Time to walk the walk

[Dr Phil]

Hi All!

I'm a Counselling Psychologist who's bread and butter consists of coaching people through challenging times and effective behaviour change and I've let myself and clients down for the past 6 months by relapsing back into this filthy addiction!

 

So glad I found this forum to work through this next life-changing step to rid myself of this for good- hope I get a few welcomes to remind me I'm not alone in starting the journey alone! I know all the why's and how's (well, most of them anyway) I really just need you all to be witnesses to this step - accountability is key here especially as I've run out of cheerleaders when I quit for 3 years - most friends and family would be and are devastated and perplexed as I am that I started again.

 

 

Onward and upward (5 minutes into quitting :P)

[Reciprocity]

Well, you have come to a good place for support in your new Quit and 5 minutes in is better than 2 minutes in so just keep marching forward (as Bakon would say).

I'm wondering if you know why you relapsed after a 3 year quit? If you don't understand why that happened then it may well happen again. What have you learned from your relapse and is this the 1st time you have relapsed? This is an addiction and we are all addicts and always will be so pledging NOPE each and every day, if not on a board like this at least to ourselves, is key to making a quit stick permanently. One puff leads to one cigarette. & one cigarette. leads you back to being a full time smoker. Guess I don't need to tell you that it's up to you alone to make this happen. We are here for support and we also like to have a little fun around here as well. Quitting smoking doesn't have to be all doom & gloom.

 

Enough preaching from me for now. Welcome aboard the Quit Train. Let's make this your last quit!! Read all you can here about this addiction and watch the videos that are available. The more you understand this addition, the better prepared you will be to fight it. We'll share what we can to help you make this permanent and perhaps you'll enjoy being part of our very special community :) See you around.

[Nancy]

Welcome, Dr. Phil.  Lots of great information here, and lots of great people who have been where you are, now.  The key is realizing that there is no such thing as "just one" or "a good time to quit".   Not One Puff Ever (NOPE) is the only way to succeed.  Another truth is that we are all one puff away from a pack a day.

 

You can do this!  One moment at a time!

[Doreensfree]

Hi and welcome aboard.. Glad you found this fabulous place...

We are a small community who care very much for our members..I would suggest you read all here,to refresh your brain and give you your tool box to work with...

Taking our daily pledge ..it's a promise to yourself not to smoke for the next 24 hours.. My favourite...

Smoking is not on the table ..no matter what... NOPE...

You can do it...and we will support you all through your journey...

[Dee]

Welcome Dr. Phil. Don't get down life happens and for whatever reason we end up on a road we need to get off of. I had quit back in 2008 and it had lasted a few years not sure how it happened but ended up back in a cloud of smoke. Now 3 months nicotine free for the long haul God willing. This site has been very helpful and that is something I didn't have back in 2008. Or a mother that just came through two different types of lung cancer. We have been blessed as her last PET Scan came back clean.

[Dr Phil]

Thanks guys! Tomorrow will be the toughest day I know. I really have battled to quit this time as I haven't found the enthusiasm I had the last time I quit. It just feels like a struggle and yes, a deprivation. I know I know - it's not one - all the intellectual know how about addiction and keeping it off the table and not debating and riding waves is all there - just taking a bit of effort this time for it to really really ring true.

 

Not here to discuss why I started again - we all know certain personal stuff can trigger destructive behaviours from the past - And it's so far from who I am now but my old emotional brain has convinced me for a while to play out old roles and beliefs. But now I'm tired and want my real life back.

 

Mostly I hate what it does to my sense of self, confidence, efficacy etc... not cool. So freedom from this asshole will be awesome. Just need to get through a few days of moderate discomfort and it looks like I'm in a good online space to share some of that! You're all very special for responding and sharing your wisdom.

Here's to the real day 1 starting soon.....and the first NOPE ;)

[Doreensfree]

Phil..I was a 52 year smoker.. I didn,t know what it was to be a adult with out my fix..

So my quit was not a breeze..but i did it,day by day...sometimes hour by hour,sometimes minutes by minute..

Have a real good look around this board..there is lots to keep you occupied,games to play..

We do believe quitting can also be fun...

Of course there will be bumps and bends...just come here and smooth them out..

Find a nice window seat and buckle up...

[Reciprocity]

I'm glad you came across this site. We are all here to support each other, first and foremost. Please join us on the daily NOPE pledge thread - we'll be looking for you there :D

[Boo]

I really have battled to quit this time as I haven't found the enthusiasm I had the last time I quit. 

 

You only need enough enthusiasm to quit.  After that it is commitment that will forge the path to freedom.

 

By the way, a day late but...Welcome aboard Dr. Phil and congratulations on making one of the best decisions you could ever make for yourself.