Quitting a Habit- How do You do It?

[landess]

5 hours ago, redapocalypse said:

Sugar, at least for me, it's the worst addiction I've ever had

Sugar is found in so many things now a days, I never realized how much until I read about the Sugar Barons and how they worked their product into just about everything.

 

As a sidenote: I cooked at a local 'family' restaurant, and was amazed how many recipes the owner used sugar in. Corn, Peas, Green beans, Pork and Beans, Chili.... It goes on and on. Then when I looked out the window to the dining area, the majority of the customers were all over weight and somewhere inside, this all bothered me.

[legendarytoyou]

I don't think what my mother did could offer any really solution but when she quit smoking...well..she just outright quit.  It did help that her doctor told her it wasn't good for her health, which was already having issues, but she just decided, "nope..no more," and threw away the pack she had and never looked back.  This was the same woman that would make me walk down the street to buy a pack and scratch off ticket ON A DAILY BASIS.

 

Now I don't think she has any real place in this issue, mostly because she never inhaled.  Truth be told I think she just smoked because she tricked herself into thinking it calmed her nerves.  As for me I do have a Swisher Sweet Tropical Fusion on occasion but like my mother; I don't inhale.  So even my advice is rather duplicitous so I'll be deferring to my great aunt whom has been a smoker since she was in her teens (she's 67 now) and she quit.  I asked her what did you do to quit and this is what she told me, "first you have to commit yourself to a strict schedule to ween yourself off.  Say you used to smoke a pack a day, cut that down to a third of a pack every week.  Next week half that pack then 75% and so on, eventually you just quit all together.  It's kind of like breast feeding in a way; you eventually have to ween them off your nipple.  Get a breast pump, full bottle one week, then a mix of your breast milk 1/3rd cup, next week half, then the one after that 75% and so on until you have them bottle fed."

 

Now I'm no expert but anyone whose had kids or taken care of children knows that works rather well, even if you need to get them potty trained.  Human beings are creatures of habit which can eventually be weened off of.

[LordAureli]

55 minutes ago, landess said:

Sugar is found in so many things now a days, I never realized how much until I read about the Sugar Barons and how they worked their product into just about everything.

At least in my country, lots of products have their sugar-free version. It tastes like cardboard but hey, helps you reduce the sugar intake. There are also regulations in Europe that forbid the importation of foods over a certain amount of calories. I can understand how difficult it must be to find sugar-free food in the US.

[Captain Cobra]

Clean your room.

Become an alpha male.

Wash your penis.

[Pork Type]

12 hours ago, Captain Cobra said:

Clean your room.

Is that you, Dr. Peterson?

 

12 hours ago, Captain Cobra said:

Become an alpha male.

That's a lifelong project. I didn't truly become "alpha" 'til the age of 32. In my case, there was a transformative experience, but the will was there all along. It just lacked the proper trigger for it to truly come out.

 

Don't deny your own nature, despite this trendy "toxic masculinity" narrative. Be a Man. Most of society will appreciate you for it.

12 hours ago, Captain Cobra said:

Wash your penis.

No. I scrape my smegma into a Chinese take-out mustard cup and save it.

[landess]

While this post is about addictive habits, generally in the physical sense, with some form of withdrawals be they physical or mental, I have to add a lot of people have an addiction they likely don't even identify as one:

 

Trolling

 

Since there generally is no direct form of punishment for communicating 'in bad taste', it's easy to go from an irritated reply, to a downright nasty one over time. It's easy to identify these since when looked at objectively, the remarks are something one only sees, and never hears in a face to face encounter. If they are, shit usually hits the fan shortly after, and is what creates balance in real life, which tends not to happen on websites.

 

Even site moderators may let some things slide because of over exposure, or a good number of many things, till a boiling point is reached. Many times I see something which hits me the wrong way, and my fingers start typing before I even realize it. But since I try to spellcheck, I examine my posts to make them readable and find different words for those I have already used. Most times I'll delete the reply, finding that just typing it out once was enough to check myself, before hitting that submit button.

 

Self discipline is a wonderful thing, but it's the nature of addiction which makes quitting a habit so hard.

[KoolHndLuke]

One of the reasons I don't overuse or abuse any drug now is because of the diminishing returns from them. The quality of the high becomes less and less, but requires more and more of it to get "high" again. People that just chase that high round the clock kinda baffle me in this because they have to buy more and more all the time to reach almost the same "high" again. I wonder do people sort of "plateau" after a while and find that perfect amount that they are comfortable using in a time like in a day or a week? Or would they always want more if they could get it? Maybe this is why so many people relapse? Because the high after quitting for a period is so much more intense- almost like their first time. Long time H addicts that I have talked to told me that they don't even get a high from the drug anymore. They say that they use it just to stay "even" and be able to function day to day. This sounded about right to me. It becomes a crutch that you depend on.

 

 I wonder how many other things we think we need in life that we could live without? Like how many times would it better for me to just walk somewhere instead of jumping in my car for instance? Or wouldn't it be better for me to talk to someone in person about something halfway serious instead of just shooting them a message or tweet? Jeez, that reminds me of how many ppl are addicted to their fucking phone! They literally wouldn't know what to do with themselves without them. Maybe they would start another habit to compensate?

 

Which leads me to wonder what we are doing with all these addictions or "crutches" in the first place? Thinking about it just helps me realize that some people overdo, overreact, overuse, overcompensate, and occasionally overdose on something all the time. Addictive personalities. Or is it? Isn't everyone "addicted" to something? That something or someone that you simply have to spend time with every day? That would mean that being addicted to some things could be good. Like being addicted to exercising, or spending time with your family.

 

Perhaps the best way to quit one habit is to simply trade it for another- like a few ppl here have suggested. In my conclusion, I would say that all we are doing in the end is trading one addiction or habit for another in life anyway and that hopefully it will be for our individual and collective benefit.

[Guest]

I'm not really addicted to anything really, but have some habits wich not do for me any favor.

 

I need get rid them.

[landess]

2 hours ago, KoolHndLuke said:

Long time H addicts that I have talked to told me that they don't even get a high from the drug anymore.

Being from KY, I was surprised at the amount of deaths related to H. So I did a little research and it's this everyday 'use'/tolerance build up which causes relapsing users to OD so easily. The body is 'clean' so it must build up a tolerance again, but the 'use habits' over-ride common sense and another one bites the dust.

 

From what I hear though - it's a particularly nasty habit to drop.

[Veladarius]

Unless you REALLY want to quit or change and are serious about it you won't. My brother became addicted to heroin and tried for years to get clean but really never wanted to. He was in jail for several years and getting it there was easier than on the street and finally he had enough and really wanted to quit so he requested solitary confinement for the rest of his term (1 1/2 years) and has been clean since. For me it was weight loss and it required completely changing my diet permanently. I cut out a lot of food I liked as just about all snacks but lost 60 lbs. I did go off my dietary change after my mom died and gained about half of it back but I am back on track.

[nitrobum]

cokehead, alcoholic, smoker, had habit after habit....never quit! everybody hates a quitter! I just told myself I'm too lazy to go and get any more...been lazy now for over 25 years.....

[Guest]

for me it was caffeine, to a point where if I didn't have a pot of coffee or two 20 ounce redbulls a day i could barely walk and passed out whenever i sat down. I've mostly weened myself off now except for a espresso every now and then, all I really did was start sleeping like a normal human being instead of only sleeping 2 to 4 hours a night and sometimes even skipping sleeping altogether.

[KoolHndLuke]

24 minutes ago, klick master said:

only sleeping 2 to 4 hours a night and sometimes even skipping sleeping altogether.

Wow! I HAVE to get at least 5-6 hours of sleep a night or I am a fucking wreck the next day!! Better if I get more like 7-8. Been that way my whole life so I'm not sure how you even managed with the coffee and stuff. When I was in my twenties, I could pull some all-nighters once in awhile. But not anymore.

[KoolHndLuke]

2 hours ago, Veladarius said:

He was in jail for several years and getting it there was easier than on the street and finally he had enough and really wanted to quit so he requested solitary confinement for the rest of his term (1 1/2 years) and has been clean since.

Wish my bro had done the same. He was in for about five years and just got worse (meth head). Talked to him once when he got out and haven't seen or heard from him again in about six years now. I figure he's either dead or back in lock-up somewhere. It wasn't just the drug(s) though. He liked the life even though he couldn't stay outta trouble. Burned his family and friends time and again until everyone just gave up on him. I actually learned to never "burn all your bridges" by watching him loose any help or support ppl that cared about him once might have given him.

[Veladarius]

9 hours ago, KoolHndLuke said:

Wish my bro had done the same. He was in for about five years and just got worse (meth head). Talked to him once when he got out and haven't seen or heard from him again in about six years now. I figure he's either dead or back in lock-up somewhere. It wasn't just the drug(s) though. He liked the life even though he couldn't stay outta trouble. Burned his family and friends time and again until everyone just gave up on him. I actually learned to never "burn all your bridges" by watching him loose any help or support ppl that cared about him once might have given him.

My brother spent probably a decade or more in and out of rehab and jail with the last time being in prison for 4 1/2 years. Addicts can't be helped until they want help and even once they do get help it is always there in the back of their minds ready to drag them back. It takes a lot of will and desire to want to walk away from their addiction.

 

I can relate to my brother because I have my own monster in the back of my head, depression and suicide. I have been suicidal twice and have been diagnosed as being depressive, bi polar and have severe anxiety. The only reason I didn't commit suicide was that I couldn't leave my wife that way and is still the only reason I don't do it. My wife had no idea I was contemplating suicide until I told her that I needed help, at the time I was at the point of either get help or do it.

 

In my talks with my brother about his addiction and my suicidal thoughts I likened his addiction to a stalker that is constantly following you and waiting for a moment of weakness to strike. For my depression I likened it to a big black chasm that I would want to throw myself into. I have built a railing at its edge but I regularly go to it and stare into it.

[AKM]

On 1/20/2019 at 2:41 AM, worik said:

Not a single habit, but generally unhealthy or irresponsible living.

Step 1. I decided that I will change

Step 2. did it with a delay of about 6 months

 

Step 2 is easy if you have someone with you, someone who you look upon and who's opinion is highly valuable, and someone who raises the bar. Each day a little higher.

I had that.

This is something I have noticed.  Not an exact quote but the essence was "If you'll be the best YOU you can be for me, I'll be the best ME I can be for you."  Mutual benefit, and mutual motivation.  A huge plus.

[AKM]

12 hours ago, Veladarius said:

Unless you REALLY want to quit or change and are serious about it you won't.

 

This is the worst part.  Having to REALLY want to quit, and being serious about it.  Without this, you are lost.

 

10 hours ago, KoolHndLuke said:

...I actually learned to never "burn all your bridges" by watching him loose any help or support ppl that cared about him once might have given him.

Absolutely DON'T forget your support.  The people who care for you. The people who are willing to go to great lengths for you, if only you ask AND are willing to take them up on their help/advice (even if you don't ask).  Few people are truly alone unless they want to be.  But if you burn your bridges... well, all bets are off.  If they can't reach you to help you, they CAN'T do anything to help you, no matter how much they may want to.

 

 

 

As for me, a big thing is candy and alcohol.  I find that if I have it around, especially in smaller quantities (6 packs vs. bottles), I'll use it.  Even so, I don't seem to have the force of will to stop at a given point.  It's available, so I eat/drink it.

 

Solution: I simply make a point of not having it around.  If it's not readily available, then I won't use it.  Problem solved.

[landess]

On 1/30/2019 at 10:47 PM, AKM said:

The people who care for you. The people who are willing to go to great lengths for you, if only you ask AND are willing to take them up on their help/advice (even if you don't ask). 

This reminded me of the movie Parenthood, specifically, Tom Hulce's character 'Larry'. His was a gambling addiction, and seeing how he interacted with the family with the end result being a 'lie' which not he or anyone else believed, showed me a family dynamic which likely parallels a lot of other situations dealing with 'bad habits'.

[Pork Type]

On 1/30/2019 at 10:47 PM, AKM said:

As for me, a big thing is candy and alcohol.  I find that if I have it around, especially in smaller quantities (6 packs vs. bottles), I'll use it.  Even so, I don't seem to have the force of will to stop at a given point.  It's available, so I eat/drink it.

Huh... I tend to buy my beer in 30 packs, my bourbon in 1.75L bottles, and candy on sale right after a major holiday.

 

Smokes, I still buy by the pack, but I keep a backup pack. Also, a pouch of rolling tobacco. I smoke about a pack a week -- maybe 6 days.

 

I can't really explain my recent, radical reduction of tobacco use. I was packaday, everyday, up until a few years ago. Now I only get triggered to smoke tobacco, after I've smoken pot.

[KoolHndLuke]

On 2/10/2019 at 4:25 AM, Pork Type said:

Now I only get triggered to smoke tobacco, after I've smoken pot.

Or sex......

[Guest]

quit smoking by using patches because they cost a fortune, quit synthetic drugs,MDMA LSD etc because i had a nervous breakdown ( got 20 good years in) not bad i thought

 

Cut down on sugar because anxiety loves the stuff,no more caffeine,because anxiety hates the stuff ( used to drink 7 cups a day )

 

Caffeine was probably the hardest to kick,believe it or not the headaches lasted around a month

 

.......only alcohol left,but i do have to cut back on the binge drinking and fuck life is boring

[Pork Type]

19 hours ago, sikkboy said:

only alcohol left,but i do have to cut back on the binge drinking and fuck life is boring

I've cut down on the drinking, and yes, life can seem "boring" because alcohol makes everything you do seem "edgy" when you do it, while you're on it. WOO! WHEE!

 

And, sometimes (most times) you're actually fucking up your own life in the process. (See: Driving, and also, flaming people whose job it is to maintain order vs. people like you. Er, Me.)

[KoolHndLuke]

On 2/15/2019 at 6:30 AM, Pork Type said:

I've cut down on the drinking, and yes, life can seem "boring" because alcohol makes everything you do seem "edgy" when you do it, while you're on it. WOO! WHEE!

The thing I noticed is that even though I hardly drink anymore, my body/brain remembers the "feeling" or whatever very well. Sorta like I never quit drinking or something. Case in point, I was drinking some coke and whisky the other night. I started out to only drink a few and then quit. Except I was feeling so good after those two that I didn't want to quit. So then I had more, and more. Finally I had to say enough is enough and just switch to tea or something. Took me forever to sober up too. I still like drinking (too much) and have to watch it when I do.

 

What helps is that I remember what made me stop in the first place- people treating me like shit because they thought I was a "worthless fuckin' drunk". Now I'm just worthless.

[2dk2c.2]

On 1/30/2019 at 3:59 AM, KoolHndLuke said:

One of the reasons I don't overuse or abuse any drug now is because of the diminishing returns from them. The quality of the high becomes less and less, but requires more and more of it to get "high" again. People that just chase that high round the clock kinda baffle me in this because they have to buy more and more all the time to reach almost the same "high" again. I wonder do people sort of "plateau" after a while and find that perfect amount that they are comfortable using in a time like in a day or a week? Or would they always want more if they could get it? Maybe this is why so many people relapse? Because the high after quitting for a period is so much more intense- almost like their first time. Long time H addicts that I have talked to told me that they don't even get a high from the drug anymore. They say that they use it just to stay "even" and be able to function day to day. This sounded about right to me. It becomes a crutch that you depend on.

 

 I wonder how many other things we think we need in life that we could live without? Like how many times would it better for me to just walk somewhere instead of jumping in my car for instance? Or wouldn't it be better for me to talk to someone in person about something halfway serious instead of just shooting them a message or tweet? Jeez, that reminds me of how many ppl are addicted to their fucking phone! They literally wouldn't know what to do with themselves without them. Maybe they would start another habit to compensate?

 

Which leads me to wonder what we are doing with all these addictions or "crutches" in the first place? Thinking about it just helps me realize that some people overdo, overreact, overuse, overcompensate, and occasionally overdose on something all the time. Addictive personalities. Or is it? Isn't everyone "addicted" to something? That something or someone that you simply have to spend time with every day? That would mean that being addicted to some things could be good. Like being addicted to exercising, or spending time with your family.

 

Perhaps the best way to quit one habit is to simply trade it for another- like a few ppl here have suggested. In my conclusion, I would say that all we are doing in the end is trading one addiction or habit for another in life anyway and that hopefully it will be for our individual and collective benefit.

I think it's kind of hot, some people having no addictions, and being so forthright about it.

"Envy me and despair".

They're hot, I gotta admit.

The preachiness of some others is bearable.

Why does the image of a run-down diner keep coming into my head, and me cringing in the corner table listening to some diner several tables away,

making a self-important speech?

More pie, please.

Thank you.

 

I can't multi-quote....if I could I'd think to myself that trolling and shitposting and whatever are (usually) things people disagree with, which is Why I'm in the corner eating pie, not wondering why (OK I ran outta rhyme here) people are so proud of their ex-addictions, so ready to preach to others the virtues of non-addiction. (at starbucks)

   We live with stuff we don't like or aren't proud of, because the alternatives are worse.

"collective benefit" ^%$#@ (nevermind)

------------------------------------------

Alcoholics are great conversationalists. (well the ones I knew, living til they were 90)

smokers smell great, the fellowship of bums bumming used to be bigger than homeless guys.

It *meant* something, all those years ago, stopping for a break, to light up, inhale deeply for ten minutes, and savor the buzz for an hour.

Hell it had a style, watch any 40's movie.

Having somewhere to go after work.

Addiction-Less drones  getting excited about politics and race (andtheeconomytheearththemoon) are in great need of some satisfying addiction.

Like maybe Skyrim.

VR

Blasted and VR playing skyrim, good times (I imagine)

[Kritical]

Sometimes circumstance helps you.

I stopped drinking soft drinks almost entirely, went from about 2L+ of coke (or equivalent) per day (and basically no water) to drinking that stuff maybe few times a year. All because I developed hell of an acid reflux from that shit.

But when there isnt something causing you immediate pain or discomfort, I think busying yourself with something that doesnt leave you time to partake in your bad habit is a decent way to try approaching it.