I relapsed

[Oneistoo]

I relapsed. Before you can say, "Why didn't you SOS???" I have to say that I went into auto-pilot and don't remember a thing. 

 

I've reset my ticker. It's a process, and I'm not a smoker. 

 

I really would appreciate it if your commentary is not too harsh. A relapse can truly happen to anybody at any time, even for the most ardently proud non-smokers. 

[Rob]

Hi Oneistoo, no judgment from me at all. I just hope my relapse the other day wasn't partly responsible.

 

I'm glad you're back on board so quickly though and that you're still a non-smoker, good for you :)

 

Was there any reason specifically, or are you not sure?

[Tink]

yes 1is2 its a journey, the more we can educate ourselves about this addiction the better armed we are to beat it

 

only you know the reason why, how etc and its deep within yourself you have to reach to understand it

 

im glad you are back on board (you also Rob) 

 

Lets do this together one step at a time, but keep reaching forward 

 

you can do this Oneis2 and Rob x

[joe]

No harshness intended....just..

 

If this is something that you feel is truely nessasary and what needs to be done ... and everyone here believes it is... Then do it... no options..

 

A relapse can only truely happen to anyone at any time ......if they allow it to....

 

It gets hard..I understand... You have to be more persistent than your addiction.....

 

I am happy you are back on board.. And for your sake, I hope you are stronger and smarter now..

 

If you allow the addiction to make the choices...guess which one it will make...

 

YOU have to make the choices from here on out in order to succeed..

 

You are showing great strength by climbing back on . Use the knowledge from this last failure to make you stronger.. Be persistent .you can beat this, but only by not giving an inch... Every minute... Every hour is forward!

[Doreensfree]

After smoking all my adult life...I'm in no position to be harsh......

All I can tell you is how I wish I had quit along time ago....

The beniefts have been amazing.....

Make this your sticky.....don't wait in til all the nasty stuff starts to happen.....

You can do it.....you too rob......

If I can...I promise you can ....

[babs609]

no one can be harsher on you than....YOU

 

you chose to smoke...that's why there was no SOS

 

Back on the train but you must stay vigilant from now on....1 relapse is unfortunate.  Please make it your last.

[DCCXXVII]

Welcome back onboard Oneistoo... please stick close to the board as you may need us especially over the next couple of days :)

 

I always remind myself of the "Law of Addiction" and that I am one puff away from a pack a day... helps me to stay on the tracks... choo choo! ;)

[Oneistoo]

Was there any reason specifically, or are you not sure?

 

It seems to happen when I have to do something I'm apparently afraid of doing. I've just finished my studies, and I'm nervous about re-entering the job market after a long hiatus to do other things. My efforts to get a job are clear triggers. 

[Doreensfree]

It seems to happen when I have to do something I'm apparently afraid of doing. I've just finished my studies, and I'm nervous about re-entering the job market after a long hiatus to do other things. My efforts to get a job are clear triggers.

 

This is the area I had to work on....getting my junkie brain to reolize that a smoke never helped with any of my life curve balls...

I know now...I had the problem...plus withdrawal to deal with....

I can deal with things in a much calmer way now....

Smoking doesn't calm us down...it does the exact opposite.....

Keep reading and learning....education ...its the key...

[joe]

I hate to ask to obvious, but do you have cigarettes that are readily available?

 

Use the time it takes you to travel to the closest convienance store to get a pack, to talk yourself out of buying them..

 

You cannot quit if you have cigarettes available to you...

 

You have to set yourself up to succeed...

 

Having smokes within reach, or easy to access, is setting yourself up for failure.

 

Give yourself every advantage to succeed that you can!

[JackiMac]

Hi One, no one is harsh on here we only tell the truth and sometimes its not what people want to hear, when someone relapses its because they want to smoke again, deep down they really aren't true to the quit, you have to want to be a non-smoker and really fight the craves and the urges, because its only us who allow the thoughts to enter our brains, and us who allow the romancing of the nicotine to begin, its wonderful to see that you came straight back on board, going forward remind yourself that smoking is not an option, you are stronger than the nicodemon, you can and you will succeed smoking is a disgusting, smelly life threatening addiction, we are all here to help you on your way xxx

[Mastergardener]

All above, excellent advice, particularly Joe's. Having cigs around is just a torment...

 

Holding our hands out to pull you aboard,

 

Karen

[cpk]

It seems to happen when I have to do something I'm apparently afraid of doing. I've just finished my studies, and I'm nervous about re-entering the job market after a long hiatus to do other things. My efforts to get a job are clear triggers. 

Maybe also the pressure that the issue of smoking may come up in an interview, or there will be the assumption that surely you aren't a smoker? Looking for work is hard. I know. I'm looking for new work myself right now. And also doing a new quit. I am looking at my life now as a total picture...yes, there is the job thing. But there is also the thing about feeding my spirit, breathing love into all the dark corners, nurturing my talents, hopes, and dreams. The not smoking is part of a bigger picture. What is your big picture? Is smoking in that picture? You seem like a very sensitive woman. Being harsh with you would be ....not right, I don't think. But firmness is okay, right? You gotta guard your quit with your life if don't want smoking to be in the big picture that is your precious, precious life. So, guard your quit.

Also, you know that you need that toolbox. See the gallery, I've posted what I have in my toolbox. What's in your toolbox now? How are you fashioning your quit? Let us know.

[bakon]

window licker, come to the front and get your trophy.  bad breath, stink in interview, lie to potential employer that you don't smoke, those are the small prizes,

 

around back you will find chemo, cancer and death

[cpk]

window licker, come to the front and get your trophy.  bad breath, stink in interview, lie to potential employer that you don't smoke, those are the small prizes,

 

around back you will find chemo, cancer and death

OMG, bakon, you make me laugh all the way to the bank!!! Every day. Thanks, wooly wild mind.

[laura]

When i relapsed i can honestly say i went into depression mode, I hated the fact I had let myself down again, so you won't get no harsh comments from me as I know you have punished yr self enough.

all I will say is crack on with yr new quit, chin up and don't let it get you down x

[El Bandito]

Hey Oneistoo.

 

Doh!

 

The trick to this thing is not to smoke.

 

Harsh? Moi?

 

From my personal experience here - people are not harsh. They do feel frustrated for you. They feel hurt that you did not give them a chance to help with a SOS post.

 

Well done for getting back on the train.

 

Next time it all gets too much.

 

A: Come here and rant

B: Send Bakon a naked selfie

C: Post SOS

 

You choose.

 

We all want to see everyone succeed. We all want to help where we can.

 

Now - don't smoke dopey.

[Leanna]

That stinks. I have nothing to add that hasn't already been said, but good for you for jumping back on the train.

 

I'm unemployed having just finished a college program in December, so I understand the frustration all too well. But you have to keep telling yourself smoking isn't going to fix your problems. Even when I was a smoker, I couldn't get a job for over a year and was just as frustrated as I am now, so clearly smoking isn't the answer.

[Nancy]

I don't want to be harsh, but I do have to disagree with your statement that a relapse can happen to anybody at any time.  A relapse is not something that happens to us, it is something we choose.  I cannot choose if I relapse to the flu, for example.  But when you put that cigarette in your mouth and lit it...you were in control.  And what is up with saying you don't remember it?  Just some food for thought.

 

Glad you are right back on board!

[ChRiSpY]

Shit is going to happen...it happens to everyone.

 

Gotta figure out what you are going to do next time instead of smoking... and stick to it.

 

Get your mind right.... it is not right... right now.  Right?

[Oneistoo]

Thank you for your comments and for caring. I'm taking it to heart and will think more about it over the next couple of days. 

[MarylandQuitter]

Oneistoo,

 

You relapsed because you were romanticizing smoking.  Relapse doesn't "just happen", it's planned.  You don't beat this addiction by being stronger than it, you beat it by being smarter than it.  Watching Joel's videos, the documentaries and reading all of the supporting material here aimed to educate about this addiction.  Knowledge is power and without it, you're chances of staying smoke-free diminish each time you fondly think about smoking.

 

Also, relapse is not a part of the process of quitting smoking.

 

Glad to see that you started your quit again and this time, please understand that smoking does not relieve stress, it only adds to it.

 

Is Relapse A Natural Part Of The Quitting Process?

Discusses potential of long-term relapses after quitting, as well as dispelling the idea that people have to quit multiple times for a quit to be able to finally take.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nk6OFRO9BY4&list=PL4F05C03D0F9B86DB

[joe]

Thank you for your comments and for caring. I'm taking it to heart and will think more about it over the next couple of days. 

 

 

I believe if you think about it every day....instead of just the next couple, ..your odds of success improve 10 fold  ;)

 

Head down and move forward...always...

 

never stick burning things in your mouth!

[buMbLeB]

I relapsed. Before you can say, "Why didn't you SOS???" I have to say that I went into auto-pilot and don't remember a thing. 

 

I've reset my ticker. It's a process, and I'm not a smoker. 

 

I really would appreciate it if your commentary is not too harsh. A relapse can truly happen to anybody at any time, even for the most ardently proud non-smokers. 

 

 

I don't want to be harsh, but I do have to disagree with your statement that a relapse can happen to anybody at any time.  A relapse is not something that happens to us, it is something we choose.  I cannot choose if I relapse to the flu, for example.  But when you put that cigarette in your mouth and lit it...you were in control.  And what is up with saying you don't remember it?  Just some food for thought.

 

Glad you are right back on board!

 

No one who's gone through quitting is going to judge you for slipping, I hope you realize that. But I gotta agree with Nancy here, relapses don't "happen", we do them. I'm pretty sure you're the last person I need to lecture regarding the perils of the passive voice. You did it, so own it. But yes, any one of us could choose to relapse at any time, no question. But many of us never will, and your goal is to belong to that cohort. Starting now.

 

And again, you really don't remember a thing? Unless you were completely smashed or have an underlying medical condition, I have a hard time seeing it. Really??

 

I'm really glad you're jumping right back on board. Please forgive any apparent harshness in my reply - none of it is said in judgement. But I think it's imperative to be brutally honest, with oneself if no one else, and like every other soul on this board, I only want you to win.

[Jenny]

Good job getting back on the train.  You need to get to a place where you understand that smoking does nothing for you.  It doesn't calm you down, help you celebrate or hold your hand.  Your addict mind makes you think it does but it doesn't.  The only way to be successful at this is to never ever take another puff.  No matter what.  As the others have said, you choose to smoke or you choose not to.  I hope you decide to choose not to smoke from this point forward.  Quitting sucks at times in the beginning but I can promise you that down the road you will truly appreciate what we are saying to you now.  Freedom is yours if you want it.

 

Let's get it done!  We'll be there with you every step.