Relapsed again

[Mac#23]

Welcome aboard Terri,

 We are all here to help you kick the nasty habit of smoking. You need to be committed to quitting 100% or it's not going to work. It's not an easy task but an absolutely doable one. The hard work you put in to quit will be worth it. So grab a seat on the train and enjoy the ride.

[bakon]

Linda- dont know you but if I can quit than any window licking moron can.

Its mental- you want to quit?  Because your repeating the hard part. 

1 million excuses dont matter- you want to then follow NOPE. Pretty simple. NOT ONE PUFF EVER.

How to do this? Another million ways- simplest is sit on your hands. Cant light a cigarette without setting your face on fire if you got no hands.

But still how- well you have to push through- easy for some, harder for others but not impossible for anyone.

 

Most of the quiters here will tell you same thing, you want to quit? then you will, mentally tell yourself "I am a quitter." "I dont smoke anymore." NOPE

 

 When crave comes it also leaves. The next one is weaker, then weaker because YOU are stronger.

I wont post like the others "Sorry your..." Pick yourself up and just do it. Need a smack on the ass? I can do that too.

 

Imagine Christmas without that aweful smell. Way deep into your quit.

[Linda]

4 hours ago, bakon said:

Linda- dont know you but if I can quit than any window licking moron can.

Its mental- you want to quit?  Because your repeating the hard part. 

1 million excuses dont matter- you want to then follow NOPE. Pretty simple. NOT ONE PUFF EVER.

How to do this? Another million ways- simplest is sit on your hands. Cant light a cigarette without setting your face on fire if you got no hands.

But still how- well you have to push through- easy for some, harder for others but not impossible for anyone.

 

Most of the quiters here will tell you same thing, you want to quit? then you will, mentally tell yourself "I am a quitter." "I dont smoke anymore." NOPE

 

 When crave comes it also leaves. The next one is weaker, then weaker because YOU are stronger.

I wont post like the others "Sorry your..." Pick yourself up and just do it. Need a smack on the ass? I can do that too.

 

Imagine Christmas without that aweful smell. Way deep into your quit.

You are so right the mental part I so hard, sometimes I would light a cigarette and didn't even want it is just a nasty habit

[Linda]

1 minute ago, Linda said:

You are so right the mental part I so hard, sometimes I would light a cigarette and didn't even want it is just a nasty habit

I think I do need a kick in the ass lol can not believe I can be so stupid and diving my self crazy about it

[Christian99]

So let me describe a slightly different approach...

 

I struggled with some false starts when I first attempted to quit, and it was bewildering to me that I didn't seem able to maintain my resolve and commitment when--just like you--I was fully aware of the terrible damage my cigarette use was doing to my body.  Frankly, I've never felt like a mentally weak person, and I was pretty certain that I had, indeed, made the genuine decision that I did not want to be a smoker anymore; thus, I couldn't really figure out what was missing.  In fact, I bristled at the suggestion that my failures indicated that somehow I just hadn't committed myself fully to becoming a nonsmoker.  

 

At some point, I decided to simply bracket further education on the addiction and the cultivation of a particular (positive) mindset about quitting and instead focus on action.  For me, that meant engaging in non-smoking behaviors--primarily connected to exercise and healthy foods--that, piece-by-piece, helped me slowly construct a new smoke-free identity.  I really couldn't think or will that identity into existence; instead, it had to emerge organically from lots of little, concrete choices I made and actions I undertook each day.  The change obviously took time, but even in the early days, these new behaviors helped me during difficult moments when the quit seemed vulnerable:  at those times, the actual act of smoking seemed inconsistent with this new persona I was creating.  And that new persona was being created not by thoughts but by actions.  

 

I like to think that I quit my way into certainty, commitment, positive thinking, etc.  And things changed for me when I realized that it wasn't necessary to have those things first.  

 

All the best--we know you can do it.

 

Christian99

18 1/2 Years Quit 

 

 

 

Edited September 12, 2020 by Christian99

[Angeleek]

Hi Linda!

 

You are in fact winning the battle because you keep on quitting and are determined to become an ex smoker! Just keep on quitting and one day it will stick! 

 

I found that Joel Spitzer's videos were very good counsel cuz they helped me sort out the mental aspects of being without nicotine.

 

Please don't berate yourself for relapsing, because life is depressing enough.  Remember nicotine hijacked our happiness, so we have to fight against that process and activate our inner happy in order to undo that programming.

 

Always congratulate yourself on your resolve to quit and to quit again if you happen to relapse.

 

For me, one of the biggest hurdles was to find a new way to reward myself because every time I made it to 2 or 3 weeks, I rewarded myself with a cigarette which of course led to full-fedged smoking again.  Once I was able to outsmart that particular inner junkie process, I was able to stay off the smokes longer and move onto the next mental thing...and it's all mental after the initial body  withdrawals fade (3 weeks for me).

 

You can do this, Linda.  Your mind and resolve to be free are stronger than your addiction. If you relapse, assess what went wrong and how you can prevent that from happening next time.  You can definitely do it! I hope to read about your next quit very, very soon. All the best to you, Linda. 

[Linda]

49 minutes ago, Angeleek said:

Hi Linda!

 

You are in fact winning the battle because you keep on quitting and are determined to become an ex smoker! Just keep on quitting and one day it will stick! 

 

I found that Joel Spitzer's videos were very good counsel cuz they helped me sort out the mental aspects of being without nicotine.

 

Please don't berate yourself for relapsing, because life is depressing enough.  Remember nicotine hijacked our happiness, so we have to fight against that process and activate our inner happy in order to undo that programming.

 

Always congratulate yourself on your resolve to quit and to quit again if you happen to relapse.

 

For me, one of the biggest hurdles was to find a new way to reward myself because every time I made it to 2 or 3 weeks, I rewarded myself with a cigarette which of course led to full-fedged smoking again.  Once I was able to outsmart that particular inner junkie process, I was able to stay off the smokes longer and move onto the next mental thing...and it's all mental after the initial body  withdrawals fade (3 weeks for me).

 

You can do this, Linda.  Your mind and resolve to be free are stronger than your addiction. If you relapse, assess what went wrong and how you can prevent that from happening next time.  You can definitely do it! I hope to read about your next quit very, very soon. All the best to you, Linda. 

Thanks it has been a struggle back at day one. Yes the smoking just one does not work

[JimHannoonen]

On 9/11/2020 at 2:41 PM, Linda said:

You are so right the mental part I so hard, sometimes I would light a cigarette and didn't even want it is just a nasty habit

 

Leaving your dirty socks on the floor is a nasty habit. Not cleaning the shaving scum out of the sink is a nasty habit.

 

Smoking is a lethal addiction. You need to take this more seriously, Linda. You need to decide enough is enough.

 

You need to decide to stop smoking and COMMIT to never smoking again. You're no more addicted than anyone else, Linda. I smoked for 30 years and was addicted as anyone and I was able to quit. You can too, but only if you're serious about it.

 

Quit now. Quit forever. This isn't some stupid game. This is your LIFE, Linda.

 

 

[Linda]

5 hours ago, JimHannoonen said:

 

Leaving your dirty socks on the floor is a nasty habit. Not cleaning the shaving scum out of the sink is a nasty habit.

 

Smoking is a lethal addiction. You need to take this more seriously, Linda. You need to decide enough is enough.

 

You need to decide to stop smoking and COMMIT to never smoking again. You're no more addicted than anyone else, Linda. I smoked for 30 years and was addicted as anyone and I was able to quit. You can too, but only if you're serious about it.. I'm taking it serious or I wouldn't be here.

 

Quit now. Quit forever. This isn't some stupid game. This is your LIFE, Linda.

 

 

I understand the addiction and I know how serious this is.

Just now, Linda said:

I understand the addiction and I know how serious this is.

I am taking it serious or I wouldn't be here

[Doreensfree]

Are you still smoking Linda ????

[Linda]

26 minutes ago, Doreensfree said:

Are you still smoking Linda ????

Not for the last two days

[Angeleek]

Awesome! Welcome back to your quit, Linda!  You know what to do. We're all rooting for you here. Congratulations on getting back up and on! 

 

You're not alone...remember that when you're working through your craves. Slay that dragon! You do NOT have to smoke!

 

Plan your rewards now -- reap 'em with gusto and a lung full of clean air when you hit that milestone. Remind yourself of what that reward will be so you can look forward to it! Goodie for you!!!

[Linda]

31 minutes ago, Angeleek said:

Awesome! Welcome back to your quit, Linda!  You know what to do. We're all rooting for you here. Congratulations on getting back up and on! 

 

You're not alone...remember that when you're working through your craves. Slay that dragon! You do NOT have to smoke!

 

Plan your rewards now -- reap 'em with gusto and a lung full of clean air when you hit that milestone. Remind yourself of what that reward will be so you can look forward to it! Goodie for you!!!

Thanks

[Doreensfree]

20 hours ago, Linda said:

Not for the last two days

This is great news ....

We believe in you Linda ....believe in yourself.....you can do this ...

[Shezi]

Hi Linda, just read through this thread and wanted to reach out to see how you're doing. I'm at the beginning of my journey and read on another thread something about how you can't be scared off from smoking by horror stories (I forget which thread now). This is absolutely true for me, I know all the stories, seen the images and smoked anyway.

 

But there is something that DOES work for me so I want to share it with you, and it's this:

 

After 1 day

Just 1 day after quitting smoking, the risk of heart attack begins to decrease.

After 2 days

In as little as 2 days after quitting, a person may notice a heightened sense of smell and more vivid tastes as these nerves heal.

After 3 days

3 days after quitting smoking, the nicotine levels in a person’s body are depleted. 

After 1 month

In as little as 1 month, a person’s lung function begins to improve. 

After 1-3 months

For the next several months after quitting, circulation continues to improve.

After 9 months

Nine months after quitting, the lungs have significantly healed themselves.

After 1 year

One year after quitting smoking, a person’s risk for coronary heart disease decreases by half. This risk will continue to drop past the 1-year mark.

 

(Medically reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, Ph.D., CRNP — Written by Jenna Fletcher on November 19, 2018, published in MedicalNewsToday)

 

Knowing the recovery that's going on makes me feel good. Knowing what's achievable just by not smoking that cigarette helps me to keep going, because (after 30 years of smoking) it's not too late. I can get better. Stay positive Linda, see the benefits and focus on them when you feel the urge to smoke. Baby steps, just put one foot in front of the other and keep going.

[Linda]

5 minutes ago, Shezi said:

Hi Linda, just read through this thread and wanted to reach out to see how you're doing. I'm at the beginning of my journey and read on another thread something about how you can't be scared off from smoking by horror stories (I forget which thread now). This is absolutely true for me, I know all the stories, seen the images and smoked anyway.

 

But there is something that DOES work for me so I want to share it with you, and it's this:

 

After 1 day

Just 1 day after quitting smoking, the risk of heart attack begins to decrease.

After 2 days

In as little as 2 days after quitting, a person may notice a heightened sense of smell and more vivid tastes as these nerves heal.

After 3 days

3 days after quitting smoking, the nicotine levels in a person’s body are depleted. 

After 1 month

In as little as 1 month, a person’s lung function begins to improve. 

After 1-3 months

For the next several months after quitting, circulation continues to improve.

After 9 months

Nine months after quitting, the lungs have significantly healed themselves.

After 1 year

One year after quitting smoking, a person’s risk for coronary heart disease decreases by half. This risk will continue to drop past the 1-year mark.

 

(Medically reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, Ph.D., CRNP — Written by Jenna Fletcher on November 19, 2018, published in MedicalNewsToday)

 

Knowing the recovery that's going on makes me feel good. Knowing what's achievable just by not smoking that cigarette helps me to keep going, because (after 30 years of smoking) it's not too late. I can get better. Stay positive Linda, see the benefits and focus on them when you feel the urge to smoke. Baby steps, just put one foot in front of the other and keep going.

Thanks for sharing this. I am not doing real good on the not smoking. There is spot of good support here. But I have remarked several times. Not giving up but not doing good

[jillar]

When you are truly ready @Linda you'll do everything you can to protect those hard fought days be it posting an SOS or using an air cigarette like I did, this I promise you....

[Shezi]

But at least you're not giving up. Do you spend a lot of time on your own?

 

I'm using an air cigarette - I can't believe how helpful it is.

Edited October 3, 2020 by Shezi

[Linda]

17 minutes ago, Shezi said:

But at least you're not giving up. Do you spend a lot of time on your own?

 

I'm using an air cigarette - I can't believe how helpful it is.

Yes I do spend a lot of time by myself, so that makes it hard sometimes. My husband passed away a few years ago. I also have some health issues going on that are stressing me out. And maybe like Jillar said I'm not really ready

[jillar]

23 minutes ago, Linda said:

And maybe like Jillar said I'm not really ready

 

Or maybe you just give up too easy? Only you know the answer to that. I have health issues too Linda and quitting has helped so much, it'll help you too. Don't give up on yourself. You're not the first one who's had to have multiple attempts so just pick yourself up and dust yourself off. I know you want to quit because you're here everyday   

[Doreensfree]

Your ready Linda ..Don't listen to that junkie nicotine monkey sitting whispering in your ear ..

A smoker will always find a reason to have a smoke ...

I'm in much the same situation as you ...and wouldn't light up now for the world ...

Looking after your own health is your priority....

We can give you all the tools and help you need ...but you have to put the work in ...

Maybe you could read Allen Carr the easy way ...while you are wondering if your ready ...

This is a fabulous book ..that has helped millions quit ...including me ....

Hope to see you take your seat again soon ..

[MLMR]

Waiting to be ready is like waiting for the niagara falls to climb up instead of falling down. Never gonna happen. 

 

Take that first step, be vulnerable about it, discover, grow day by day and suddenly you will see motivation  and 'readyness' peaking around the corner. 

 

Take proper care of your health Linda,  no one else can do that for you. 

Edited October 7, 2020 by MLMR