Can’t stop

[Carcher1]

I am struggling daily with quitting. The first week was easy.. I was shocked. Then I decided to f*** it and smoke. From there it’s gotten worse and worse. Im

not even sure I really do want to quit. I know I need to quit in order to keep my life sane.

[toddsmith23]

Hi Carcher1 - Thank you for your honesty, sometimes it's really hard to be truthful, especially with yourself. When i decided to quit smoking, i didn't want to. Pure and simple, i didn't want to quit. I enjoyed the hell out of it, it was a solid part of my life and the last thing i wanted to do was upset the universe. That's the truth.

Then, for some reason i started thinking about my nagging morning hack, my doctor telling me that second hand smoke on my clothes was detrimental to my daughters (and others) health, plus all the BS stop smoking commercials.. oh jeez the list started getting bigger. Smoking is expensive, gotta sneak around people who don't approve, long trips with non-f'ing smokers, and etc. etc etc. It was all too much... so much easier to just smoke and mind my own business.  Sound familiar? I bet it does to about 90% of the people on this site, and maybe you too.  But.... i still knew that i needed to quit. For some stupid reason, i needed to make a change..... read on

Finally, logic kind of set in and i started really looking at the problems with smoking. Financial, at $8 / pack, that was a car payment, health wise i don't think anyone can argue that smoking isn't bad for you. What about the impact on my family? Well, i would find ways to sneak off and smoke so my daughter wouldn't see me, setting a good example, huh? 

I found a hundred reasons to quit, and only one to keep smoking. The one was self-gratification. I decided that wasn't good enough. I turned from lifer to quitter pretty quickly after prioritizing and really thinking about smoking and putting my heart into that decision. Ultimately i decided to quit smoking for a specific reason (of the many), i made it a goal to at least try to quit smoking and do everything i could to ensure my success. I went all in with support groups, nico-gum , nico-patches, and etc. That made it a lot easier for me to change my life.

I quit for a week. It was a bitch! I hated life and everyone around me, plus my back was a mess. Yay me.  I happened to be wrapping up a one week trip and had the 'opportunity' to drive a fair distance by myself to pickup my dogs (post trip). I had cigarettes in the truck and i could hardly wait to see my old friend Winston with no one around to harass me. I pulled out the partial pack (i remember this very clearly) tapped out a smoke, found my lighter.. and ... shit! I had decision to make. I thought to my self, i could smoke this and blow the week, or, i could toss it and go for another week. It turns out my decision to quit was made at the end of the first week that i had already quit. Kinda like you?

It's a decision i will never regret.

Carcher1, It sounds like you know you should quit, after all, you did it for a week. Maybe you should make a list of what's important to you when it comes to smoking. Maybe a pros and cons list. My guess is, if you approach this with your best interests, you'll be saying "f*** it, i'll quit for another week!!"

I'm not going to say how long i've been a non-smoker, it doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is that you make the decision for yourself, then quit and fight your way through the first couple weeks. Don't worry about quitting for 6 months or 5 years, just quit for today, and repeat. 

I'm guessing you could find a number of reasons to quit. Why don't you think about it a bit, and share those reasons if you feel up to it. We're all here for you...

[Mward90]

I know I didn't want to quit.  I really really enjoyed it, but now I don't know why.  I really really REALLY enjoy being a non-smoker.  You will get there as well it just takes time and motivation.  Figure out what went wrong, get back up and try again.  This site is a quit saver, there have been many times I wanted to give up or just have one, but after coming here and reaching out or just reading other peoples journey I helped me through.  Keep this site close, we are all here for you.  You got this!

- Michelle

[Exvape]

Read Alan Carr easy way to stop smoking - great book - will help you make up your mind once and for all.

it truly becomes mind over matter.

its just a matter of deciding.

once you decide you’ll be able to do this.

best of luck

Exvape

27 Days of Freedom. If I can do this, you can do this.

[JACKIE1-25-15]

Quitting smoking takes work and the commitment to do the work. You have to change the stinking thinking and stop saying you can’t.  If you are not taking the time to educate yourself you will continue on the rollercoaster.  Education is the key to a successful quit! and dig deep inside of yourself and make the necessary changes in order not to smoke.  Quitting is hard and a challenge but with a commitment not to take a puff no matter what.  It is and will always be a choice to smoke or not to smoke.  I am sorry that you have not been able to be consistent.   I always advise new members to stay close,  Be here, participate, read, study, blog.  Come here BEFORE you smoke.  To stop the vicious cycle and not become a serial quitter take it seriously and analyze what caused you to smoke.  Have a plan for what to do differently when you have the urge to smoke.My EX Plan | BecomeAnEX   Make a vow that you will not smoke if it happens again Get rid of all smoking materials it lessens the chances of being tempted. rt It is good that you are starting over.  Start with a commitment that NOPE to yourself no matter what  Say Yes I can. 

 Keep it Simple"...

 101 Things to Do Instead of Smoke

Stay Connected 

Quit Date - How to Reset 

UNDERSTANDING EXCUSES EXCUSES

[Barbscloud]

Quitting smoking is not easy.   Most of us can associate with not wanting to quit.  We're addicted and it satisfied our addiction.  Unfortunately, I don't know that we recognize that  until after we've quit.  That's why is so important to educate yourself about nicotine addiction to truly understand the hold it has on us physically and psychologically.  It sounds like you really do want to quit because you just did for a week and came here to share..   Don't let this attempt defeat you--most of us have attempted many times until our final quit.  Did you create a quit plan  It makes such a difference being prepared for what you'll encounter on this journey and how you'll handle different situations.   Read the material, pick another date, and use this site for support.  Reach out BEFORE you smoke and give us a chance to help get you through those rough times.

Barb

[YoungAtHeart]

Welcome to our community!

Education is the key to understanding how you feel about smoking.  Once you understand that the product was DESIGNED to make you want/need it, it will become easier to decide you don't want it in your life.

The important thing you can do right now is to educate yourself on what nicotine does to your body and mind. To that end, I also highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.”   Read this FIRST!  It is an easy and entertaining read. You can search for it online or at your local library. If you do nothing else to get ready for your quit, please do give this a read.  It totally changed how I thought about smoking!

 You should also read the posts here and perhaps go to the pages of folks who you think might be helpful. You might visit whyquit.com, quitsmoking.com and livewell.com for the good information contained there. @https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/best-of-ex has lots of blogs written by members of this site with their experiences and guidance. Here is a video to inform you further about nicotine addiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpWMgPHn0Lo&feature=youtu.be.

After you have completed the recommended reading, it will be time to make an informed choice of the quit aid, if any, you will use. If you go that route, I personally recommend the aids that don't let the addict control the dose such as the available prescription drugs or the patch. If used properly, gum, lozenges and inhalers are fine, but they need to be used only as a last resort after you have tried to delay and distract.   I have seen folks become addicted to them if they substitute them for every cigarette they used to smoke - just trading one addiction for another.  You need to start out with a plan to reduce use of them over time - which the patch does by decreasing the dose contained in them..  For the gum, you can start by cutting each piece in half, then in quarters, then sub regular gum of the same flavor in between, adding more and more regular gum.  For the lozenge, you need to start subbing a mint in between to begin, increasing the number of them over time. I do not recommend the e-cigarette for four reasons: 1) the vapor has been compared to the polluted air in Bejing on a bad day, 2) they just provide another nicotine delivery system while continuing the hand to mouth smoking motion,  3) the batteries can spontaneously catch on fire and 4) you can become addicted to that and it has not yet been proven safe .
 

It will be informative if you do the tracking and separation exercises recommended here on the site. As you track each cigarette smoked, note its importance, and what you might do instead. Put each one off just a little to prove that you don't NEED a cigarette just because you think you do.
 

The idea is to change up your routines so the smoking associations are reduced.  Drink your coffee with your OTHER hand in a place different from when you smoked. Maybe switch to tea for a bit.  If you always had that first smoke with your coffee, try putting your tennies on right out of bed, going for a quick walk, then taking your shower and THEN your coffee! Rearrange the furniture in the areas you used to smoke so the view is different. Buy your gas at a different station. Take a different route to work. Take a quick walk at break time where the smokers AREN'T.
 
You need to distract yourself through any craves.  You can take a bite out of a lemon (yup - rind and all), put your head in the freezer and take a deep breath of cold air, do a few jumping jacks, go for a brisk walk or march in place, play a computer game.  Keep a cold bottle of water with you from which to sip. Don't let that smoking thought rattle around in your brain unchallenged. Sometimes you need to quit a minute or an hour at a time.  You will need to be disciplined in the early days to distract yourself when a crave hits.    Get busy!  Here is a link to a list of things to do instead of smoke if you need some fresh ideas:
 https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/Youngatheart.7.4.12-blog/2013/02/25/100-things-to-do-instea...
The conversation in your head in response to the "I want a cigarette" thought needs to be, "Well, since I have decided not to do that anymore, what shall I do instead for the three minutes this crave will last?"  Then DO it.  You will need to put some effort into this in the early days, but it gets easier and easier to do.

Stay close to us here and ask questions when you have them and for support when you need it. We will be with you every step of the way!

 Nancy

[sweetplt]

You have gotten some great information above me...now you got to soul search and find that place where you want the quit for YOU...we are here for you...and will help...but you will have to do the quitting...Gotcha in my thoughts...~ Colleen 325 DOF ~

[Giulia]

Every quitter struggles daily with quitting in the beginning.  FACT.  Truth.  And every quit is different.  My first three days were a piece of cake.  Fourth day was UNBELIEVABLY UNRELENTING.  You had a first great week. Then you crashed and burned because you said "f*ck it."  And so you did.  You f*cked your quit. After a week smoke free.  Probably the hardest week of the journey.  You achieved that week.  That's an incredibly accomplishment!

OK, so you're not sure you want to quit but you know you need to.  Welcome to the club.  I never wanted to quit, but I always knew I needed to.  Fortunately the "needed to" prevailed. And it wasn't because I got  a smoking-related disease - But I finally wanted to stop thinking about it all the time. Stop having another day one.  And so I committed.  100% of myself.  And that's what this quitting journey takes.  100% commitment.

If you're gonna say "f*ck it" to anything, say it to the thing you know is comprising your health.  Say it to the Nicodemon.  

We struggle daily in the beginning of our quits.  We ALL did.  You CAN stop. You just need to find the reason that motivates you enough to do so.  Or have enough self-discipline that you say f*ck it to your excuses and immediate gratification desires.  You had this quit for a week.  That's an extraordinary accomplishment.  And I suspect it made you feel pretty magnificent.  Go back to that magnificence.  

Your blog title says Can't Stop.  I'm trying to tel you YOU CAN!

[JonesCarpeDiem]

You don't have to want to quit.

That's a fallacy that keeps many smokers from quitting.