Quitting again

[Gatisone]

I quit in February 2017 and stayed quit for over a year.  I would have an occasional cigar because I thought I would be ok, and I reallybwas.  I cheated every now and then but I was a non-smoker.  This April, I relapsed and started smoking again.  I am ready to quit once again.  I know what my triggers are, and I am going to stay away from them.  The biggest ones are boredom, stress, and alcohol.  I’d love to go alcohol free as well, but that is very difficult too.  I smoked for 17 years and would like to be done.  Any tips or suggestions are welcome and appreciated. 

 

Thanks!

[Doreensfree]

I quit in February 2017 and stayed quit for over a year.  I would have an occasional cigar because I thought I would be ok, and I reallybwas.  I cheated every now and then but I was a non-smoker.  This April, I relapsed and started smoking again.  I am ready to quit once again

 

Hello and welcome.....

The bad news ...you never quit the last time...occasionally having a cigar and a few cheats...is just cutting down...which was keeping the monster alive and kicking..

Junkie talking...the good news..

You can quit for good..

Read all you can ..the main board is the best place to start ..lots of good reading stuff to help you along..

NOPE.!!!....never take another puff...

You can do it...

Take your seat and buckle up...

[NOPEster]

Hey Gatisone,

 

Sorry about your relapse, I really am. Chantix got me off cigs, perhaps it can help you too. I smoked 38 years, two weeks on Chantix I didn't want cigs anymore. I quit Feb 2017 and have saved my quit so far by keeping myself aware of the nicco demon's claw. I learned defense tactics by reading all I could on this and another quit site. So, read all you can here, look into Chantix or other types of nicco cessation tools, "Nope" on this site everyday (it really does help) and get yourself quit again. The sooner the better and probably easier on you too. Try not to come down on yourself too hard; put that energy into quitting instead. 

 

For cutting down on alcohol, I asked my Dr for an Rx of Anabuse (disulfiram). I was a heavy drinker and I needed it to help me loose weight. I took it for 2 months and successfully lost 15 pounds. It made me feel much better too, no more hangovers. I quit taking it prior to a trip to visit my sister. I'll get back on it if I start gaining weight or drinking too much again. 

 

Gatisone all this is my two cents worth so take what you need and leave the rest. You'll know when you're ready to quit again. And when you do I hope it goes quickly for you. Please know there are fantastic people on this site who will support you along your quit journey. You'll see!

 

All my best wishes to you,

Nopester

[Sslip]

Gatisone welcome on board. 

 

The way to never go back is to fully commit and exercise self discipline. In order to do that you must truly want to quit. If you're ready to do that it is a good practice to write down your reasons why in order to refer to at any point you feel your commitment wavering. 

 

Read plenty and post as much as you can. People here really do understand and will do what they can to help you. Nope every day. It is a commitment to yourself in front of everyone that you will make it through the next 24 hours. Repeat daily and you can have a quit that lasts a lifetime. 

 

Look forward to seeing you around. 

[Rozuki]

Hi Gatisone! I also quit in February 2017 after smoking for 40+ years! I knew from a previous quit that I could never have an occasional one or I would be right back into the poison sticks...

 

Read everything you can here on the forums and participate!! This way you educate yourself and will have the tools to succeed in your quit this time! 

[Sazerac]

Welcome Gatisone.

You may find this thread useful

10 Ways To Effectively Use This Forum

[jillar]

Welcome Gatisone, sorry you lost a one year quit but I'm glad you're back to quitting You can do it

[notsmokinjo]

Welcome back to quitting... there are a few of us here who have thrown away substantial quits. So firstly, use it as a bench mark and a motivator to better this time. Before you know it this will be the sticky quit. I'm like Rozuki, for me I know one puff and I'd be back to a pack a day of the old coffin nails. I could not tempt myself with the occasional this or that.

 

For me early on my triggers were linked to breaking habbits, especially when at softball or board, so I would have a chewwy (gum) instead... it helped me... and they weren't necessarily NRT gums.. I just had to chuck any gum in my mouth when I would have normally had a smoke. I also had a little memory game on my phone I would play... the mental concentration to finish the game was enough to take it away from the crave.

 

 

[Whispers]

Welcome back, you need to be stronger than the urge/craving. Understanding the triggers is important now just replace the act of smoking with something else. I drank a lot of water and added exercise to my daily routine along with lollypops and a straw when i felt anxious. Alcohol was a big trigger for me and i quit that along with smoking, i was drinking a bit and the detox from alcohol i was sweating at night like crazy for 4 days. The sweat was like someone took a hose and hosed my head and pillow down it was that soaked /wet, i read some people used a shower cap but i didnt  know about it then. Here is a link to help you remove nicotine https://www.livestrong.com/article/29032-remove-nicotine-body/     .

Read as much as you can and be prepared for the quit

[babs609]

welcome back!

 

Not One Puff....EVER

that's what makes you a non smoker.  Not one...not a single cigar, not a single vape, not a single drag off your friends cigarette...not one

 

You stick to NOPE...you will succeed.  Guaranteed

 

[Martian5]

NOPE-- that really is the trick, it will truly help you.  Find your reason then stick to it because it really can be done -- You Can Do This!!!!!!!

[johnny5]

Welcome, Gatisone.  Committing to never taking another puff (or NOPE as it is called here) is the key to a successful quit.  Every time you light up the occasional cigarette or cigar reignites your addiction so the occasional smoke can not be an option.

 

Education about nicotine addiction and support can help you make this commitment and both can be found on this site.  Read and participate often.  There are a lot of people here who would like to help you succeed in putting smoking behind you for good.

[Boo]

16 hours ago, Gatisone said:

 Any tips or suggestions are welcome and appreciated. 

 

You've already received great advice.  So, I'll just add this: Don't make more out of a craving for a cigarette than it is.  Cravings are thoughts, temporary and fleeting.  Every thought has as much or as little power as you give it.

 

There is only one rule to follow to successfully quit:  don't smoke.  It couldn't possibly be any simpler.

 

16 hours ago, Gatisone said:

 I smoked for 17 years and would like to be done.

 

The second you ash out that last one and commit to the quit, you're done!  Freedom is right there, you can reach out and grab it anytime you like.

[JB 883]

Maybe stay away from smokers if possible.

Do not have any tobacco laying around.

If cold turkey does not work, maybe go through a few days of decreased smoking, like taking a few hits only when the crave hits hard. I did that, I allowed myself three cigarettes a day (down from 30 a day) for four days then when I was done, I was done.

 

For me it was like a big cleaning project. A couple days before the big Quit I gave away what cigarettes I had left (maybe three packs), tossed the ash trays, and started cleaning things that had a lot of tobacco film.

 

What helped me the most is that I really wanted to quit. Basically i got pissed off at the cigarettes and decided to rid them. That and it was getting harder to breathe. Figured i should stop killing myself.

Edited August 13, 2018 by Jetblack

[sgt.barney]

On 8/13/2018 at 1:08 AM, Gatisone said:

I thought I would be ok, and I reallybwas.  

 

No ... you weren't. Get that shit outa your head right now. 
If you "really were" OK, we wouldn't be here having this conversation right now, would we?

 

I cheated every now and then but I was a non-smoker.  

 

No. You weren't. 

If you "[were] a non-smoker", we wouldn't be here having this conversation right now, would we? 

I am ready to quit once again.  

 

Sarge questions your state of readiness. 
See above for reasons why. 

 

I’d love to go alcohol free as well, but that is very difficult too.  

 

Sarge just hears excuses. 

Any tips or suggestions are welcome and appreciated. 

 

 

 

Sarge suggests an attitude change. There are no half-measures.
You CANNOT be a NonSmoker and "cheat". 
You CANNOT be a NonSmoker and have an "occasional cigar". 
You CANNOT be a NonSmoker if you are full of excuses. 
Half-steppin' it doesn't get you there. 
Get that sh|t outa your head right now or fail again. 

Quit, or don't quit - Sarge doesn't really care. 
He's just tellin' you straight up - there is no "in between" where you get to quit and still smoke. 
There is no magic Limbo where you get to claim non-smoker status and have a cigar. 
There is no grey area. 
You are a non-smoker... or you are not. 

Oh - And quit making excuses. 
If you have to quit drinking, then you have to quit drinking. 

Harden up. Embrace the Suck and do what  you need to do. 

EZPZ

Edited August 15, 2018 by sgt.barney

[brand.new.ela]

Gatisone, treat it as a lesson and simply commit not to smoke. Every cigar now and then, every cheat keeps the addiction alive and it's only downhill from there. I've had my part of "just ones" and rationalized cheats, and it simply doesn't work. We are here to support you in your quit, but it needs to be a quit and not a game.