Startinging back to day one

[mcsmom]

Well I've slipped and smoked the past two days.  Those few days that I didn't smoked down the drain.  But then again it wasn't cause by smoking it showed me why I was quoting in the first place. Coughing, tongue felt awful, I smelled and don't let me forget the taste.  Ahh I have fussed at myself everytime I sit up.  But why did I not just walk away.  The hold it had on me.  I say it like that cause I see the hold now.  I see where I fell at a little better so 6:00pm. Was my last i am going to beat this.

[JACKIE1-25-15]

Okay, you are back to day one.  Learn from your mistake. Have a plan in place when you get the urge to smoke.  Yes you will have urges in the beginning BUT each time you do not smoke you become stronger.   Now it is time to put into action all of the things you "said" you were going to do instead of smoke.  If you still have smoking paraphernalia in the house get rid of it.  Keep your journal handy.  Come here first before you smoke. You can do this. 

[TW517]

Of course none of us like it when we slip, but good for you for coming back so soon to start over.  Believe me, it is much easier that way.  Most people get embarrassed or ashamed and don't come back for months or years, just making it all the more harder for themselves.

[Mandolinrain]

I am glad your getting right back in the saddle. The only way out os through. Did you ever read Alan Carrs book? I highly recommend it. It was a game changer for me. Meanwhile....okay you messed up. Here you are now.

Figure out what made you decide at that moment to smoke and then figure out how you will replace that action the next time, because, oh yes..there will be a next time...but knowing this, you can be prepared and make a better choice, next time

[Daniela2016]

Of course it has a hold on you, and it is called addiction.  My apologies if you have not yet made peace with the truth of smoking; it is an addiction like all addictions.  It did take me a while to accept it when I came here and started learning about this hold which kept me under for almost 40 years.

If you made up your mind or not about it, I congratulate you for coming back so soon after you smoked again.

You seem pretty  young to me, and I am proud of you for making the effort to start over again so soon after the prior attempt.

There were several things which made an impact on me, one of them Allan Carr's book mentioned by Missy, it made me look into what keeps me a smoker; and then the community here, which helped me see clearly what the path was, gave me the time to make peace and eventually adopt some of the mantras meant to help, NOPE (not one puff ever) being one of them.  Being present on the site, learning from others' success and failure was helping me every step of the way.

Welcome back, stick with us, we won't fail to help you when you need help!

[Giulia]

Each time we fail at this quitting thing we learn more.  It sometimes can take us quite a bit of failings and learnings to get it right.  I will tell you this:  you can get it right, right after that first failing.  And it's a whole easier if you do.  When I say "you," I'm just speaking of "us" in general.  I guess it depends on how many times you want to start it all up from scratch again.  A very wise person said (and I'm paraphrasing), "it's easier to maintain a quit then it is to start up all over again."   Once you've finally HAD IT with Day One's, you'll probably become a successful long-term quitter.  My primary motivation to remain smoke free (I think?) has more to do with never wanting to experience another Day One (and pre-Day One, and Day 2 and day 3 and Hell week, and....) than hoping not to die from lung cancer.  Fortunately I haven't yet contracted any serious quality of life changing aspects from smoking.  I've been lucky.  Only mild COPD.

On the OTHER hand, if I had serious COPD, or a lung node that just was removed due to cancer, or I had to be on oxygen 24/7 - THEN my primary motivation would be TO LIVE without doing more damage to my lungs.  

My point?  You don't want to wait 'til you have no choice but to quit.  You don't want your options removed by a doctor.  You want to remove the option to smoke for yourself.

Glad you're sticking around and blogging and reading.  THAT's how we move through this addiction to the other side.

[mcsmom]

This isn't my first attempt to quit.  I've tried a yr ago about twice.  I've actually been on the ex community since then.  I've just now got back on.  I haven't got to read Carr's book yet.  Come Monday I'm going to the library to try to find it. I'm positive on this next go around, I believe the cravings will be harder.  Since quiting for 4 days and then smoking these past two days.  But I've already went 3 hrs.  Had cravings but kept on going. Thank u all for the support. And not judging me for the slip. 

[Mandolinrain]

No judgments from us. We want you to succeed and many of us failed several times. I did. Glad your here

[CommunityAdmin]

Be sure to update your quit date as well check out How do I get my quit date to show on the community?‌ to see how.

Mark
EX Community Manager

[Giulia]

You know, we get to where we get in our thinking, in our lives, in our emotions because we are able to change, adapt, hope, try, struggle, attempt, re-visit and GROW.  That fact that you're back to give it another go means something has changed in you.  That good!

Something the Allen Carr book will teach you is that this quitting business is really all about our attitudes toward it.  If you believe the cravings will be harder - you've created that reality for yourself in your own mind.  Try to create a different reality, a different attitude.  "It won't be any harder.  It will probably be the same.  Or it it MAY even be easier!"  Our mind's naturally go to the worst scenario.  But we CAN turn our minds in a different direction.  It takes a lot of work (and I'm not particularly good at it, but I"m learning through experience.)  But practice pays off.  

You can break that hold this addiction has on you.  What are you willing to do to have it so?  You have to answer that question for yourself before you will be set free.  

[mcsmom]

Thank u for showing me how I was thinking. I've been working on it. 

[Giulia]

We are all works in progress here.

[jonimarie]

Admire you courage

[Barbscloud]

Happy to see you're getting right back on track.  What's you've learned is still fresh and you know you can do it.  You just did.  The fact that you came to the site to share what happened, to me, means you're serious about wanting to quit.  If you fill the urge to smoke next time, come to the site before you smoke.  It really helps to have others talk you through it.

Barb

[maryfreecig]

Glad you are back. It takes time to end the whole of drug dependency, but we really do get over the addiction--not cured, but recovered. Yes you can, one day at a time.

[anaussiemom]

Day one! Day Won

[indingrl]

Thanks for sharing mcsmom and in HIS love YOU are NOT ALONE- mcsmom- I used MY drug nicotine again too and please know that I am very honored to read your blog of SELF courage and  truth and SELF -  honesty- You did what addicts DO - WE use drug NICOTINE- YET you learned about YOU and YOUR NICOTINE ADDICTION and WELCOME back- I love you and thank YOU for teaching ME to - THINE OWN SELF BE TRUE - NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF EVER - TOGETHER- WE- US - OUR - UNITY IN NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF EVER TOGETHER ONE BREATH AT A TIME - ONE MOMENT- ONE SECOND- ONE MINUTE- ONE HALF HOUR- ONE HOUR- ONE DAY!   gentle hug.

[elvan]

I am so proud of you for getting right back to your quit...it's really an important step.  Sorry that you HAVE to but, I am sure you have learned something important from this.

Remember that we are here, we all want very much for you to succeed.

Ellen

[sweetplt]

You have great advice above me...nothing to add, but glad you learned from it and starting the quit again...that is what is most important...never give up trying...~ Colleen 132 DOF