decide to quit - and I mean that decision deep inside yourself where you make your real choices - then it is a matter of winning a 15 second battle.
He indicated that research (this guy had some sort of PHD)says the nicotine craving lasts for 15 seconds. So if you can win a 15 second battle with yourself, you can quit smoking. The craving goes away for some period of time (I don't remember how long) and when it comes back, it is another 15 second battle.
He augmented all of this with hypnosis sessions and was really quite successful according to his self-published statistics.
The point was ...Can you win a 15 second fight?
Unfortunately, once things became stressful at work I wasn't able to resist the temptation to have "just one cigarette." The rest is history, as they say.
Also, watching someone (my mother) die with lung cancer was an eye-opener, but as a practical matter did not help me quit smoking.
A friend of mine has had some luck with hypnosis. The hypnotist gave him a post-hypnotic suggestion (?) that his gag reflex would be triggered if he tried to smoke a cigarette. It's apparently worked because he's been smoke free for several months now.
I only have one friend that is a smoker so that helps me not smoke as well and people that I work with have never known or at least never saw me smoking cause I always kept it a secret cause I was embarrassed that I had the nasty habit. Now whenever I think I miss smoking I go to a bar where there are smokers and all I have to do is take one whiff of that stench and I'm glad I QUIT!
I don't smoke a lot, but I do smoke. One day, I'll quit. My dr. sends me a card every year on my birthday asking me if I've quit yet. Not looking forward to my annual physical next week - it gives him an excuse to browbeat me for an hour. x;-)
My dad also quit, a number of times. He says it's bad for 3 days and then he is fine. He sort of brags about it. But then, if it is so easy why does he take it up again?
My husband will be 59 this year. He started smoking when he went into the service. He has stopped several times, but always starts again. He has tried various patches, gums, hypnosis, and cold turkey. He is really hard core addicted. He quit again just over a year go using a kit advertised on tv. He had to take pills everyday and smell this special stuff everytime he wanted a cig. He managed to quit, but still craves his cigs. He struggles every single day.
Just before he quit last time I showed him an article that claimed no matter how many times you try to quit and fail, you should just keep trying. It said statistically speaking, every time you quit you increase the odds that it will be permanent.
This is the 2nd time he has lasted a year, though this time is about 2 months longer. We hope it will last the rest of his life, but if it doesn't he will try again.
Scorpio, try anything and everything. Just don't give up trying to quit.
In the meantime, I think I will show my husband Judy's sites. They sound interesting and helpful.
I suggest you try a 12-step approach. Although the 12 steps originated with the program of Alcoholics Anonymous, there are now dozens of groups that cater to all sorts of addictions, nicotine included.
I won't bore you with all the blah, blah, blah, but here's the link if you're interested:
[url]www.nicotine-anonymous.org[/url]
I believe very much in 12 step programs because I have personally witnessed and experienced what they can help people accomplish. I know, I'm a recovering alcoholic and AA member.
Gene
I thank all of you for your time and for trying to help. Gene, funny thing isn't it, about a "Higher Power" I just went last night to a 12 step smokers anonymous meeting, there are NO coincidences are there?? Thanks for the help. I will keep on keepin on and beat this, it beating me has ceased to be an option.
Have a great week everyone.
scorpio
I went from smoking more than 2 packs a day to nothing a few yrs. ago. It was a struggle to say the least, in the beginning. But it lasted and I am still smoke free, even though my husband hasn't been able to give it up. It is mostly in your mindset. If you're not ready for living smokeless, you won't. It's scary, but do-able.
I used a fault for my good....procrastination. Plain and simple. Make a plan. It takes some planning, but you'd be surprised how painless it will be. 1st you have to notice whenever you take out a cig to smoke. Make a list, be honest with yourself. When you're ready to begin, start your procrastination process. Every cig you take out to smoke, put it off for 10 or 15 min. Wait the required time and smoke. No guilt, no withdrawal. Slow but sure...it won't happen in 2 weeks, or 4, but it will stick.
I tried to step up to the "next level" after a week. I would bump up the waiting time to 20 min. And so on, and so on. You will notice that as you stretch out the time, you will start dropping off the "unneccessary" ones. Keep the important ones just the way they are for a while (1st one of the morning, after meals, right before bed, you know which one's are the hardest to let go).
All the time you are going through this process, you need to remind yourself why you don't want to smoke, like a mantra: "I hate the way my clothes smell. I hate my teeth being stained, my breath smelling like smoke. I hate always having to look for a place to put my ashes. I hate the money I am spending on these things."
Tackle the "important" ones one at a time. You will feel stronger about it as you go along. You will have been able to cut down, with little or no withdrawal symptoms, no weight gain, no guilt. All positive. Celebrate yourself and your increasing strength in resisting.
I just want you to succeed. The rewards far outweigh the effort you have to put into it. I'd be glad to talk to you about it more, if you might be interested.
Kathy P
It's true that trying again each time you fail will eventually worked. It took me lots and lots of tries, but one day it finally clicked. I had 3 cigarettes left, so I went outside and smoked them, one after the other. Then I told myself that never again would I be an addict. I decided that as long as I never bought a pack I would not have any to smoke. So, I concentrated on not buying them rather than not smoking them. I would not bum one from anybody as a manner of pride. That was 12 years ago and I've been smoke free all that time.
Bottom line: don't give up! And don't beat yourself up if it doesn't work this time. Maybe it will next time.
Linda
You may want to try this...It is expensive $450.00 but I had my doctor check into it and she says it sounds pretty good. Look at the web site and ask you Dr. what they think. I am considering it, and I do know someone who has done it and thinks it is great. If you decide to try let me know.
[url]www.niana.us[/url]
They are located in Tampa, Orlando and someone told me yesterday they thought there was a new clinic in Naples.