Forum
Any one got any tips I have become a non-smoker only 4 days ago, after a lifetime of beinga slave to the nicotine, Allen carr has been read and digested and am fully aware of what my mind and body are upto at the moment....but f~**¬*~ell am havin a real bad day, I just keep crying like a big girls blouse at the slightest inconveinience, like the bus being late! and am really struggling not to substitute the smokes for toffees, already gone through a couple of 1lb of choc limes- any body got any ideas how to keep my mind focused and stop myself running to the nearest newsagents or mugging the nearest smoker- any advise will be cherished thankyou AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHxx
RE: Help me am loosing it!
Hiya Daybreak,
I gave up smoking two years ago now, and clearly remember the crying phase - although mine was day 3. Giving up can be an emotional journey, and for some of us, that includes crying.
As for the eating, i made up my mind that i was gonna quit smoking, and then worry about the weight. I felt i could only do one thing at a time - and for my long term health it had to be quitting smoking.
Chop up vegies at the start of the day, and snack on them, they can help replacing the hand to mouth action.
Drink loads of water - i took a water bottle with my everywhere for the first couple of months.
Try some gentle exercise, walking helped me take my mind off it.
Maybe highlight the pages of alan carr that really stand out for you. When you are having a bad moment re read these pages.
I hope i have been of some help,
Its really the best thing you could ever do, and well worth the hard work.
annie
RE: Help me am loosing it!
thanks once againfor yoursome really useful tips, at the moment I just want to get under my quilt cover and sob like a 3 yr old not the 35 yr old that I am. I hope this feeling soon passes I hate thinking am weak,gonna cut up some veg in a mo, my poor boyfriend is visiting tonight he is and has never been a smoker so has no idea what I feel like the worst thing is that both I and my housemate have given up and he may get it in the neck if he makes the wrong remark tonight. ta 4 your help xx
RE: Help me am loosing it!
One thing I noticed when I stopped smoking was how nice I smelt!
Its sounds a bit bizarre but I used to smell my fingers when I fancied a fag and think 'oh these smell so much nicer and cleaner'!!
I also used to have a piece of fruit or gum or even brush my teeth. That feeling of being minty fresh put me off having a fag and making me all stinky again!
Maybe Im just weird!
Good luck chick-you can do it!
tx
RE: Help me am loosing it!
Hi Dawn,
Apparently Alan Carrs book is really good. I really should read it myself (although I don't smoke any more, it would be good to see what he has to say and it may be useful for when I'm treating clients).
I've treated several people who wanted to give up smoking using EFT, and the effects were very quick. If you're not familiar with the technique there's a free manual you can get from the EFT website [link= http://www.emofree.com ]www.emofree.com[/link] which covers the basics.
Once you're familiar with the basic technique I would suggest focussing on each aspect of your feelings towards smoking seperately and work on each one until it is clear before moving to the next. With EFT it's important to use your own wording, but with clients I've treated, I've had them hold a ciggy and focus on it to get the words that make sense to them. Common phrases are "I want that ciggy", "I could really f***in' smoke that at this minute" and "I'm craving that fag". Which in EFT terms gets turned into phrases like e.g. "Even though I'm craving that fag, I'm OK". (It makes sense if you're familiar with the technique ;))
Once that initial craving (or whatever) is gone, I usually get the client to take a dry drag on the ciggy and see if the intensity has gone up, and if so, work on that feeling in the same sort of way. Then, once that's cleared, we look at other aspects of smoking that makes them want to smoke e.g. "When I'm out drinking with my mates"or "When I get up and have my coffee in the morning" etc. and tackle each of those aspects till they're clear too.
If you're interested, then take a look at the details, and then if you have any questions, you can find all of us who do this type of therapy over in the Mind Therapies forum, so you can get help from plenty more of us.
Love and Reiki Hugs
RE: Help me am loosing it!
take rescue remedy drops for the emotional thing. sucking licquorice sticks is supposed to be helpful. also, inhale thru yr mouth as if you were actually smoking, this is taught in breathworks i believe. it does help.
RE: Help me am loosing it!
Ta for your advise everyone, the EFT is new to me and am gonna take a peep, seems interesting,maybe its a little self hypnosis? I totally get the smell issue, keep smelling stale smoke in my house and it makes me feel a litlle odd as in; hey could visitors smell this stench in my house , even though I burn oils and candles, did I smell this bad? anyway finding am not having to wash my hair twice a day due to it picking up the smell as my hair is dry thats a huge relief. And somewhere in my cupboard I have some rescue drops gonna go and find them, thanks folks for your ace advise feel a little stronger nowx
RE: Help me am loosing it!
Hi daybreak.
Take a really good look at why you gave up, what were you getting from smoking? what was the underlying reason? Once you identify the reason you used to smoke, replace it with something better which will give you that same feeling.
Oftentimes people say they smoke because its social, and therefore they get a sense of connection with other people when they smoke - well not smoking is far more social, more people will want to be around you, and there is more connection, or it is a status symbol, and they gain respect from their peers, and therefore significance. Fill the gap and there is no more craving.
You could, for example write down your reasons for NOT smoking, and make these stronger, write down 10, and put them in order of importance, and find ways of fulfilling each and every one of these in a more healthy, rewarding way.
You could even look 5 - 10 years into your future, and imagine the way you will look, and feel, see yourself as you will be, listen to your new surroundings, and breathe in the fresh, clean atmosphere.
The stronger you reasons for not smoking, the less the cravings will be, if they are even there anymore, or having imagined a smoke free future, havethey just gone?
Whatever you choose to do, Good for you for stepping up and taking charge of your life.
RE: Help me am loosing it!
Owww Mark, thanks for the advise, thought you where speaking from experience then I had a peep on your site -A couple of you guys have studied EFT and practise the technique, think as its a new one on me and I believe in fate I am bound to research and may be have a session, ideally linking it to the quit, anybody got any suggestions for a light read on the subject of EFT or similar would be very helpful and give me something to do with my hands! thankyoux
RE: Help me am loosing it!
Hi Daybreak,
As well as the obvious emotional attachment to the ciggies (which I think is what Alan Carr's book concentrates on), there is a physiological reason why you're feeling so pants.....
Endorphins, or in your case, lack of endorphins!!! Our bodies naturally produce these endorphins or happy hormones. When we smoke, the effects of the cigarettes act as fake endorphins and our bodies slow down the natural production. You stop smoking and all of a sudden you lacking in these happy, feel goodhormones. This leaves you feeling, grumpy, upset, tearful ~ basically crawling the wall.
Can you get to an acupuncturist ? Auricular (ear) Acupuncture has a 90% success rate in helping people to stop smoking. The basis of an acupuncturesmoking cessation treatment, is stimulating and speeding up the endorphin production in the body!!
The endorphin levels in your body will increase naturally over time, but the acupuncture can speed up this proccess. The same principle is applied when using Auricular Acupuncture to treat drug and alcohol addiction.
Just a thought .... Good luck and well done you for getting this far.
meridianmoon xx
RE: Help me am loosing it!
Thanks that makes complete sense about my moods and my housemates-who was v tearful last night and shes nearly done her first week! will have to find an acupuncturist, though I havent heard any reccomendations foranyone in particular around my way, could possibley end up travelling towards manchester where it may not be so hit and miss. Today isnt going to beeasy at the salonI work in today EVERYONE smokes, maybe I could inspire them to knock it on the head, keep myself busy hopefully, thanks again for all the advise x
RE: Help me am loosing it!
Hi Dawn, good on ya. If ya think a bit of massage may help gis a bell would apprerciate the critique although may not be a good idea with you all crancky but I'll take the risk if you feel it of use. Good Luck. Beaming you some top quality high grade fuzy pink joy.
p.s. only see the task completed. (big grin) jono.
RE: Help me am loosing it!
Poor you! I can relate because like soooo many others, l used to smoke as well. So you've read about the emotional attachments....hmmmm...
Have you tried visualizations? For example, if you can think about when you used to smoke, like on your lunch break, or after a meal, you need to have strategies in place to help you. So l had a 'lean-on-me' strategy. Instead of the cig, l substituted a vision of soemthing else, and l substituted something healthy for the cig., and l had a memory tag that would remind me of how
"l was not depriving, but surviving"...a little poem l made up to remind myself of all the health problems caused by smoking, and how l was not depriving myself of anything, instead l was throwing out the negative, [and here l would visualize the smoke staying in my lungs and coating my throat], and clearing with the positive{and here l would visualize sweet fresh air clearing out the impurities}.in this way l was about to help myself through those dark moments of craving by 'leaning on me".
l imagined myself being fit with rosy skin tones and bright eyes jogging without a coughing fit.
l was grateful to myself for being such a great friend and doing this...sounds silly but mental stamina is vital.
Affirmations and the visual tags were so important.
Oh and gum, l know that was mentioned beforeand l agreeit really helps with the oral fixation we get when we smoke. Finally, l realized with great joy the one element that l had just not counted on...all the money you will save!!!
So you can reward yourself, not with the candy, but with something to nuture your soul, like a flower or bathsalts, or something that is a little luxury for you. And then put the money in a big glass jar, it needs to be big to hold all the money you will save, and it needs to be glass so you can see it and be proud of yourself.
In order to gain endorphines for those you have lost through oral fixation [LOL--just joking because when l quit l called it this in order to not mention the s word and to laugh at the pitiful situation l was in!!!}--you might further your journey into the world of health by taking up a form of exercise. In place of ...O.F. {alias smoking} on your break, you might want to share your newfound quiting marathon with others and start a walking group. Or find some other way like walking to work, or swimming at a local pool. The natural endorphines will bring up your chemical mood drop, and you will become even more healty, and you will counter act that sugar [which by the by can be just as addictive, try fruit if you crave sweets.}
Remember above all, only you can be your own best friend and take charge of your health, this is a huge step!! Great work!!! Cheers! ---northstar