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The tricks of an addicted brain

6 godina 0 +0 / -0 808

Hi Lojo128,

Welcome to the SSC. It sure would be nice if all we had to do was "flip a switch" to give up smoking. But no, we have to fight with our brain and the tricks it plays on us, then we have to deal with the actual withdraw symptoms of the nicotine. The best advise I can give you is that you need to be prepared for your quit. Try and learn as much as you can about what to expect and how to deal with all of the triggers and roadblocks that lay ahead on your quit journey. Penitent also has some good advice. Concentrate on the present, the here and now, and don't worry about the future. Take it one day, one hour, one minute at a time. You also need to change your "normal" routine from when you smoked. Its a new lifestyle so change things up to make it easier on yourself. Keep yourself busy for the first few days so you don't have time to think about smoking. Go through the "my program" program at the top of the page, it has some good tips and advice to help you out. Also read through these forums, there is a ton of good advice and you can also learn from other smokers mistakes.

I wish you the best on your upcoming vacation. That sounds like a great "change" from the normal that might give you some help on your journey.

Stay strong.

Not One Puff Ever

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Stay safe & Strong.

Not One Puff Ever (NOPE)

Tim

6 godina 0 +0 / -0 1

I have to say this post is exactly the way my brain acts. I just keep thinking of reasons why I should have a cigarette, or wait a few more days to quit...........I wish I has a switch I could just shut it off.............I actually had 3 cigarettes this morning then came to work and I put the patch on. Already I have thought about running to the store on break and trying again tomorrow, or even wait another week until I go on vacation because I wont smoke then because nobody I'm going with smokes.............ugh.

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6 godina 0 +0 / -0 11226

Congrats on getting started Lucia!

How are you doing today?

Ashley, Health Educator

Here to help :)

6 godina 0 +0 / -0 2534

Sounds very reasonable indeed!!

That's why, Lucia, we give up just for today!! Never think ahead but prize the days clocked up behind!

In time, your tricky brain will be reprogrammed to rejoice the days clocked up and eradicate the con job it is currently doing on you.

Stick with the quit and you will win!

Good Luck!

Penitent

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6 godina 0 +0 / -0 1

It`s the second day that i`m not smoking! Caught myself thinking probably one of the most ridiculous "addict-brain" thoughts.

I was on my way home from work, walking down the same street as always, just without a cigarette in my hand, trying to fight off a major craving and distract myself from thinking about how much I`m missing my usual post-work reward.

Suddenly my "addict-brain" starts whispering that I should get some cigarettes as soon as possible, because the longer I continue with this stupid attempt to quit, the more guilty I will feel when I will actually start smoking, because failing at a few-days attempt is much easier than the guilt of giving up after a few weeks!

This thought followed some memories of a previous attempt to quit, when I was actually thinking "why was I so stupid to try to quit, now it has been already 10 days that I`m not smoking, so it will be embarrassing if I start smoking again and I will feel guilty. Ah, if I would just have kept smoking and not tried to quit, I could be so happy now".

Basically, I can remember how last time I was regretting that I had continued my quit for so long! And my addict-brain was trying to switch all this around to "help me avoid the upcoming guilt and just start smoking again as soon as possible, when it`s still not that embarrassing to give up, because it has been only a few days!" Sounds very reasonable, doesn't it??

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The tricks of an addicted brain