Wow. I was flipping through new posts on my phone, when I stumbled onto this one. I immediately jumped up and ran to the computer because I felt that this is actually something I can post constructively on. Let alone help warrior with
I'm 31 years old. I've smoked for 13 years of my life. And I quit once.
I've had many friends quit smoking. They all chronicled how difficult it was, and told me stories about their cravings, and whined and complained; but I've discovered one thing: Quitting smoking is
easy.
How did I do this?
I made a decision.
I made a decision to quit, and i kept it. It's been 6 years now and other than an occasional cigar (once every month or two) the last cigarette I put against my lips was the one that i smoked saying
"this is my last cigarette".
Now, It's defiantly as easy as it sounds, but you will have cravings, so how do you sate those?
I'll give you the technique I used, you will need to modify it a bit to select something that is meaningful to you, but the principle is the same. I read it in some book a few years back, I just don't remember which one, but i do know it's the only part of the book that helped me, and I stuck with it.
As men, we do things for two reasons.
1) Avoid pain.
2) Gain pleasure.
More often then not, we will go out of our way to avoid pain rather then gain pleasure, but that's a discussion for another day.
You smoke because
it gives you pleasure. If smoking gives you pain,
YOU WILL QUIT. How do you associate smoking to pleasure? tell me, or at least admit it to yourself.
- Do you feel "cool" doing it?
- Does it give you something to do in a bar?
- Does it taste good?
- Do you get a smokers high?
What's the ONE reason on top of all others that you would give yourself that makes you smoke?
"I, Warrior74, smoke because I ___________________".
We have to break that.
Associate pain to smoking. How? Just change that one sentance.
"I, Warrior74, do not smoke because I ___________________".
I'll tell you what happened to me.
One of my closest friends quit smoking. He was going through doing the non-smokers thing of telling me I should quit and was just being a pain in the ass. I told him yes, I did want to quit, as we got into a deep discussion about why. I smoked because I felt like it made me "fit in" It was something to do. We could smoke inside bars, I would drink almost 4-5 times a week, and smoke a pack or pack and a half a day. He asked me if I would quit. I said "yes". He asked me if I could promise that. I said yes.
Then this is what he said to me: "Good. The world is going to be going through some tough times; and I will need to know who I can trust. You've given me your word, and I trust that. You have honor and I know can trust you, because if I can't trust you, how can we be friends? I'm only friends with people I trust."
All off a sudden:
"I, Lorekeeper, smoke because I feel social doing so"
became:
"I, Lorekeeper, do not smoke because if I do, I will lose my closest friend."
I associated Losing my friend, l
osing my honor just by
smoking a cigarette.
The next day I was in a bar. I had a smoke in my hand. I did not light it. I looked at it. I wanted it, but I did not crave it. My cravings were gone. I did not
NEED it. My will was stronger then my desire.
I put it down and never touched a cigarette out of want again.
For MONTHS, people would offer me smokes. I would reply "no thanks, I am quitting" "no thanks, I am trying not to smoke" "no thanks, I'm quitting"; and they would all reply the same thing while firing up their little cancer sticks:
"Oh that's good, I wish I could too"
For months, I would tell myself I am quitting. I am quitting. and one day, playing a game of pool, something clicked inside me.
I
HAVE quit.
I HAVE WON.
and that discovery of pleasure beat all the feelings of pleasure of ever instance of smoking.
May your victory be as sweet as mine.
Fight on, brother.