Decided to quit smoking...

[RupertBrown]

Like the title says. It was spur of the moment. I went to a hypnotist two days ago. I think it kind of worked. The cravings are unbelievable, though. I am using my vape pen as a crutch when it gets really bad. I tried twice to have an actual cigarette, but put it out in shame after a few drags both times. The first day, it was literally all I could think about. Today it's a little more bearable. You're supposed to listen to this reinforcement hypnosis thing they give you ever day. Not sure if it's working but I will say it is relaxing! Didn't really have much of a point to make with this post, just a random update for anyone interested, carry on.

[Agora1]

RupertBrown, Hypnotherapy is a great tool for many issues in life.

Give it time. Listen to it each and every day. Wake up to it, go to sleep

with it. Eventually the subconscious mind will take over every suggestion

it hears. It will get easier as time goes by. Good Luck and stay positive xx

[RupertBrown in reply to Agora1]

I don't know if the original hypnosis took hold because it is very hard for me to fully relax. It always has been. I convulse when I fall asleep every night as my muscles finally loosen up after being tight all day. I'm going to keep at it though. At $11.50 a pack, I can't keep buying cigarettes.

[Agora1 in reply to RupertBrown]

Hi Rupert, my body use to convulse as I would lie down to relax.

Every muscle in our body is so tight that it takes time to regenerate

It's one of the reasons I use Hypnosis Meditation before bed as well

as waking up each morning. Eventually *usually 30 days) our mind

starts accepting the words that are heard in the meditation and we

automatically go into a hypnotic trance. Keep us updated on your

progress. xx

[RupertBrown in reply to Agora1]

Will do! Thanks Agora

[Agora1 in reply to RupertBrown]

Good Luck xx

[AndrewT]

RupertBrown,

You HAVE 'GOT' this...... IF You Really Want It. Just by 'Sharing' you have taken a Major Step, trust me- I should know!

Get up, in the morning...... and Don't Smoke, have Breakfast..... and Don't Smoke, wash, dress, get ready for the day...... and Don't Smoke, go to the shop, buy the Paper, maybe some sweets No Tobacco though......... and Don't Smoke. Put a Sign, in the kitchen, the dining room, the bathroom, the living room- especially the toilet & shed 'DON'T SMOKE'!

IF you can 'Keep This Up', for around Three Months THEN you CAN be Smoke Free, NO Surreptitious Puffs though- they only Set You Back, in the long run. You MUST 'Detox' your Mind & Body TOTALLY Rupert.

This probably 'Sounds' Hard, believe me it IS, but- as the Rocky Song (The Eye Of The Tiger) States 'It's The Only Way Through, To The Freedom'. Your Fight is 'Every Bit As Hard' AND Will Be 'Every Bit As Gratifying' Too!

Good Luck, my friend.

AndrewT

[RupertBrown in reply to AndrewT]

It does sound hard, but you're right. My wife quit 8 years ago and she said almost exactly what you did. She said she still thinks about cigarettes almost every day. Thanks for the support and encouragement! (Definitely need it!)

[Stippler]

Good luck with it. I was a chain smoker for many years, but about 15 years ago I quit with the help of Chantix. It was a miracle drug. It is not easy, but for me the Chantix really made the difference. Best of luck to you.

[RupertBrown in reply to Stippler]

Thanks Stippler! I've known a few people that took Chantix. Most of them had some form of side effect. Though they all quit...

Thanks for the encouragment, it's nice to know it's possible!

[Stippler in reply to RupertBrown]

I had some mood swings from the Chantix, but at the time, I was willing to go through that in order to quit smoking. (If I had quit without the Chantix, believe me, I would have had far worse mood swings, without succeeding). Anyway, it does have side effects, but you would have to decide if it is worth it.

[WilliamG in reply to RupertBrown]

Hi RupertBrown, I’m on day 2 of no vaping so I know how you feel. I switched from cigarettes to vaping about 7 years ago, and now I’ve decided to quit vaping too. I’m using Chantix and a health coach from my medical provider. To my surprise, I’ve had no real physical cravings yet so the Chantix must be working. There’s still the psychological habit, which is tough to break. For example, I’m drinking my morning coffee right now and it feels strange not to be puffing away, but it’s not too bad. It’s just different. I wish you all the success in quitting!

[RupertBrown in reply to WilliamG]

Truth be told, three days into this, I've pretty much switched to vaping. It's still progress though. And a lot cheaper! My wife switched to vaping for about 4-5 years, but quit that too about a year ago. She said she still gets cravings, but they're fairly easy to ignore at this point. Good luck to you as well, we got this!

[WilliamG in reply to RupertBrown]

From what I’ve read, vaping is a better option than smoking, so you’re off to a great start. Good luck!

[RupertBrown]

Thanks softsnow. I have been trying to turn the page on the first half of my life. Leaving behind the bad habits, the negative people, and starting over with good habits. This is the big one, my Everest as it were, lol.

[Jamie2018]

Congratulations for making this very hard decision. On may 7th last year I quit. It was by far the hardest thing I ever did, but I needed surgery to replace both hips and surgeon wouldn't do it unless I quit smoking. I was very fragile at the time couldn't talk about it without crying felt like I lost my best friends, the cigs that is. I was put on Wellbutrin for both depression and to help with smoking. In 6 days it will be a year for me and I honestly can't believe or tell you how I got through it. I am 63 and started smoking around 14 or 15. And I truly liked smoking. I'll say if I did it anybody can do it. Take good care Rupert

[RupertBrown in reply to Jamie2018]

Wow! That is encouraging to hear, and good for you! The thing is, I liked smoking. But I won't do it anymore. Can't afford it, in any sense of the word. For too many years I've felt like a passenger in my own life. I'm changing that now, and this is a really big part of it.

[Hidden]

Wish my Dad would at least try!!!! He’s not well, and he’s getting too thin and not eating properly. Myself and others in my family try to offer to buy him some Nicorette gum and all that but he is hooked and we just can’t tell him what to do or he’ll get really angry and antagonistic. Keep trying.

[RupertBrown in reply to Hidden]

I figure it doesn't get any easier to quit the older I get... so, no time like the present.

[Marysblue]

That's great.. best thing you'll ever do for your health and your wallet.

[RupertBrown in reply to Marysblue]

I know my health is important, but right now, like this week... my wallet needs the help!

[Jamie2018 in reply to RupertBrown]

That's the thing that stops me from buying a pack. Where I am it's 13 bucks a pack. Yes I miss smoking so much and even dream about that I'm smoking but now that I've quit I don't want to go back paying that much. Got better things to spend money on like food and gas lol

[Focusedmind]

Thirty years ago, I quit a pack-a-day smoking habit by going through hypnotherapy, and it is what worked for me. This was before they had Wellbutrin and Chantix, which I also think helps a lot of people these days. ( Whatever works is great!) Keep playing the tapes and trying to reprogram your subconscious mind. Try playing the tapes while meditating, napping, or sleeping if you can. And I would give yourself lots of time to deal with this, as mentioned by others in their responses here. (Also, make sure those vape pens are empty when you are puffing on them! 😜) Chewing gum works for some people.

I remember it was years that I would wake up in a panic after dreaming about returning to smoking. Interestingly, this year I had a dream that I tried cigarettes again, and in the dream, I decided I wasn't interested in them! 🤔 So, I think you actually do get over this beast of addition, this "monkey on your back!"

Many years ago, I read that cigarettes are as hard to quit as heroin. I am not sure that is still true, but the cravings are very difficult to deal with! So, pat yourself on the back for every day you don't smoke! Take one day at a time to distract yourself from cravings, and you will see results with patience!

[RupertBrown in reply to Focusedmind]

Thanks for the support! It's so nice to hear people's success stories! This is my third serious attempt at quitting , and I really do feel like this time its for good.

[Kboogie]

do you know if they have hypnosis for vaping?

[RupertBrown in reply to Kboogie]

Don't know...🤔

Hopefully, I don't need that as well!

[Arymretep]

Good luck, you can do this, think of all the money you’ll save 👍🤣

[RupertBrown in reply to Arymretep]

Thanks

[MaggieSylvie]

Well done, Rupert. Do whatever feels right and good. Keep it up.🤗🤗

[Boston001]

The first time I went to a hypnotist in 1985 I quit cold turkey it lasted a year. The second time it worked for a week. Then in 2013, I started vaping, it was a $ 40-a-week habit, so I got on Youtube and learned how to make my own vape juice, and buy a vaper so that I can rebuild the atomizers. Now it's like a $ 2-a-month habit. Because I can control what I am vaping, I gradually reduced my nicotine over months until I reach a point where I was vaping all day every day and only getting the nicotine of one cigarette a week. But yet my brain was sensitive If I omitted the nicotine the cravings and anxiety would pile on. Then in 2021 I was gout and my battery quit. I went into a store and got a pack of smokes, thinking "This is only one night, It tasted so F good I've been a 4 cigarette a day smoker for 2 years now. I don't do drugs or drink but my mental health for the past 4 years has been bad and tobacco does something lorazepam just doesn't. But that's just my story I hope you make it! Smoking is a smelly dirty habit, and my yard is covered with butts, I'm always worried non-smokers will be bothered by the smell of my clothing, and being a slave to a chemical is just wrong.

[RupertBrown in reply to Boston001]

Supposedly nicotine produces so much dopamine and seratonin in the brain, that your neuro receptors actually develop a resistance to smaller (read: naturally occurring) quantities. When nicotine intake drops to zero, it can take years for the receptors to revert to normal functioning, depending on how heavy a smoker you were.

Luckily, the hypnosis is doing a good job of making actual cigarettes repulsive to me. Still have to kick that nicotine addiction though. I'm ok with doing it this way, I'm going from a $300 a month habit to maybe $30-$40 a month.

[Hidden]

it sounds like hard work but will pay of hundred fold

[RupertBrown in reply to Hidden]

The first day the cravings were almost unbearable, then I broke down and started vaping. It helps a lot with the cravings, but it's still not easy. I'm not going back though. Not again.