On Giving Up Smoking

On Stopping Smoking
Sunday 7th January 2007 is the last day that I allowed myself to smoke. I had two opened packets of Drum light tobacco, two packets of papers and about 50 filters. The Scot in me does not like to see the waste but I know, however hard I try, that that I cannot smoke the lot.
I dedicate the day to smoking and feel it is important not to wash or to cook a healthy meal. I do however clean my teeth. I manage a short walk before it gets dark – one of my favourites to the étang du Martyrs. The question is was I a martyr to the addiction of nicotine or a martyr to deny myself the pleasure – which had, kept me relatively happy over a period of 36 years.
I wallow in the mess of smoking: papers, dog-ends bits of tobacco and an absence of oxygen. I make no phone calls and luckily get none.
Monday 8th January 2007.
Sleep later than intended and so only leave time to smoke about 3 cigarettes in total before my appointment with a hypnotherapist (Jacquie) at 9.30 am in St Nicholas du Pelem. The remaining tobacco, rolling machines (starting to split) papers etc are tied in a carrier bag to take with me.
I arrive with a minute to spare. There is to be half an hour of preparation and talking before the hour’s hypnotherapy session. This includes a large chart showing the ill-effects of smoking on the human body. I am asked to pick my favourites. I opt for emphysema (well it would be rotten not to be able to walk very far), stroke because my Mother (a smoker) had several of them, heart trouble and mouth and throat cancer as a homage to John Diamond. Next Jacquie passes a small bottle with brown liquid over to me asks me to smell it
“What is it?” she asks.
I sniff deeply but cannot detect even the smallest odour.
“I don’t know, what is it?” I ask.
“It is tap water with four old cigarette ends – most people are nearly sick with the smell”. I don’t tell her but, since yesterday, it is probably sweeter smelling than my living room.
Once we have reiterated why I want to give up smoking – health and money basically, we are off. Jacquie tells me that the tape she is playing was made by a clever friend and carries subliminal messages within the music. At this point I have to tell her that I can’t hear any music – she has forgotten about my deafness – which unfortunately I cannot blame on smoking.
So she has to rewind and start again. The session consists of relaxing gradually from the head down to the toes, imagining a lovely beach, walking from the dry warm sand to the wet solid stuff pleasantly lying in a hammock listening to Jacquie’s voice but never losing consciousness. It was all very pleasant and relaxing except on one occasion when she clapped her hands sharply and made me jump even though I was warned it was coming. So, except for the subliminal messages nothing I didn’t know about.
I go shopping after the session and feel somewhat disappointed that I don’t feel a great deal different from usual. The rest of the day I sleep, read and watch any old rubbish on the television. A couple of friends phone but I find that too much – I need 100% of my time to concentrate on not smoking.
I drink water constantly and when I have a craving drop one drop of Bach’s Rescue Remedy on my tongue. I have survived day one but must remember that I probably imbibed enough nicotine the day before to keep me going for a few days.