I need to stop smoking. These last couple of years, I've overcome a number of addictions, but I never thought I would be able to quit smoking. Who would have thought that it would be so incredibly easy...?
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Quit Smoking: Want Vs. Nééd
Every smoker knows: smoking is bad for you. Society doesn't let an opportunity pass to make that clear. But the addiction to nicotine and cigarettes in general, is one of the worst I've personally experienced.
I need to have another surgery in about 2 months, and apparently nicotine is very bad for the healing process. My surgeon advised me to stop smoking, to increase the chance on success.
So, I decided to try and stop smoking.
Easier said than done, though.
One of the things that made it even more difficult is that I háve to. I've learned from people around me that the first condition to succeed in the effort is to wánt to.
Addiction is a weird thing, right? I mean, of course I know smoking is bad for my health. I can not think of a rational reason why I wouldn't want to stop. I'm just addicted. And motivation-wise, there's a huge difference between 'I have to' and 'I want to'.
A Book?
I had decided to stop smoking a little over three weeks ago.
Just like any other smoker, I kept postponing it, and told myself I would stop ѕmоkіng іn duе time. The holidays were a perfect excuse, lol.
But let's be honest here.... is there any right tіmе tо stop smоkіng? Better today than tomorrow, right?! So three days ago, I decided I had to stop avoiding it and bite the bullet.
Up until a week ago, I wasn't really sure how and where to start. Everybody I came across had his own piece of advice, and I suffered from information overload.
Then one of my friends, who stopped smoking successfully two weeks ago, told me about a book. At first, In was like: 'Yeah, right... a book is not going to help stop the cravings'. In the end, I changed my mind: why not give it a try? If it doesn't work, nothing is lost. If it does, it's a winner.
In the past, I had read another book by the same author, and that had been a real eye opener. 'Addicted to love: the path to self-acceptance and happiness in relationships' had taught me a couple of important lessons, so I wanted to give Jan Geurtz the benefit of the doubt, and ordered 'Quit smoking in one day' online.
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I was skeptical, though. Even more when I read what was printed on the book once I received it.
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Haha, I guess you will agree with me that it simply sounds too good to be true. :0)
In only one day? Without any withdrawal symptoms? Without self-discipline? I refused to believe it.
The Method
The big difference between the author of 'Quit Smoking In One Day' and Alan Carr, who became world famous with his books that help people to quit smoking, is that Jan Geurtz is actually a good writer, lol.
That aside, Jan Geurtz takes everything a step further than Carr did.
It is not enough to make the reader realize that nicotine has no effect at all, aside from the fact that it gives relief for the withdrawal symptoms it causes. It's important that the reader gets insights in the illusion of addiction, and the vicious circle he's trapped in. After all, smoking is a compulsive habit, meant to take away negative feelings about yourself, but at the same time causing more negative feelings.
Another important insight is that if you want to quit smoking, you should not battle your addiction. The more you fight the urge to take a cigarette, the stronger that urge becomes. The entire book targets the feeling that, by the time you have finished it, not having to smoke anymore is a relief rather than a punishment.
This method requires a whole lot of introspection, and honesty.
It's actually too difficult to explain in short, but absolutely very interesting.
Does It Really Help To Quit Smoking?
I lost a lot of my prejudice after my girlfriend, who read the book first, completely quit smoking right after she had finished it. Those first couple of days, she didn't even think of smoking a cigarette. I was stunned....
I still started with the 'here-goes-nothing'-attitude, but by the time I was halfway through I started to realize that you can not underestimate the power of the mind. During the last couple of chapters, I had to force myself to smoke. (It's a part of the method that you can/should smoke until you've finished the entire book.) I looked at the ashtray, and it looked and smelled disgusting.
He made me realize that the fear that was caused by the idea that I had to stop, is the worst of all ... way worse than the actual process.
I'm not completely clean... yet. Every day around noon, I become obsessed with the idea of smoking a cigarette. Whatever I try to do to take my mind off it, it simply doesn't work. All I can think of is my fix.
I learned that the harder you fight it, the stronger that urge becomes, so I give in and smoke one. Just one, though. Once I'm done with it, the thought of taking a cigarette doesn't even occur to me anymore for the rest of the day.
So, I think I can say it was quite a success.
If you would have told me I would (almost) quit smoking after reading a book, I would have laughed so hard...
But of course, we all know that it wasn't the book. The book is just the means to an end. By revealing and explaining all the thought processes, the fears, the essence of addiction, the author gives the reader the tools he needs to simply decide for himself whether it is worth it, and attractive, to smoke another cigarette. I must admit, after being addicted for more than 25 years, it felt good to be able to make a choice.
Just Do It
A last word of advice: if you're thinking about quitting yourself, stop postponing. It's better to stop today than tomorrow. It will for sure make your future brighter and healthier.
Haha, don't worry, I'm not delusional. I know how it was for me. It didn't matter what other people said. Even when everyone is reminding you to stop smoking, it is you who has the final word.
Another thing I learned from the book: there is absolutely no use in trying to stop smoking. You either stop, or you don't. Black or white. If you make the decision, you gotta commit 100%.
When you do, you're going to be surprised about how easy it is. Why wouldn't it be? It's easy to choose for health, for freedom, on one condition: you've got to set your mind to it.
Let's say I can really recommend reading the book. I would have never gotten this far without it. Of course there's no guarantee that it'll work for you, but if you have an open mind, and are willing to do some serious introspection, it can definitely bring you a long way.
If I can quit smoking, you can too!!
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Mark Twain once said, "quitting smoking is easy, I've done it loads of times,"
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Good for you @simplymike. the longer you go the easier it should get.
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I stopped smoking 15 years ago but I never quit.
I moved from a pack a day to "on weekend nights, on vacation" etc.
The most important point is to not do it in every day situations because that situation will become a trigger (coffee, waiting for the bus etc.). This is the reason I never smoke at work (colleagues are always surprised to see me with a cigarette when we're out on a team event or something) or at home (unless I have the guys over).
It's all in your head, just a habit really. Many people give up on quitting when they had a weak moment thinking one cigarette ruins it all. Good that you understood that this is not the case.
On the other hand, I might not be the ideal example as I still smoke from time to time (never more than a pack a month though, usually a lot less, certain months not even a single cigarette).
However I now view it as my free choice of enjoying the smoke (like a special meal or drink you treat yourself to) rather than an addiction where the cigarettes are forcing me to smoke them.
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That's really awesome @simplymike and I'm proud of you for this and opening up about yourself in the last couple of posts. Keep believing and we can carry on with the #20202020202020 😁
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Good read. Thanks.
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I smoked for around 15 years then quit a few years ago. I was just pissed off they raised taxes. "The government ain't gonna get no more money from me", I said.
Also, around that time, there was a lot in the media about outdoor air pollution, so I was reading a lot of articles. I already knew how bad smoking was for my respiratory so I figured the combined effect was worse (why I didn't notice this during a trip to Beijing nearly a decade earlier still frustrates me).
My friend had quit about 6 months before me and used that very same book you are discussing above. He gave me a copy, but I never opened it. I said I would read it if I failed to quit. Fortunately, or not, the taxes didn't go away and the outdoor air quality didn't get better, but I didn't start smoking again (okay I had a few in the last 4 years or so when I was really drunk).
The first thing I noticed is how awful cigarettes smell before during and after smoking. Then I noticed I can just smell everything better in general. Also, when I catch a cold or whatever, it's never as bad with the sinuses and coughing is down by a lot.
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Okay I hate to be all ex smoker about this but I totally agree - it's either or all nothing. Smoke or don't. The biggest thing for me, and what made me quite for good, was just saying to myself "I'm an ex smoker" AND NOT TALKING ABOUT IT TO EVERYONE, which just made my cravings worse. Plus, we were travelling in Asia away from all our triggers, so that helped. 14 years ex-smoking now - and I was a chain smoker, roll ups, yellow fingers and all. Can't even imagine it now. One day you'll realise it's been years since you lit up - promise!!! Good luck - I know you won't need it, because I can tell you've already turned a corner. Oh, the other thing was DON'T HAVE THAT ONE CIGARETTE! You just top up your nicotine levels - drink water, go for a run, do ANYTHING but smoke girl!!! It will pass, it will pass, it will pass - my MANTRA!!! - @riverflows.
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Thanks, @riverflows. I know I shouldn't take that last one indeed. My doctor said the same, and that's also what I learned from the book.
Thing is, and I realize this might just be another excuse, that's it's not that easy to take your mind of it when you're basically tied to the bed.
My doc said: go for a run, take out the bike... hahaha, I just laughed at her. She - of all people - should know that I can barely have a slow walk for 5 minutes. No running, no bike riding for me.
I tried a little meditating, reading a good book, heck, even getting up and doing the dishes. ;0) Nothing works. I've been obsessed about numerous things in my life in the past, but this feeling is 1000 x worse. It's actually not a feeling, it completely exists in my mind.
I have like 4-6 more weeks before the surgery. I'm pretty confident that by that time, even that one cigarette won't be needed anymore.
I get up in the morning, without wanting a cigarette, and go till noon. That's longer than I ever managed during the last 25 years. When I had the one at noon, I can go without until I go to bed, which never happened to me before. I don't even feel the cravings...
Guess I just need to brainwash myself just a little bit more :0)
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