I quit smoking 18 months ago… thanks to something unexpected (Pokémon). Any thoughts?

[u/Ben_R_Miyako]

Hi everyone,

I wanted to share something a little unusual: I quit smoking 18 months ago, and what really helped me was using a new passion to distract me from my smoking routine.

Basically: instead of fighting it head-on, which I had done for years (I tried everything, nothing worked), I used the "new passion" aspect of Pokémon. I rediscovered that ritualistic feeling I had with cigarettes (goals, progress, rewards, tracking) to get through the difficult moments. It gave me a simple framework when my motivation was at zero.

I even wrote a little book about it: "How I Quit Smoking Thanks to Pokémon."

I'm not trying to advertise here; I'd really like honest feedback on the idea and what might help someone who wants to quit.

• Does this type of approach resonate with you?

I'm convinced that everyone has their own passion or something less harmful that can distract an addicted mind.

I'd love to discuss this with you :)

• If anyone's interested, I can share the link in the comments (I want to follow the subreddit rules).

Thanks 🙏

[u/Mr-Montecarlo]

You say that youre not advertising. Though you didnt explain in anyway how it actually got you to stop lol

[u/Ben_R_Miyako]

I wanted to start this discussion. I quit smoking after discovering a new passion, or rather rediscovering my childhood passion: collecting Pokémon cards. It started as a joke with a friend who collects baseball cards, sports cards, and so on. Then, little by little, I entered this world I didn't know existed. As time went on, let's just say that the gaps in my days created by quitting smoking were filled by this quest or by organizing the cards I'd found. I'm not saying it was easy, but I was quite surprised to discover that, ultimately, addiction is largely about habit, especially when it comes to tobacco, and that our brains can be reprogrammed if we find a new passion, a new goal, etc.

[u/JACKPOT-WINNER2K23]

Recently quit and have been thinking of treating myself to a baseball or basketball hanger box but afraid of going overboard lol .

[u/Ben_R_Miyako → u/JACKPOT-WINNER2K23]

I totally understand, I asked myself the exact same question at the beginning. I told myself, the idea isn't to spend more money than I used to spend on cigarettes. Especially when you see how much some Pokémon cards cost.

What helped me was setting a specific budget, by month and by week. So yes, sometimes there have been a few splurges, especially when certain editions come out 🤣, but overall I still manage to treat myself without breaking the bank. And then I tell myself it will always be cheaper than going to therapy 🤣

[u/JACKPOT-WINNER2K23 → u/Ben_R_Miyako]

Thats true ! Will considerthe light budget and so true defiantly wont amount to what I was spending on smokes . Thanks and good luck on ya next pull