My introduction and how to prepare?

[Shanakor]

Hello, 

 

I am new here and very skeptical about whether this community can help me. 

I am currently reading a book called "Stick with it". It is about how to make changes last. The author describes 7 forces that assisst you in making changes last. One of them is community. The book tells me to actively participate in the community, so although I am skeptical, here I am.

 

I am so skeptical, because I think that everyone here writes the same things over and over, so I can not imagine why anyone would be interested to read this or respond to it. But let's see. 

 

In this year (2017) I had actually quit for 6 months. Back then I was reading about NLP and actively applying it to quitting smoking. The thought that the next cigarette causes the withdrawal pangs rather than eliminating them got me through the cravings. 

In the first few weeks I noticed a significant rise in calmness, lung capacity, clarity and general mood. 
However, after six months it became normal for me and slowly the thought, that the next cigarette will calm me down creeped back into my head. 
I did not notice this at that time. But in hindsight it was clear, that I would break as soon as a life challenge presented itself. 
Also I was frustrated, because my lungs still did not feel healthy and I felt like not making any progress, although doing sports. 

It was only after I relapsed, that I noticed how much my lungs and everything else had developed. My lungs felt like they were hit by a truck and I felt sick. In short, it was horrible. 

Now I am ready to quit again and am preparing for my next try. But I feel overwhelmed, about what I should do.
I am so eager to quit smoking, that I actually quit yesterday. However, I think I was not prepared very well. A few minutes ago, I wanted to rid my household from every tobacco product and then I relapsed. 

I am so angry about cigarettes and actually I want to throw them out in this very minute (I probably will, because not smoking for a short period and then relapsing still feels better than having to keep smoking). But I think I should prepare better now. How do I do this?

The thought that every craving only lasts about 6 minutes got me through the first day (until relapsing before). The relapse happened, because I thought, well maybe it is only 6 minutes, but after that it is going to be another 6 minutes and so on. How do you deal with this? Do you just try to not think about what lies ahead of you?

 

[bjean]

Shanakor,

 

I'm probably not the best for this.  I will only hit 7 days at 9:30pm EDT.  I hate to say this, but it's different for everybody.  If you feel that you need to get rid of everything, DO IT!  Right now.  If you do, though, destroy it.  Break all the cigarettes, break the lighters.  Make them useless.  It might actually give you some satisfaction too.

 

One thing that has been significant for me is a page on this site that's called JUNKIE THINKING.  Find it.  Read it.  Print it out.  I nearly jumped out of my skin this past Saturday.  I turned to this group and they helped me out.  Look for the form called S.O.S.  Use it.  Every 5 minutes, if you need to.  Yes.....community helps.  It doesn't seem like it will right now, but it will help.

 

There's a forum called NOPE......Not One Puff Ever.  You make a commitment every day not to take one puff.  Sometimes making that commitment on a daily basis helps.  Get back on here and tell us what we can do to help.

 

Best wishes for your journey.

[Shanakor]

Thanks so much for replying I will read the post Junkie Thinking

[Doreensfree]

Hi Shanakor..

Welcome go this magical place..if you want to quit smoking..then yes this is the exact place for you..

There is tons of useful info here ,to get you started..make sure you read all the pinned posts on out main page ..

They have a green box at the side..

Take smoking off the table..no matter what..this is what kept me going...my junkie brain understood this.

No matter what you are feeling ..or what's happening around you...don't stick anything in your mouth and light it..

Learn your way around the board...post post post..so important...

Looking forward to travelling with you..on your journey ...

[Shanakor]

Thanks I will read the pinned posts. I am looking forward to this journey as well.

Now smokefree for 2 hours again. A long way to go, but so far I feel great.

Afterwards at my workplace I think I will have enough distractions.

[PeaceTrain]

Hello Shanakor and welcome to the train! Education has been the most important quitting tool to me. The more I understand about the addiction, the easier it is for me to take a step back during difficult times and observe what is happening and place it in the context of the principles of addiction and addiction recovery. For me, it was also essential to get rid of all cigarettes immediately, thereby making a firm and actual statement to myself that smoking is not an option- no matter what.

 

Best to you,

PeaceTrain

[NADA]

Welcome Shanakor.  

 

I, like you, tend to rebel from rigid and repetitious doctrine.  However, when I look back on my decades-long smoking addiction, maybe that's the reason it lasted so long.  I thought I knew better than those who actually successfully quit.

 

The reason you hear the same slogans over and over is because they work.  Open your mind up to the routines that advance you in your pursuit of a smoke free life......because it's your mind that will determine if you make it.

 

You can do this!

[Boo]

 I, like you, tend to rebel from rigid and repetitious doctrine.  However, when I look back on my decades-long smoking addiction, maybe that's the reason it lasted so long.  I thought I knew better than those who actually successfully quit.

 

The reason you hear the same slogans over and over is because they work.  Open your mind up to the routines that advance you in your pursuit of a smoke free life......because it's your mind that will determine if you make it.

 

Bingo!

 

Confucius said: "Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated."  Many of us started the process of quitting thinking it was an intricate puzzle with many moving parts and some kind of code that needed to be cracked.  Then we realized that quitting smoking was a simple matter of never smoking again.  It's a straightforward path.

 

After seeing the simplicity of it all, there is no going back.  

[bakon]

Quit ing is easy. Get mind wrapped in NOPE. Then do it. not one puff ever. Follow and you have done it.

 

As for the boredom of saying the same thing all the time. Yes we do. Some of these items are

Burrito is a fat girl from Scotland

Babs likes the back seat

Jimmy is a bully

Sonic is a meathead

Cats are Box shitters

Chicks cheat

Egg rule

Rez is an egg thief

Boo-ger the goat and rep are twin idiots

Ginger has matching carpet and drapes

Frez has awful shoes. Nancy's are under my bed

Doorbell is a hornytoad

Smarty got it going on

Bat doesnt

 

And plenty more

[sgt.barney]

> very skeptical about whether this community can help me.

 

You are absolutely correct.

 

We can't help you.

At.All.

No one can.

 

Only YOU ... can help you.

 

Are you up to the task?

 

 

 

E Z P Z

[Reciprocity]

I think we, as a community, CAN help in that we are here as other people that have gone through the exact same thing that each new quitter goes through. No, we can't quit for someone BUT, we can be here as a non-judgemental community where a new quitter can come to vent, complain, ask for help or just celebrate their successes as they move through the process. I also think we all benefit from participating here. Why else would people with 4 & 5 year quits still be hanging around?

 

Yes - we CAN help. We just can't do the really hard work for anyone. That my friend is up to you and only you!

[Dee]

Well stated by all.

Quitting is a one many show with many cheerleaders on the side line. Just as Smoking is a one man show you decide to light up.....

[Jewel]

Hi & welcome! Reading about quitting, relapse & recovery has helped me a lot! I have spent many hours reading & still spend time everyday reading about quitting. I've also watched videos.

 

Being part of this forum or a quit community will be very beneficial to you & your quit. That & making your commitment not to take a puff will pretty much guarantee success. Give it a try w/me for a year or so. I think I will. Buckle up as Doreen says & enjoy the ride...