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From: John (Gold) Sent: 3/14/2004 10:33 AM RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROGRAMS, TAPES, BOOKS Even though often well intended, these practices are prohibited. Freedom is free, with no purchase necessary. MESSAGE TO OUR NEWER MEMBERS Many of our members made purchases or stopped making purchases during their own recovery that they may naturally tend to believe had far more impact upon their success than may have actually been the case. It is NOT necessary that members take-up or give-up any product or program in order to arrest their dependency upon nicotine. There is only one reason why each of us have arrested our dependency and it's that we stopped putting it into our body. There is only one rule that we each need follow in order to keep it under arrest, no nicotine today ... Never Take Another Puff!

Yesterday a new member wrote how she had purchased and was listening to a relaxation tape for 20 minutes a day to help her to quit smoking. She wrote a message to me on the board asking what the harm of using such a tape would be. I thought the topic deserved its own thread.

Below is my response to the question of what harm could there be with using a purchased tape in order to quit smoking. (I edited the post up a little to make it clearer for this new post.)

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I actually have never listened to the any of the tapes that have been developed for smoking cessation and I am not sure what they all say in them. There are so many different type of conventional wisdoms shared in most smoking cessation literature--concepts that may very well undercut a quit if taken to heart. See the post The Teaching of Conventional Wisdom at Freedom

In almost all professional print literature produced on smoking cessation there is the concept stated that if a person "slips", he or she should not let it undercut his or her quit. In essence, that one piece of advice has given the person the permission to slip and not relapse. I do not know if your tape has that kind of advice or concept shared, or any other kind that may be contraindicated. If it does and you take the advice to heart it could very well undercut your quit one day.

Another reason that we do not endorse tapes or books or other services is that we don't want any of our members or readers to feel that they need to spend a penny on anything to quit smoking. There may be some members that have used tapes or went for hypnosis, but the vast majority of people at our site did not. When it comes down to it the vast majority of long-term successful ex-smokers in the world did not use these techniques either. Also, the majority of people who did utilize these products or services as their sole support failed in their attempts. Under these conditions I see many of these services and products as a waste of money and we do not want any of our members or readers getting the idea of wasting any of their money by recommendations that that they read here from posts at Freedom.

Another thing that I think is worth pointing out is that I would advice any person who is allocating 20 minutes a day to support his or her long-term success to spend that time reinforcing his or her resolve at a thoroughly conscious level. That time can be used reading and learning about the dangers of smoking and the benefits of quitting here at Freedom and at www.whyquit.com. This information can really reinforce a person's understanding as to why he or she quit and why he or she still wishes to remain smoke free. I think reading at Freedom and www.whyquit.com is much more likely to accomplish reinforcing a person's resolve to stay smoke free than listening to the taped sounds of the ocean.

The concept that you need a tape to relax after quitting is likely perpetuating the myth that you are going to be more nervous because of quitting. The majority of people who successfully get nicotine out of their body and keep nicotine out end up being calmer for they are no longer experiencing the active addiction that they had sustained for years or decades while using. See I have to smoke because of all my stress

The way to keep your quit alive and well, and likely, you along with it, is to continue to reinforce your understanding of nicotine addiction and your reasons for having quit and to keep reminding yourself of the benefits that you continue to derive from sticking to your personal commitment to never take another puff!

Joel