I'm sick and tired of my smoking addiction

[Someone here]

I know I've made several posts about my smoking habit in the past .but this time I'm more serious than ever .and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to quit .

Guys I need serious help to quit smoking .these days I smoke 15 stick per day . Its affecting my lungs negatively  .I can feel the burning sensation in my chest. Honestly I don't know what I'm waiting for to fucking quit once and for all ..do I have to have a heart attack as a wake up call or what?  Why am i being stupid? 

I think it's pretty clear that smoking is terrible for you, in so many ways.  It's the most obvious thing in the world, and its constantly drilled into your head that smoking is expensive, bad for your health, bad for others around you, unhygenic, disgusting, smelly, etc, etc. and that you NEED to quit RIGHT NOW.  For god's sake, even the packaging is plastered with warnings and graphic imagery, what more could possibly be done to deter smokers? 

For me, personally, none of these warnings mattered.  When I wanted a cigarette, I was going to smoke a cigarette, end of story.  I could list any number of reasons why I loved smoking (the taste, the social aspect, the chance to take a break, that satisfying burn) to counter any of the anti-smoking arguments. But none of that really matters.  Recently..two weeks ago , as soon as I finished a cigarette, I crushed it out and realized that I WANTED to quit smoking.  At that moment, the actual desire to NOT have a cigarette was outweighing the desire to have a cigarette.  This wasn't the first time I had this feeling, but it was the first time I decided to seriously act on it.  The next day, I didn't smoke.  The day after that, I didn't smoke either, but I started craving one. The third day, I wanted a cigarette BADLY, but by that point I realized that if I gave in, I'd have wasted the previous two days.  The desire to maintain that record, and taking pride in that record, helped me make it through that third day, and then the rest of the week.  That record became my defense against smoking.  It's like building a house of cards.  Every day you add a card to the house, and at first, it's not very impressive, and not much of a shame if you knock it down.  But after a while, that house of cards starts looking pretty good, and if you knocked it down, it would be a real shame. You develop an emotional attachment to the project. Right now, I've got a 2 weeks  old house of cards, and it's the only thing keeping me from picking up a cigarette.  It's not the health warnings, it's not the expense, it's that house of cards.  I know if I smoke even one cigarette, that entire house comes down, and I'm not 100% certain I can start over again.  I simply value my house of cards more than I do a cigarette.  Every few days I'll have a nightmare where I have a cigarette, and I'll wake up, terrified that I ruined my house of cards, relieved when I realize I didn't.  That's how I know I've really quit.  

Still, some days are pretty hard.  On the way to college this morning, I saw a guy on his apartment balcony smoking a cigarette in the hot weather , and I got a strong pang of jealousy.  But it went away after about 30 seconds.  That urge fades, in time, but it comes back every once in a while just to call your bluff.  Why I'm still hesitating?  When I'm gonna finally quit for Good ? That would be one of my gloriest victories in my life 

.but I need help. ? 

Edited August 23, 2022 by Someone here

[Realms of Wonder]

I believe in you. Make a 100% commitment.

 

This can help.

 

https://www.actualized.org/articles/overcoming-addiction

[Yarco]

Congrats on making it 2 weeks so far, that's an accomplishment in itself, even if you relapse and smoke again. If the worst happens, don't fall back into a bad cycle and go way off track, just reset and start trying for an even longer record. If you have 1 cigarette don't just let it become, 2, 3, then a whole pack.

Try and find what about smoking you're craving.

Is it the nicotine? Then try nicotine gum and gradually wean down.

Is it just the habit and ritual? Then try a lollipop to fulfill the need to hold something and put it in your mouth instead

[Roy]

Pick a healthy replacement habit and stick to it. You need to rewire your brain and the association you have with cigarettes to something else, like walking or push-ups.

Just quitting cigarettes will not work.

[Loba]

Hmmn - gum and sunflower seeds.

[Salvijus]

14 hours ago, Someone here said:

and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to quit .

? Vipassana retreat ?

I bet that's one thing you're not willing to do.

Edited August 24, 2022 by Salvijus

[Someone here]

12 hours ago, Yarco said:

Congrats on making it 2 weeks so far, that's an accomplishment in itself, even if you relapse and smoke again. If the worst happens, don't fall back into a bad cycle and go way off track, just reset and start trying for an even longer record. If you have 1 cigarette don't just let it become, 2, 3, then a whole pack.

Try and find what about smoking you're craving.

Is it the nicotine? Then try nicotine gum and gradually wean down.

Is it just the habit and ritual? Then try a lollipop to fulfill the need to hold something and put it in your mouth instead

 

11 hours ago, Roy said:

Pick a healthy replacement habit and stick to it. You need to rewire your brain and the association you have with cigarettes to something else, like walking or push-ups.

Just quitting cigarettes will not work.

I smoked 15-20 per day for years.  I tried quitting a number of times, on one occasion for a whole year, but kept going back.  People tell me  There are lots of methods i can use, books, patches, gum, hypnosis etc and i may find some work better for me than others, but I believe none of it will work . My case is very difficult. 

I need to change my  mind-set.  I must change from being a smoker who is trying to quit to being a non-smoker.  This is fundamental.  As long as i regard myself a smoker, i will spend my time fighting the urge to return to type.  If i think of myself as a non-smoker who smoked for a while, then reverting to type seems a lot less daunting.

@Yarco what I find in smoking is a stress relief.  It gives me this high state .I get high off of it .I also adore the smell and taste of nicotine in my mouth and nose .

@Roy I do have healthy habits. I actually work out in my home (weightlifting) once every week .but it didn't help me quit smoking.  In fact the more I worked out the more I needed  something to relax me .and I smoke to chill out and relax .now I understand that there are other ways to relax than to burn my chest with smoking. But it became a habit. I started when I was 16 to impress girls in high school .and it became an addiction. 

3 hours ago, Judy2 said:

I heard that for smoking specificall

14 hours ago, nuwu said:

s-stop thinking about it

y it can be a good idea to visually collect the money you'd otherwise spend on cigarettes (as in, physically putting cash in a jar every day). This can help you visualise how much money you used to spend on worsening your health, and you can start thinking about better things to invest in from there on. Like a weekend trip in nature or quality time with friends.

Of course that's not gonna cure the addiction itself, but it can be a useful habit to support your recovery.

 

 

It can also be a good idea to get more into health stuff in general. Working out, inproving your diet, starting a new supplement (not a useless one, but something that you know you'll benefit from), skin care, etc. This can set the mood and get you excited about improving your health, and so quitting cigarettes is just one more good thing that you do in support of this new project/attitude.

@Judy2Good idea .the ironic thing though is that I do take care of myself and my health besides smoking .I eat a clean diet consisting of high quality vegetables etc .and I work out on a weekly basis. If it wasn't for the smoking thing. .I would have been a very healthy person .but it's almost I have split personality disorder (not really but just as a metaphor ) I have a mix of good habits  and bad habits at the same time .im a very confusing and confused  person.  I think I need more clarity .my father passed away when I was 14 yo. And so I don't have any role models to look up to .

3 hours ago, Salvijus said:

? Vipassana retreat ?

I bet that's one thing you're not willing to do.

How is that gonna help me quit smoking ?

13 hours ago, Realms of Wonder said:

I believe in you. Make a 100% commitment.

 

This can help.

 

https://www.actualized.org/articles/overcoming-addiction

Thanks .Will check it out. 

3 hours ago, Loba said:

Hmmn - gum and sunflower seeds.

How is that gonna help me quit ?

Edited August 24, 2022 by Someone here

[Salvijus]

1 hour ago, Someone here said:

How is that gonna help me quit smoking ?

It's a practice designed to eliminate all compulsions. Total wipeout of cravings is its goal.

Edited August 24, 2022 by Salvijus

[Someone here]

4 hours ago, Salvijus said:

It's a practice designed to eliminate all compulsions. Total wipeout of cravings is its goal.

Can I do it solo or do I have to join a formal group ?

3 hours ago, Judy2 said:

Okay so maybe you gotta focus on finding more functional methods to relax in this case.

Sounds like you may benefit from ifs therapy/ parts work. It can help you understand and heal this split.

I actually do visit a therapist on a monthly basis and we work through the trauma that I have. Being bullied in school. The fact that I became the man of the house and being responsible at a very young age because of the death of my dad and not having enough fun childhood.  We also talk about my addictions .I'm trying to apply his advice..but In the end he cannot do the work for me ..i have to put on the nesscary effort in order to quit .whether it be smoking or any other bad habit that I have. 

[Salvijus]

1 hour ago, Someone here said:

Can I do it solo or do I have to join a formal group ?

A formal retreat is necessary. It doesn't cost anything. Plus it is very supportive and makes your results much better.

[Panteranegra]

Sorry about it. I know somehow how it feels. Not at that level, but I had some trouble with cannabis too, which is very hard to quit.

Here is a practical tip:

So every time you are about to smoke or buy cigarettes ask yourself this question:

What would my highest self do in this situation?

So if you are serious about aligning yourself with your higher self you will act upon the answer is providing you.

Edited August 25, 2022 by Panteranegra

[Carl-Richard]

Quote

Johns Hopkins researchers report 15 study participants taking psilocybin achieved an 80 percent abstinence rate over six months, compared to an approximate 35 percent success rate for patients taking verenicline, which is widely considered to be the most effective smoking cessation drug.

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/stories/mushrooms_quit_smoking.html

[Nilsi]

You need some kind of positive vision for which it is worth quitting. Smoking is awesome if you are a smoker lol, and it gives you a sense of control and familiarity - you better have a good fucking reason to quit. You know how this shit goes, they will suck you back in again and again, unless you fundamentally reorient your whole lifestyle to something higher than comfort. 

Edited August 25, 2022 by Nilsi

[Pavement]

 

[Nilsi]

2 hours ago, Aleister Crowleyy said:

 

WELBUTRIN(brand-name only, as the Generics have been proven to be not as effective) is the only way to quit. On Welbutrin no matter how much you smoke you will get zero benefits. No buzz, no throat hit, no improvement in cognition, no nothing. You will get so frustrated and will start crying. In 3 days you will quit anything nicotine related. Then you will taper off the Welbutrin. And ?BOOM ? YOU'RE OFF CIGARETTES.

I've quit without this horseshit. Don't spread this nonsense here.

[Bobby_2021]

A few tips.

1. Develop a disgust to the act of smoking. Picture yourself smoking, while the smoke entering your lungs, turning it into charcoal, and you getting cancer later in life, while coughing like hell. Seriously picture this. Maybe check out pics from the internet. Develop a disgust to the act.

2. Pick-up a healthy, less toxic distraction. This time whenever you want to smoke you immediately eat an ice cream. Or take 15 push ups.(the best)( Each push ups reverse the effects).

Do fasting if you are into it. 

3. Don't use your will power. You will lose. Instead be strategic about it. 

Allow yourself to smoke x times a week, then bring that number down slowly and steadily. It's not a necessity that you should smoke to reach that number lol. Smoke only if you have a strong urge. Else carry on with your life. Resist the urge at most times. You have a purpose to get done. 

 

After one month or so, just promise yourself to never smoke ever again. All the progress will be lost, if you go back.

Hope this helps. 

[zurew]

This will be a bit of an unconventional advice, but have you ever thought about going to a hypnotherapist with this issue? I don't know how big the success rate is, or how legit it is, but i heard that for some people it worked.

Basically the idea is to go into your subconscious mind (where most of your ingrained habits are) and then try to have an effect on those or try to change those, while you are in a deep trance.

Edit: Nevermind, i looked it up and the results are bad with hypnosis

Edited August 25, 2022 by zurew

[Ulax]

Hey dude, I've never dealt with it myself, nor know an expert opinion. Sorry to hear you've been going through this btw.

However, I do have a general recommendation I want to make.

I'd seek out an expert mentor in the relevant field and do what they say to do.

If the approach of that mentor doesn't work, then move on and try another.

[Nilsi]

10 minutes ago, Aleister Crowleyy said:

Are you ignorant? 

Obviously he has issues in his life that can cause him to commit harm on top of withdrawals...

When you quit nicotine you get very very angry ?.  Sounds like your still in that phase. You should grow up and learn that not everyone can just "muster through it". If you are suicidal I wouldn't ever recommend cold turkey or tapers.

Did you even read his life story? I could have been a dick to him like your being right now. I chose not to do that and re-reading his story. I've quit nicotine over 13x without welbutrin(people with adhd tend to go back). Every time I quit it was over 6 months. 

I have him an actual solution that isn't the same song and dance of "ohhhh just quit, find this and do that". You'd appreciate the significance of such a substance of you tried it. 

I have friends who couldn't cold turkey. I told them about Welbutrin and it changed their life forever.

You are too immature to understand this. Sorry to anger you my friend. All I love!

~Thoth-【θέλημᾰ(A∴A∴)】

 

Some things are hard and that's just what it is. Taking more drugs will not change your mind, which is exactly what has to happen, if you don't want to be stuck in the circle of addiction your whole life. You have recommended hard drugs to people before, and seem to be a junkie yourself, so I'm not going to engage in your bullshit any further.

[Carl-Richard]

You should try as many things as possible all at once. I'll name the things that worked for me when I quit weed (some of which have been mentioned already):

1. Smoke until you puke. It will recondition you from associating smoking with something good to something bad. That is essentially how naltrexone treatment works. The last time I smoked weed and got truly high, I got the mental equivalent of a panic attack, and every time I thought about weed again after that, I was only thinking about that horrible experience.

2. Replace the smoking with something else. I replaced weed-fuelled philosophizing with green tea-fuelled mindfulness meditation. And yes, the green tea was central

3. Your desire to change must be coupled with a concrete goal. I realized weed was interfering with my ability to meditate and achieve enlightenment.

4. Awareness alone is curative. Whether it comes to catching your cravings dead in their tracks, or being able to generally feel good, think clearly or be internally motivated, a daily meditation habit is essential. Your mind needs everything it can get of in terms of that meta-cognitive edge.

5. Usually a big life change comes with a big change in perspective and priorities. Consider having a psychedelic experience, or aim for something spectacular which requires your highest potential. For me, again, I had decided to dedicate myself to enlightenment.