How You Quit Smoking?

[Leon Bell]

I've just started self actualizing and already there are great results across the board.

I am happier and more fulfilled.

The only thing that is still persisting like a roadblock is my addiction to Nicotine.

You would think it would be harder to clear out limiting beliefs from when you were a kid.

But no, it's Smoking, for me at least.

Have you quit? What worked for you, what didn't?

Edited June 30, 2016 by Leon Bell

[charlie2dogs]

5 hours ago, Leon Bell said:

I've just started self actualizing and already there are great results across the board.

I am happier and more fulfilled.

The only thing that is still persisting like a roadblock is my addiction to Nicotine.

You would think it would be harder to clear out limiting beliefs from when you were a kid.

But no, it's Smoking, for me at least.

Have you quit? What worked for you, what didn't?

when you really want to quit you will, quitting for others never works,  work on your personal growth, and at some point you will drop the cigs.

[Huz]

Yep, Charlie is absolutely right here. I used to smoke heavily and I just suddenly quit within the timeframe of when I started self-actualising. I never brute forced my way into it, it just spontaneously happened. It was like a shift inside me internally. It was so easy and I have no urge to smoke now. Start a meditation habit, raise your awareness, look at yourself and how you feel inside and out when you smoke and you will realise the absurdity of what you are doing. Not grounded in your thinking but int awareness.

[TakeCare]

Today is day 4 when I am not smoking. 

Main things that helped me to get there:

- Noticing how much worse I feel physically after a cigarette;

- Noticing how much time I spent during the day smoking and how much time I am thinking about it;

- Having some serious concerns about my health;

- Understanding that I really do not want to keep smoking through my entire life and I have to quit sooner or later;

- Understanding that addictions are extremely toxic to my consciousness and that they prevent me from dealing with problems from their roots; (this one is quite recent to me and it is very important)

And lastly,

I have much bigger plan for myself and quitting smoking is just one of the first steps I am taking. I believe it is much easier to get rid of smoking habit than some neurotic thinking habits that I have. I am working on clarifying the vision for future and there is no place for smoking there.

I smoked for 10 years and I can assure you time to quit is never right. My advice is - do not complicate it. Just quit it.

 

 

 

[Leon Bell]

Thank you for the great and varied feedback.

Congrads on the day 4, after two weeks the withdrawal will be done.

I realized that for me Smoking was a lifestyle.

So every time I would go out drinking I would just start puffing again.

And I had people in my life enabling and in fact encouraging hedonistic behavior.

So not only did I have to pause drinking until I successfully quit, I also had to take a break from the people.

Even when I do smoke, now that I raised awareness it just seems silly.

My body is still physically addicted, but my mind is telling me to get it together.

I would like some feedback on cessation techniques (besides meditation, which i am doing daily) that have worked for you.

Edited July 1, 2016 by Leon Bell

[Huz]

On 7/1/2016 at 3:26 AM, Leon Bell said:

Even when I do smoke, now that I raised awareness it just seems silly.

My body is still physically addicted, but my mind is telling me to get it together

Whose body? Whose mind? I beleive your mind is the influencing factor in the addiction.

Realise that you are combining the components of the body-mind and are labelling them as yours. The bodily sensations, mind images and talk are being combined in such a ways tricking you into thinking that you are addicted. Of course "you" will feel withdrawal symptoms because you have associated yourself with them. When you get this symptoms, sit  did down and shine awareness onto them. See them for what they really are, separate them out so they do not work together to trick you and be comfortable with the sensations for what they are and the addictions will drop.

I have been doing this recently with my hunger - I am seeing that when I have an urge to pig out it is the combination if my body an mind. With low awareness you think is you doing that. With higher awareness you can see they are completely separate and you will be able to acknowledge they are there be accept them and be ok with them.

Edited July 2, 2016 by Huz88

[Allinthemind]

After 3 days, anything you feel is psychological/habit associated with nicotine. Stress and anxiety is a major association. If you are choosing to avoid situations, it's important to return to those situations when you are ready with the beliefs that you are non-smoker. This will help you appreciate that, as a non smoker, nothing is missing. The "ex-smoker" mindset is someone still driven by thoses nicotine associations.

Leon Bell, cessation techniques: http://www.clinicalhypnotherapy-cardiff.co.uk/how-to-stop-smoking-tips-1/

[Donald]

Something that helped me was mindfulness. Let me explain how ;when cravings arise there are mental images +bodily sensations +mental noise. Mental images like lighting up a cigarette +bodily sensations like a tickling in your chest , feeling dizzy +mental noise like your self talk ( you have worked really hard and you deserve a break (cigarette) . Mindfulness helps in overcoming addictions , because it brings you in the present moment . Notice that I used (+) .That's what mindfulness does .It gives you a real sense of what is without exaggeration. If you don't have enough awareness instead of summing , they will multiply .

And expect that this process will be a real struggle. Don't try to make it easier with food or sex or another habit . Sit there and don't smoke.

Can you do that?

[Leon Bell]

I agree that mindfulness cuts down on mind noise. Just being aware of all the dirty tricks your Ego plays on you to get you to give in to addiction.

I have replaced Nicotine with MSG before and it really didn't work out. So yeah, quitting Smoking requires quitting every addiction for a short time, because it's the most addicting one.

Edited July 3, 2016 by Leon Bell

[Leon Bell]

On 7/2/2016 at 4:18 AM, Huz said:

Whose body? Whose mind? I beleive your mind is the influencing factor in the addiction.

Nicotine addiction has a very real impact on your brain. Your brain even has special receptors for nicotine, that during withdrawal cause your body to experience discomfort. The receptors raise a "Brain Storm" or neurotransmitter activity overload in your brain. No amount of mindfulness will completely eliminate this process. Ego does not play a role in this mechanism. What meditation can offer is a way to cope with the withdrawal. 

There is a very real distinction between the body and mind. So when I say the "Body" I mean biological processes you have no control over, and when I say the "Mind" I mean physiological processes you do have control over. Higher Consciousness does not change your Biological structure. I do believe we have Mastery over how we react and perceive messages the brain sends.

To learn more:
http://thebrain.mcgill.ca/flash/i/i_03/i_03_m/i_03_m_par/i_03_m_par_nicotine.html#drogues

[Leon Bell]

On 7/2/2016 at 8:02 AM, Allinthemind said:

After 3 days, anything you feel is psychological/habit associated with nicotine. Stress and anxiety is a major association. If you are choosing to avoid situations, it's important to return to those situations when you are ready with the beliefs that you are non-smoker. This will help you appreciate that, as a non smoker, nothing is missing. The "ex-smoker" mindset is someone still driven by thoses nicotine associations.

Leon Bell, cessation techniques: http://www.clinicalhypnotherapy-cardiff.co.uk/how-to-stop-smoking-tips-1/

I look forward to returning to places and people that were associated with my nicotine addiction. But also would like to add that nicotine and alcohol have a codependent activity in the brain. Mostly due to Dopamine levels, the neurotransmitters responsible for "Reward Feeling" and all addictions. One of them increases the Dopamine level and one makes it so it stays in the brain longer.  So it is very important to not drink Alcohol while quitting Smoking.

To learn more:
http://thebrain.mcgill.ca/flash/i/i_03/i_03_m/i_03_m_par/i_03_m_par_nicotine.html#drogues

[Huz]

24 minutes ago, Leon Bell said:

Nicotine addiction has a very real impact on your brain. Your brain even has special receptors for nicotine, that during withdrawal cause your body to experience discomfort. The receptors raise a "Brain Storm" or neurotransmitter activity overload in your brain. No amount of mindfulness will completely eliminate this process. Ego does not play a role in this mechanism. What meditation can offer is a way to cope with the withdrawal. 

There is a very real distinction between the body and mind. So when I say the "Body" I mean biological processes you have no control over, and when I say the "Mind" I mean physiological processes you do have control over. Higher Consciousness does not change your Biological structure. I do believe we have Mastery over how we react and perceive messages the brain sends.

To learn more:
http://thebrain.mcgill.ca/flash/i/i_03/i_03_m/i_03_m_par/i_03_m_par_nicotine.html#drogues

You can convince your self of these beliefs, and they will only keep you addicted. You have no first hand experience of what you have just said in the first paragraph. You do have first hand experience of what arising in the present moment. I didn't say you have control over the physical sensations your body experiences when you stop smoking and same with the mind. Your mind will do its thing and do its best to draw you back to smoking and with help with the bodily sensations. They will be there. But with sufficient mindfulness you dont have to identify yourself with these phenomena.

You're labeling things which are making you stuck. Your are labeling withdrawal symptoms as "discomfort". Why are they not comfortable, they are the same phenomena arising in the present moment as the sensations of you sitting down. It is only your mind which creates perspective of comfort and discomfort. With practice your can observe the sensations of withdrawal and become perfectly content with them in the present moment. Thats why meditation is useful, it is self observation, and breaks down the barrier between what I have just mentioned. 

With me a shift in perspective occurred because the absurdity of what I was doing to body was more significant then sensations experienced. With no external help or nicotine substitutes used.

I hope you overcome this dude. Good luck  

Edited July 3, 2016 by Huz

[Syy]

Hey Man,

its so cool of you that you want to quit.

heres how it worked for me. My Dad died with 56, unheathly Lifestyle. I realized that i dont want to end up having an illness related to smoking.

I forced myself to take all the pain that came from quiting and became very aware that it would be hard. I told myself that ill take the pain and suffering, no matter what. All pain is still better than smoking. Quit 3 years ago. Best fuckin thing i did in my Life. You can do it to if i can do it.

Oh..and quiting is something YOU do. Nothing can do it for you.

Edited July 3, 2016 by Syy
forgot something

[Leon Bell]

1 minute ago, Huz said:

You can convince your self of these beliefs, and they will only keep you addicted. You have no first hand experience of what you have just said in the first paragraph. You do have first hand experience of what arising in the present moment. I didn't say you have control over the physical sensations your body experiences when you stop smoking and same with the mind. Your mind will do its thing and do its best to draw you back to smoking and with help with the bodily sensations. They will be there. But with sufficient mindfulness you dont have to identify yourself with these phenomena.

Your labeling things which are making you stuck. Your are labeling withdrawal symptoms as "discomfort". Why are they not comfortable, they are the same phenomena arising in the present moment as the sensations of you sitting down. It is only your mind which creates perspective of comfort and discomfort. With practice your can observe the sensations of withdrawal and become perfectly content with them in the present moment. Thats why meditation is useful, it is self observation, and breaks down the barrier between what I have just mentioned. 

With me a shift in perspective occurred because the absurdity of what I was doing to body was more significant then sensations experienced.

Actually I do have first hand experience of what I spoke about. I don't want to get too deep into it, but I have created supplements that use these principles and have helped many people. I don't really want to argue about it, because I have seen the positive impact of my work on others and also your view is as valid as mine, they are both beliefs. Even your belief about beliefs.

But to change focus back to your main point. And that I completely agree with. The ability to change how you perceive and react to life is amazing. Without meditation I would have never tapped into this world of actualization and growth.

I like what Leo said about mastering emotions. How you can become a super conductor for them. So I will attempt to do something similar with my withdrawal symptoms. To channel them. I hope one day I can get to the level where I am content with them.

[Huz]

1 minute ago, Leon Bell said:

Actually I do have first hand experience of what I spoke about. I don't want to get too deep into it, but I have created supplements that use these principles and have helped many people. I don't really want to argue about it, because I have seen the positive impact of my work on others and also your view is as valid as mine, they are both beliefs. Even your belief about beliefs.

But to change focus back to your main point. And that I completely agree with. The ability to change how you perceive and react to life is amazing. Without meditation I would have never tapped into this world of actualization and growth.

I like what Leo said about mastering emotions. How you can become a super conductor for them. So I will attempt to do something similar with my withdrawal symptoms. To channel them. I hope one day I can get to the level where I am content with them.

Maybe my wording was off. By first hand experience I meant that you haven't experienced the brain or the neuro-receptors first hand. But as you said it doesn't matter. I just want you too eventually give up smoking and hope my advice was helpful  

Good luck!

[Leon Bell]

27 minutes ago, Huz said:

Maybe my wording was off. By first hand experience I meant that you haven't experienced the brain or the neuro-receptors first hand. But as you said it doesn't matter. I just want you too eventually give up smoking and hope my advice was helpful  

Good luck!

Thank you, I want the same thing. I tried the neurosciences approach and saw major changes in the brain machine. I have no way of proving that these neurotransmitters exist or  do what they are supposed to. But through trial and error that has been my observation.

Your advice was very helpful. It made me reexamine my way of thinking. There was some resistance to accepting both opposing views. Honestly that is growth in it's own right. 

[Allinthemind]

Given time, the brain adapts to these changes particularly when you give it the new direction.

[egoeimai]

@Leon Bell  try to eliminate the amount of ciggaretes at first and foremost.

For example my mum use to smoke 5 to 6 ciggaretes a day.

Now a tip is to cut down at half.

Ex. 6 to 3

10 to 5. Etc etc

Cutting down completely will shock your body and mind because its a drug.it has side effects.

By the time and effort you will be managing to give up smoking completely.

 

[Syy]

What are the Side effects? Are they unhealthier than to smoke another 20 Cigarettes?

I "shocked" my Body by stopping nicotine use from one Day to another. Noticed no Side effects whatsoever.

[Leon Bell]

I agree with both points of view. If you quit cold turkey the side effects are that you feel like you are having a panic attack, only it doesn't go away. On the other hand you can slowly decrease your cigarettes until you can quit. I found that both ways don't work.

Cutting down cigarettes didn't work for me, because it would only take one cigarette for me to buy a pack. And I couldn't really control the amount at any point.

And shocking my body didn't work because I would run to the store and get a cigarette. It's different from person to person. Some people get really bad side effects.

What did work is quitting and taking calming supplements like L-Theanine, GABA, L-Tryptophan, and Taurine.