I had to re-set my quit clock

[themag]

Yes, while going through week 2 of painful break up,  I all the sudden felt like a smoker again.  Gave in for 1 week, buying packs and throwing them away after smoking a few, and then finally keeping the pack.  Back on the crazy train. 

Today is it. Not one more.  I so want the feeling of being a nonsmoker back. I had 62 days.  Please tell me what to read and that I CAN get back to where I was. 

[joyeuxencore]

Hey there Mag! You have been down this road a whole bunch of times...I know smoking didn't take away the pain...it made it worse but the good news is you NEVER have to here again...

What are you going to DO DIFFERENTLY? Remember the only thing you have to do perfectly is not smoke....

Maybe go back and read www.quitsmokingonline.com   It's time to get EXcited about your quit...EXcited about re-learnig life without the nasty things....getting JOY from the process...

MINDSET has to be you are not giving anything UP but GAINING LIFE ITSELF...it has to be something you want to DO  not have to do...

IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW MANY TIMES YOU HAVE TRIED...all that matters is that you are back and will be better than ever this time!!!!  xo

[Carol129]

....don't beat yourself up over this!  Read that Alan Carr book....it really helps and take it one day at a time!

[themag]

I was hoping you'd reply Joyeuxencore.    I was embarrassed to post my relapse, but I made myself post here because I know it's what I need and I need to come on here every day which I didn't do before.

[SarahP]

joyeuxencore said everything I would have said, so let me just repeat the main points -- what will you do differently next time? Because you WILL be in that position again. Bad things happen. Bad news, illnesses, deaths, job losses, heartbreaks. What will you do differently next time? 

Really examine why you thought a cigarette would be helpful. Do you think it relieves stress? Do you think you're missing something you enjoy and the bad news means you "deserve" something good? Isolate what is really driving you, and you'll be able to deal with it. 

We're glad you came back, you can do this! 

[joyeuxencore]

Hey Mag! Tommy posted this last week...really important! xo

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/pir8fan-blog/2013/01/15/key-to-freedom-remember-your-lifeli...

[jim_ohio]

hey mag.......the best reading.....joel spitzer.....freedom.com.....also john polito...freedom from nicotine.......you read those...u will not go back......... i read them over and over..............i am well read in smoking cessation........................i guarrantee........promise me before u take ur next cig.....fist go out and pour a glass of water in ur gas tank........seems harmless..........u would never ever ever do that........now pour 4000 chemical with each cig and 82 cancer carcinogens with one cig...into ur body..............ur body is the only one u will get................ a car gets gas and the body gets life giving oxygen................want another stop aid.....google smokers lungs........that is what urs and mine look like.........yuk.............mine are on repair...............closing in on six weeks...............my body is healing its self..............i am a happy ex-smoker..... .....jim ohio..............good luck

[themag]

sarah10671    I will do that. I know I will be in a position of loss again at some point and this is a huge trigger. I need to learn how to do those.  I felt pained, lonely, deprived and felt like a cigarette would make me feel good just for that moment.   That it was going to be too hard not to.

I read some of quitsmokingonline.com already.  I am starting see what I need to learn that I hadn't really before. Not sure I get it totally yet, but will keep reading.    I have 62 to remember where I felt so much better.

[SkyGirl]

Hey there, Mag!   I was wondering JUST last night about you and if you were still around.  What a coincidence, huh?

joyeux and sarah have really stressed the major point here, which is to seriously examine and evaluate EXACTLY what you were thinking when you lit up that cigarette.

When you figure that out, you will already be a step ahead mentally if and when you ever find yourself thinking in the same way again.  Self-knowledge is powerful tool, Mag.

But if you don't figure it out, then you just may be dooming yourself to keep repeating the same mental somersaults that have the same ending (smoking) over and over again.

I think that it's important that you educate yourself about the relationship between nicotine vs.stress and the complete inaccuracy of the idea that smoking relieves stress.  I have recommended this specific reading many times and I still think it's a wonderful place to start learning about why your brain is lying to you when it starts telling you that a cigarette will calm you and make you feel better.  I'm referring to "Nicotine 101" which can be found on the whyquit.com site.

I'm sorry that you are going through a rough breakup.  You and I talked earlier about how it was something you felt you needed to do and it was inevitable that it would occur at some point in the future.  I know that doesn't make it hurt any less, but bravo to you for taking charge of your life. 

You have cleared the pathway for the right person to find you.  And I'll just bet that the right person for you is looking for a non-smoker.  So, up you go, back into the saddle, Mag.  It's time to start your FOREVER Quit, right now.  You can do it.  (But USE THE LIFELINES!!!)

xxxooo,    Sky 

[Buddy12]

golly......if everyone were a perfect quit each time, this site probably wouldn' t exist. We need people like you......it makes the rest of us feel useful and important.......I' m certain you' ll get it right eventually.......good luck to you.

[kshields59]

What I had found interesting to read is the 7STEPS TO A SMOKE FREE LIFE, BY THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION. Also going on the internet on QUITTING SMOKING, DONE ALOT OF PRINT OUTS. Don't beat yourself up over this. I Have tried so many times in my past yrs. I cant even count them anymore. Today I am on day 80 being smokefree, It drives me crazy when i see my neighbors kids out side smoking. I tell myself THIS TOO SHALL PASS, ALONG WITH THE SERENITY PRAYER. Write a damn letter to those cancer sticks, explain how they are ruining your health etc. I did, and still have it, once in a while I will take it out read it again. Make a small poster, of your children, grandchildren, atop of the poster put (using a marker) THIS IS MY REASON TO QUIT SMOKING.  That too i did with my daughter's senior photo, and have it set out to where I can see it. Try to check out TERRY MARTIN'S QUITTING SMOKING CESSATION, SIGN UP FOR WEEKLY NEWS LETTER'S AND TIP'S. I still get news letters weekly, and i enjoy reading them. The AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY HAS A PAPERBACK BOOK CALLED KICKING BUTTS. YOU MAY WANT TO LOOK FOR IT, OR ORDER IT ONLINE.  Best of luck, we are all here to help you.

[Danno_11-10-12]

You need to stop using your emotions as an excuse to smoke. Remember it's NOPE:  Not One PUff Ever.  Did smoking fix your love life?  Of course not, it only made you feel guilty, and smell bad.  Get back on track by re-educating yourself and working at it everyday.  You can do this!  We are all rooting for you!

[cathy90]

Isn't it a lousy feeling? I truly feel worse now than when I decided that I wanted a cigarette, I learned a big lesson. Today is Day 1 for me again, too. I hope we get it right this time.  Read Allen Carr's book, he makes some good points on how we are brainwahed, we need to get unbrainwashed and keep remembering NOPE!!!!

[themag]

I've read Allen Carr's book, and yes we are brainwashed, 'but I don't think he gives you enough coping techniques for craves and stresses. You're supposed to just remind yourself that you are brainwashed and are giving up nothing.  That doesn't work well for some when you are in the strong grips of  I want a cigarette. I'm finding the approach taken by quitsmoking online that Joyeux posted to work better for me.  It helps you cope with feelings by having you observe them and not run away.