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I decided to quit smoking.
pommesetoranges
Explorer
Had a lot of stress at work recently and started smoking again. I can't run, sleep well and all of my healthy habits are going down the drain one by one, so it's time to for a change.
I therefore create this thread to make myself accountable in front of this great community.
Please send some positive energy in my direction, as this uncool habit is wreaking havoc on my body and the constant struggle creates a lot of suffering.
All the best.
I therefore create this thread to make myself accountable in front of this great community.
Please send some positive energy in my direction, as this uncool habit is wreaking havoc on my body and the constant struggle creates a lot of suffering.
All the best.
15
Comments
Metta to you. Bravo. :clap:
Exercise definitely helps and I get a lot of it on a regular basis, plus I'm (still) very fit and healthy.
It's all good when I'm not stressed, but there are times when I'm under some extreme pressure. That's when my mind starts playing tricks on me and I surrender to the craving.
Some time ago I started a new job and it is demanding beneath my expectations. I had to make a whole bunch of lifestyle adjustments just to keep myself from getting fired. It can get very hard. Hard like working for 48 hours straight after 4 hour sleep just to get things done. I need this job though and I know life will get easier, as soon as I learn this stuff better.
Lately, it's been getting ridiculously irrational really, I buy a pack twice a day, smoke one cigarette and throw out the rest. Regularly. Today in the afternoon, I was going through a neighborhood dumpster in the search of the pack I threw away in the morning. The worst part is that I'm constantly aware of the suffering I'm about to bring about, you see, smoking is rarely pleasurable, breathing gets harder, I cough up a lot of nasty stuff and don't even enjoy the effects nicotine has on my body anymore.
I notice the way my body reacts to stress, I can recognize the craving, I see the suffering coming, I know that the whole activity isn't going to be satisfying but even though I'm totally aware of all these things I somehow go and buy another pack. Why?
It's not easy to quit smoking, you really have to make up your mind to do it. Jan. 1 will be 19 years for me. I decided it was time.
Chip away at it my friend. Happy to read that your physical yoga is going strong. Verbal yoga and mental yoga ! woo!
You can use your power of imagination to reduce reflexive attachment to it as well. Just imagine you are buying searing thorns or lashings of a spiked whip. Fight craving with skill
I quit smoking more than 13 yrs ago; January 28th, 2000. Cold Turkey, done, over.
But for some reason...about 4 months ago, I started snitching a puff now and then from my sister-in-law whenever we were hanging out together; at the pool or shopping, etc. (She smokes menthol cigs, and I've never ever smoked anything but menthol cigs. Even at the height of my cigarette addiction, I'd go without any, rather than smoke a regular non-menthol).
Well, yeah, it started with a puff here and there - maybe once every week or two.
Then she started offering me a whole cig for myself. Most of the time, I'd wave her off and say "Naah." Then I started taking it. One cig every 10 -14 days...big deal, right?
Well about 2 weeks ago, on a whim, I bought my own PACK!! :eek: My husband has been helping himself (without me knowing until yesterday) and and I only had two cigs left when I looked yesterday. I probably smoked about 6 or 7 out of the whole pack over two weeks time. Not bad, really....but so not good either.
But I do enjoy it so!! I've always liked smoking...
I have one left, I'm going to smoke it now- and I hope to not smoke anymore, ever again. *sigh*
Wish me luck!
There are so many different ways of not fully facing dukka.
I currently think that an addiction as really anything that limits that acceptance.
1. I give in I am going to have one - craving satisfied - you are happy right?
2. I choose not have one - There is self control happening here! I see it now…
3. I have had enough . I hate myself and my addiction - I just want to get rid of it - give me a cigarette to get over it…
It is just a state of mind.
Mettha
The only thing that worked was cold turkey. It's been about 5 years now...
and I still avoid being around smokers. I'm too weak around the smell.
It smells like fresh baked bread....or cookies...and chocolate cake
to me. My senses go nuts....hahaha.
Good luck @MaryAnne!
Try to let the craving ride out....
People who want to quit should try to remember that it smells horrible to a non smoker. The smell of stale tobacco on someone is as bad as body odor or urine, to me anyway.
Why would someone who cares about their appearance want to smell like that?
Mary Anne...knock it off. I don't want to end up saying, "I really miss Mary Anne".
Maybe appealing to their vanity can help. It's pretty gross.
more insecure about my appearances. Wrinkles are sooooo much worse
in smokers....and spitting up phlegm was not a cute look for me.
As I was getting more serious about looking deeply (practicing).....I had
to face it for what it was. A bondage.
Weirdly...I was always aware of the smell to others. I never smoked in
my house or cars...bec I didn't want my kids/stuff smelling like smoke. That's
prob what made it so hard to change habits.....I liked my 'me' time in the
garage and on the back porch.....My poor rose garden went unattended
for a whole year, so I could remove myself from the setting....
just as a triage.....The roses are fine now.
doing other things. Enough about me....It's hard everyone, I know...but
if my hard headed ass can do it, anyone can! :thumbsup:
But thanks!
@pommesetoranges : Stress is the worst when it comes to staying off the cigs. I hope you can win the battle against -- *AND* lower the stress in your life.
Be happy, be healthy, be Buddha! ;-)
What helps me is to identify the trigger. Then eliminate the trigger. The trigger for cheetoes is having coins in my pocket and walking past a vending machine. If I change my path or leave the coins at home, the trigger doesn't happen, the power of Cheetoes wanes.
From the sounds of it, kicking cigs takes a multi strategy approach, not all approaches work for everyone in all situations.
Been smoking for 26 years, chest is starting to hurt and I have a new daughter.
So many say you gotta do it for yourself and nobody else but that never worked for me so well. I do think we benefit more if we do it for others.
I guess it's only a paradox if myself and others are not aspects of the same thing.
- mostly Medicine Buddha . . .
Bravo.
Inspiring.
Live long and prosper
http://www.wildmind.org/mantras/figures/bhaishajyaguru-medicine-buddha-mantra
Still smoke free and full of vibrating energy.
Stress is less of a problem as I got back on track with my sadhana and other healthier activities: twice a day dose of pranayama and meditation, plenty of exercise and mostly raw diet leaves me feeling pretty ecstatic actually. Also, I hired a new person and she is doing fine so my own workload got reduced substantially.
Hope you guys end your struggles too.
Having a daily journal and someone who can hold you accountable is almost a must because the motivation comes and goes, it's the habit that keeps you going and if you don't have the discipline to keep going when you are no longer motivated then that is where an outside power like someone holding you accountable can show it's value.
From what I see, one e-cig has far less nicotine than a pack of cigs; and that's about how long they last (puff-count).
That is an improvement, you must admit.
There is no smell to trigger others, (or annoy others), no ashes to dispose of, no harmful smoke to irritate throat or lungs, and you can smoke them nearly anywhere when the craving hits hard.
I know several people who used e-cigs for a few weeks to a few months, but are now off smoking cigs and e-cigs completely!
Quitting has been great for my meditation practice. For example it is an hour till my next smoke so I am going to meditate for an hour. It's like a mini-retreat, kinda like a personal pan pizza.