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Give and get support around quitting

Gma_Bernie
Member

Changing Seasons

This will be my first spraying as a non-smoker. We had one nice day and it was Saturday. I completely fell apart and sobbed and sobbed. I missed smoking on my front porch when it was nice outside. It did not seem so hard to quit in the winter time, but now it's been three and a half months and the change of weather is bringing back all kinds of memories and I am falling into a deep depression. Help!

31 Replies
Gma_Bernie
Member

I'll try it. Thanks.

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Hang in there. Listen you're nearly through the hardest part.

/blogs/jonescarp.aka.dale.Jan_2007-blog/2011/06/26/what-to-expect-in-the-first-four-months 

On the changing seasons. There is a blog in the link above called "The Two Sets Of Seasons."

I think you have to get through two Christmasas, two thanksgivings, two springs, two winters, two summers.

Why do I say this? because one Christmas someone may be there and the next, gone. Or the opposite.

Someone isn't there  and then they are and they trigger your memories.

Additionally, The relapse rate in the first two years is 94% and at two years it drops to 2-4%

I read it,Dale...I have to say the 2 yrs. of every Holiday is the MOST DEPRESSING 

Thing I've ever heard or read at the site.... When putting ALL YOUR ENERGY into 

your Quit!! I have been fortunate enough to be: Where, I am not counting, from second to minute,

or minute to hour, hour to day, NOW...... I mark each day off, on the calendar and celebrate that

Victory! I've always been a person with long range goals......While thinking about NML and the 1st. 

6 mos. of the REST of YOUR LIFE... I Don't find the  Two Sets of Seasons Helpful at ALL! 

Depressing to see 94% Relapse after Everything We Go Through??????????

BTW- Alot of people have a Favorite Season.........This person only likes 1 Season....HOT SUMMER,

YEAR ROUND.... WOULD BE MY CHOICE......Purely for selfish reasons.......My chronic pain level is

always at it's BEST in HOT weather.......Just my opinion......The whole thing upsets me enough,I can't

work on my blog draft. Rug stretching man arrives at 8 in the morning. Way to Early for me. Had to move

all I could out, of the bedroom today. After spring cleaning 3 rooms yesterday. Guys will move the over sized

dresser,chest of drawers, and bed out in the morning. I will take out my TV,Stand,glider rocker and footstool

in morning. A STORM IS FORECAST FOR THE WEEKEND.......I HAVE NEVER DONE A SNOW STORM HERE

WITHOUT CIGARETTES......... Trying not to think about it and hope the storm changes directions..........

I am Thanking God, that I live 10 m from town. Had 4.5" of Snow on Monday,after all the crap that was already on the ground.

Snow covering ice patches too. I hate rural county roads, they are not good roads. Truck Stop is 10 m away. I don't drive

if I can get out of it! (Especially winter weather up north) Stupid thing is "I have No Desire to light up!"Those Triggers of:

How we've handled LIFE as a Smoker, just Blow me Away! I HAVE TO HAVE A POSITIVE SPIN ON

THE SEASONAL THING.........SO, I WILL ONLY LOOK AT 6% will make it to a Year or 18 mos......

That Doesn't Depress Me! Prairie 43 DOF

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the first winter snow, the leaves in autumn, the first summer barbeque.  These are reminders to most smokers, reminders of smoking during those times.

The emotional seasons are the same way. We have to deal with bad things without smoking.

It's not supposed to be depressing. Holidays are triggers. I don't know you personally and yours may be different than mine or someone else's. The point is relapse rates drop to 2-4% at 2 years. Living two years of living without smoking must have something to do with that?

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TW517
Member

I remember getting extremely depressed as well when I read about the 2 seasons and 94% relapse rate.  Like you, I was early in my quit and suffering greatly.  I had the same thoughts, why am I putting myself thru this if the chances of my success are stacked against me?  That's a hard thought to shake when you are going thru cravings fairly regularly.  But after my cravings died down, I just forgot about that.  I keep it in the back of my mind so that I'm prepared for any craving out of the blue.  I still keep an emergency kit in my office and car with cut straws, mints and some of my favorite written memes to read in case a crave sneaks up on me.  I've only had 2 since last October.

I know you've heard this before, and we are probably sounding like a broken record... but it really, truly does get easier! 

TW517
Member

Oh no!  My last comment made me realize I had put a bag of grapes in my freezer last December, and completely forgot about them!  Just went and tested a few.  OK, more like 15 .  They're still good.  At least they taste good.  I guess if you don't hear back from me, you'll know not to eat 3 month old frozen grapes!

anjalibooks
Member

Hello Everyone,

Just joined, I quit on Jan 26 this year so 2 months this Friday  - 8 weeks - 56  days but who"s counting   

I'm just really curious about this comment  by  jonescarp

 The relapse rate in the first two years is 94% and at two years it drops to 2-4%

Is that a reference to the relapse rate at holidays Christmas etc?

Thanks 

Jan18

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It's not so much related to any particular holiday. It's the triggers connected to the emotions and memories of prior holidays or seasonal changes.

http://whyquit.com/FFN/chapters/FFN_14_Relapse_P.pdf 

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YoungAtHeart
Member

You don't need to worry about this - you just need to remain MINDFUL that having a thought of smoking when you are going through holidays, changes in seasons, difficult situations for the first couple of years is normal.  These are easy to dismiss as long as you understand they are thoughts and only that.  A thought is not a call to action.

Nancy