10-10-2010, 01:52 AM
@suzylyne
Yeah, picking only 3 subs can be quite hard. I really think that Shannon should consider offering less choice on his webshop
What I’ve noticed so far with OSA is that in comparison with other subs it works quite subtle. You have this underlying sense that you have all the freedom in the world, but you only have to take as much as you need to get the job done. It comes more down gradually; it’s more relaxed, more down to earth I think then for example ASC (which is more like a no holds barred adrenaline rush compared to this). You interact only when you think it’s necessary, and have more opportunity to (rationally) think and prepare than to callously blurt out **** (emotional thinking). You’re also able to see more openings to interact with people, and the world seems more warm and welcoming (I keep picturing it orange now for some reason when in thought…).
When in public places I’m a lot less self-conscious (which is really like a breath of fresh air) but the push behind it to really take action and interact still lingers on a bit, I still hesitate a bit too much. I do notice that the threshold is getting smaller, but it’s going to take at least another month for that to fully dissipate I think. I still get anxious from time to time (my mind racing and my heart beating like mad) but the initial fear and negative self-talk aren’t a leading thread in it anymore. I can overlook my thoughts more now instead of them taking over.
Still when I hear someone says something “insulting” to another I still think it’s somehow directed towards me, I try to rationalize it but that emotional trigger is still there, the same goes for when people start laughing. I hope that within time I’ll have a stronger boundary for that or that I simply have the ability to ignore it. Depression and social anxiety makes you selfish I guess
If you’re going to use OSA again, just try to be patient. It definitely works, but you have to give it time. Also building up a lot of unbridled self-confidence in the meantime will only amaze yourself of what capabilities you have, and give you a sense that anything you want to do is simply within reach. Also your social anxiety will get a nudge into the backseat
@Ryan
That’s great man, I’m sorry to see that you had to drop Alpha Male, but it will give you time to get your **** together until you can get your **** together with AM It also helps to keep your goals as minimal as possible, and you can spend a lot more time and energy getting these few things right, instead of making a lot of half-arsed attempts. Just take it slow and focus on getting rid of (getting knowledge on how to deal with) your fears/anxieties and stop smoking. And don’t try to fix and help other people in the meantime, just focus solely on yourself. Be selfish. Do it just for yourself. And don’t beat yourself up when things don’t run as well as you intended it to be, it doesn’t have to be perfect or to get it right the first time. Just pick up the pieces and keep going at it. It will get easier with time (this especially goes for quitting smoking).
The first four days are the “worst” (i.e. the most withdrawal pangs per day) when you quit smoking, just take it day by day. After three weeks your body will be 99% free of nicotine, and the only withdrawal pangs you’ll encounter will be mental. Also every association you ever made (every event, place etc.) with smoking will remind you of smoking, when that happens just know that a withdrawal pang only lasts 30 seconds to 3 minutes. Anything longer is simply your own doing Drinking water also helps to fight the withdrawal pangs and speeds up the process on getting the chemicals quicker out of your body and it doesn’t count as an substitute to smoking itself.
I think your outlook on stopping smoking will become more uplifting after you read Allen Carr's - Easy Way To Stop Smoking. It’s only 144 pages long, and you can get the ebook/pdf of it pretty easily. I really recommend reading it since it works quite therapeutically, also it clearly communicates that stopping smoking is easy, which helps a lot. It didn’t seem like such a struggle anymore after that.
The following page gives a good outlining on what actual symptoms there are, instead of fabricating more in your own head. Was very helpful at that time. http://whyquit.com/whyquit/a_symptoms.html
I also know what you mean by that slight drunk sensation, only had that twice so far but it’s more like a short temporary protective bubble/shell I think, nothing really gets through when you’re like that. Everything that is being said to you is all neutral, not good or bad. I thought it was pretty weird when that happened, you also seem to lose control but you don’t care about it
Just like the "pleasures/loss" of smoking, fear is nothing but an illusion you've talked/thought yourself into. It's all in your head.
Also where the hell did your thread go? Can’t access it anymore, also Majordomus’s thread has been to reduced to vapor…
Yeah, picking only 3 subs can be quite hard. I really think that Shannon should consider offering less choice on his webshop
What I’ve noticed so far with OSA is that in comparison with other subs it works quite subtle. You have this underlying sense that you have all the freedom in the world, but you only have to take as much as you need to get the job done. It comes more down gradually; it’s more relaxed, more down to earth I think then for example ASC (which is more like a no holds barred adrenaline rush compared to this). You interact only when you think it’s necessary, and have more opportunity to (rationally) think and prepare than to callously blurt out **** (emotional thinking). You’re also able to see more openings to interact with people, and the world seems more warm and welcoming (I keep picturing it orange now for some reason when in thought…).When in public places I’m a lot less self-conscious (which is really like a breath of fresh air) but the push behind it to really take action and interact still lingers on a bit, I still hesitate a bit too much. I do notice that the threshold is getting smaller, but it’s going to take at least another month for that to fully dissipate I think. I still get anxious from time to time (my mind racing and my heart beating like mad) but the initial fear and negative self-talk aren’t a leading thread in it anymore. I can overlook my thoughts more now instead of them taking over.
Still when I hear someone says something “insulting” to another I still think it’s somehow directed towards me, I try to rationalize it but that emotional trigger is still there, the same goes for when people start laughing. I hope that within time I’ll have a stronger boundary for that or that I simply have the ability to ignore it. Depression and social anxiety makes you selfish I guess
If you’re going to use OSA again, just try to be patient. It definitely works, but you have to give it time. Also building up a lot of unbridled self-confidence in the meantime will only amaze yourself of what capabilities you have, and give you a sense that anything you want to do is simply within reach. Also your social anxiety will get a nudge into the backseat
@
That’s great man, I’m sorry to see that you had to drop Alpha Male, but it will give you time to get your **** together until you can get your **** together with AM
It also helps to keep your goals as minimal as possible, and you can spend a lot more time and energy getting these few things right, instead of making a lot of half-arsed attempts. Just take it slow and focus on getting rid of (getting knowledge on how to deal with) your fears/anxieties and stop smoking. And don’t try to fix and help other people in the meantime, just focus solely on yourself. Be selfish. Do it just for yourself. And don’t beat yourself up when things don’t run as well as you intended it to be, it doesn’t have to be perfect or to get it right the first time. Just pick up the pieces and keep going at it. It will get easier with time (this especially goes for quitting smoking).The first four days are the “worst” (i.e. the most withdrawal pangs per day) when you quit smoking, just take it day by day. After three weeks your body will be 99% free of nicotine, and the only withdrawal pangs you’ll encounter will be mental. Also every association you ever made (every event, place etc.) with smoking will remind you of smoking, when that happens just know that a withdrawal pang only lasts 30 seconds to 3 minutes. Anything longer is simply your own doing
Drinking water also helps to fight the withdrawal pangs and speeds up the process on getting the chemicals quicker out of your body and it doesn’t count as an substitute to smoking itself.I think your outlook on stopping smoking will become more uplifting after you read Allen Carr's - Easy Way To Stop Smoking. It’s only 144 pages long, and you can get the ebook/pdf of it pretty easily. I really recommend reading it since it works quite therapeutically, also it clearly communicates that stopping smoking is easy, which helps a lot. It didn’t seem like such a struggle anymore after that.
The following page gives a good outlining on what actual symptoms there are, instead of fabricating more in your own head. Was very helpful at that time. http://whyquit.com/whyquit/a_symptoms.html
I also know what you mean by that slight drunk sensation, only had that twice so far but it’s more like a short temporary protective bubble/shell I think, nothing really gets through when you’re like that. Everything that is being said to you is all neutral, not good or bad. I thought it was pretty weird when that happened, you also seem to lose control but you don’t care about it
Just like the "pleasures/loss" of smoking, fear is nothing but an illusion you've talked/thought yourself into. It's all in your head.
Also where the hell did your thread go? Can’t access it anymore, also Majordomus’s thread has been to reduced to vapor…
