EvolutionHealth.care

Home
Main Forum
Quit Smoking
Coping with Cravings
relapse

Advanced Search Form

relapse

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 12049

Twiggie,

Thank you for your honesty. You did the right thing and know that we are here to support you and help you. Take the time to strengthen your resolve and let us know how we can help.

Josie, Health Educator

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 11

Ok so I was doing rather well, and "In a moment of madness" I bought a pack and smoked one.. just one.. and it was the worst feeling ever. I do not want to smoke, I am just addicted. No other reason. I know that, it is like when I quit drinking, except I smoked way way more than I ever drank. I need to stick with the N.O.P.E. find more support from fellow quitters; not people that have been smokers ten years ago, but people that are going through the day to day struggles now. On the upside, I threw away 19 cigarettes, and took that trash straight to the burn barrel. That was yesterday, today I am on day one... again. I know or have read that a lot of people trying to quit relapse, but I was taught in my AA meetings, that though it happens, it isn't okay, it is no excuse. Wish they had smoker's anonymous meetings as prevalent as they do AA..

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 792

Hi Samantha, Relapse for me is something I do have to worry about. I have quit in the past for substantial periods of time only to lose it all in a moment of madness. It's not that I want to smoke again or that I need to , I certainly have no desire to smoke anymore but..... at anytime when opportunity and availability come together along with a momentary lapse of common sense I can find myself smoking "just one" and for me that means it's all over. All the work, all the suffering through withdrawal goes for naught and I'm right back at square one before I know what hit me.

So now I'm fanatical about N.O.P.E. because it really is the ONLY way for me. I know that if I abide by that rule I will never have to deal with this addiction again and conversely, if I violate it, I will be trapped in the addiction again as surely as the sun rises in the east. It's as simple as that.

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 2606

Relapses can occur after quitting smoking. It's a really good sign that you didn't go back to smoking regularly when you slipped and that you want to find a way to handle it. Smokers can just give up when they have a slip. They may feel uncomfortable showing it or want to find an reason not to really quit. It's very positive that you didn't.

It's important to go back to a full quit attempt now or you may slide back into your previous smoking pattern over time.

The most common triggers for lapsing are:
Problems with withdrawal or medication side effects
Stress or conflict
Cravings and/or urges
Negative feelings : depression, anger, anxiety, etc.
Pressure in social situations where others smoke

All the best!

Samantha, Health Educator

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 2778

Hey Jeniwho!!!

Great to see you back again, I wish that it was for a different reason! You were able to quit 2 years ago and you can do it again! Sometimes for some of us it takes more than one quit to get it right! The main thing to remember is don't ever quit quitting!

You encountered the one big trigger that you were not ready for and were not prepared to deal with. It happens to the best quitters sometimes! The most important thing is to learn what coping mechanism will work for you the next time another big trigger comes around! (NOPE) Also, you have probably learned that smoking for four days straight probably did not help at all, right? So, the bottom line is that you have gone through one helluva learning experience which will hopefully prepare you if your next big trigger arises the next time!

So, dust yerself off, pardner and get yerself ready for another go-round with the ol' nico-demon! It may help to review the Program to help in your preparation for your "final" quit. So, when you're ready, set that quit date and let us know how we can help! We're rooting for you!!!

Jim

PS... In answer to your final question... for many of us, it will be a lifelong battle! Actually it is WAR we're dealing with and the war's name is addiction. I've said it time and again... we can't afford to lose even one battle against the demon! That's why we live by N.O.P.E.! YOU CAN DO THIS ! ! !

Quit Meter

$44,317.50

Amount Saved
Quit Meter

Days: 1060 Hours: 18

Minutes: 6 Seconds: 40

Life Gained
Quit Meter

5909

Smoke Free Days
Quit Meter

177,270

Cigarettes Not Smoked

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 792

Hi jeniwho ! I'm happy to see you again but I am sorry for your trouble. Well Jeniwho I'm afraid you now have 2 choices. Go through withdrawal and the quitting process again or return to smoking at your previous level.You can't think of anything else because the game changed once you took that puff. Your body now DEMANDS its full compliment of nicotine. But remember just a few weeks ago you hardly thought of cigarettes at all? Thats the way life can be again if you never take another puff.

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 816

jeniwho Sometimes only a relapse is the jarring experience to finally bring us back to reality. Admittedly losing a job is a major upset but ultimately not the end of the world. As an addict I know full well how to throw a monkey wrench into the works at the worst possible time and don't need anyones help to do it. In answer to your questions you fix it by doing the same thing you did for the past 2 years and not smoke ( no matter what happens ) and yes it might always be a battle forever. Ask yourself how important it is to you to be a non smoker ? It could very well be any one of us so don't beat up on yourself. I could be wrong but I think it has more to do with being happy about not smoking than it does with simply just not smoking. Everyone has their own reasons for doing what they do. Insanity is doing the same things over and over expecting different results. You already know how to not smoke and that's by not having the first one. We're rooting for you to find a new job and stop smoking again. Excellent for you. breather

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 90

I havent smoked for two years. I lost my job last weekend and smoked for four days. I don't want to be a smoker again, but now its all I can think about. How do I fix this? Am I always going to want to go back to smoking when something bad happens? Is this going to be a battle forever?

Quit Meter

$386,061.50

Amount Saved
Quit Meter

Days: 5354 Hours: 14

Minutes: 39 Seconds: 15

Life Gained
Quit Meter

45419

Smoke Free Days
Quit Meter

908,380

Cigarettes Not Smoked

Reading this thread:

today's top discussions:

This Month’s Leaders:

Most Supportive

Most Active

Most Loved

relapse