Anonymous asked this question on 4/23/2000:

When I try to quit smoking I go into terrible rages all the time. I have tried zyban and paxil,. they seem to work but are soooo expensive. Is there anything I can do to keep myself from exploding?

karunap gave this response on 4/23/2000:

Yes.... definitely.

The smoking is keeping down old rage.... that has been penned up for years..... probably all of your life.

The way to end it is to do your therapy. As you heal you will eliminate the rage you have stored over the years. Find a therapist that does more than just talk. You need someone that uses processes to get rage out of your body.... such as bioenergetic work, breath work (Reichian breathing), psychodrama, etc.

While you are looking for someone you can start doing regular feeling work.

I suggest people do 15-60 minutes a day of feeling work.

There are many forms. Some examples:

Write lists of mads, sads and scares. Journal about past and present feelings, Feel them as you write. Write angry letters and then destroy them Twist a towel Pound a pillow. Push against a wall pretending you are pushing away people you are angry with. Scream into a pillow or pool. Stomp as you walk

This will start the process of eliminating the rage. Think of all the things from your past that you are angry about and do anger work on that.... until the energy feels done. It may take many times.... perhaps a few weeks on a single incident.

This is not work that you can complete alone.... but you can start now.

It takes a great deal of energy to hold down the rage.... think about what your life would be like if you did not smoke and there was no rage left. Use that vision as your motivation to do the work.

Medications can help make it easier to do the therapy but it doesn't solve the problem that caused the rage in the first place.