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!@#$%! · 04.15.2016, 12:45 PM

depending on how much and how long you've been smoking, it takes 2-3 weeks for the acute cravings to cease.

having said that, being a smoker is like being catholic-- it never completely leaves you. i will always want to smoke. in emergencies, i still do.

but the only way to really kick it is cold turkey (even if you eventually rejoin the church). everythin else is faffing around pretending. cigarettes are super addictive so having them handy will make sure you don't quit. yes, you might need to reduce a bit at first but soon you will have to leap.

my own crucial technique was to breathe deeply when the cravings kicked. because cigarettes are both stimulating and calming, i induce physical calm with a series of deep breaths. for the stimulation, there's caffeine.

this is a tactical move, not a strategic one. you have to apply it on the spot.

as for larger strategies:

1) don't try to go on a diet at the same time, ha ha ha.

2) you're gonna eat more so try to eat healthy (i know you're vegetarian but so are doritos)

3) you might have to take some vacation days to deal with the brutal shift in mood, concentration, etc., until your brain rewires itself.

4) might be good sto start a little exercise at the same time. the difficulty breathing will be a good reminder/inducement to stick to your plan. running or swimming will tax the shit out of your lungs and give you something to work for. and the endorphins and dopamine will compensate somewhat for the lost pleasures of tobacco.

5) there will be some trigger behaviors/situations that will make you want to smoke more. for me it was coffee (it's gold with a smoke) and drinking (i smoked a whole pack or more during a night of drinking). so you gotta be mindful iat those moments, but don't quit coffee at the same time because it will induce a black depression. eat a pastry instead (you will get fat, work on that later).

6) pain is mandatory but suffering is optional.

7) through all this remember the breathing thing. to me, it made all the difference in interrupting the addiction loop whenever it kicked. a craving is basically a minor anxiety attack that demands quelling.

eta: wellbutrin? if it's serious and you can't take a 3-week vacation. great to keep your dopamine UP. and your insurance might cover it. the antismoke version i think is labeled XL or something similar.

04.15.2016, 12:45 PM	#22
!@#$%! invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: mars attacks Posts: 42,466	depending on how much and how long you've been smoking, it takes 2-3 weeks for the acute cravings to cease. having said that, being a smoker is like being catholic-- it never completely leaves you. i will always want to smoke. in emergencies, i still do. but the only way to really kick it is cold turkey (even if you eventually rejoin the church). everythin else is faffing around pretending. cigarettes are super addictive so having them handy will make sure you don't quit. yes, you might need to reduce a bit at first but soon you will have to leap. my own crucial technique was to breathe deeply when the cravings kicked. because cigarettes are both stimulating and calming, i induce physical calm with a series of deep breaths. for the stimulation, there's caffeine. this is a tactical move, not a strategic one. you have to apply it on the spot. as for larger strategies: 1) don't try to go on a diet at the same time, ha ha ha. 2) you're gonna eat more so try to eat healthy (i know you're vegetarian but so are doritos) 3) you might have to take some vacation days to deal with the brutal shift in mood, concentration, etc., until your brain rewires itself. 4) might be good sto start a little exercise at the same time. the difficulty breathing will be a good reminder/inducement to stick to your plan. running or swimming will tax the shit out of your lungs and give you something to work for. and the endorphins and dopamine will compensate somewhat for the lost pleasures of tobacco. 5) there will be some trigger behaviors/situations that will make you want to smoke more. for me it was coffee (it's gold with a smoke) and drinking (i smoked a whole pack or more during a night of drinking). so you gotta be mindful iat those moments, but don't quit coffee at the same time because it will induce a black depression. eat a pastry instead (you will get fat, work on that later). 6) pain is mandatory but suffering is optional. 7) through all this remember the breathing thing. to me, it made all the difference in interrupting the addiction loop whenever it kicked. a craving is basically a minor anxiety attack that demands quelling. eta: wellbutrin? if it's serious and you can't take a 3-week vacation. great to keep your dopamine UP. and your insurance might cover it. the antismoke version i think is labeled XL or something similar.
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