HELP! HELP!

[freeneasy]

This has been a tough week for me... I am embarrassed to come here and say this - I have not smoked yet... but this has been hell week-personally and professionally and even to a degree physically.. I know that smoking won't help and that drinking won't help(I stopped that 2 years ago) but I am having serious thoughts , craves -what have you. I don't want to blow my quit(s) but it is all I can think about! I am doing this because I feel like I am hanging on a ledge way up on a skyscraper -like the 86th floor of the Empire State Building by the tips of my fingers! Nearly 282 days smoke free and I want it-nearly 2 years alcohol free and I feel like I need it Now. Thanks.. Just need to get this out here my cyber home at home.

[Jordan-11-1-12]

"I have not smoked yet"   NO NO NO NO!!!   You're planning to fail right there.  You need to turn the talk around to positive statements.  "I'm making it through this without smoking.  I am a non smoker.   Smoking is not an option."  

PLEASE  go back to the skills you used in the beginning.  DISTRACT DISTRACT DISTRACT.  even if you have refocus your thoughts every 5 minutes at first, so be it.  Do not argue with this addiction... starve it.      

Make a list of the reasons you quit in the fist place.   Remember how miserable you were when you were smoking... remember what brought you here.   Remember that there is no such thing as one.   Remember that, you don't NEED or WANT this!!!

Get onto whyquit.com and read Joel's relapse prevention.      You KNOW that smoking does nothing good for you, but maybe its time to reinforce that knowledge so that you can believe it.

[Thomas3.20.2010]

I want to remind you of this - yes, this week sucked eggs!

But it won't always be this way!

Tomorrow even things can begin to turn around for you!

This misery is temporary!

Your QUIT is permanent - unless you sacrifice it on this alter! 

Smoking is not an option EVEN NOW!

So the real question is - 

What can I do instead?

[Jordan-11-1-12]

http://www.whyquit.com/joel/Joel_Index_04_Relapse.html

there's a link.   And, hey, you promised NOPE.  Honor that promise.  This will pass, I promise.   Breathe.    If you're too wound up to sleep, then click the link I gave you.  Do not let this addiction trick you into ruining such a great quit.  You do not want to have to start day 1 again.   There are ways to relieve stress.... breathing, stretching, music, funny videos.......   Don't leave us now, you've come too far.

[kitty31]

Hey there you got to fight those craves dont give them thought let them in then push them out and occupy yourself .I've been there too many times and because i let crave stay for  too long and went and bought a pack  and felt worse after not worth it. Color draw go for a walk with good tunes free your mind or run so you can feel had bad your lungs are from smoking to give yourself motivation. hang there you can get past this dont let the crave stay in your mind long push it out it will leave.

[joyeuxencore]

Ya know what? I so love our friendship here on EX and the videos we post for eachother...That Don Rickles/Johnny Caresen/Frank clip was awesome! I watched it in the middle of a 13 hour dayy at work this week...You have no idea because I fail to make a point to TELL you, how much you mean to me.

We are in this together friend and there is no circumstance in life or death that is worthy of compromising our integrity...

Get a grip! Keep the alcohol and smokes away from from your face and ask your God whatever that is to carry you through. Have you called your 'sponsor' in AA?

Smoking is simply NOT an option friend. Period.

[Jordan-11-1-12]

please let us know how you're doing.  I hope that you get to sleep early tonight.  You will feel so much better in the morning if your sobriety and quit are intact.   Like joy said, you are more important to me than you realize, too.   

[Giulia]

You're kidding me, right  You?  Who've been steadfast and true to your quit for all this tiime.  You're seriously considering giving it up?  No, no no.  This is just a passing frailty that will be gone before you know it.  Or - once you go to bed and awaken tomorrow with your quit still in tact and new morning sanity surrounding you.  

You came here for help.  You can't fail with our help.  It's those who don't come here first that fail.  You don't need a damn thing, but to say NO to each of those previous addictions.  Just say NO.  Just like you always have.  Oh yeah, they may give you some comfort for the night.  But then there's the morning.  And the regrets.  And the starting over.  And you can romance the feelling of smoking and drinking all you want.  But you can also romance - or dwell on the relapse experience of doing both and that aiin't too romantic.  

DON'T DWELL IIN THE WELL OF YOUR ADDICTIONS.  None of them will solve your personal/physical/spiritual/emotional/professional (have I left anything out???  LOL) problems.  STOP IT NOW!!!  YELLING VERY LOUDLY FROM TENNESSEE.  CAN YOU HEAR IT???!!!!

[erma2]

Dear Freeneasy. are you there. i wrote on your meesage board hun.  if you need to talk p.m.  me.   i will be there for you.  and GOD can carry through this storm if you allow HIM too.he has carried me many of times. i hope you will respond and let us know how you are doing.  we all are concerned about you. and also listen to Giula.  i believe she has 1 of the longest quits on the site.  So i think she is doing something right. I hope we hear from you soon.   hugs.....Erma....Nope....

[_j_31]

I can feel your strength inside.  The strength you may have forgotten you have.  You have conquered this thing.  I made the sad mistake of giving in - in a moment of weakness.  It is a horror that you can avoid, and I wish I would have never gone back to.  Live without this regret.

Stay strong.  I know you can do it.  Maybe your show of strength can give me the inspiration to move me to quit again, as I feel weak too.

Do something fun.  And please, talk to a friend (with a good ear) who doesn't smoke or drink and won't let you either, ASAP.  Tell them it's an emergancy.

I know you can do it.  YOU ARE STRONG.  Relax in the knowledge of your strength.

Peace and strength be with you.

[phyllis-12-7-15]

Please HANG ON TO YOUR QUIT. You DO NOT want to start over. You asked for help so take it and use it. Listen to your EX family not to your addiction.

Remember Nancy said no slips while she was gone. 

[kat102]

Hi, I don't think we've met before. I've been away for a week or so.

Those are really long quits you have. Both with smoking and with drinking. You should be proud of them. I know it hasn't been easy to get there. Protect those quits and don't let a bad week take that away from you!

Life is a circle you know...highs and lows. As low as you are at one time, the wheel spins and you start to recover again. Things do get better. And having positive things working for you are going to keep things moving.

My dad always says..."Better days are coming..."

It would be so much better to meet them head on already having the addictions to cigarettes and alcohol well under control. Otherwise, you are starting without the benefit of what you've already conquered.

As Jordan was saying - you are a nonsmoker, you are not a drinker - so what else are you going to do to handle stress? Well, you have a whole arsenal of other tools you can use. Face it head on, or ask for some help, but if you just need some friends and encouragement, we're all here.

Believe in yourself, protect your quit, stay strong, live for tomorrow.

[candylance]

Change your mindset. Sit still in your favorite room and pick a color. Go around the room and find everything that's that color. Then, if necessary. change the color. Go to some AA meetings. I have almost 5 years and I still go to 3 meetings a week. My Hubby has 26 years and he is by my side. They need people like you for the newbies. You are such an inspiration to me. Hang in there!!

:Love ya,

Candy   d34

PS Call someone. Don't you have any numbers? Ask for some from the men because they understand just where you're coming from.

[IrishRose]

I am still trying to figure out why people, myself included, turn to undermind the only good things we have going for us when times get bad.  It's like, ok, let's just put that last nail in the coffin so we can really screw up and make the worst of an already bad situation.  My mind goes there too, but it is the wrong pathway to take.  When things get bad for you, relish in the fact that you have been strong enough of a person to say NO to smoking and drinking.  Be proud of those two aspects in your life, and those two aspects may raise you up to a higher level in your slippery slope thought process.

I don't know about you, but I am so very proud of you for having the strength to overcome two hard core addictions.  Be proud of yourself also.  Hold our hands, and please don't let your mind take you there.

I hope your day is better today than it was yesterday!  Be proud of your accomplishments.  Protect your quit as though your life depended on it, because in the long run it does.  (((hug)))

[wishingstar]

Never be embaresed to call out for help. Gosh I wish I did that instead. you have no regrets . you did the right thing, we all have times of need. no matter the lenth of your quit. Hope things start shining brighter . like the star that you are. sorry i did not see this sooner. supper proud of you

[smorgy8513]

Just got on and read your blog.   So glad you reached out.    Hope that you stayed strong, got a good nights sleep and feel ready to take on a new day.

Please come on and let us all know you are ok today!

Go to Daily Pledge October and pledge with us for a smoke free day!

Sharon

[whognu_1-2007]

is everything that bad you would choose to kill yourself?

Think of smoking as killing yourself and paying for it.

[jinni]

Hope you've gotten thru the night OK.... New day... new issues.  Yesterday is gone, tomorrow has not come... stay in the now: it is the PRESENT!  Your life is more valuable then a drink or a cig... love is here in abundance... keep reaching out!! Love conquers all!

[cory-3-10-13]

I'm glad you blogged. I wish I had been on last night to respond to you. I hope you are doing better today, staying strong, smoke free, we all care about you so much.♥

Wouldn't you rather be a NON smoker who thinks about smoking once in a while, than a smoker who thinks about quitting constantly? Please let us know how you are doing today.

[Brenda_M]

I, too, wish I'd been around to respond to your call for help. I hope today is a better one for you. Even if it's worse, smoking won't improve it at all. Keep chugging along, friend.

[jim_ohio]

HI JIM......U HANG TOUGH....THIS WILL PASS......JUST THINK WHAT U HAVE ACCOMPLISHED....SILLY TO THROW IT AWAY.....YOU CAN PM IF U NEED TO TALK PRIVATE.......WE ALL HAVE THOSE WEEKS.......JUST USE UR KNOWLEDGE U GAINED HERE...IT WILL HELP....YOUR BUDDY JIM

[Mrs.Rum]

Hang in there.

It's only a ledge if you allow it to be.  Otherwise, it's the ledge keeping you from falling off the building.

And it will seriously suck come tomorrow to blow it today.  You can do this.