When we’re have a flat tire we usually do two things. First we remove the defective tire, but none of us would think of hopping into the driver’s seat and driving away at that point. No, there’s another essential step; put on a good tire! I realize that may sound painfully obvious to you, but …
We have long said and heard things like, “Depression runs in my family,” or, “On Dad’s side there were lots of drinkers.” So I think it’s safe to say that on some level we knew there could be an inter-generational connection when it comes to mental health and addiction. Over the past several years there …
Favor is a verb. – “My mother always seemed to favor black jelly beans, so we’d save them for her.” It’s the root of the word favorite, and it’s a noun. “May I ask you a favor?” Today I’m asking some of my favorite folks (Yes, I’m talking to you) to do a favor for …
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 …
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 …
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!
Some of us carry a so-called “stress-buster” in our pockets every day. In fact some of us would NEVER think of leaving home without them. Most of them come in a handy pack of 20 – some with a flip-top box! In order to use these alleged reducers of stress, one generally needs to light …
A friend texted me his favorite JFK quote last night. It’s from a speech Kennedy gave in the stadium at Rice University in Houston on September 12, 1962. “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that …
About 20 years ago I observed a way to look at addiction that seemed like it might be helpful. People I served in my tobacco cessation practice often seemed overwhelmed by the idea of quitting smoking. I felt that way myself every time I tried to quit smoking. Logic led me to look at ways …
Plenty of folks get a few text messages every week to remind them to stay positive and take positive steps, but QuittersWin is more than just feel-good text messages and blog posts. For people dealing with addictions or compulsive behaviors, QuittersWin can be a game-changer or life-saver. By serving brave folks addicted to tobacco and …
“BESOCHEMPS” PS-ychological Compulsion The PS in besochemPS is surely the slipperiest aspect of the beast – psychological compulsions. It’s quite evident that under different circumstances and to varying extents, we are all willing to participate in a behavior that we know is causing us certain harm. We’ll all quickly agree that it is not OK …
“BESOCHEMPS” EM-otional Urges EMotional urges can lead us to want to smoke (or use other substances/behaviors) as a means of avoiding unpleasant feelings. If we are feeling, for example, anxious, we’ve learned to reach for the “relief” of a cigarette. The nicotine in our brain results in the release of endorphins, which make us feel …
“BESOCHEMPS” CH-emical Cravings The CH in besoCHemps reminds us to be aware of how our body/brain have learned to depend upon a regular daily dose of a chemical. When we don’t get the drug, we can become physically uncomfortable. It’s very important that you learn to tell the difference between wanting to smoke because you’re …
BESOCHEMPS” SO-cial Triggers The SO in beSOchemps makes us aware that there are familiar SO-cial situations that can make us think about using. Notice that again, the face and the place only have the power to make us THINK about using. They can’t “make” us do it. In classes and phone coaching with smokers, I …
