no self control

[GrGrimm]

I'm really good at making resolutions and very bad at sticking to them. I really want to do away with a couple long standing bad habits. (namely my thc indulgence and tendency to overeat- probably related, huh?) I have been trying to stop smoking for like two years now. Many (though not all) of my friends smoke and it's not practical to isolate myself. My goal is to be able to get it out of my system enough so that my brain reajusts and when it's around me I don't lose control. (I've seen other people that were smokers get reformed for whatever reason and have that sort of self control.) I've tried publically declaring "I quit!" so many times it holds no weight anymore and I just look silly....It's like I'm Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde. I make this resolution and then a few days later I ignore that I made it for immediate gratification with little justification- I just decide to do it because I want to. I'm sick of being a slave to my chemically imbalanced brain. Any suggestions?

[rei]

thc addiction/excessive use is *psychological*, not really chemical. the brain doesn't NEED to get high, but you are probably telling yourself that.

i was able to just stop toking one day. i decided that was what i wanted and i had no withdrawal or urge to get a fix because i knew those things are all in the head. and because i just no longer wanted to smoke pot. if you still want to, it will be harder to quit and you'll make up a bunch of reasons why it's ok that you keep smoking.

usually the psychological withdrawal stuff dies down by the 3rd or 4th day. maybe you can decide to just go one week without it, and maybe when that week is up you will not actually want to start again, or the drive to not smoke will be stronger. (are you only wanting to stop smoking because you think you should or are there other reasons? getting clear on why you want to change might help too.)

might also help to befriend some people like me who are ok with the pot culture (i think it should be legally available and i still love how it looks and smells, just don't partake anymore) but don't smoke themselves.

[Marko500]

My colleague from work told me he just decided one day that he would end up smoking, and never after that did not smoke ...

A similar story I heard from a relative.


Increase standards. Read this and this ...

good luck

[GrGrimm]

I have a compulsion to smoke. Although I know they say thc isn't "addictive" because the compulsion isn't the same as a heroin addiction, for example, I still am in the habit of smoking. For me obviously it is addictive because I get a craving (out of boredom) and then I think ah, whatever I'm going to go somewhere I know I can get high. I know if I could go a month without it I wouldn't have the craving anymore because I wouldn't remember as vividly how relaxing it is to get stoned. I just can't make it through the 30 day trial, and I don't really know why. So, because it isn't totally ruining me life, I guess I don't WANT to quit bad enough. I want to have a completely drug-free clear head again, but that wont isn't overpowering enough to stop me. And this is completely frustrating because I've had that wont for a couple years now and I keep disappointing myself. I'm too much of a gemini; I wish I could just have one opinion on something and stick with it. I have friends who have just decided- ah, I'm done with it and then they're done with it. I don't know why I can't.....I've tried thinking positively. I've tried not to focus on quiting because that actually may attract it to me. Even now, I want to go smoke for something to do, but my higher brain's screaming, WTF's wrong with you.

[rei]

compulsion and habit, that may be true. not the same as addiction though but i admit it is similar.

notice i did not suggest a 30 day trial, i suggested going one week so it feels more manageable.

you could come up with a hobby to do when you are feeling bored. something with your hands might be especially good. maybe do some hemp weaving, make big chunky (masculine) necklaces and sell them to friends? (i made an assumption that you are male and the majority of your friends are as well.) or build model cars. or maybe instead of acting on the urge to smoke, you could do some calisthenics instead? will give your brain a burst of feelgood chemicals and also take your mind off something you don't completely want to go do.

why don't you try that? next time you want to go smoke, do 5 minutes of sit ups and 5 minutes of squats/push ups/etc.? and maybe you can think of a hobby that sounds interesting if you don't like the idea of making hemp products.

[GrGrimm]

i'm a chick, not that it makes a difference. thank you for your suggestions. I have hobbies, but the problem is some of them seem to be enhanced by weed. Part of the reason I want to quit is so I have that natural inspiration to write and whatnot. It's hard to be creative when I feel like boredom has swallowed me. I've never tried making necklaces, but that's a good idea to make money. I'm actually free from a conventional job right now and I'd love to make money in an alternative way. The calisthenics is a VERY good idea. (had to wikipedia that one to realize it was simply squats and whatnot. ) I played world of warcraft quite a bit to distract myself today, but even though I leveled up, it didn't give me that chemical boost. By the time I was done I few sets I'm sure I would have gotten over it. And don't we all need another excuse to exercise.

[Matiasfx]

I quit once and for all more than a year ago... I was wanting to quit for a while (like 3 or 4 months), then i tried once and i fail, and then i said THAT'S IT!! Never again!! From now on im a non-smoker...

The problem its that most people that quit, keep being smokers but they just dont smoke. That doesnt really work or u need to have a HUGE amount of dicipline.

What helped me was that i changed my identity regarding health, for that period before stopping i started to get into healthy life style, reading, researching, etc etc so it came to a point in which smoking was totally inconsistent and incongruent with the person i was becoming (thats why i was feeling bad disconfort about smoking the last 3 or 4 months)

When u change the belief of the person u consider yourself to be to a one that dont smoke and take care of yourself, then it will be easy to stop. I didnt suffer at all and now its just not even an option for me, its just like it has never existed in my life (and believe me a LOT of the people on my house and peer group smoke and im in constant contact with cigarretes but they dont exist for me)

Remember: "The strongest force in the human personality its the need to remain consistent with how u define yourself"

Change in your head and thougths your identity to one of a person that does not smoke, even if u are still smoking, and soon enough u will stop smoking, because your brain wont make yourself a lair.

Thats my expirience and opinion, hope it helps u dear.

Cheers

Mat

[ar81]

Originally Posted by GrGrimm

I have a compulsion to smoke. Although I know they say thc isn't "addictive" because the compulsion isn't the same as a heroin addiction, for example, I still am in the habit of smoking. For me obviously it is addictive because I get a craving (out of boredom) and then I think ah, whatever I'm going to go somewhere I know I can get high. I know if I could go a month without it I wouldn't have the craving anymore because I wouldn't remember as vividly how relaxing it is to get stoned. I just can't make it through the 30 day trial, and I don't really know why. So, because it isn't totally ruining me life, I guess I don't WANT to quit bad enough. I want to have a completely drug-free clear head again, but that wont isn't overpowering enough to stop me. And this is completely frustrating because I've had that wont for a couple years now and I keep disappointing myself. I'm too much of a gemini; I wish I could just have one opinion on something and stick with it. I have friends who have just decided- ah, I'm done with it and then they're done with it. I don't know why I can't.....I've tried thinking positively. I've tried not to focus on quiting because that actually may attract it to me. Even now, I want to go smoke for something to do, but my higher brain's screaming, WTF's wrong with you.

Cigar has very powerful addictive substances. Do not underestimate them.

If you want to escape reality, instead of drugs, try arts.
Here is a good tutorial...
Main Page - Fantasy Art Resources and Tutorials

Instead of "enhancing" with drugs, try to enhance with imagination, by breaking the limitations to the expression of your soul. Arts are a great way to vent emotions. Use your emotions as the driving force to create.

Just do not show your arts to people. Such venting must rely in your privacy. Showing arts is what you do when you want criticism or when you want to have your arts for sale. Normally, venting emotions will not produce masterpieces in the first few years.

Do not make arts to please others, make arts to please yourself.

[Andrew Brunelle]

Just think about how disgusting smoking is. Think about how bad it makes you smell. Think about how you are slowly but surely damaging all your internal organs, especially your lungs. Think of smoking as a slow and eventually very painful suicide. I can't really empathize with you because I've never smoked a cigarette or anything else. I'm not doubting your addiction is severe or that it is very difficult to quit. There are some who can quit at the drop of a hat and others that may need extra help. Try the gum or the patch if you have to. Just don't get addicted to those. They are very expensive.

At first, you may need to replace your smoking habit with a substitute vice. Something like coffee or tea. Don't replace it by overeating as this is counterproductive. I've seen people gain 50 lbs. after quitting smoking. Your metabolism will slow down after you quit, but if you get into eating healthy, it will speed right back up. Best of luck to you.

[sidsavara]

I actually just completed a significant amount of research on this subject that you may enjoy:

Will Power: How To Improve Your Personal Self Discipline

I don't post my links on the forums often, but this is the exact question I wanted to tackle - I hope that my analysis is useful to you =)

[vartann]

i have found a "quit smoking" Asian remedy 2 years ago
personally went from 2 packs a day down to zero cigarettes in one day - no relapse
... after a few hours of sucking on your cancer sticks, the "herbal emulsion" that you have sprinkled the stub of your cigarette with is somewhat "reprogramming/inhibiting" the craving

i will commercialize it shortly along with other unknown and groundbreaking Asian Medicines my Wife and i found in remote parts of Asia

being quite shitty on the promotion part, still struggling to arrange the most efficient way, hoping to have it sorted out by beg. December

welcome to PM me


pace e salute

[PerDev]

I am also quit smoking and this is my 8th Successfull day..
Today it becomes tough for me ..

You will find this thread helpful ..
Are You Looking To Quit Smoking?

Originally Posted by GrGrimm

I'm really good at making resolutions and very bad at sticking to them. I really want to do away with a couple long standing bad habits. (namely my thc indulgence and tendency to overeat- probably related, huh?) I have been trying to stop smoking for like two years now. Many (though not all) of my friends smoke and it's not practical to isolate myself. My goal is to be able to get it out of my system enough so that my brain reajusts and when it's around me I don't lose control. (I've seen other people that were smokers get reformed for whatever reason and have that sort of self control.) I've tried publically declaring "I quit!" so many times it holds no weight anymore and I just look silly....It's like I'm Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde. I make this resolution and then a few days later I ignore that I made it for immediate gratification with little justification- I just decide to do it because I want to. I'm sick of being a slave to my chemically imbalanced brain. Any suggestions?

[Miia]

I quit smoking about a month ago and I started coughing out tar after 2 weeks of not smoking. It tasted awful and looked even more awful, like dark brown little pieces of ...tar ... coming out of my LUNGS. YUCK. If this doesn`t make you stop then I don`t know what will

(actually I do) - read Allen Carr`s book "The easy way to stop smoking" - it`s a miracle book.

This is my thread about quitting smoking, maybe you`ll find it helpful (I got some really good advice) : Quitting smoking

An idea that popped up - maybe you should put yourself into a situation where you physically cannot smoke, like go camping with friends, or alone, and don`t take any cigarettes with you (when you`re reasonably far from civilization then you can`t go and buy them neither) for a few days at least (I`m suggesting minimum of 3 days, a week would be perfect). Or go visit some person about whom you know that you can`t smoke while visiting them...like your partner`s grandmother or your evil aunt, etc.
It is significantly easier to quit if you have been smoke-free due to external circumstances.

You can do it!

[Jaycee]

If you smoke out of boredom, your problem might not be that you are addicted to the chemicals, but that you're using smoking as a way to escape reality. Substitute smoking with watching to much TV, to much sex, playing MMOs excessively or your favourite drug or escapism mechanism. It's basically the same with all addictions.

If that were the case, you have to fight boredom, which in itself is a sign of aimlessness. Ask yourself:

What am I doing with my life? Am I liking it? Do i want to change anything? Which false beliefs (conditioned or aquired, e.g. through mass media) am I holding. What action can I take to change my life the way I want it? Replace boredom with action. There is enough on Steves Blog on how to do it, or in his book.

Eventually, you will reach a level of awareness that will help you realize that smoking is not helping you the least in achieving your goals, and that thc addiction is actually preventing you from ever reaching them. If you realize that, it is (comparatively) easy to overcome the addiction.

To sum it up:

Addiction works two ways: In your mind, and chemically. If you can solve the problem in your mind, the overcoming of the chemical addiction is easy.

[GrGrimm]

Originally Posted by Jaycee

If you smoke out of boredom, your problem might not be that you are addicted to the chemicals, but that you're using smoking as a way to escape reality. Substitute smoking with watching to much TV, to much sex, playing MMOs excessively or your favourite drug or escapism mechanism. It's basically the same with all addictions.

Yeah, that's pretty true. It's basically that I use it as a reality enchancer. It seems to make reality more interesting. At least I'm not addicted to cable tv, which I think would be even worse. And also, it's just something to do. I don't smoke cigarettes (regularly anymore) but that's what was enticing about that whole scene- it was something to do with yourself or socially. Luckily that's not a nepenthe I feel I need- unless I'm drinking, which I've pretty much given up as well. I had a major alcoholic phase age 19-22/23 so I think this is residual from that era, which is one where I pulled a lot of negativity to myself. So yeah, now that I have that major toxin out of my life, I'm working on the smaller ones.

[DerekMB]

Originally Posted by GrGrimm

I'm really good at making resolutions and very bad at sticking to them. I really want to do away with a couple long standing bad habits. (namely my thc indulgence and tendency to overeat- probably related, huh?) I have been trying to stop smoking for like two years now. Many (though not all) of my friends smoke and it's not practical to isolate myself. My goal is to be able to get it out of my system enough so that my brain reajusts and when it's around me I don't lose control. (I've seen other people that were smokers get reformed for whatever reason and have that sort of self control.) I've tried publically declaring "I quit!" so many times it holds no weight anymore and I just look silly....It's like I'm Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde. I make this resolution and then a few days later I ignore that I made it for immediate gratification with little justification- I just decide to do it because I want to. I'm sick of being a slave to my chemically imbalanced brain. Any suggestions?

Weed is not addictive. If you feel it is then it's possible that your body desires it for nutrients in it, much as you would desire a particular kind of food. Weed has a lot of omega acids in it. Try taking a supplement.

[PerDev]

This is my .. Let me count 12th Successfull day of smoking ..

from last week i have got tremendous cough and sinus. I hope it gets well.

I am also experienving that I don't like the people who smoke.
mainly because i think they are fool
i also think they are Stupid,
I also think they are ideots too.
frankly speaking i feel that i hate them. i am not sure what should i do in this situation. but this is what i am feeling.

Originally Posted by Miia

I quit smoking about a month ago and I started coughing out tar after 2 weeks of not smoking. It tasted awful and looked even more awful, like dark brown little pieces of ...tar ... coming out of my LUNGS. YUCK. If this doesn`t make you stop then I don`t know what will

(actually I do) - read Allen Carr`s book "The easy way to stop smoking" - it`s a miracle book.

This is my thread about quitting smoking, maybe you`ll find it helpful (I got some really good advice) : Quitting smoking

An idea that popped up - maybe you should put yourself into a situation where you physically cannot smoke, like go camping with friends, or alone, and don`t take any cigarettes with you (when you`re reasonably far from civilization then you can`t go and buy them neither) for a few days at least (I`m suggesting minimum of 3 days, a week would be perfect). Or go visit some person about whom you know that you can`t smoke while visiting them...like your partner`s grandmother or your evil aunt, etc.
It is significantly easier to quit if you have been smoke-free due to external circumstances.

You can do it!