How Did I Quit Smoking?

I quit smoking on August 25, 2014. How could I forget that date. Before that I attempted unsuccessfully several times . Tried nicotine gum. Slowly reduced cigarette per day. But nothing helped. One thing or other would happen that forced me to smoke.

As I revealed in the other post, Here, I have Bipolar Disorder. I couldn’t live without smoking, especially in mania. Drinking was not that much of an issue but smoking. Waking in the middle of night, smoking and then sleeping again.

Outside our house, across the street, there was a Stop sign. Whenever I glanced at that stop sign, it reminded me like it is there to remind me to stop smoking. That stop sign was so annoying, it didn’t let me smoke. It was talking to me – I See You. Stop It!

Not only that stop sign but every stop sign starts talking to me. Stop sign here. Stop sign there. Each one says Stop It. I keep head down.

What I observe I also note it. What I note I call it Monologues. Some of my monologues are Here. One of the monologues says:

“In everything we see there is a message for us. For example, when I see stop sign, it reminds me to stop smoking.”

On August 25, 2014, I have a manic episode. I come outside the house to smoke. That stop sign again there. Cigarette in one hand. I deeply inhale it but nothing happens. It is tasteless. No kick. I’m relaxing. My headache due to smoking is gone. I feel like I never needed to smoke, and never my body needed nicotine. I throw the cigarette, step on it and smash it.

Thanks to that stop sign I finally successfully quit smoking without any aid.