Fell off the wagon and frustrated

[pittfan1109]

I'm Mike. This is my 5th time trying to quit. I fell off the wagon today. While I've had one or two everyday since, I bought a pack  today.Been at for a month now. I'm taking Chantix. Cravings are gone. Just can't find any other way to cope with stress or my temper. Bought ready to give up but I really don't want to. Even though I thoroughly enjoy smoking. At my wit's end.

[Thomas3.20.2010]

Hi, Mike!

Welcome!!! What can we do for you? We can reframe your view of smoking, Nicotine Addiction and of Recovery! You have been trying very hard in some ways that haven't helped. Can you open up to try ways that actually do make you an EXer? I don't promise you it will be easy but what you've been doing hasn't been easy either - just ineffective toward your goal. What I do promise is that it is doable!!!! /blogs/Giulia-blog/2017/05/01/elders-list-ao-december-7-2016?sr=search&searchId=ddeb63f6-4763-463e-9...‌

Please do the recommended reading. It will make a difference and together we'll get you through those moments of stress and anger. We have what you want and we can show you how to get here - we want you here with us!

Smoke FREE!

[pittfan1109]

Thank you. I am open to anything. I'm over cigarettes. Just looking for something that helps with taking edge off I guess. I've been reading some of the stuff on here which makes me glad I visited the site. Don't really have anyone in my life that knows what I'm going through but here I see that I'm not alone. I will do whatever it takes this time. Like I said before I'm over it. I want to take control and quit smoking.

[Mandolinrain]

Hey there Mike,

This is tuff, this quitting thing. I know you have heard it over and over again but it is because we have all been where you are and we know what works. You really got to do the reading. Have you ever heard of Alan Carrs book? iM telling you, it was magic for me...or rather it lead to my ongoing nearly 3 yr. quit.

If you can't get the book at least come here as often as you can and read read read. Eventually you will ee yourself in these blogs and something will click to give you the strength to say no to the smokes.

Quitting is stressful. Theres normally so many emotions involved and yes anger is one of them. Its normal. We have all gone through it but it is short lived and even more short lived if you do your homework and your prepared.

Hang in there, we will help you.

[JACKIE1-25-15]

I am with Giulia‌ totally confused, but anyways here is some information to help you get on the right tract and stay there if you "choose".  See smoking is a choice.  No one puts a gun to your head to make you smoke but you. I wish you success but it is up to you.  We can lead you but you have to do the work. 

Welcome to EX.  

Congratulations on making the decision to quit smoking. You have come to the right place for a new day and a rebirth. This is all about you and what you are willing to do to be smoke free. Quitting smoking requires hard work.  It can be challenging at times but you will learn that it is doable if you adhere to NOPE not one puff ever no matter what. 

Start first, by educating yourself about nicotine addiction.  

Education is the key to a successful quit.

Read: Freedom from Nicotine My Journey Home and Nicotine Addiction 101         

Here are the links: http://whyquit.com/whyquit/LinksAAddiction.html   and http://whyquit.com/ffn/

Also Read:   Allen Carr’s book, “Easy Easier Way to Quit Smoking”.       

The link is here:  http://media.wix.com/ugd/74fa87_2010cc5496521431188f905b7234a829.pdf

 Go to http://www.becomeanex.org/how-to-quit-smoking.php#thl and get started. 

We will support you. You are on your journey to freedom

[Mike.n.Atlanta]

Mike...to fall off the wagon...ya gotta get on the wagon. Smoking 2-3 a day is keepin you in a constant state of withdrawal. Tuff it out for 3 days, don't put one in your mouth, white knuckle it if ya have too but give yourself a chance.

I'm sure this doesn't work for everyone but here's what I did. Ya feel that urge coming & just say bring it on. Let it wash over you & it's gone in just a short minute or two. This will give you power over these urges & you WILL have a stronger resolve the next time. You WILL feel empowered because you're taking your life back. You will be a changed person & you're gonna love the new Mike. Just sayin.

Keep on keepin on,

M n @

[elvan]

Welcome to EX, I agree with Mike, you haven't been ON the wagon yet.  To be ON the wagon, you have to be smoke free.  Do the reading, figure out what your triggers are, if they are stress and anger, decide what you will do INSTEAD of smoking when a trigger occurs and they WILL occur.  The fact is that smoking does NOT help with stress, it actually increases it and it certainly does not help with anger.  I have smoked for both reasons in the past, I have also smoked over extreme pain and sadness...smoking did not fix anything.  The pain was still there, the sadness was still there, the anger and stress were actually stronger.  I PROMISED myself at the beginning of my quit that I would be completely honest with myself, no more allowing my addiction to tell me what it was going to do...HONEST.  Did my pain get better when I smoked...no, it distracted me for a very short time, did my sadness get better, no, I felt worse.  Did my anger resolve?  Hahahaha, I would sit and smoke FURIOUSLY going over and over whatever made me angry and I FED the anger the nicotine it was asking for.  Did my stress get better...NO, NO, NO.  I felt like a failure when I smoked.  Once I planned for ways to deal with my triggers, I had a handle on beginning my journey.  This IS a journey and it is one day at a time one SMOKE FREE day at a time.  No more excuses...no more coming up with reasons why I HAVE to smoke to deal with life.  There is always going to be stress and anger and pain and loneliness, there are always going to be things that make life hard....living is not a journey with no bumps or curves in the road.  Make your commitment, do the reading, stay close to this site and blog frequently, read how others are doing or have done to be successful with their quits.

Best,

Ellen

[pongaselo]

So you like to smoke but you are going to quit. right?  The difficulty with quitting  is frustrating and maybe makes you angry too. So maybe discouraged, angry and feeling like this is a tough job. You also like smoking, is that right as well?  Its getting to look like a lot of obstacles.  You are right about one thing and you hit it on the head.  The triggers and rewards behaviors are making this so difficult.  The nicotine itself has mild withdrawal symptoms, almost subtle. As you have noted, the real problem is the triggers and rewards cycles are making you nuts.  In order for me to successfully quit, I had to do a little research. I skimmed through Allen Carr's book. Its short and an easy read and best of all it helped me make some good use of the anger. The anger is very useful once you decide who to be pissed off at. Its actually very liberating, I mean it feels good!!!  I hate the tobacco industry scum and all the leaches that hang on there and use this energy to reming myself every time a trigger comes along. I get the yearning, then think about how these guys engineered my thinking so that I would convince myself that I couldn't quit, then I get mad at them which gives me the energy to dismiss the trigger and I go on with my day. Simple? not the first or second time but each time it does get easier and the triggers become fewer and farther between.  Also learning that you hate them makes them go away faster.  Read the book, I didn't do a good job of explaining it but it does work.

[Puff-TM-Draggin]

Hey there, pittfan.  I'm not a pittfan if by Pitt you mean Brad but I plan on being a pittfanfan!  Everything I could have, (would have,) said has been said above.  I won't repeat it, despite that it bears repeating.  I'll just add that I'm rooting for you.  We ALL are.  No PAIN = No GAIN.  In the end, the gain far outweighs the pain, and the pain, truly, is simply nuisance and not really pain at all.  You wrote that you enjoy smoking.  You don't.  You enjoy the chemical whizz-bang you get from nicotine when you smoke.  You need to understand that and commit to not feeding the addiction, no matter what.  It takes commitment and determination; a good attitude helps too.  You CAN do this!  Yes, YOU can!

[pittfan1109]

Thank you very much. Completely smoke free today. 

[PirateQueen]

Yayness \o/ me too! Day four after a month of madness. Feels hard but good! I'm proud of you!