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Give and get support around quitting

tessoshea
Member

I just keep failing. Please help

I had 40 days at the beginning of June. I worked out, I went for walks, I read, I came to the sight, I breathed, I didn't drink alcohol ( trigger), I talked to myself a lot about how good it was and that quitting was the most important thing in my life. It felt good.  Had a crisis ( who doesn't) and bought cigarettes. Did another quit, traveled to help a friend, didn't think much of smoking. I live alone in a town where I know only one person who I never see. I have no friends here.   As soon as I got home I saw someone smoking, bummed one, and have since bought a pack. I smoke when I am alone. I somehow imagine it is my only friend. I am waiting to hear about a new job and am alone too much. This time was just 17 days. 

I am going to re-do my quit date and start again this weekend.   I feel horrible and feel like NO ONE is the addict that I am. I am embarrassed and ashamed. I am mad, I hate myself.  I have a health issue and smoking is ridiculous and dangerous. I have avoided this sight, but I realize it is the key for me.  That little monkey just gets the best of me. 

I have Allen Carr's book and will re read it tonight and tomorrow.  I have patches, I have gum and straws.  I felt so good and so confident after just a few days the first time.  I had moments, of course, but I made it through.  I guess I just don't know HOW to beat the triggers.  I have cried hourly since I bought them. I have since thrown them out but it is morning. 

I think I just have to get over it, start my quit again, and move forward. 

Please let me know your thoughts. # I am miserable.

42 Replies
indingrl
Member

you are a non smoker-you are walking your talk and prepared to live one day at a time-you are strong and a fighter-you are so loved by God and ME-you do what addicts do-WE use drug nicotine-i used tons of times too-you are not alone in using nicotine-excellent blog-you are honest and courageous-i stopped tons of times too and now only by Gods grace i accept Jesus as my Savior and Lord and asked 4 help and was given a cold turkey jan. 6 2011 after using nicotine 38 years-please take what helps and leave the rest to be helpful is MY only aim-keep blogging BEFORE YOU USE-amen love love love you-May God bless you.

karenjones
Member

no one is the addict you are???  we all are. that is why we are here. see you tomorrow on the pledge page. stay close to the Ex Community. you CAN DO IT!

marciem
Member

Hi Tessoshea!  I'm so sorry to see you riding that awful merry-go-round, and putting yourself thru the initial stages of quitting over and over.  Those days aren't fun enough to do more than once, are they?  No.  But it took me several (hundred) times to realize that I just wasn't enjoying the early quit and that the only way to get beyond it was to go thru it.... all the way through it, no stops, no "slips", no back-steps, just one day, one minute, one craving at a time going forward (sorry, "forever" is too large a leap for me, even now... you/(I) can quit for a minute very easily.  So commit to not smoking in the moment, each moment, and the years will take care of themselves)

Sometimes it takes a while to realize, deep down in your gut, that if you start a sentence with "I smoked because..." the very next words will be a lie/lame excuse.  The only "reason" to smoke is to relieve the craving produced by the previous cigarette consumption.   But that barsted nicotine addiction is an awesome trickster and convinces us that those lies are reality, our reality.

There is an acronym that can sometimes help get thru a craving.  Stop and think, when you feel you want to smoke, are you:

H ungry?  eat!!  Keep your blood sugar up with juices, fruits or (OMG) chocolate

A ngry?  Punch a pillow, kick a can, yell at your TV or monitor or call up a friend who will understand and rant away, or type it all out here.  I knew one lady who chopped down the trees in her front yard (I don't know how big they were, but she was MAD!!!)    Let yourself be mad, just don't smoke.  We (at least *I*)  ALWAYS smoked when I got angry.

L onely (or bored)?  Call someone, come here and talk to us, get busy with some craft (adult coloring books can be amusing also... NO I don't mean porno ones  but whatever floats yer boat... I mean the ones that require more adult skill than kiddie books)

T ired:  Take a nap!  Take a break!!  Take a walk in fresh air!   You might find yourself sleepier more often at the beginning, and it is OK ... rest your body which is fighting this terrible addiction.

Always HALT! and pause before you smoke. You don't have to out-will this addiction, you must outsmart it by knowing what is going on in your body.  Some of it is physical withdrawal and a lot of it is psychological/behavioral/emotional withdrawal, and only time will heal those wounds.  Smoking won't.   Smoking won't fix anything or cure anything.

The only sure way to quit smoking is:  TADA!... don't smoke!!   It isn't easy, but it is just that simple.

Best wishes!

tessoshea
Member

I cannot tell you how much this helped me. Many many thanks. Love the coffee spit.

So appreciative. Cannot even say. This is a good spot and exactly what I need.

Sent from my iPhone

Mandolinrain
Member

"I had 40 days at the beginning of June. I worked out, I went for walks, I read, I came to the sight, I breathed, I didn't drink alcohol ( trigger), I talked to myself a lot about how good it was and that quitting was the most important thing in my life. It felt good."

This is where you need to go back to ( the above statement ) and hold onto the memories of how bad you feel that this lovely quit was destroyed by 'A Crisis'.

Everyone goes through crisis in their life. I also smoked during those times.  Until I learned that smoking was not going to magically make the crisis go away or make me 'feel' any comfort during it.

Go back to the crisis and relive other choices you can make in the future. My friend, you never have to be alone...we are here. I know its not the same as a physical presence but it is what you have now...so use it. Things will change and you will make new friends. I always suggest volunteering at various places. It helps you to reach out and help someone else and in doing do ...you help you

Glad your getting back in the saddle.

Barb102
Member

Oh no please don’t be down on yourself like this. Look at all the wonderful people on this site that rushed to answer and be there for you.   You know that cigarettes are not your friend. A friend would never want to kill you and make you have to try to breathe. Not being able to get air in to breathe is the biggest crisis  I have ever been through. Please listen to Mandolinrain!!  Volunteer. You will take your mind off you and make some friends in the process. My home almost blew up and my husband and I and our pet family could have died Sunday night. The self cleaning oven went on fire. I was taken to the hospital by ambulance. I did not want a cigarette. I wanted to get down on my knees and thank God. Cigarettes NEVER make anything better.  Please stay with us and fight for your quit. No mans land is nasty but if we can do it so can you. We will help you. Come to us before you ever have another cigarette. I did and it works. Sending hugs 

Barb

YoungAtHeart
Member

Oh, no  - is everyone OK?  I hope the damage wasn't too extensive?

Nancy

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Mandolinrain
Member

I am wondering the same thing....are you okay????? Prayers being sent to you now!

Barb102
Member

Thank you. I keep reliving it. Thank u for caring love u all so much

elvan
Member

Barb102‌ I told my husband about your experience and he wanted to know if it was a gas stove or an electric stove....I told him that I would ask you, that I did not know.

I am so glad that you were not hurt more.

XOXO,

Ellen

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