My stim is smoking. Help

[Outdated]

Outdated, ethyl acetate and similar do smell appealing. I believe that is why they are called aromatic hydrocarbons.

Most often I worked with petroleum spirit, when you hear people say they love the smell of new comic books that's what they're smelling.

 

[Suzanne]

Do not think it is a stim, because my husband is not an aspie and you describe pretty much how he USED to be. It is a habit and many around the globe are in the same vice situation.

The problem is that you WANT to keep smoking, which means that really, the key element is to get you to NOT want to keep smoking.

My husband loved smoking and I hated it so much, due to the obnoxious smell on his breath and his fingers and our old home walls, were stained horribly from the smoke, even though, he would go out of the house to light up, due to me not being able to tolerate the smell.

I tried a cigerette when I was 19 and as I coughed etc, a thought went through my mind; what on earth is the point of this? Putting smoke in your mouth? Now, I would add, it could be likened to leaning into an open fire place and breathing in the smoke.

It is not a kind act TOWARDS YOURSELF. Your poor body is screaming, with your lungs having to work even harder.

My husband quit over 20 year's ago, but today, he still has to clear his voice and it has been reported that the lungs, after several years of not smoking, carry the burden of when the person was smoking.

I know it is easy for me to say all this, because I have never taken up this repulsive habit, but in life, there is always something that we battle with.

Usually, it is said to replace the habit with something less offensive. Perhaps chewing gum?

 

[Suzanne]

The smell of cigarette smoke in the air and the rank smell of it on a person and their clothes is to me one of THE most disgusting smells out there.

It was so shameful, once when we visited my husband's relatives and has she hugged me, she asked in shock if I now smoke? I was mortified and could have killed my husband! He just laughed when I related that.

 

[Shevek]

I smoked fairly heavily for four years but always expected to quit. My chance came when my job involved polishing metal, and the polish made my next cigarette taste bad. Then, the first one each morning also tasted bad. Then, before that first one, I was given a bag of Kini-Kinick, something people used to smoke. It was sweet and mild, and for three weeks, that's all I smoked, whenever I got the urge, about double my usual rate. By then, the nicotine was out of my system, and it was easy to quit the puffing habit. Various kinds of tea would also work.
I think that just taking a few deep breaths might work to delay the urge for a smoke, reducing consumption to zero in a month or two, and leaving a fine meditation habit.

 

[Slime_Punk]

Drinking, smoking and vaping (nicotine) used to be stims for me as well. 2-3 packs of cigarettes per day were my norm until I transitioned to vaping which, unfortunately, only intensified things (since you can just do it indoors, discreetly, and without really offending anyone if you're careful enough).

I've since replaced all of those with better hobbies and exercise in my free time and I couldn't be happier.

Also, I should mention that I used the Allen Carr method for all if it, if that helps anything. I now swear by it.

 

[Hypnalis]

@ammogan

I suggest you start by re-thinking your thread title.

Change it to:
"I'm physically addicted to nicotine via smoking. It is seriously damaging my health. Please help."

Then the first part can point out that you use the smoking as a stim as well, which makes it (a) even harder to stop, and (b) relevant here.

The re-written heading is a reflection of what seems to be a fundamental fact about addictions: people can't deal with them until they accept that the addiction itself has become the problem.

I'm sure all the other stuff - stimming, self-medicating, discomfort when interruption drug intake, difficulty finding "bridging" substitute activities for your associated habits -is true. But they are contributing factors - they are not the core of your major problem.

BTW - I know that my being direct like this may induce "mental pushback". I said all this knowing that, so I accept that you may react negatively, and will take it without responding

Also I won't keep going if you don't engage with me. Talking with addicts in denial is pointless.
This can only be interesting for others (for me anyway) if you're trying to change.

BTW I don't have any moral objection to your behavior. Along with being legal, heavy smoking is so bad for peoples health that they cost societies like mine, with subsidized/free healthcare, significantly less than healthy people do, because they die so much earlier (and faster). So on balance you're probably not harming society.

As far as I know the exit process is unusually unpleasant though. Even switching to nicotine delivery via some other path than the lungs would help a lot with that.

 

[Storm Hess]

Hello.

I smoked for 14 years quit 'cold turkey' (many years ago)...never had a drag since. Once I realized that people were profitting off of me killing myself with cancer, I decided I would not give them the pleasure. If you want to quit...you will.

 

[Progster]

Smoking is like playing Russian Roulette: it probably won't kill you, but there's a good chance that it will. Lung cancer is one of the more difficult cancers to treat/cure, and as for throat cancer, that might not kill you, but the treatment is long and painful, and can leave you without a voice box. So just no.

 

[Gift2humanity]

Hi all! So I've realized smoking is me stimming. I am 40 and have been smoking more than a pack a day for over 20yrs. I have never been able to quit, I do not want to- I want to want to. It is so ingrained and calms me. Im having a panic attack- sit down and chain smoke, I feel better. Ate to much- I chain smoke and feel better. It takes me hours to fall asleep, I'll nearly be asleep when I think about smoking one more before bed and cannot shush that thought until I do- several times. It's not even for just the nicotine, I'll continue to smoke even if it hurts my throat and I can actually feel like there's too much nicotine in me. I tried chantix, it really messed with my head but made the throat hit feel like I was swallowing glass so that's made me stop. But I started again when I couldn't stop eating gummy bears, fidgeting and going crazy. Gums make me super nauseous and the fidgeting, irritability returns. Same goes for patches. Vaping hurts my throat really bad, but helps with all the other aspects. I always go back to cigarettes, they are my comfort zone. They give me and excuse to go be by myself, give me something to focus on. I need to hand to mouth motion. I'm rambling now sorry. Anyone have any other stimming solution so I can kick this one? Thanx

I used lozenges alone and gum and nearly got off, but about a year ago, I had relationship stress and responded to that using painkillers, which cause nicotine cravings, so I use lozenges and cigarettes now.
I like a cigarette with a cup of tea.
I want to want to stop as well, so I know what you mean about wanting to want.
When I stopped baccy before I just stopped buying it and used lozenges.
I do stuff with my hands.
I also started swimming a short while ago, which I think is a form of stimming.
I am not sporty, I drag myself there as I am afraid that if I do not go, depression and anxiety will get the better of me.

 

[Bex Chancey]

I know what it's like to struggle with quitting smoking. I used to smoke a lot, like a pack a day. Stopping was tough. At first, vaping didn't seem right for me either; it felt too harsh.

Then I tried vapes from Nexus Smoke Premium E-Liquid and Luxury Vape Products. They have less nicotine and lots of different flavours. I like their mint flavour because it's smooth and doesn't bother my throat. Switching to these vapes has helped me a lot. I feel better using them than smoking cigarettes.