Hey Mamma D. Congratulations on your quit. One thing that I learn't first hand, something that you know too is that smoking gives us nothing... Try to focus on this thought in times of difficulty. Every now and then I get a crave too. It can be difficult for those few seconds. Just persevere because after the first 72 there is no need to smoke ever again.. Personally after being a chain smoker for 24 years now I no longer even think about smoking. Btw my girlfriend just sat down next to me and lit up and it is disgusting, she is destroying my air.. keep safe my love to all of you. keep strong. John.
Slips are actually very common and even considered part of the learning process. Try not to be so hard on yourself about them. All those quits you had still took an incredible amount of strength and still are big achievements. Also try not to look at your slips as failures but as learning opportunities. What did you learn from them that you can apply now?
I am very happy to be smoke free for 34 days. My issues to remain this way are somewhat troubling for me and I hope I can get a little help. It is at this stage that I start to get shaky. I can usually talk to myself thru different types of cravings even when I get upset or anxious by saying that I am no longer a smoker or everyone has ups and downs or life tragedies or whatever the issue my be and they deal with them without smoking. I often think about all the people I know that don't smoke and some of their issues and they all have plenty. I keep saying to myself that I am no longer a smoker. That works just fine. It's when I'm alone or feel really depressed that I have the worst time. As long I do not see a pack of smokes "unguarded" I will eventually get through it. Sometimes I'm not even thniking about smoking but somebody left a pack on a table that I'll grab one. I know its that darn NICO DEMON but it just jumps in at the wierdest times. If I can sneak a smoke I really have to fight not grabbing one. Then the guilt comes and I start back all over again. I have been down this road at least 4 times. I want to stay smoke free this time. The longest was 7 years. It was a horrible time for me then but I still broke down and picked up. Then I would smoke off and on. It has been this cycle for about 5-6yrs. Three months smoke free then smoke for a year then quit then smoke again. This cannot happen again.
