My Personal Experience & Pearls of Wisdom the Successful Quiting of Cigarettes

I do hope some day somebody will benefit from my personal past wisdom re quitting cigarettes for good in 1995. I had been Smoking circa 22 per day since I was 18 in 1979. For years upon years I had zero incentive go give up. Indeed I enjoyed it, and as a somewhat I nense sort of person I depended upon it. Occasionally I found it slightly nauseating in the morning, I think many smokers do. A trip via Singapore in 1993 madd menrealise how if I were to actually live in this country that I would really have had to give up smoking as the only place to partake would have been in the privacy of own home. That set me thinking andnade nevhalf wish for that to happen in Ireland to incentivize me, apart from growing knowledge of more remote health concerns, and potential financial gain. In Singapore it is illegal to smoke in the street! And in a small city state, they enforce it. So I pondered much in what it would be like to live as I was, and indeed I had friends of relatives who lived and worked there with an excellent standard of living. Then avhear later I had episodes of some ongoing asthma, which GP diagnosed, and he said to me “the only way you can give up smoking, if you choose to do so, is if you actually want to do so, but I will leave thatvbe in your hands and say no more of it”. What wisdom! About a year on, I quietly chose this course of action in a very determined way and said it solely, just once, to my then wise confidante, my mother. I planned a one month strategy if forever giving up. 1) First move was to envisage all worst case scenarios in
my life that could ever happen and imagine myself not smoking throughout the trauma. These were horrible to envisage, ie death of my mother, loss of pet, loss of job, romantic failure, and more minor things like going to a party and not smoking. It was tough visuals v domevof these and picture myself not smoking alongside. 2) Tbe next strategy was easier. A simple but absolutely resolute Oman over three weeks and resolute into the future. Week 1, no smoking, but strong nicotine chewing gum as I liked us a brisk walk with each chew of the gym when at all possible. Week 2 Weak chewing gum as and when I liked, similarly with a walk whenever it was possible. Week 3 Dispense of nicotine gum totally, but insist on self chewing ordinary gum in its place. Week 4, Disprnsd if hum. Do no nicotine, no gum, no props in place of smoking, just a conversion to non-smoking. I never told a soul, apart from my one confidante, that I was giving up, in fact I denied it in a fashion that at work I diverted conversation away from the topic. I said “No, I’ve no need for cigarette at the minute, but you were telling g me something interesting there...” when asked. It was a wonderful feeling of being in control, it was also a literal nightmare in that I had rd urgent dreams for 20 years that I had lapsed, but these dreams do decrease in number. One needs to be prepared mentally for them and show oneself fortitude against them. I’m not sure, but I have been Gold since that I have Co e myself my own Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (by a psychologist!)without paying exhorbitant fees to a therapist! Also s big motivator back then was money for one extra holidaybin the year! Or whatever your poison is! All I say is think your strategy through to the bitter end. That’s my wisdom, but whatever your strategy is think it through every angle of you want to see it through. If you don’t have a strategy half in mind, then you need go try more motivation.