relapse prevention The Quitnet Lounge

[Genecanuck]

Junky thinking, make it stop., Quitnet Re-Post January 5, 2006

From jacquot on 1/5/2006 2:22:00 PM

Dear Tom Brady:

 

If I were there, I'd reach out and put my hand on your shoulder and say I was sorry you're experiencing junky thinking.

 

It can be frustrating, agonizing and discouraging.

 

But really, in the truest analysis: it's okay. In fact, it's natural and expected that your inner active addict is trying to reawaken active addiction. 

 

Perhaps the best news I have to offer is that the rationalizations, pleas, begging, etc.. of our inner active junkies can be, well, disregarded entirely as ravings of a mad man. You can think of it like a phone ringing: you don't have to answer it. And when you don't answer it, repeatedly, the damned phone stops ringing or rings far less.

 

Craves are not commands. They are not moral imperatives. You do not have to yield to them. You can simply let them be. That's right. Let them be. 

 

Most importantly, these early days of your quit are the hardest and do not in anyway represent what it feels like to be quit for any length of time. There are days of absolute peace out there with the word

 

"TOMBRADY" typed in all caps across the top of the day's agenda so that when you check it, it says Monday, TOMBRADY: peace. Tuesday, TOMBRADY: peace. You get the idea.

 

Wait it out.

 

It is SOOOO worth it.

-J (1281)    
 

[DenaliBlues]

"...these early days of your quit are the hardest and do not in anyway represent what it feels like to be quit for any length of time. There are days of absolute peace out there with [YOUR NAME] typed in all caps across the top of the day's agenda, so that when you check it, it says Monday, [YOUR NAME]: peace. Tuesday, [YOUR NAME]: peace. You get the idea. Wait it out. It is SOOOO worth it."

 

^^ yes yes yes yes THIS!

[Genecanuck]

Good morning eveyrone, 

 

I will have to stick close to Quittrain and re-read everything I can to get it into my thick skull that smoking is never a cure for anything. I want to get off the relapse train and stay on the Quittrain.... my biggest challenge is that I need to STOP romancing the smoke, not just in the diffuclt times in my life but when I am having fun... YES... that junkie thinking that says that when I am enjoying myself, somewhow smoking will make things better.....  Feeling the need to say the serenity prayer today... God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the differece.

 

I

 

 

Edited May 30, 2025 by Genecanuck

[Genecanuck]

 

Red Flags Repost from @Sazerac

 

I have confidence in my quit and estimate my chance of relapse is low

still...addiction is a wily condition and I am human

 

Here are my four maneuvers to avert relapse, 

(  Think again,  Get right with yourself,  Contact an ally,  Post an SOS  )

and a slew of red flags... 

 

 

When you know better yet, are purposefully leading yourself astray

 

     ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~

 

If you have tiny tempting smokey thoughts that you are nuturing by not dismissing immediately and aggressively 

 

     ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~
 

I won't get addicted this time

 

     ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~

 

Whenever you start to 'romance smoking'

 

     ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~

 

If you seriously entertain the idea that smoking looks attractive or makes you feel carefree and part of the fun

 

      ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~

 

If you are having silly thoughts like, my smoking friends are having a great time and I'm missing out

 

      ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~

 

If you really wonder, what it would it taste like now, 

    

      ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~

 

Will I still get that, 'ahhhh' feeling ?

 

     ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~

 

When you start to think that you are 'different' and that you can handle just one. 

 

     ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~

 

Do you think you can quit again without much effort? 

 

      ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~

 

If you want to give yourself permission for just one, once in a while, just this once 

 

     ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~

 

If you feel too secure in your quit and start to act cocky 

 

     ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~

 

If you propose to test your quit

 

     ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~

 

Are you starting to believe, you've been quit long enough to handle a puff or two?

     

      ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~

 

If you know too much to get addicted again

 

     ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~

 

Whever you are doubting your commitment to your quit

 

    ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~

 

If you ignore the reality that smoking is a terrifying choice with significant consequences

      

      ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~

 

If you are dismissive of the fact that you can Never Take Another Puff,  Not One Puff Ever.

 

      ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~

 

I forgot the major red flag,  I am not an addict !

 

 ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~

 

I'm an adult and I'll do wtf I want !

 

 ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~

 

 

Have you more red flags to add ?   Different manuevers ?

 

[Doreensfree]

You can do it Gene 

Once your brain understands  your not giving up anything 

All will come clear

[Reciprocity]

@Genecanuck You're losing nothing & gaining everything!

Edited May 31, 2025 by Reciprocity

[DenaliBlues]

If I feel doomed or discouraged, like everything sucks so I might as well smoke:

 

     ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~

 

If think smoking would complete this perfect moment:

 

     ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~

 

If I feel alone and I miss my “friend” nicotine:

 

     ~ think again, get right with yourself, contact an ally, post an SOS ~

 

[Meg]

Hello, I was also a member of Quitnet and to this day, almost 17 years of being nicotine free I still tell people about that website.  Best information, positive reinforcement with no guilt, no judging, just great peer-to-peer chats, info and guidance.  My favorite part about that website was the tracking option they had.  At the beginning, you key in how many cigarettes you smoke in a day, how much you pay per pack, and what day you decided to make the quit.  From that point forward, it sends you daily updates as to how many cigs you HAVEN'T smoked, how much money you HAVEN'T spent and how many days you've been nicotine free.  It's like watching the money in a savings account grow, they send you your specifics every morning, it was the email I looked forward to the most.  I used a drug called Champix or Chantix (it seems to work the way the new weight loss drugs work, by denying the brain receptors what they need to provide you with "pleasure") and it worked like a charm for me.  It did make me a little bit passive/aggressive where I'm normally a calm person and that has stayed with me.  I'm not sure if it's a result of the Champix or not but I'm willing to put up with it to be out of those nicotine chains.  My calculations, very generally, are that I had my last cigarette on the morning of March 14, 2009 (9 months to the day that my mother died - I found that a little prophetic).  That means, as of today, I HAVE NOT SMOKED 155,125 cigarettes, I HAVE NOT SPENT well over $93,075 (when I quit I was paying $10/pack, they're now $20/pack so I averaged it out to $15/pack for the 17 years that I haven't smoked) and I HAVE NOT HAD any relapses - not one.  The other thing that I took away from that website was the acronym N.O.P.E.  NOT ONE PUFF EVER!  As smokers, we all know that one puff leads to two, which leads to smoking a whole cigarette and that invariably leads to a walk to the store for "just one pack" and I'll quit after that.  You know you won't, so stop lying to yourself.  Put your big person panties and on and run headlong into the turmoil - you won't regret it for a minute once you're done.

Worked for me - I wish you luck in your quitting cigarettes journey - it's so worth the fight to get them gone from your life!!

[Doreensfree]

Hello and welcome @Meg

Thank you for sharing your journey with us 

and a massive Congratulations on your 

17 years smoke Free

[SD2026]

Welcome @Meg and thank you for your inspiring post!  Congratulations on 17 years nicotine free! What an amazing achievement.  I have seen a few people mention the website QuitNet before.  I do like the sound of the daily updates and it can be eye watering seeing the figures written down of how much you've saved, how many cigarettes you haven't smoked etc.

 

You're correct in saying one puff leads to two etc.  I'm in the early stages (2 weeks and 2 days smoke free so far) but I know if I had one puff, that's it for me!

 

Thank you for sharing your story, it really helps. 

[DenaliBlues]

Nice to meet you @Meg! Thanks for sharing your story!

[QuittingGirl]

Hi @Meg! Welcome! 17 years smoke free is an amazing accomplishment! My first time quitting I used Chantix and it really worked, but unfortunately after 6 years I went back to smoking.  This quit which is my last quit I started with the weaning method (which didn't work at all), and then just went cold turkey.  It was very difficult in the beginning but I got through it.  You are right, one puff will lead to two, then three and then before you know it, you are back to smoking.  We are addicts and we cannot have even one puff!  I had a dream last night that I went back to smoking! YIKES!!  When I woke up I really thought I did, but then realized that it was just a dream thankfully!

 

Thank you for sharing your story and you are welcome on here anytime!

[SD2026]

@QuittingGirl I've heard of smoking dreams!  The mind playing tricks on us. It must have felt so strange when you first woke up! 

[QuittingGirl]

Last night was one of many smoking dreams that I have had in the 2 1/2 years that I have been quit.  I'm just glad that they are dreams and not the real thing.

[SD2026]

I'm not sure if I'm looking forward to getting them or fearing them lol

[QuittingGirl]

@SD2026 You may not get them.  I dream a lot anyway, so I think that's why I get so many of them.

[Doreensfree]

I never had  them 

But I can imagine how scarey they are

It must be a great feeling when you reolize 

it wasn’t real