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Emotional reasons for smoking - hope this helps!


17 years ago 0 969 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
wackydog, I understand completely. Once we come to understand that what happened to us in childhood shapes the adult we become, we have to bring those things out one last time, examine them, and then throw them away, or at least file them under "done". Then we can move on. Good luck in your quit. So many of us have to try and fail. MomMom "You have to honor failure, because failure is just the negative space around success." ~ Randy Nelson, Pixar Animation Studios [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/14/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 7 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 228 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $33.95 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 1 [B]Mins:[/B] 8 [B]Seconds:[/B] 29
17 years ago 0 591 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
wackydog So glad you came back! As I have often told new members coming in; if I had known then...what I know now...I would be a non-smoker for 25 years. Hope you have been keeping up with the posts these past months to see what's been happening here. Lots of sharing and caring of course. We need your help, many of us are struggling. It helps to know that others have the same kinds of stresses and emotional issues in their lives. When they are successfull at dealing with these, it is helpful when they share their coping strategies in the quest to remain a non-smoker. So many times we feel like "no one knows what I am going through" Since we are all strangers and do not face each other in the flesh, it is much easier to let it all Hang out verbally. Thanks for sharing with us auntdeb :) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/1/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 52 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,613 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $247 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 7 [B]Hrs:[/B] 4 [B]Mins:[/B] 31 [B]Seconds:[/B] 3
18 years ago 0 2670 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
wackydog, sounds like you have all the tools there for a succesful quit wishing you lots of luck lynnexx [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 10/24/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 14 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 222 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �56 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 15 [B]Mins:[/B] 55 [B]Seconds:[/B] 48
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18 years ago 0 2631 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi Wacky I was an emotional smoker too....(this quit is more to do with my head than the physical part). Sounds like you have a good plan...Keep us posted on your quit! All the best! Windy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 9/11/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 57 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,158 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $285 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 5 [B]Hrs:[/B] 11 [B]Mins:[/B] 50 [B]Seconds:[/B] 45
17 years ago 0 41 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
UPDATE - 4 months later: Well, yup, I was right. There were very concrete, real, highly emotional reasons underneath my smoking. I won't go into details, suffice it to say that my smoking was intricately related to my survival of a serious traumatic event. This was a form of self-injury for me - chosen for specific reasons way back when I was 12. The past 4 months, I've been very busy getting to the core reasons for the smoking and also recovering enough, from the emotional revelations, to think about trying yet again. Letting go is still my strategy; and on it's own, I've slowed down. No effort, no intention, nothing directed at smoking. Sometimes there is MORE to smoking than just the physiological & emotional addiction. (and those are bad enough!!) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/14/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] -20 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 0 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $0 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 0 [B]Mins:[/B] 0 [B]Seconds:[/B] 0
18 years ago 0 41 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
OK - had to push back my 2nd quit date a couple of times. A major family crisis hit, just after some major progress in therapy about my emotional ties to smoking. The two actually worked together to help me see what keeps me tied to the smokes. I have emotional cravings that I'm not dealing with; and instead of dealing with the emotional needs, I'm substituting a cigarette. Think I know what makes 'em "tick" now... and how to beat them. For me, smoking is what I substitute for the emotional needs I have throughout the day. Reward for finishing a task; "time out" to solve a problem or walk away from frustration; a mental pause to refocus on the next task; 5 minutes of "me" time after non-stop support activity. Since I sit at a 'puter all day long, I'm going to program in hourly reminders for a break in outlook, during the next couple of weeks. (any timer would work, too) Just a minute or two to pull back from the screen and just sense my body. Longer breaks for tea, walks, get up & chat with a co-worker. At home, the temptations aren't so great, except in the morning. So I'll be replacing my normal coffee/smoking chat with hubby with something else - breakfast maybe, ya think? And some tai chi. Afternoon, I'm not much of a smoker and can easily replace/reward myself for not smoking. I don't smoke after 5 pm. I don't smoke in the house, so any activity there is safe. Physical cravings really drop off for me around day 3; but then all the emotional reasons kick in. This is what did my Sept quit in; and it's taken me this long to figure out what's going on and how to deal with it. Hope this helps someone else. Ask yourself what you REALLY need when you find yourself wanting a cigarette. It's probably something else. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 11/10/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] -2 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 0 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $0 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 0 [B]Mins:[/B] 0 [B]Seconds:[/B] 0
18 years ago 0 41 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Thanks, Everyone! One more day to prepare... my going back to smoking after September's quit was triggered by emotional needs (yet again) and the normal stress at work. So this time, I'm going to have a successful quit-day on Friday - a comfortable, but busy & enjoyable weekend, and reinforce the quit at work on Monday. Tea! LOTS of tea! :D I've found that Sleepytime Extra has just the right amount of Valerian to "take the edge off" the restlessness or anxiety I sometimes experience. When I don't need that, I have a selection of other herbal teas to just give me a yummy treat and some extra vitamin C. Normally, I drink a lot of water (which is a good recommendation during a quit) but it's just too chilly lately, and I almost drink TOO much water... I've found the tea more satisfying too. This isn't going to be a struggle-type of quit. It's a "letting go"... letting go of a coping strategy that's counter-productive and useless to meet my real needs. I mean, I could poke a stick in my eye to cope with frustration and it would make about as much sense, wouldn't it? (OK, that's a little graphic...but "point" made.) Lots of other ways to get my emotional needs met that will actually MEET them - not just be a poor substitute. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 11/10/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] -1 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 0 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $0 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 0 [B]Mins:[/B] 0 [B]Seconds:[/B] 0
18 years ago 0 2039 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Sounds like you're ready, Wackydog. By not smoking in the house, you erase a lot of triggers before you start. I never smoked in the house, so things like talking on the phone, going on the computer, etc. never triggered the need for a smoke. I used smoking for rewards and "me time" as well. Problem was, I was having a "pack" of rewards and "me time" every day!!!! New rewards, and some relaxing me time...with tea, can't forget the tea. Good going Wackydog. Cheers, Jan [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 10/16/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 22 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 686 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $198 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 2 [B]Hrs:[/B] 11 [B]Mins:[/B] 54 [B]Seconds:[/B] 28
18 years ago 0 2838 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Great planning! Can I join you for the tai chi? YUMMY! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 9/8/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 60 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 3,042 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $480 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 6 [B]Hrs:[/B] 6 [B]Mins:[/B] 15 [B]Seconds:[/B] 13
18 years ago 0 3368 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
[IMG]http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a17/Daniwiz/bigemo_harabe_net-117.gif[/IMG] Fondly, Free [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 5/12/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 179 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 5,395 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $716 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 15 [B]Hrs:[/B] 3 [B]Mins:[/B] 7 [B]Seconds:[/B] 51
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