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Share your quitting journey

Coping Response

LisaAnnIndy74
Member
7 9 150

Once you quit, you have to learn a whole new way of dealing with stressful situations. My go to response was to go and smoke. Well now that I have four years under my belt, that is NOT an option. My quit is way too important to me to just go and have a smoke. And not only that but I would be a fool to think that I could have a few puffs and be ok. That I wouldn’t pick up smoking again. I know myself, I know I would smoke again. So I had to learn to deal with stress differently. Actually I should say, I’m still learning. I do a lot of deep breathing, meditation and praying now. When your gearing up to quit, MAKE SURE you have alternatives in place to help you deal and cope with any given situation!! I know all of us with a few month to years under our belts can give awesome alternatives to any of you who haven’t quit yet or are in your first days. Don’t be afraid to ask. More importantly don’t let stressful situations prevent you from quitting.  You CAN do this!!! I’m here whenever possible, and there are a multitude of amazing EXers that are ready and willing to help!!! 

Love and Hugs my fellow friends and EXers!!! And remember NOPE, Not One Puff Ever!!! 

Lisa 

9 Comments
YoungAtHeart
Member

Good to see you, Lisa Ann - and GREAT advice.  Stress is always going to happen; learning new ones of dealing with it is a KEY to success.  It IS an ongoing process.  I find that walking or just getting busy outside is one of my go-to's.

Congratulations on your successful quit - keep it going!!!!  And always remember there is NEVER "just one" to an addict.

Nancy

Sandy-9-17-17
Member

Good advice Lisa, I have been experiencing a lot of stressful moments lately, and that use to be exactly how I'd blow a quit!  Truth is now, stress is stress, and will still be there whether I should smoke (not going to happen)  and even if I don't smoke!  No point in going back, only forward!  I will be 8 months free of this addiction in 1 week!  Onward and Upward! 

Sandy

AnnetteMM
Member

Great blog, Lisa, thank you!  I'm currently in a stress upswing, and deep breathing helps a lot.  So does coming here!

LisaAnnIndy74
Member

I'm really happy everyone is learning new ways to cope with stress!! And I love what you said Sandy-9-17-17‌ about the stress being there if you smoke or don't smoke. It's so true!! It's kind of like, you can run but you can't hide. You can run to cigarettes when having stress but you can't hide from the fact that you will always have stress no matter what.So smoking, after you quit, Is no longer an option. Love this site too. It helped me so much to cope!!! 

JACKIE1-25-15
Member

Thanks for coming and giving back.  Someone needed to hear EXactly what you are saying. 

AnnetteMM
Member

I did!

Bonnie
Member

Thanks, LisaAnn,  Those 3 things are so doable: deep breathing, prayer and meditation.  

elvan
Member

The ONLY things smoking ever change are our physical health and our emotional/psychological growth.  Stress IS always going to be there...anger is going to happen, we are going to be sad sometimes....we do not need cigarettes to manage any of those feelings.

LisaAnnIndy74
Member

See this is one of the many reasons I love this site, We all come together to help and support each other!!! Love you all!!