These are some practical strategies for your toolbox along your journey of change and recovery! Learning new coping skills is essential as you move forward from your unhealthy relationship with tobacco or other substances.
Thousands of brave folks trying to quit tobacco have certainly convinced me that there are many ways to succeed at quitting. What works for one person doesn’t always work for the next person.
That said, I would like to keep folks from facing avoidable frustrations. There are some basic truths which I think apply to every quitter’s journey, even while we are in some ways different. Over time, brave folks have cleared a few trails up the “mountain” we call quitting. Some of those paths are well-worn, tried, and true. So why not learn from the experience of those who have gone before us?
What to Expect and What to Do For folks addicted to nicotine in any of its forms, stopping means you will encounter some withdrawal symptoms. However, these symptoms can vary widely from person to person. The discomfort caused may not be directly related to the amount of nicotine you’ve been using or the length of …
I hear that fairly often. Typically it’s a health concern that brings a person to a place where they accept that they should quit smoking (vaping, drinking excessively, or using other substances.) But they really don’t want to quit because they “like it!” I’m not sure that anyone actually likes sucking toxic soot into their …
Emmet Fox told a story about a bear that might be worth our time: “There is an anecdote of the Far West which carries a wonderful lesson. It appears that a party of hunters, being called away from their camp, left the campfire unattended, with a kettle of water boiling on it. Presently an old …
NOTE: If you grasp the five distinct aspects of your complicated relationship with tobacco (or other substances) you are already way more likely to be successful at taking back your freedom. As you probably know, unless you’re very new here, we envision those five distinct aspects as the heads of a dragon. If you want …
Emotions are running high these days, and that can lead to all sorts of negative habits, especially around food. Are you eating more than usual? Or maybe so worried that you’re forgetting to eat? Stress affects our appetite in major ways, but there is a simple approach to identify and change these behaviors so you …
Five finger breathing: a simple way to reboot your brain, calm down and be in the moment. Worry takes up your brain’s “RAM” (working memory.) Paying attention to many senses (seeing, feeling) & body parts (hands, breath) at once crowds out worry. Dr. Jud has lots of resources that can help us understand habit formation …
This morning I came to the desk where I sit when working from home. As I internally expressed gratitude that my work is continuing, I looked at the small fleet of mobile phones plugged into their various charging cables and the “easy” button which I use to celebrate various tasks I accomplish. The subject of …
There’s plenty going on that can cause anxious thoughts. And to be fair, some of those thoughts can protect us from dangerous situations. But often those worrisome thoughts get amplified and we can obsess until we feel like a gerbil on a wheel. Sometimes even a small positive action can interrupt those obsessive thought loops …
Hey, we all know that doing good feels good. And in these uncertain times, doing ANYTHING can reduce some of our natural anxiety. So, let’s help out our local businesses right now (and maybe reduce some of our anxiety, too!) Today’s tip is can help out local restaurants feeling the pinch of COVID-19 crowd suppression. …
Slow, intentional, deep breathing is #GoodMedicine! Here are an assortment of GIFs that you may want to download and save on your phone. Try deep breathing with each of them and find the one that feels good to you. The ones above allow equal time for the in-breath and the out-breath. The one below adds …
Let’s face it – ‘FAIL’ is a four letter word. It’s rarely a helpful word. It’s a word with very negative connotations. It is often misused, especially when we are talking to ourselves. In my opinion (humble or otherwise) we’d be better off without the word. When we think that we have failed, we are …
BESOCHEMPS If you haven’t yet heard of the 5-Headed Dragon, BESOCHEMPS, you’re either new here, or I haven’t been doing my job. (Please don’t scroll away yet – we aren’t a cult and this discussion about a 5-Headed Dragon is neither frivolous nor foolish.) Over twenty years ago I began serving brave folks intent upon …
Yes or no? Oh, if only it was that simple! A few months ago I noticed a billboard on my drive to one of my consulting gigs. It was sponsored by an organization that serves addicted individuals. The sign said, “Addiction is not a choice. It’s a disease.” Upon reading it my first response was …
Yesterday afternoon the Governor of Massachusetts, Charles D. Baker, declared a state of emergency and announced at a press conference that the state will ban the sale of all vaping products. While precise details are not available at this time (exact starting date of the ban, duration, etc.,) comments made during the presser make it …
Massachusetts Temporarily Bans All Vaping Products Read More »
We all WANT to do things that we know aren’t good for us from time to time. And feeding those urges with occasional splurges may be OK now and then. But when it feels like the habit has us on its leash, it’s time to take our control back!
