Help with stoping smoking

[Barbsh]

Hi there,

Just a question I have, I'm still using level 10 and 2 months in and wondering is it possible to use mediatation to help quit smoking? Can I incorporate anything into my meditation to help me?

Any help is much appreciated,
Barbs

[GilesC]

Hi Barbs,

There are many thinks that can help with stopping smoking, such as EFT, Hypnosis etc., but yes, meditation can also help.

If you have a look at the free guided meditations Michael offers:

Guided Meditations - Project Meditation Community Forum

You will see there is one there for "Help Addictive Traits" which could be of benefit, but you may also want to consider why you started smoking in the first place or why you are still smoking and consider one of the other guided meditations to work with that?

Also, just thinking about the way you word things can help. You said "to help quit smoking", but the mind is a tricky beast and the idea of "quitting" something usually means giving it up, and with the attachments we have to things, the mind is a good fighter at doing everything it can to keep hold of it and not let it go. Instead, consider that you want "to stop smoking". The unconscious mind is generally ok with stopping something because it's not losing any attachment (it considers it can start again if it wants, and the truth is it could if that were the requirement)

Hugs

Giles

[Mr Monkey]

Hi Barbs,

I agree with Giles's post, but to add some more....

I had been smoking between 20-30 a day for over 15 years but about 4 years ago I stopped . Although I didn’t meditate at the time, I was being mindful/aware when I had a craving. So rather than submit to the craving I watched the addiction try to get me to have a cigarette. If this sounds a bit odd ‘watching the craving’, next time you feel you’d like a cigarette stop, sit down and watch the thoughts and feelings occurring in your body.

When I did this I noticed various thoughts which made me think I needed a cigarette (time of day, completed a piece of work so a reward, thinking hard so needed a cigarette to concentrate, just finished a meal etc). Along with the thoughts I noticed that the physical feeling was like a screaming in my body, a bit like a child throwing a tantrum.

I don’t have much experience with kids, but what I know from my niece and nephew is that if you give in to a tantrum once, they’ll become more frequent and more intense . But if you watch them have a tantrum and let them see that it doesn’t get them what they want, then the tantrums become less and also smaller until they completely cease . As you can see, in essence my body/mind was simply throwing a tantrum about cigarettes which I had been giving into each time.

So, going back to your original question, yes I think meditation would help you become more mindful/aware, which would help with above. It would help put a bit of space between you and the cravings so you can see them for what they are.

My other suggestions, irrespective of meditation would be:

• Only attempt to stop when you’re committed to doing so. I saw many people frequently half-heartedly try to stop and failing, which would turn into an ongoing cycle.
• Print yourself off something like this Benefits Timeline - NHS Quit Smoking Service for Enfield & Haringey, so you can see the benefits you’re getting. Also remind yourself that your (well I was on 20-a-day) saving £35 a week, £140 a month!
• With the above savings I would treat myself with a few small items each month, plus get my family a take-away once a week. This made me feel the effort was worth while.
• Get yourself some mints/fruit or something to ‘fill the gap’ when a craving comes up, that way you can notice the craving, accept it and change your routine, eg: have fruit or a mint instead of a ciggy, or get up and have a little walk about etc
• Stay away from other smokers (as much as possible, I know its different when friends smoke ) and alcohol. Alcohol stimulates the same area of the mind as nicotine which is why they seem nice together! But I can safely verify that alcohol without a ciggy is a pleasant experience too

Also I listened to a free podcast Paul McKenna did (he did it for 'The Times newspaper, UK based) which anchored ‘bad thoughts’ to my cravings, which I feel helped me. But on the back of that success I got a confidence book & CD by McKenna, which did nowt for me

I appreciate this is a lengthy response but fear not, I didn’t turn into some massive anti-smoker since stopping myself. If people want to smoke, puff away! I enjoyed it when I did it, but sometimes people get to a point where enough is enough and I will always try to be encouraging if they have got to that point themselves, simply because stopping smoking is such a worthwhile thing to do, both financially and from a health perspective .

I wish you the best of luck in your endeavour; I hope you achieve your goal .

Paul

[M L K]

Originally Posted by Mr Monkey

Hi Barbs,
So, going back to your original question, yes I think meditation would help you become more mindful/aware, which would help with above. It would help put a bit of space between you and the cravings so you can see them for what they are.

Mr. Monkey,

What an excellent post. I just want to chime in (although I've never been a smoker) that I did have a similar experience in regards to drinking wine. I used to drink almost every evening, a glass or two. At a certain point, I began to notice that there was, as you say, a "space" -- between the idea of wanting a glass of wine and the real motive force, sometimes an actual desire for it but more often simply the habit of wanting it. Usually, just a moment or two of noticing the idea of wanting wine let me realize that, in that moment, I didn't really want it. I still drink wine once in a while now, but only when I really want it.

So I agree: meditation can help us notice that "little space" inviting our awareness, and thereby free us up to really choose what we take into our systems.

Thanks again, Paul, and all good wishes to you, Barbsh. Margaret