Saturday, January 26, 2013

An ex-smoker's nightmare of Romancing The Smoke

Every couple of months I have a dream where dozens 
of faceless people are smoking away, blowing smoke 
in my direction. It takes place in an underground pub
or a crowded piazza. It's asphyxiating, incredibly foul 
smelling and the smokers seem to think it's very funny
that I am annoyed and overwhelmed by their actions.
As I try to get away, more appear laughing and in my 
way as I attempt to escape. 

Someone bellows, "you'll never get free!"

I am determined though- and weave my way through 
the Bruegelesque mass of debauched humanity up the 
stairs or out of the piazza in the cool clear night air of 
a sultry winding street in a little Italian town. I'm alone.
The smell of smoke is gone.
The nightmare is transformed into a pleasant journey.

My book suggests that the fourth stage of withdrawal is 
Cranial Paralogism, where your "shadow mind" tries 
to convince you to return to the habit after you've quit.
This episode is one way your brain tries to dismantle
your entire mental state as a non-smoker. Ignore your 
thoughts anytime they tell you smoking is okay. It's not. 
Never will be. Period. Remember...
it was only a dream...

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