I started smoking when I was 16. Smoked all through the Marines (up to 2 cartons a week in Vietnam, that didn't last long however as we were using rationing cards); finally kicked the habit after 30 years. Didn't really want to quit, happened by accident. A whim really. Abd in the process, I discovered the secret to quitting.
In 1993 I was driving through Michigan doing inspections at boat manufacturers. Was early morning, lit up a cig and took a drag, then put in the ashtray holder. Before it burnt all the way down, took another drag and flipped it out. About 20 minutes later I decided to light another. Cant explain why exactly, but I realized that I had been lighting up a new smoke every twenty minutes. Same process, take a drag, let it burn down, then another deep drag and pitch it.
I know it sounds strange, but all at once I had this thought where I wondered, "what would happen if I didn't light up"? Sort of an experiment.
So I put the cigarette back in the pack and kept driving. And that's when I figured it out.
After 30 seconds, the urge went away. Didn't really want to light up after that. It came back about 20 minutes later. "Time to light up" it said. But I didn't. (It was just an experiment after all). After 30 seconds, the urge went away. No desire to smoke
Went this way for the rest of the day. Through the night at some crappy motel, the next day, on and on. That was in April of 1993 and I never smoked a single cigarette or cigar after that (and I loved cigars, used to inhale. Went to Canada 3-4 x a year on business and used to smuggle Havana's back. Just loved them).
Anyway, that's the secret. It's NOT an addiction to nicotine that keeps you smoking. IT'S THE MENTAL HABIT.
The urge came every twenty minutes and I responded by lighting up. But I found that if I just ignored it for 20-30 seconds, (which didnt require much effort), the urge simply went away. It went away whether I lit up or not. My brain had been programmed to send me a light up signal and didn't care how I responded.
As time went on the urge still came, but, that 20 minutes turned into 30 minutes, then 40, an hour, couple of hours. Then once or twice a year. That lasted for several years. But always the same. Wait 20 seconds and it goes away. After about ten years, it stopped. Came once or twice since, but nothing since around 2010.
All you have to do is resist for 30 seconds.
I even started a mental game with it. When the urge came, I told it (the urge) "all be right back, just wait for me". It worked. But anyone can hold out for 30 seconds.
Course your appetite will come back. With a vengeance. Big time. You gonna want to eat everything in sight.
Tobacco is a huge appetite suppressant. And stimulant, your heart beats twice as fast and ups your metabolism, reason why you can eat a pizza and not gain an ounce. So after quitting, your taste buds come back and you can taste food again. And smell. So food really has an appeal.
In 2000 I had a rapid scan on my heart and lungs. Smoking had taken around 30% of my capacity. Permanent damage. And it was so gradual, i never noticed. Causes other damage as well. Especially to the heart. You find out as you get older.
I am so glad I quit when I did. As I said before, I never really wanted to quit. But it was worth it. Never regretted quitting.
In 1993 I was driving through Michigan doing inspections at boat manufacturers. Was early morning, lit up a cig and took a drag, then put in the ashtray holder. Before it burnt all the way down, took another drag and flipped it out. About 20 minutes later I decided to light another. Cant explain why exactly, but I realized that I had been lighting up a new smoke every twenty minutes. Same process, take a drag, let it burn down, then another deep drag and pitch it.
I know it sounds strange, but all at once I had this thought where I wondered, "what would happen if I didn't light up"? Sort of an experiment.
So I put the cigarette back in the pack and kept driving. And that's when I figured it out.
After 30 seconds, the urge went away. Didn't really want to light up after that. It came back about 20 minutes later. "Time to light up" it said. But I didn't. (It was just an experiment after all). After 30 seconds, the urge went away. No desire to smoke
Went this way for the rest of the day. Through the night at some crappy motel, the next day, on and on. That was in April of 1993 and I never smoked a single cigarette or cigar after that (and I loved cigars, used to inhale. Went to Canada 3-4 x a year on business and used to smuggle Havana's back. Just loved them).
Anyway, that's the secret. It's NOT an addiction to nicotine that keeps you smoking. IT'S THE MENTAL HABIT.
The urge came every twenty minutes and I responded by lighting up. But I found that if I just ignored it for 20-30 seconds, (which didnt require much effort), the urge simply went away. It went away whether I lit up or not. My brain had been programmed to send me a light up signal and didn't care how I responded.
As time went on the urge still came, but, that 20 minutes turned into 30 minutes, then 40, an hour, couple of hours. Then once or twice a year. That lasted for several years. But always the same. Wait 20 seconds and it goes away. After about ten years, it stopped. Came once or twice since, but nothing since around 2010.
All you have to do is resist for 30 seconds.
I even started a mental game with it. When the urge came, I told it (the urge) "all be right back, just wait for me". It worked. But anyone can hold out for 30 seconds.
Course your appetite will come back. With a vengeance. Big time. You gonna want to eat everything in sight.
Tobacco is a huge appetite suppressant. And stimulant, your heart beats twice as fast and ups your metabolism, reason why you can eat a pizza and not gain an ounce. So after quitting, your taste buds come back and you can taste food again. And smell. So food really has an appeal.
In 2000 I had a rapid scan on my heart and lungs. Smoking had taken around 30% of my capacity. Permanent damage. And it was so gradual, i never noticed. Causes other damage as well. Especially to the heart. You find out as you get older.
I am so glad I quit when I did. As I said before, I never really wanted to quit. But it was worth it. Never regretted quitting.
