struggling w cigarette addiction?

[paisley]

nicotine has been shown to help people with manic depression and scitzophrenia (sp?) cope better with their conditions and to let them control their own state of mind better without requiring as many meds

I just like them for the head rush in the morning

(this winking smilie looks to be in severe pain, I think smilie designers feel underappreciated or something... maybe we should have a contest to design our own smilies)

(actually was just pondering how long I want to continue smoking howler so thanks for the tip)

Edited April 12, 2005 by Guest

[Lazlo]

The smilies just taking a dump leave it be.

[Douglas]

The smilies just taking a dump leave it be.

or at least trying...

[GWB]

when i tried quitting smoking i took up materbation. anytime i craved a smoke i would just sneak into the washroom and toss my junk.

only problem is now i'm a cronic masterbator. if only they had a masterbation patch

[Guest Low Roller]

I'm surprised to hear how effective this book is, and you're not the first person to say it worked on them either Julia. I had a buddy who was a CHRONIC chain-smoker. He read the book and dropped cigarettes the next day. He had a severe relapse couple of weeks later though, but he re-read the book again to reinforce his stance on wanting to quit. He quit a second time, but sadly he became very irritable, edgy, and generally a dick to be around.

Wait, what was my point again?

Oh yeah...

Mmm... smooth...

[Dr_Evil_Mouse]

I wish I could drag as many people off this sinking ship with me as I possible can....as gently as possible.

I know its up to the individual.

I wasn't trying to preach just trying to help myself and others escape the brainwashing.

Good luck with this. You do know, of course, how much it is up to the individual. I used to smoke twice as much out of spite whenever someone tried getting me to give it up. It gets to be layers upon layers of self- (and other-) deception, to preserve the identity of the smoker as smoker - autonomous, self-controlled, and all the rest.

One of my favourite reads on the problem of addiction is Gregory Bateson's "The Cybernetics of 'Self': A Theory of Alcoholism" (in his Steps to an Ecology of Mind); it's a bit of a busy read, but his main argument is that fighting addiction is a loser's game, based on the idea that one part of the self - the controlling, dominating part - has unilateral control over the rest of the self. Every time you win, that controlling part of the self, in order to preserve itself, needs to put the addiction back into play, in a risky move that will allow the self again to prove its own potency.

The problem here, he says, comes from the mind/body divide we take for granted in our culture, which is a basically flawed way of looking at the world and the self; hitting bottom is often one way of realising how the idea of control is so flawed, and any real change has to come out of that realisation - the sea change that comees with recognising a Higher Power and all that other stuff that comes with AA, NA, etc.

It's the hitting bottom part that's always the biggest variable, though. You don't want to imagine what really hitting bottom looks like for smokers. Well, actually, there's a picture of it right above, isn't there.

[Kaidy Mae]

Just out of curiosity Howler, have you been out for a night on the town since the big quit?

My sister used to work as an addiction counselor and said that the only people she saw successfully quit were the ones who also gave up booze, drugs and other intoxicants (not to mention their beloved coffee & cigarette combo). Something about addiction associations, etc.

She worked at a half way house, so the average situation there was probably a lot different than your own. Just for interest's sake, she also mentioned that there is a very small success rate in the addictions counseling that she did (1-3%), so most people don't stay in the profession long due to it being so depressing. Ouch! Good luck with the battle though.

[Dr_Evil_Mouse]

For the longest time I couldn't dissociate cigarettes and ice cream. Go figure.

[Sunshine]

alright -Guilty!

I want to do it! I'm down to weekends (usually), and after being back home and my Aunt having a mild stroke (smoker), and my Uncle battling colon cancer and now a spot on his lung (smoker), my grandma died of emphasema (smoker).....

Ok - I'm done. Good-bye and good luck Julia!

[bouche]

I didn't give up booze to quit....I had to give up drinking the booze with people that smoked!

I did that for 1 month. Getting loaded with non-smokers and away from smoke entirely is the key to crossing that bridge.

[Kaidy Mae]

I didn't give up booze to quit....I had to give up drinking the booze with people that smoked!

Good point! When I hang out in a non-smoking environment, I don't even think about it (thank goodness the bars are trying to clear the air). It's only when there's smoke blowin' in my face that my brain wakes up and wants some.

[StoneMtn]

When I had my wisdom teeth removed many years ago, the dental surgeon gave me a very graphic description of the infection I would most likely get in my mouth if I didn’t stop smoking for one week. Somehow, I did that. One week later, I went in for a checkup and was told to wait one more week. I said, “Hey! We had a deal! One week!” Somehow, though, I waited one more week.

I was then in my car driving from Ottawa to Toronto to see a concert (no clue which one). I turned to my friend Mark in the passenger seat (non-smoker) and asked him to hand me my pack. Mark said, “Hasn’t it been like two weeks? Do you really need a cigarette?” I replied in my most surly manner, “Yes! It’s been two full weeks, therefore I really do need one now!” Mark continued to argue.

Mark eventually handed me my pack and continued to argue as I lit my smoke. Two or three drags into it, with Mark continuing to pester, I said, “Fine! You want it that way? I quit!” and threw my smoke out the window. Somehow, I knew that I had really quit that day, and never went back. Best move of my life. ... Oh, and THANK YOU MARK FOR BEING SUCH A PESKY, PERSISTENT ANNOYANCE!

Good for you Howler and congratulations. Stick with it!

[PalacePrincess]

the benefits I currently get from smoking far outweigh the long term consequences that I may suffer later on.

huh?

benefits? what benefits?

*edit* i would like to clarify that i am NOT asking this in a bitchy sarcastic way, i am genuinely curious.

Edited April 13, 2005 by Guest

[paisley]

My sister used to work as an addiction counselor and said that the only people she saw successfully quit were the ones who also gave up booze, drugs and other intoxicants (not to mention their beloved coffee & cigarette combo). Something about addiction associations, etc.

if/when/if/when I quit there's no question in my mind I'd have to stay off drinking for a good 3 months at first... wet beer mouth without a nice dry cigarette wouldn't cut it for me for a while

[bradm]

if/when/if/when I quit there's no question in my mind I'd have to stay off drinking for a good 3 months at first... wet beer mouth without a nice dry cigarette wouldn't cut it for me for a while

Just arrange for some other way of ingesting your alcohol...

Aloha,

Brad

[Kaidy Mae]

Jesus God man! That's one crazy way to ingest sherry!

[Im going home Donny]

Definately drinking around smokers is harder than drinking around non-smokers....though I am my owm worst enemy. Pot is a real killer for me so since I'm taking a 98% sabatical from weed anyways I'll just continue to keep away for awhile.Though bowls are different from joints...joints are too much like the nasty...though bowls still put smoke in my lungs without that certain kick, which admittedly leaves me craving the kick.

Funny thing I find is that all other intoxicants leave me no desire to smoke...its too much like I can feel the smoke writhing through my organs...yucky,mcyucksters.

Weird thing is when I workout...after I enjoy or think I enjoy a smoke more than ever....kooky.

Sure hope I make it after all this(partial reason for this). Its really just a mind fuck. I see it very clearly....now I just need to not ignore what I've realized. I don't want to die a smoker.I want free of the trap.

[Im going home Donny]

hahaha...well Roller I figure that seeing as I've been generally an irratable, edgy, dick, to be around lately anyways.....hahaha...mabey pulling this off will lighten my load.

[Del]

The benefits I get are fairly arbitrary, but to me they definitely outweigh quitting at the moment... They include:

-calming me

-relaxing me

-waking me up in the morning

-acting as a food substitute

-satisfying me after numerous activities

-killing time

-stress reliever

-etc...

Look, everyone on earth could give up smoking right now and I would be the last smoker standing... Yeah, I'd like to quit eventually, just not right now. These aren't excuses, it's a choice I've made. I know the evils of tobacco and what it's doing to me, but I don't really care at the moment. I don't drink coffee, eat a lot of sugary foods and am doing a lot less drugs than I was doing a year ago. I love smoking, it's one thing I can count on that's readily available... I applaud everyone who has quit or is trying to quit, but leave me the hell alone... I'll quit when I'm damn well ready, which I don't see in the near future... The non-smokers have won, they have smoke free bars, airplanes, restaurants, etc. Let me stand outside and smoke in peace...

[meggo]

I applaud everyone who has quit or is trying to quit, but leave me the hell alone... I'll quit when I'm damn well ready

[color:purple]heehee... are you sure you haven't just quit smoking??

(just ribbin ya del )

[bouche]

Del,

Your list of benefits is cracking me up. I really hope that's a satirical piece otherwise, I can't help but feel that the tobacco advertising has worked quite well on you

[Lazlo]

The benefits I get are fairly arbitrary, but to me they definitely outweigh quitting at the moment... They include:

-calming me

-relaxing me

-waking me up in the morning

-acting as a food substitute

-satisfying me after numerous activities

-killing time

-stress reliever

-etc...

Look, everyone on earth could give up smoking right now and I would be the last smoker standing... Yeah, I'd like to quit eventually, just not right now. These aren't excuses, it's a choice I've made. I know the evils of tobacco and what it's doing to me, but I don't really care at the moment. I don't drink coffee, eat a lot of sugary foods and am doing a lot less drugs than I was doing a year ago. I love smoking, it's one thing I can count on that's readily available... I applaud everyone who has quit or is trying to quit, but leave me the hell alone... I'll quit when I'm damn well ready, which I don't see in the near future... The non-smokers have won, they have smoke free bars, airplanes, restaurants, etc. Let me stand outside and smoke in peace...

Up yours buddy. I'd be last and I'll tell you what. When you and I are the last ones we'll have a smoke off and see who drops dead first.

[Del]

Del,

Your list of benefits is cracking me up. I really hope that's a satirical piece otherwise, I can't help but feel that the tobacco advertising has worked quite well on you

Where's that rolling eyes smilie when you need it? Which ad sells tobacco for any of the above reasons? In fact, what ads are you referring to? I haven't seen an ad for cigarettes in Canada in years... bouche, I really like you dude, but the holier-than-thou attitude regarding not smoking is pretty weak... The fact that you used to smoke makes it even worse. A pretty standard case of the ex-smoker turning into the smoke nazi... Get over it... Maybe you've been watching too many stupid.ca commercials? :crazy:

[rubberdinghy]

mychoice.ca...best website ever!!!

[Im going home Donny]

Dell...hey man my topic was Struggling with addiction? Not DELL you should quit! Not all smokers should quit! You aren't interested yet you say...but it seems mabey you are just a little because you posted in this topic even though apparently you are not struggling w/this addiction?

I don't want to make you deffensive but I'm telling you this book is very interesting and clearly dispells most arguements I've heard you, myself and others make on this subject. It also explains why most common methods don't work. It opens your eyes to the brainwashing we all recieve from the world and from our addiction...mostly from our addiction.

It shows how easy it is to quit.

No attacks here mon ami. I just know alot of us are struggling with this addiction, I found something very usefull in opening my eyes and wanted to share it to possibly help others and to reenforce my stance by declaring my stance outloud.

Thanks for wishing me goodluck. I probably need tonnes of it. You haven't known me that long and allready you've seen me quit and fail at least 5 times!I think I finnally just get it. Cheers, friend of mine.