Is Smoking Stopping You From Experiencing All That Life Has To Offer?--MarylandQuitter

[MarylandQuitter]

Many if not all smokers believe that smoking relieves stress.  It doesn't and in fact causes it.  Nicotine causes your heart rate to increase, your blood pressure to rise and sends adrenaline pulsing through your veins.  This happens each time you smoke a cigarette.  It's an illusion that smoking relieves stress because as smokers, we've conditioned ourselves to believe this. 

 

Look at it this way.  After we put out a cigarette, the average smoker starts to experience mild withdrawal after approximately twenty minutes.  Most smokers don't even realize that they're in withdrawal but start to crave another cigarette to relieve the discomforts of withdrawal.  The cravings are a result of being in mild nicotine withdrawal which causes us some discomfort, makes us feel edgy, irritable etc., so when we light up another cigarette, we relieve those withdrawal symptoms and we feel better, for around 20 minutes or so.  Then once the dose of nicotine wears off, the withdrawal process starts all over again and we continue to feed the addiction and keep the cycle going.

 

So it's only natural for us to add 2+2 and come up with 7 because we've believed the lie that smoking relieves stress when in fact all it does is relieve the withdrawal symptoms (which are stressful) caused by smoking in the first place.  We're using the same drug to try and fix the problem that started this whole process when we became nicotine addicts.  So when things in life upset us, we automatically think that smoking will calm us down or help us cope with whatever it is that we're dealing with because that's the illusion smoking provides. 

 

The truth is that smoking causes stress.  It's impossible that it can calm us down because of the effects it has on our heart rate, blood pressure and the release of adrenaline, which by the way is produced whenever we're experiencing a stressful situation or a period of extreme excitement.  Nicotine is causing all of this when we smoke.

 

Stress is a normal part of life and so is feeling extremely stressed or excited.  Imagine that feeling of fight or flight (caused by the release of adrenaline which causes your blood pressure to increase, heart rate to increase etc.) as your body readies itself for whatever it is that's in front of you.  Now imagine smoking a cigarette at this time.  It can only further elevate your heart rate, blood pressure etc.  It has the opposite effect of something that can calm you or relieve stress.  Adrenaline is awesome.  It's what makes us survive and thrive at certain things.  But relieve stress or calm us down?  Impossible.

 

Once we stop smoking we're better equipped to deal with life and all the joys, pleasures, boredom and stress that it brings.  Smoking actually ruins our peaceful moments in life by causing our adrenal glands to prepare us for "fight or flight" and escalates the stressful times by doing the same. 

 

When we smoke, are we ever really experiencing all that life has to offer us?  Are we even capable of living in the "Now" and protecting our much needed down time to recharge?  Are we able to meditate or stop the chatter or chaos that so often fills our minds and consumes our thoughts?  Can we experience the calming effects of a still mind and body?

 

The other evening it was around 4°F with a wind chill of -10°F.  The moon was giving off just enough light that I could see the trees and sky through my windows.  I was laying on the couch in front of the windows and was completely relaxed. It was quiet and as I released all of the stresses, to-do-lists and thoughts of what tomorrow might bring; my mind was still and quiet.  The chatter was gone as there would be time for all that later.  But for those 30 minutes, my mind was still and all the stressful thoughts were gone.  This allowed my body to relax and just enjoy "The Now" for there will never, ever be another moment exactly the same.  I want to experience all of those "Now" moments that I can.

 

Smoking and constant withdrawal would have never allowed me to experience this inner state of peace and quiet.  Never again will smoking take away these much needed quiet times that allow me to grow and be the best that I can be for myself and my daughter for without her, I cannot experience all that life has for me, just for Now.

 

I Smoke Because I Like Smoking

This video discusses how people who often say the smoke because they like smoking can come to realize that they really smoke because they don't like not smoking.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCkt_ajgTQE

[babs609]

When I was smoking, I was never present.

 

There was never a time where I said..."now I am putting the cigarette to my lips, now I am lighting it on fire, now I am inhaling more than 10,000 toxic chemicals into my mouth...down my throat..into my lungs..into my blood stream and then into ever cell of my body"

 

Seriously.....my head was somewhere else with every single puff....it had to be. I couldn't bear to see the truth to what I was actually doing to my body.

 

 

Even though it takes approximately 20 minutes for most smokers to feel the effects of withdrawal after their last cigarette.....the truth is...your body begins the physiological changes at exactly the last puff. You might not be aware of it yet....but it is happening, which is stress on your body....constant stress.

 

So great being free from all that chaos.

 

edited to add:  just saw the tag line.  hahahahahaha!

[Tink]

I find myself now not just living in the moment but planning for the future, putting saved money to bigger and better things to enhance our lives and enjoy the better health and freedom gained, big boy toys are on the list:

 

a boat being one of them

moving to warmer climates being another

 

freedom has no limits, I found smoking very limiting! 

 

dare we dream, yes we dare and we live, we can enjoy the moments while we wait :) this was and is why quitting smoking is worth it.

 

as I sit here typing I look outside the window, music playing

 

 

 

and think today is a good day to be alive

 

thanks for the reflection thread :)

[Nicole Diver]

All very true stuff.

It was very cold here last night as well, but I had to run to Ulta to grab a handful of necessities. I was walking quickly as possible in and out, and wondered for the thousandth time, how I could have stayed outside and smoke in frigid temps.

[cpk]

I'm so early into this sticky quit I will admit I am still really foggy about what is normal and what is not normal. At this point nothing feels normal. However, it has been freezing cold and snowing, and I know it was pretty abnormal to stand out on my porch smoking. I don't know how I did it, but it certainly strikes me as junkie behavior, now.

[mfic]

just in time... I always need the facts,,,the truth-

lots a b/s these days,,,,

 

nope,,, 

[Ramona]

Love this writing.  So true.  More present now than I've ever been.  Experiencing moments more peaceful than any I experienced as a smoker.  Now it seems there are times where life is really okay and I don't need anything.  No jonesing...no SUPER hyper active life...

driving = smoother

time = slower.  

 

I feel grateful for the every day stuff.

 

Sure I have moments of extreme duress and anxiousness.  My adrenaline is pretty powerful now.  

 

But this is life on life's terms.  Can't have the good without some bad.

[Doreensfree]

Bumping 

[Sazerac]

On 2/17/2015 at 5:52 AM, MarylandQuitter said:

Many if not all smokers believe that smoking relieves stress.  It doesn't and in fact causes it.  Nicotine causes your heart rate to increase, your blood pressure to rise and sends adrenaline pulsing through your veins.  This happens each time you smoke a cigarette.  It's an illusion that smoking relieves stress because as smokers, we've conditioned ourselves to believe this. 

 

Look at it this way.  After we put out a cigarette, the average smoker starts to experience mild withdrawal after approximately twenty minutes.  Most smokers don't even realize that they're in withdrawal but start to crave another cigarette to relieve the discomforts of withdrawal.  The cravings are a result of being in mild nicotine withdrawal which causes us some discomfort, makes us feel edgy, irritable etc., so when we light up another cigarette, we relieve those withdrawal symptoms and we feel better, for around 20 minutes or so.  Then once the dose of nicotine wears off, the withdrawal process starts all over again and we continue to feed the addiction and keep the cycle going.

 

So it's only natural for us to add 2+2 and come up with 7 because we've believed the lie that smoking relieves stress when in fact all it does is relieve the withdrawal symptoms (which are stressful) caused by smoking in the first place.  We're using the same drug to try and fix the problem that started this whole process when we became nicotine addicts.  So when things in life upset us, we automatically think that smoking will calm us down or help us cope with whatever it is that we're dealing with because that's the illusion smoking provides. 

 

The truth is that smoking causes stress.  It's impossible that it can calm us down because of the effects it has on our heart rate, blood pressure and the release of adrenaline, which by the way is produced whenever we're experiencing a stressful situation or a period of extreme excitement.  Nicotine is causing all of this when we smoke.

 

Stress is a normal part of life and so is feeling extremely stressed or excited.  Imagine that feeling of fight or flight (caused by the release of adrenaline which causes your blood pressure to increase, heart rate to increase etc.) as your body readies itself for whatever it is that's in front of you.  Now imagine smoking a cigarette at this time.  It can only further elevate your heart rate, blood pressure etc.  It has the opposite effect of something that can calm you or relieve stress.  Adrenaline is awesome.  It's what makes us survive and thrive at certain things.  But relieve stress or calm us down?  Impossible.

 

Once we stop smoking we're better equipped to deal with life and all the joys, pleasures, boredom and stress that it brings.  Smoking actually ruins our peaceful moments in life by causing our adrenal glands to prepare us for "fight or flight" and escalates the stressful times by doing the same. 

 

When we smoke, are we ever really experiencing all that life has to offer us?  Are we even capable of living in the "Now" and protecting our much needed down time to recharge?  Are we able to meditate or stop the chatter or chaos that so often fills our minds and consumes our thoughts?  Can we experience the calming effects of a still mind and body?

 

The other evening it was around 4°F with a wind chill of -10°F.  The moon was giving off just enough light that I could see the trees and sky through my windows.  I was laying on the couch in front of the windows and was completely relaxed. It was quiet and as I released all of the stresses, to-do-lists and thoughts of what tomorrow might bring; my mind was still and quiet.  The chatter was gone as there would be time for all that later.  But for those 30 minutes, my mind was still and all the stressful thoughts were gone.  This allowed my body to relax and just enjoy "The Now" for there will never, ever be another moment exactly the same.  I want to experience all of those "Now" moments that I can.

 

Smoking and constant withdrawal would have never allowed me to experience this inner state of peace and quiet.  Never again will smoking take away these much needed quiet times that allow me to grow and be the best that I can be for myself and my daughter for without her, I cannot experience all that life has for me, just for Now.

 

I Smoke Because I Like Smoking

This video discusses how people who often say the smoke because they like smoking can come to realize that they really smoke because they don't like not smoking.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCkt_ajgTQE