January 23, 2012
Greetings...I'd like to thank all of you for not only the warmest "welcome back" messages I have ever received, but also the thoughtful, caring support regarding my ongoing battle with smoking...
I received dozens of tips to try to try to help me through it and one in particular was mentioned over and over and deserves to be shared in case it can help someone else because after I tell you the suggestion, Lord knows it isn't anything that is going to help me!!!
The suggestion..."I was able to quit for good when I got pregnant"...
Alrighty then...While this is a valid reason to quit and once upon a time ago I DID quit while pregnant, there are a few reasons why it won't work for me now...
I'm 56 years old...
I had a hysterectomy when I was 26 years old and as the saying goes, there's "No WOMB at the Inn"...
If I found myself pregnant at this stage of my life, it would be a medical miracle or a religious miracle and somehow I don't look at myself as "the chosen one" for something quite like this...
And last, but not least...IF I were to wake up pregnant, AFTER picking Flyboy up off the floor, I'd get in the car, buy a carton of cigarettes, and smoke myself to DEATH!!!
But...thanks for the suggestion...
One other suggestion came up a few times that I thought I would share and relay a personal experience, and that is hypnosis. I know many people have had great success with this method and in fact, I decided it might be something that might work for me!
With a "slight" difference of course...
I took advantage of the technology available and used my I-Pad to deliver the sessions. Seriously!
I searched and researched and found a program that got rave reviews and was rated one of the best programs for hypnosis and smoking cessation. I figured I had nothing to lose and a lot to gain so I bought the program while I was in Chicago and decided to give it a try. I installed it on both my I-phone and I-Pad so I could use it with either device and one night after my mom and sister went to bed, I decided to give it a try...
I listened to the guy who would be hypnotizing me and the first thing that popped into my head was the familiarity of his voice. He has a British accent and instead of paying attention to what he was saying, I was trying to figure where I heard that voice before. I guess you could say I was distracted a bit and while he introduces himself, his name means absolutely nothing to me so I continue to focus on his voice and not his message...
Svengali is doing his best to get me to relax and my brain is floating around the Universe thinking about his voice, my mom's hernia which was giving her problems, Flyboy's earlier phone call telling me we're going to be getting a snowstorm in Chicago, etc. etc. etc.
I decide to turn the session off, regroup and start again. I waited 10 or 15 minutes and tried again. A little better this time, I semi-cleared my mind until it hit me! I NOW knew where I heard that voice!!!
You may or may not remember, or have seen the old Die Hard movies with Bruce Willis. In the original, the bad guy's name was Hans Grueber. THIS is the voice this guy has! Hey, I can't help what pops into my mind! I actually started giggling out loud and almost waited for the classic "Yippee kayaaa $%^&*^" line...
Well...Another try not going to well because then I was thinking of Bruce Willis!
I didn't let this squash my determination, I was just temporaily side-tracked and decided to take a break, get the giggles out of me and try again...
I smoked a cigarette, ( what can I say ), calmed down and gave it a go again...
Hans started again and after a little fidgeting, I relaxed and paid attention...
Oh sure, my mind wandered off and on, but I did focus enough to get totally relaxed. I visualized everything he said and I was doing really good, UNTIL...
Hans told me to visualize walking on a secluded beach. You could hear the sounds of the waves gently crashing into the beach and you won't believe this, but hearing the ocean made me have to go to the bathroom!!! I'm now walking on the beach looking for a porta-potty!
Arghhhhhhhhhhhhh...By now I'm starting to think I'm one of those who can't be hypnotized. Of course I HAD to get up and go because everyone knows the more you try NOT to think of a full bladder, the more you better get to the bathroom quickly...
By now I'm kinda tired, I'm wondering if I would have better luck being hypnotized into quacking like a duck, but I'm still determined to do this so back into the Twilight Zone I go!
The last thing I remember is...I don't remember! But I'll tell you this much, I have never had a better night's sleep and when I woke up, instead of hurrying to grab a cup of coffee and a cigarette, I found I didn't even think of one for hours after I woke up! It wasn't until my mom mentioned it that I became aware of it and of course, grabbed one to have with my coffee...
Hmmmmm, coincidence, or the power of Hans? I "went to bed with Hans" every night while I was in Chicago and was able to cut way back on the amount of cigarettes I smoked. There is a second part of the session that has Hans telling me how smoking is killing me and filled with poisons and basically everything smokers know but hate to hear. I kind of wanted to tell Hans to "settle down" a few times...
I'm not giving up on this method because believe it or not, it's kind of cool even if part of it is because it relaxes me so much I sleep much better. I tried it when I got home but made the mistake of being on the couch during the session. Nothing wrong with that other than Moosie decided something was going on in mama's ear and she walked over to me stared down at me and barked at Hans...
Trust me, you can't relax with a Moose jowls hanging over your face no matter how much Hans tells you to! I don't think you're supposed to laugh during these sessions...
So there you have it, one of the avenues I'm taking. Acupuncture was mentioned by readers as was laser therapy, which I did have 2 years ago...
I've changes a few little things around here. We no longer smoke in the house. I spent the week cleaning and the house smells so much "fresher". During the day the weather is beautiful, but at night and in the early morning, the temps are in the lower 30's at this time of the year so that has helped me cut back. I sure hope I'm done smoking before Summer comes and you don't need a lighter to light your cigarette!
The way I honestly look at it is this way...I know I have to quit, I know I should quit, and I know I WILL quit, I'm just a little foggy on the "when" and maybe easing up on the dwelling of it a little will help because we all can see how my mind wanders!!!
:-)
Jamie -------------------------Missed an Issue? Visit the Anything Goes Archives