Phycology of quitting analogs

[MudVaper]

So, what tricks do those of you who have quit analogs use when your mind (I call it that lizard part of my brain- the part that doesn't think logically and just wants what it wants) craves lighting up a cigarette?

Right at the moment, I'm in a high-stress situation at work and I keep wanting to smoke. In fact, my craving is keeping me from getting my work done.

I haven't lit up yet but keep wanting too. It doesn't help that my office is smoker friendly and right now everyone who is around me still smokes.

I've been trying to quit analogs by vaping for over two years now and am feeling really frustrated about the fact that I have yet to make a 24-hour period without lighting up and smoking at least 2 cigs.

I smoked two this morning before work before I even realized what I was doing.

I got panicked like this last week, and managed to vape only by telling myself I could like up and smoke as much as I wanted. Just giving myself permission to smoke made the panic go away even though I didn't smoke at all.

I'm worried because the night before last, I forgot my mod at the office and when I got home I ended up smoking over half a pack between getting home and returning to the office the next day. My old volts are not cutting it anymore period.

Yes- I am working on getting a better backup system, which would have negated that problem.

Right at this moment, I am in total panic/crave mode even though cigs are not tasting good to me at all.


Just putting my thoughts to words has helped - thanks for reading it if you get this far

I began smoking in 1979 and for most of that smoked over two packs a day, oftentimes three.

 

[RoseJ]

Ha, I call it lizard-brain too.

I was once watching a documentary about a guy who was trying to kick hard drugs, and he said that sometimes it's so hard that he just takes it minutes at a time. He said something that particularly resonated with me. He said, "anyone can do anything for one minute".

I use that a lot with the smoking thing. I'm pretty much where you are - still smoking a few each day. Often when I feel like one, I think about what he said, and find something to do for a few minutes. Chances are, the craving will go away in those few minutes, and you'll forget about it for awhile. Rinse and repeat. It's a mind trick, but it works more often than not.

This way, you're not denying yourself - just postponing for a little bit.

 

[Racehorse]

Best psychology of quitting smoking/read is Allen Carr's The Easy Way to Quit Smoking.
take away what you can use and then pass it on.

I haven't found a better primer. I guess that's why it's famous.


RoseJ is correct about waiting a minute. It has been shown that the urge to smoke passes w/in a few minutes WHETHER OR NOT YOU SMOKE OR NOT. I always found that interesting, and did test it out when I quit (for 5 years) cold turkey before there was vaping.

I would just deal with each urge as they came along. None last very long.

I've had a LOT of uncomfortable medical procedures....they don't last long, you just learn to get thru them..

But really, the book is better....you read it over the course of a few weeks, it sinks in!

(The psychological thing doesn't seem to be stressed much on vaping forums, it's always buy more or bigger stuff. I can tell you that that will only work until the BIG CRISIS comes along.......if the "riverbed", so to speak, is not properly graded, the one that all the water runs thru, it will flood the banks. (analogy forgive if bad).) I just kknow there HAS to be a certain *belief system* at work, in order to accomplish ANY goal, whether that is fighting a chronic diseases, reaching a career goal, quitting smoking, changing ones' life in general, losing weight.......whatever it be. Stage has to be set.

It is an interesting study, even with close friends and family, people you trust, and who are willing to be honest with selves and each other, to sit down and "track" how we have patterns that repeat and set us up for failure. I'm sure there is a component of that in 12 step programs, I don't know, only addiction I ever had was to cigs. Maybe somebody else can pipe up about that. But yeah, you have to change the "underlying" thought/belief process in order to make major life style changes.

 

[navigator2011]

Best psychology of quitting smoking/read is Allen Carr's The Easy Way to Quit Smoking.

This ^^^^^ and then stop forcing yourself to not smoke.

Acknowledge to yourself that if it weren't for vaping, you'd still be putting away two packs a day for the rest of your life. Remind yourself that every cigarette that you are not smoking due to vaping is a victory. So, carry on smoking, but before each cigarette make sure you vape for a few minutes, and then ask yourself if you still "need" the cigarette. If you still feel that you need the cigarette, then go ahead and smoke it. Just keep on with the vaping first requirement.

As I read your post again, I see "worry," "panic," "crave," and those are all psychological states of mind that make everything harder. Those are the emotions that have kept you locked into smoking since 1979. If you do the vape before smoking method I mentioned above, it will gently teach your subconscious mind that vaping does satisfy your nicotine needs, and this will remove your fear. Once your fear is gone, or at least seriously reduced, you will then be able to choose whether or not you smoke or vape.

Getting rid of the negative emotions is crucial before anything else can be done.

 

[Sir2fyablyNutz]

I had 2 techniques I used when I was quitting.

I kept one flavor of juice just for the mornings. Instead of reaching for the cig in the mornings I knew I had the one flavor juice I enjoyed waiting on me (a blueberry muffin type). After the morning vape I would not use this flavor for the rest of the day. What this did was to give me something to look forward to every morning instead of the cig.

When I was trying to quit I used a cheap clearomizer/tank with the next higher nic in it. When the "itch" got to where the regular vape wasn't scratching it I would hit the higher nicotine tank once and go back to the regular nic vape. It usually took from 3 days to a week to get adjusted to the lower nicotine level. I said usually because I used this same technique to reduce my nicotine content in steps from the high level down to the zero mg I now enjoy.

Good luck, you CAN do it.

 

[NightShadow]

My wife and I were one of the lucky minority who never had much of an issue with wanting to smoke after starting to vape. I stopped smoking the day I got my ecig in the mail. It was the after meal analog I craved the most, bit that went away after a few weeks. My wife on the other hand went several months smoking a few day while vaping. The thing I would focus on is not how many you smoke, but how many you DON'T smoke!

Other than the above, all I can suggest is to examine when/why you find yourself wanting to light up. And definitely have a GOOD device, and a Backup for that device that is also GOOD.
Another thought is you might need a stronger MG level juice just to use when you do run into those stress periods to give you a quicker/more powerful jolt of nicotine if that is actually what your lizard brain is wanting. If that is Not it, you may want to look at other methods for stress reduction to avoid the situation entirely rather then treat it.

 

[classwife]

Just pretend that you only changed brands...and puff away !

 

[Caridwen]

Two cigarettes is nothing. I smoked one cigarette for about a month. Don't put pressure on yourself. Crank up the nicotine for those times you really need it.

I smoked close to 30 years 2 packs a day. I tried acupuncture,gum, patches, Chantix. Nothing worked and wasn't really trying to quit just wanted to vape in the house.

Vaping is enjoyable to me. I don't feel guilty. I don't smell. I probably wouldn't have quit or lost interest in vaping if I hadn't found this forum. The support really helped and kept me going. Stick around and ask questions.

If you still can't get off cigarettes completely,(how long has it been?) maybe someone can offer suggestions. Maybe up the nicotine?

 

[AndriaD]

stop forcing yourself to not smoke.

Yes, I agree; force and pressure and stress is completely useless, totally counterproductive. If you really want to smoke, then smoke. If you REALLY want it. If it's just a passing thought, then let it pass -- because it will. Or just procrastinate -- "I'd like a smoke, but I'll just vape now, and later if I REALLY want a smoke, I'll have one."

If you're only trying to quit because someone else thinks it's a good idea... forget it. If YOU don't think it's a good idea, it's never gonna happen. If you really want to quit, keep reminding yourself of that -- while you're smoking, if necessary. Keep reminding yourself that every one you have, just keeps the addiction alive in your brain.

When I finally did decide I'd had enough of stinking smoke, stinking hands, and paying thru the freaking NOSE for cigarettes, I didn't throw them away. I put them in the freezer. They're there, if I REALLY want them, and as long as I have that choice, then I choose to vape. By now those cigarettes are over 17 months old, freezer-burnt for sure, but I still have a choice, if I really want to smoke. I don't. I CHOOSE to vape.. because I have a choice.

You also might want to look into WTA; you may be more addictied to the minor alkaloids than to nicotine -- I was, terribly. Got my WTA down to .7% now, but it's taken over a year to get there.

But if you can't go even a full day without a cigarette, it's almost certainly psychological, as in, you don't REALLY want to quit, but feel you OUGHT to. Screw that. If it's not YOUR choice, your free-will option, it's like wrestling a greased pig.

Smoke if you wanna. Vape if that's your choice.

Andria

 

[RoseJ]

When I finally did decide I'd had enough of stinking smoke, stinking hands, and paying thru the freaking NOSE for cigarettes, I didn't throw them away. I put them in the freezer. They're there, if I REALLY want them, and as long as I have that choice, then I choose to vape. By now those cigarettes are over 17 months old, freezer-burnt for sure, but I still have a choice, if I really want to smoke. I don't. I CHOOSE to vape.. because I have a choice.

That's such an excellent idea!

 

[navigator2011]

But if you can't go even a full day without a cigarette, it's almost certainly psychological, as in, you don't REALLY want to quit, but feel you OUGHT to.

This may alternatively be a deep-seated fear of that feeling one gets during a cold turkey quit and cannot smoke 2-3 packs a day. I had that fear, big time. I had to teach my brain that vaping would work, and that I wouldn't feel like I did when I quit cold turkey. I also had to focus on key thoughts like that the cigarettes don't cure that fear feeling--they causing it. In any event, slowly removing the fear and panic is the key.

 

[AndriaD]

This may alternatively be a deep-seated fear of that feeling one gets during a cold turkey quit and cannot smoke 2-3 packs a day. I had that fear, big time. I had to teach my brain that vaping would work, and that I wouldn't feel like I did when I quit cold turkey. I also had to focus on key thoughts like that the cigarettes don't cure that fear feeling--they causing it. In any event, slowly removing the fear and panic is the key.

That's really why it took me about 3 wks to finally quit, even after I got an ejuice that suited me perfectly, tasted almost exactly like my cigarettes. And I already knew about the fear and pressure, so I didn't even try to go that route -- when I first got here, my first question about quitting was, do I have to quit all at once, like with the patch? I was assured that I did not -- that was all I needed. For 3 wks, anytime i REALLY wanted a cigarette, I'd go have one. But I procrastinated it more and more -- it's really a hassle to drop everything and run outside, when you could just vape and not have to do that. The last 2 I hung on to, were the morning smoke, and the one right before bed. But during the last week, I'd have to FORCE myself to go have that one before bed, it tasted so awful to me, burnt my mouth, I didn't even want it. The morning smoke was the hardest... but once I figured out how to inhale a vape properly -- SLOWLY, and exhaling thru the nose -- the morning one was no longer needed either.

Basically, I smoked until I was just sick of it, because the vape was so much better in every possible way. I even got better TH from my vape than the ultra-light cigarettes. Finally I just asked myself why in the HELL I was still bothering with those stupid things... and couldn't find a single reason. So I stopped bothering with them, and just vaped.

But I've still got my "no need to panic!" stash in the freezer. In a ziplock. Right behind a year's TEN YEARS' worth of nicotine. Because it's MY CHOICE, and I choose to vape.

Andria

 

[AndriaD]

That's such an excellent idea!

For me, having a choice is the most necessary ingredient in all of this -- there is no pressure, no coercion, even by the circumstance of having no cigarettes in the house -- it's just MY CHOICE. I choose vaping instead of smoking, because it's just BETTER. I proved that to myself, and made my choice, but in order not to panic, I keep those old ones around. I never even see them unless I'm getting into my nic stash for some reason... and then I just smile, blow them a raspberry, because I'm not a slave to them anymore.

Andria

 

[Winchester]

Hi,
The bottom line is you have got to make up your mind you have quit or your going die. Thats were the panic and fear will work in your favor. Every time you pick up a cigarette and put it in you mouth and light it is like putting a gun to your head and pull the trigger.

 

[Grimwald]

I think this is a personal thing. I was a 40 year chain smoker and my wife was just slightly better. I quit in 3 days, my wife took a few weeks smoking 2-3 per day.

I found that I just had to make myself vape thru the cravings...I mean vape like crazy...especially first thing in the morning or after meals. I was a struggle for several months.

The actual cravings can last months (or years), but there just comes a point, an epiphany, where you realize you're done smoking. They don't taste good anymore, or they don't work any better than vaping, or you like vaping better. You never know when that moment will come, but it will.

 

[MudVaper]

Thanks, excellent suggestions, one and all. There is a lot to think about - and try.

For some reason, the past few days have been tough and the usual ways I soothe the panicky feelings have not been working.

I like vaping 1000% better than smoking - and I really used to love smoking. In fact, I lit one up right after I posted this, took a couple of puffs and my mouth still tastes horrible even after brushing my teeth and that was hours ago.

As much as I love smoking, since I started vaping it is easier to see how profoundly it has had an extremely negative effect on my life.

Intriguing suggestion on the WTA - I will look into that also.

Without getting too crazy on acquisitions, I do need to get better back up gear. Until Dec. I was still using old volt2 batteries with 808 threads and cheap cartos, lol.

 

[AndriaD]

Thanks, excellent suggestions, one and all. There is a lot to think about - and try.

For some reason, the past few days have been tough and the usual ways I soothe the panicky feelings have not been working.

I like vaping 1000% better than smoking - and I really used to love smoking. In fact, I lit one up right after I posted this, took a couple of puffs and my mouth still tastes horrible even after brushing my teeth and that was hours ago.

As much as I love smoking, since I started vaping it is easier to see how profoundly it has had an extremely negative effect on my life.

Intriguing suggestion on the WTA - I will look into that also.

Without getting too crazy on acquisitions, I do need to get better back up gear. Until Dec. I was still using old volt2 batteries with 808 threads and cheap cartos, lol.

For WTA, I *STRONGLY* recommend Wholecig; it's cheaper than Aroma's, but every bit as good, and it's ALL WTA, not just ejuice with nicotine with a little WTA added. If you get the 24mg, you don't have to add much to your ejuice, so it won't wreck the taste.

But you really should be completely off the cigarettes before you try it, or you really won't be able to tell a lot of difference -- ALL it does is remove cravings -- but if you haven't been off the cigarettes long enough for real cravings to strike, you won't know if it's working or not. Everyone I've talked to who's tried WTA before getting free of cigarettes, didn't find it helpful. It won't do a single thing for psychological dependence, so if you find yourself just unable to go 24 hrs without a smoke, I don't think WTA is gonna help.

Andria

 

[navigator2011]

Definitely get better gear--I suggest an iStick 30W with a Nautilus Mini or a Triton 2 with 1.8ohm coils. I quit smoking by using the Nautilus Mini, and now I am enjoying the Triton 2. In any event, don't forget to pick up a copy of the book, The Easy Way to Stop Smoking. I cannot stress the value of that book enough.

 

[MagicJosh]

Nothing helps. That's why I vape.

 

[skoony]

So, what tricks do those of you who have quit analogs use when your mind (I call it that lizard part of my brain- the part that doesn't think logically and just wants what it wants) craves lighting up a cigarette?

Right at the moment, I'm in a high-stress situation at work and I keep wanting to smoke. In fact, my craving is keeping me from getting my work done.

I haven't lit up yet but keep wanting too. It doesn't help that my office is smoker friendly and right now everyone who is around me still smokes.

I've been trying to quit analogs by vaping for over two years now and am feeling really frustrated about the fact that I have yet to make a 24-hour period without lighting up and smoking at least 2 cigs.

I smoked two this morning before work before I even realized what I was doing.

I got panicked like this last week, and managed to vape only by telling myself I could like up and smoke as much as I wanted. Just giving myself permission to smoke made the panic go away even though I didn't smoke at all.

I'm worried because the night before last, I forgot my mod at the office and when I got home I ended up smoking over half a pack between getting home and returning to the office the next day. My old volts are not cutting it anymore period.

Yes- I am working on getting a better backup system, which would have negated that problem.

Right at this moment, I am in total panic/crave mode even though cigs are not tasting good to me at all.


Just putting my thoughts to words has helped - thanks for reading it if you get this far

I began smoking in 1979 and for most of that smoked over two packs a day, oftentimes three.

Number one, there is no reptile part of your brain. We are not nor have ever been reptiles.
We are mammals.
Number two, everyone has problems the caveat being we tend to work them out as necessary.
If everyone in the world went to forums to settle their problems nothing would ever get done.
Number three. This is precisely the problem we all face. Do we play handmaiden to every single
perceived problem real or imagined or made up?
Dude,just do it.
You are the only one that can.
You can regards,
Mike