Alex_Moiseyev wrote:Finally (!!!) we find something (the only ?) in common: I am trying to quit in the past two years with very little success. I applaud you that you had strong spirit to do this and maybe some day join with you.
Greetings Alex:
I would like to commend you for your desire to quit smoking.
The honest and sincere desire to quit is the first step.
Let me try to give you a little bit of a motivational pep talk, in order to help you get more "psyched up" to quit smoking.
This will be based upon the personal journey I took to quit smoking through a "cold turkey" approach.
Quitting smoking can be extremely difficult, and your psyche will need all the help it can get, in order to be successful and reach your objective.
Picture the letter "A", which represents the smoker you are today.
A
Now picture the letter "B", which represents the non-smoker you want to become, and which you are GOING TO BECOME.
B
Your objective is to execute and complete the successful journey from Point A to Point B.
Think of a straight line between Point A and Point B.
A------------------------------------->B
Pick a day when you resolve to stop smoking.
Would Monday be too soon?
If not, then feel free to smoke to your heart's content (actually discontent) until that day.
On Sunday evening, when you stub out your last cigaretter, write a "goodbye" letter to cigarettes, along with a pledge never to smoke again.
Then go to bed.
Then when you wake up on Monday morning, it's off to war.
Yes, quitting smoking is a war.
Cigarettes are now your enemy, and you have resolved to defeat your enemy.
You have to keep your "eye on the ball" at all times. That's the letter at Point B, which is the non-smoker you have resolved to become.
Take it one hour at a time.
For every hour you can go without a cigarette, tell yourself that your heart and your lungs, as well as every other organ in your body, are saying "Thank You!"
Tell yourself they are all giving you a hug as well.
Tell yourself they are also saying: "Keep on going! Give us another hour! You can do it!"
They will be rooting for you to succeed during every second of your journey.
Then grit your teeth and resolve not to smoke for another hour.
Repeat as above, every hour and on the hour.
Within a few hours, you will probably experience some very powerful urges to smoke.
That's the "enemy" talking to you.
Tell yourself that those urges are the "bad guys" and that you are going to beat those "bad guys."
Just like with all those checker opponents you beat.
It it helps, keep a steady supply of assorted mints and other hard candies on hand when the urges hit you the hardest.
When they do, put one in your mouth and let it melt in your mouth for as long as you can.
If you can go without a cigarette for the first 24 hours, congratulations!
You will probably begin to feel all sorts of weird bodily sensations.
You may feel light headed and dizzy at times. You will probably feel mentally disconbubulated.
This means you are beginning to heal from the effects of smoking.
The urges to smoke, the "bad guys" will still be around and intensify.
That's because they're pissed.
So far, you've beaten then for 24 hours.
If you can do it for 24 hours, then you can do it for another 24 hours.
Continue to take it one hour at a time.
Continue, at all times, to keep your "eye on the ball", on Point B, which is the NON-SMOKER you are GOING TO BECOME!
The urges to smoke might become downright unbearable.
There may be times when you wish you can just hop into a time machine, and travel to your point B, in a state of unconsciousness, in order to become disconnected from your suffering.
I wish I had one of those when I was going through my fight to quit smoking.
Unfortunately, those don't exist.
Instead, you will just have to grit your teeth and take on and defeat those "bad guys", every hour and on the hour.
No retreat. No surrender.
There may be times when you think to yourself: "All I want is one. Just one. Then I will start all over again."
That's the "enemy" talking to you.
DON'T DO IT!
It's a trap.
It may be argued that the "cold turkey" approach doesn't work for most people.
That's because they "surrendered."
Don't surrender.
Tell yourself that the World Checker Champion doesn't surrender to anybody.
Then keep right on going, every hour and on the hour, giving yourself positive affirmations after every hour.
Keep popping those mints and hard candies as needed as you go.
If you can go a week without smoking, congratulations!
Now aim for another week. Then another. And then another.
Keep your "eye on the ball" at all times.
The "bad guys" will still be there. As the World Checker Champion, you are going to defeat them.
If you can go several weeks without smoking, congratulations again!
You may begin to find that some of your physical urges are beginning to subside.
Don't let your guard down.
The "bad guys" may be "regrouping."
What very often happens next is that the "bad guys" will shift to a new tactic by trying to entice you psychologically.
You may find yourself reminiscing over the "good old days", when you could enjoy a cigarette, whenever you wanted.
You may have thoughts of fond nostalgia over your smoking days.
You may even have dreams about smoking.
Once again, that's the "enemy" talking to you.
No retreat. No surrender.
Remember -- you want to get to Point B, which is the NON-SMOKER you have resolved to become.
Getting back to having dreams abou smoking............
After 15 years of not smoking, I STILL have dreams about smoking.
Those "bad guys" don't let up.
But it is better to smoke in my dream life than in my real life.
I guess that's my way of still enjoying a smoke without actually smoking.
Quitting smoking is a lifelong commitment.
When going from Point A to Point B, you REALLY HAVE TO WANT IT!
Do you really want it?
If so, then GO FOR IT!
That's how I quit smoking "cold turkey", without the use of patches or pills or any type of drug.
I did it alone.
However, I am not against support groups.
If you can find a smoking cessation support group, feel free to join.
Given my personal biases, I hope any support group you join takes a "cold turkey" approach.
I didn't want to say anything for or against Chantix. That is a decision to be made between you and your doctor, if you decide to see one. If you do decide to take Chantix, please read up on the side effects first.
On the other hand..................
If an average "Minor" level tournament player such as I can quit smoking, cold turkey, and without the use of drugs, then I believe the World Checker Champion can do it too.
SO GO FOR IT!
Best Wishes,
Dennis Cayton
I do not belong to those (above $250,000 annual gross income) whom it will affect.
I just gave my last... puf?