Reciprocity

I posted this up in another thread as well but thought I would say it again here: The number of people who relapse outweighs the number of people who don't relapse at least once I suspect. A few critical things to realize though: 1. Relapse isn't accidental. It's a choice you and only you make. 2. Understanding how crappy relapsing made you feel after the fact compared to how much you thought you needed that "just one" before the fact is critical! Keep that understanding fresh in your mind as you move forward so you can draw on it next time. 3. Having a better plan for your next quit. Think about what went wrong the last time. Know what was missing in that last quit and make sure you plan to have that missing ingredient in your pantry on your next quit. 4. Quit again as soon as you have pondered numbers 1,2 & 3! Never quit trying to quit. Read the posts on this or any other quit smoking board and you will see tons of people who now have multi-year quits going. Many of them too relapsed early on. Some multiple times but they learned from their mistakes, pulled themselves up and tried again until they achieved success. We can all do that. It's not something that is just reserved for "others". In the end, it's up to YOU!

The number of people who relapse outweighs the number of people who don't relapse at least once I suspect. A few critical things to realize though: 1. Relapse isn't accidental. It's a choice you and only you make. 2. Understanding how crappy relapsing made you feel after the fact compared to how much you thought you needed that "just one" before the fact is critical! Keep that understanding fresh in your mind as you move forward so you can draw on it next time. 3. Having a better plan for your next quit. Think about what went wrong the last time. Know what was missing in that last quit and make sure you plan to have that missing ingredient in your pantry on your next quit. 4. Quit again as soon as you have pondered numbers 1,2 & 3! Never quit trying to quit. Read the posts on this or any other quit smoking board and you will see tons of people who now have multi-year quits going. Many of them too relapsed early on. Some multiple times but they learned from their mistakes, pulled themselves up and tried again until they achieved success. We can all do that. It's not something that is just reserved for "others". In the end, it's up to YOU!

I think maybe I'll have just NONE today.

What these people said before me Kenzie. Try to just take a moment away from the situation when you feel yourself tensing up from the stress and do a little deep breathing. That always helped me refocus and my stress level would be at least temporarily reduced. It is tough dealing with whatever our life situations might be while we are in the early part of our quit but as others have said. We think smoking is reducing stress but all it's really doing is feeding the addiction. Your stress from work, relationships or whatever will still be there. Relapsing would make things a lot worse for you. You would be so disappointed in yourself. Stay strong and power through these early days. You're doing great - just stay the course my friend! It will be so worth it in the end. You'll see. Reflect on how far you've come too. Protect that hard work you've done as if your life depended on it. You're closer each day to things getting less intense for you. It happens slowly but it does happen for everyone. Believe in that and stay strong :)

Thanks for dropping in beazel :) Glad you're still rolling along with your quit - always good to see quits growing and becoming more solid every day. Drop in anytime you like - our welcome mat is always out :)

Sometimes it's just those little adjustments that we can make to our routine that can make a big difference. Especially that morning routine as in my case, that first cig of the day was the one I least wanted to give up. Funny cuz now I don't even think about having a cigarette when I wake up.

Ooooooone

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People often think they don't have a voice as an individual when it comes to big business and government. Cutting off the support your cigarette consumption gives to Big Tobacco is a loud voice that each one of has the option to use or not. When we quit, we stop putting our hard earned money into the pockets of those that don't care that they're killing us with their products. Stand up and be counted. Speak up loudly to Big Tobacco and tell them "I'm done with you!!" Quit smoking for good!! In about 4 1/2 months, I have refused to give them over $2,000.00 of my hard earned after-tax dollars. In my mind, I'm giving them the middle finger - lol. Look at all the dollars saved by all the other long term quitters on this site. That's money Big Tobacco is no longer getting and that's just fine by me! (end rant :) )

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Yes - good idea to record stuff as you progress. Wish I had done that. You tend to forget about the small things over time and, the progression of quitting is so slow to happen, it's good to go back a couple of weeks and refresh your memory as to where you were at then compared to now. It will help you see the progression. In terms of your "foggy head"; I had this pretty bad the whole first month of my quit. It eventually cleared up but was frustrating at the time because it made me so unproductive. Just couldn't focus on stuff for long. Someone suggested drinking fruit juice would help. Blood sugar levels or something. Of course, I paid no attention and just suffered through it - lol. The anxiousness and quick to anger issues -well; I wish I had a quick cure for those but I don't. Deep breathing maybe when you feel yourself getting all worked up. I still get a little overly riled at small stuff and I'm over 4 months in. It isn't as prominent now as it was earlier on though - thank God!

Hey Lyn! Make a list of the main reasons you want to quit smoking and keep that with you at all times. That way, you can take it out and read it when ever that little voice inside you head is trying to convince you to smoke "just one". Stay committed to your goal of quitting. If you remain committed, you will win. Every battle you win with the addiction makes you stronger and the addiction weaker. It truly works. It just takes time and hard work on your part. Educate yourself about the addiction too, as others have already said. You CAN do it! It's just up to you and we will be here cheering you on and to lend support along the way :)

^^^ I know. I was thinking that very thing as I posted that; Bakon's gonna kill me!! - lol. 1

Nice going Lone Goose! You're in the back half of your first year not smoking so take a little time today and celebrate with us :)

Hey beazel! 1/4 year without smoking is fantastic. Treat yourself to something nice to commemorate this milestone then get back in the ring and keep fighting that crafty nicodemon. You're doing great!!

Hold on here ............. back at post #47851 DD entered 5 when it should have been 3 so we are 2 too many. I'll make it 3 and now we are back on track :)

Do what you need to so you are not tempted to smoke, especially during the early part of your quit. After your sniffer comes back to normal, you will be able to smell smoke a long way away. Also, you'll be amazed at how stinky people who smoke really are to non smokers. I think you will actually like that part. We call what you are feeling "romancing the cigarette". You remember all the really good one's you smoked. You know, first one in the morning, after a meal, after going without one in a movie or on a flight. Those ones. Not all the ones that you smoked just to feed the addiction. You know, all those ones every day about every 1/2 hour or so? Once you are addicted, you are only feeding that addiction. All those smokes do nothing to help you or fix anything in your life. It's just shortening your life.

Hi helpneeded! As Doreen mentioned in her reply, read all you can about this addiction and watch all the Joel videos you can stand to watch. They are informative and gradually you will begin to understand the addiction and that it does nothing for you. Once this realization is made, quitting will be a lot easier. Start out on the Introductions & About Us Page. At the top, there's some "Pinned" thread topics. They have a green Pinned Bar beside them. I would start with the one titled: 10 Ways To Effectively Use This Forum To Help Yourself and Others to Quit Smoking. There is a lt of stuff there that you can start with. The other thing that seems to do a lot of good is to stay here on this board and participate as much as you can. Ask questions, rant and rave as needed, read others posts and offer your opinion. People that stay here seem to be much more successful. There's a lot of support here from people doing the exact same thing you are.

OK NOPE!

Yet another reason I'm not on Face-Plant!

I think the vast majority of us are in your camp nn! It certainly wasn't "easy" for me and I suspect most of the people on this board who have substantial quits under their belts yet remain here doing what they can to nurture new quitters. It's that understanding of just how difficult it can be and our sincere appreciation for the support we all had coming through the process that keeps them here giving to others. If it was easy for any of these wonderful people, they would just get through their quit and be gone, assuming it would be just as easy for everyone coming up behind them.

It all about the incentive on the far shoreline!

Andy ..... sleep in today?

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