Quitting Smoking

[rrich]

A joke reminded me to post this. It is how I quit smoking. I was at about ¾ of a pack a day. It has been since December 1966.

First, I knew in my heart that I wanted to quit. You must be at that point also.

Second you don't really give up smoking, well mentally that is. You're giving up the physical aspects of smoking but mentally you're keeping all the pleasure derived from smoking.

You just go cold turkey and stop. Every time that you have the urge for a cigarette, just take a deep breath, close your eyes and imagine how good that first drag in the morning or the first drag after a good meal always was. Hold you breath as long as you possibly can. Did the urge go away? No? Then repeat. After the first few breath holding exercises, you'll rarely have to do it a second time to rid yourself of the urge.

You may lapse the first day or two. But keep trying and after a few days you won't lapse for that mid afternoon smoke. By the end of the week you'll have been smoke free for several days.

You'll have to do the breath thing for several months but probably not every day, nor every week. Some days the stress will have you holding your breath every hour, but holding your breath means you are beating the smoking habit.

It worked for me. The bad news is that twenty years later I was still holding my breath occasionally. Yes, nicotine is the most addictive substance on earth. So, Holy Bat Poop it's been over 48 years. I actually had to subtract the years to arrive at 48.

[Christos]

Thank you for sharing.

[Twisted Tenon]

Well done Rich
Nicotine is the last frontier as far as drug addiction goes. I've worked with addicts over the years and have found that this is the one they balk at the most.

TT

[A Duke]

There is only one way to quit smoking, that is not to start in the first place, that is how I did it.
Not that I am bragging.

[rrich]

There is only one way to quit smoking, that is not to start in the first place, that is how I did it.
Not that I am bragging.

Hugh,
Smarter than most of us who have or kicked the habit.

And for any smokers that are trying to quit I sincerely hope that this helps.