I have not quit

[Amy]

I have not signed on because I have been smoking again.  I am not finished with Alan Carrs book and really did not get to read any of it over the weekend.  I still want to quit and I will finish the book and I am hoping it will be easier. I don't understand why it seems to be so hard not to smoke.

 

I hope everyone is well.

[Nancy]

Thanks for checking in, Amy...I hope you will be back with us and quit very soon.  It is hard not to smoke because we are addicted to nicotine.  However, it also easy to quit...just commit to Not One Puff Ever...and deal with triggers and cravings as they come.  A true crave only lasts 3-5 minutes, and you can stand anything for that long!

[Jonny5]

it's because you believe you are giving something up still, and you want to smoke more than you want to quit.

 

what do you suppose will happen if you don't smoke?  something is frightening you, and you could do with working out what that is, then we can work on that fear.

[action]

Hi Amy, I am so sorry to hear this...

 

My recommendation would be; find the time to finish that book ASAP!! It's so important.

 

We know you can do this because you lasted ages the first time! I know it's hard, but you have to let us help you.

 

And don't ever feel ashamed or embarrassed to post here asking for help - we all want to see you quit and we all want to do everything we can to help you make that happen!!

 

(((Amy)))

[El Bandito]

Hi Amy!

 

Sorry to hear that. 

 

It seems hard to quit - 'cos like me you are an addict. We are addicted to nicotine.

 

You start feeling withdrawal every 20 minutes or so and pay money for cigarettes to ease those withdrawals.

 

I don't feel withdrawal anymore because I quit.

 

Reading the book is the right thing to do - but don't delay too long. You can quit Amy. I know you can. Hell you know you can. You relapsed. No shame in that.

 

Ready when you are! :)

[babs609]

Amy, please don't wait too long. Read that book and make it priority. The nicodemon has control over you. Take it back.

Take care of you

[jimmy]

amy sorry to hear this  but please get back to youre quit asap you can do this   its not all peaches and cream but it will get better and easyer over time   one day at a time  rome wasnt built in a day 

so hang in there hope to see you soon

[Amy]

Thank You everyone I am coming back.  I was doing great- if I can do it once I can do it again.  Just kind of feel like a yo yo.

[Colleen]

It's nice to see you Amy!  About that quit, there is never going to be a better time to quit.  Not once you finish the book, not ever.  The best time to quit is right now.  Myself, I prefer quitting at bedtime because your withdrawal starts while you are sleeping.  How about today?  Is there anything we can do to get you over this hump?

[Jonny5]

Thank You everyone I am coming back.  I was doing great- if I can do it once I can do it again.  Just kind of feel like a yo yo.

 

remember those words, firstly, each second, then minute, then hour, then day, then week, then month, then year

[Amy]

it's because you believe you are giving something up still, and you want to smoke more than you want to quit.

 

what do you suppose will happen if you don't smoke?  something is frightening you, and you could do with working out what that is, then we can work on that fear.

Nothing but good if I don't smoke-not sure what I am afraid of.

[Ladybug]

Thank you so much for signing in! I was worried about you! We are all here when you will be ready! I know you can quit....and I want you to believe it as well!

 

In order to succeed, we must first believe that we can

[Jonny5]

Nothing but good if I don't smoke-not sure what I am afraid of.

 

I think you are afraid of the reality of going solo without your crutch, it's like being afraid to let go of the side of the pool, it can feel good to be free, but when panic sets into your mind, you reach for the side again.

 

the water isn't that deep.... trust me :-)

 

there is nothing that you can't do as well if not better as a non smoker.

[Amy]

It's nice to see you Amy!  About that quit, there is never going to be a better time to quit.  Not once you finish the book, not ever.  The best time to quit is right now.  Myself, I prefer quitting at bedtime because your withdrawal starts while you are sleeping.  How about today?  Is there anything we can do to get you over this hump?

Hi Colleen,

 

Jonny 5 asked me what am I afraid of.  At this point I am afraid I will fail again.  I can start over in the morning with no cigarettes.

I think I have to just keep on trying.  Eventually it has to sink in.  I am not advertising a quit day until it actually sticks.

[Ladybug]

Hi Colleen,

 

Jonny 5 asked me what am I afraid of.  At this point I am afraid I will fail again.  I can start over in the morning with no cigarettes.

I think I have to just keep on trying.  Eventually it has to sink in.  I am not advertising a quit day until it actually sticks.

[Jonny5]

Hi Colleen,

 

Jonny 5 asked me what am I afraid of.  At this point I am afraid I will fail again.  I can start over in the morning with no cigarettes.

I think I have to just keep on trying.  Eventually it has to sink in.  I am not advertising a quit day until it actually sticks.

 

It really sounds to me like you are preparing for abstinence, and hoping to not want to smoke anymore.

 

although this is a valid method, it is probably one of the hardest after the cut down method.

 

Allen Carr will help you understand that with the right mindset you can quit.  but his method, like every method, requires effort and determination to kick the addiction into touch.

 

I don't mean to sound like I'm being harsh on you, but you know that this is true, and I think that's why you're afraid to fail, because it's a very real prospect in your minds eye.

 

try to finish the book today if you can, it can be read cover to cover in 6 hours (audiobook is this long)  it will help you overcome these initial and fundamental stumbling blocks.

 

we are all here to cheer you along :-) 

Edited April 28, 2014 by Jonny5
edited for typo's lol

[Doreensfree]

Thank You everyone I am coming back.  I was doing great- if I can do it once I can do it again.  Just kind of feel like a yo yo.

Amy,

Get back as soon as you can......never give up,giving up.......we will help you and support you...

Hugs

Xxxxx

[MarylandQuitter]

Amy,

 

When you want to quit more than you want to smoke, being afraid that you'll fail at quitting again will not stop you from quitting.  Since you've already quit and relapsed, I think "being afraid of failing again" is junkie thinking and still believing that the cigarette has something to offer you.  The reasoning for your delay of not immediately quitting again is the addict speaking, not Amy.  If you're going to wait until it sinks in or wait until it feels right, you could be looking at quitting 5, 10 or 15 years from now.  You already know what it feels like to quit so there isn't any fear of the unknown this time around.

 

You can do this, Amy.  If we could rationalize smoking all those cigarettes knowing full well how harmful they were, certainly we can rationalize our quitting knowing all the benefits of doing so.  Even if you still think smoking is great and you enjoy it too much, you can still rationalize quitting.  No excuses.  Set a date, stick to it, journal your quit here and you have all of the unconditional support that you need.  Never, ever stop quitting and fighting for your life.

 

Never stop coming here.  Actually, you know what, why not start a thread while you're still smoking.  Chronicle your quit while you're still smoking.  Imagine the wealth of information for the newbie when they read it and see you as a non-smoker.  They'll see your struggles and how you overcame them.  Remember, you need not be a non-smoker to be a member here. :)

 

Don't think about how you're going to be able to stay quit for 10 months.  Think about how you're going to stay quit for just today.  Yep, you guessed it, Elliot appears again.  This can be used for any area of our lives, especially when we decide to quit smoking.  We got your back, Amy.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEnHzV9XpL0

[...]

A crave lasts only 3-5 minutes......but the mental badgering lasts for hours.

 

Understanding the difference between quitting and abstinence is vital. And I'm not sure that it happens all at once.

 

Amy, as a chronic relapser myself, I beg you to dig deep and fight the fight. Or your going to end up surrendering and hating your self on a daily basis.

 

Don't just try again tomorrow. Make tomorrow the day that counts.

[ChRiSpY]

Don't be scared to fail again..  feel sure that you will not.

 

Mind over matter Amy.

 

Now quit F*CKING around and quit now.

 

Keep on keepin on.

[bakon]

give the secret in one word- NOPE

 

put book down, saved you all that time, NOPE

 

dont light a shitstick and put it in your mouth, that easy.

[Still winning]

Bakon, short and sweet dude!  Amy has this. Amy always had this but got scared, it happens.  Give your best quit tips guys, that will help the journey. x

[Soberjulie]

Hi Amy.

I missed seeing you on the board!

Please don't wait too long......

I quit once for 8months then thought I could smoke on a night out drinking with the girls.

It was another 11 years until I quit again.

I shudder to think of the damage I did to myself over the 11 years that I was going to quit "tomorrow" or "on Monday" or "when this pack is done"

:(

[El Bandito]

Amy.

 

You can't hope in this game. You can't try in this game. You can't wait for it to stick.

 

There is only one rule in this game. Commit to never smoking again.

 

Not One Puff Ever.

 

I absolutely know that you can do this. We will be here every second of the day to cheer you on..

 

BUT..and it is a huge but..only you can do this.

[Soberjulie]

Amy....in the beginning, not one puff EVER overwhelmed me.

So I took the E off.

I just thought of it as NOP. (Not one puff)

I just needed to get through each moment.......minutes at a time if need be. 

Those minutes added up into hours, which added up to days......

 

If the idea of NEVER smoking again overwhelms you and makes you want to hang on to your cigarettes a little tighter, maybe the idea of "I just wont smoke today" can carry you through.

Just a thought.