I slipped up, do I completely restart?

[selmccal]

I slipped up this morning. A friend had a cigarette and lit up right by me. I took a few puffs. Good news - it made me not feel well because it's been 2 days and it was a menthol. Bad News - It was still some puffs and set me back some. Where do I go from here if I've slipped up? I didn't buy a pack or anything but I'm scared I'm going to fall right back into smoking if I've slipped up so early in the game! Has anyone slipped up this early and still managed to keep going? 

Please let me know! 

[GreenThumb3]

Re think it what separates success is getting through the craves  try to think of how bad it is for you and how nice it will be to have health and freedom it's not easy in the beginning but after a while time flys and it's very easy and enjoyable to be a non smoker 

[SkyGirl]

It sounds like you gave up your fledgling Quit pretty easily.  I'm sorry you made that choice.  It also sounds like you don't realize that you have complete control.  

To be successful, you make the DECISION to quit.  Then you COMMIT to that decision, no matter what comes your way.  Then you HONOR your commitment, minute by minute if necessary until living without nicotine becomes a new way of life for you.

Examine WHY you decided to take a few puffs of your friend's cigarette.  Understand what your thinking was in that moment.  Why didn't you come to EX BEFORE you made the choice to smoke?  Because you didn't really "slip".  That's a word that most of us here think makes it sound like something we have no control over, like slipping on ice, like as if it just "happens" to us.  

It's always a choice to smoke.  On the third day, you were close to having all the nicotine out of your system (takes about 72 hours).  That is usually the day when your nicotine-addicted brain screams the loudest at you!  It's a day you especially need to prepare for and have a plan on what you will do when an urge to smoke hits you.

In answer to your question...Yes, you just start again.  You decide what you will do differently this time to avoid the same mistake (i.e. stay away from smokers for a few days until you are stronger in your Quit.)

So, tomorrow is Day One again for you!  Congratulations and be sure to stay close to EX and blog for help when feeling the need for support.  We are here for you!

xxxooo,   Sky

[Barbara145]

I slipped after 9 days.  That was 565 days ago.  You need to make a committment to yourself.  No MATTER what I want, no matter how I feel, a cigarette will never be he answer.  I think that is the only way.  It is tough in the beginning, we all know that very well.  It is however doable.  You can do this.  I promise!!  Carry on!

[JonesCarpeDiem]

well I don't believe you quit if you smoked. 🙂

A quit begins from the last moment you inhaled tobacco smoke.

You've earned one slipper. What size? color?

Believe me, no one needs a closetful of these.

But you made it through the Dodgers game?

[JonesCarpeDiem]

or are you thinking since you smoked this morning it would be ok to smoke tonight and restart tommorrow?

[cheyenne7]

Sounds like you didn't like it....that is great news! Whatever time you had the last puff starts your quit....so you haven't lost much time at all. If it was noon today for example, then by noon tomorrow you'll have 24 hours....don't beat yourself up....you are quit and that is the goal...congrats on your honesty and on jumping right back to your quit!

[Jennifer-Quit]

To answer your question, yes you do start all over.  We believe that you have to pay a price for your "slips" and by paying that price, you will not be as likely to slip and have a couple of puffs at day 30 or so.  Read and educate yourself about this adiction and it will not be so scary when you come to a bump in the road.  You will not truly beat this addiction until you learn to live your life with nicotine and as long as you are introducing nicotine into your system (even just a couple of puffs), you will never be free.

[indingrl]

next time and there will be a next time♥ MOVE AND  TURN AND START WALKING AWAY AND THANK GOD YOU ARE BREATHING IN FRESH AIR IN JESUS NAME AMEN AND AMEN♥Then come and blog blog blog and you will see all the love come at you and encourage to to live in the world by STAY QUIT NO MATTER WHAT AND TOGETHER WE CAN♥ Thanks for sharing selmccal and YES YOU HAVE A NEW QUIT DATE♥HOOOOORRRRRAYYYYY FOR YOU IN JESUS NAME AMEN AND AMEN♥

[Sootie]

In answer to your question, yes you start over again in the sense that you need a new day 1. You cannot count any day that you smoked as quit time.

Try to analyze what made you take those puffs. It's good that you thought they tasted bad-----but believe me....if you allow yourself to "slip" often they will soon taste really "good" again and you will be a smoker...... again. HORRORS! Isn't that what we are trying to get away from???

When you look at why you smoked, think about what you will do the next time there is that situation....because it will happen over and over again and you want a different result next time!

Stay Strong.

[Strudel]

Write this down - N.O.P.E. - Not One Puff Ever! I even wrote it on an index card I carried in my purse and I had a few posted in my house. 

So, start that new quit - and this time - it will be your forever quit! 

[selmccal]

I do not believe it is okay to smoke again tonight just because I smoked earlier. I'm going to revise my quit day o keep me going so I don't smoke today but I won't count a full day until tomorrow because as it happens, I DID make the CHOICE to smoke today. 

Although it's not easy to hear, you are all right, I didn't slip, I chose and I was on day 3 which means I was THIS CLOSE to being nicotine free. I think if I had just told my friend (who I knew was a smoker) that I was not smoking, I probably could have avoided even craving at that point in time. I also should have simply just moved away from her until she was done. 

I reset my quit day to tomorrow so I can see a full day 1 but I will make the choice to not smoke today. I have no smokers at my apartment and I will be at the Dodgers game with people who do not smoke. I have all the comments from the blog I posted yesterday to help me out. I will simply look at tonight as getting through a trigger and NOT smoke. My day 1 will have to restart but that is my own fault for making that choice. 

I think the hardest part about quitting for me prior to this site was that I would start smoking again in private and not own up to it until much later. I wanted to tell everyone right away so  I could be held accountable and know what it feels like to say, I've smoked again. 

So - Starting over. This is the first time I've started over so quickly after falling off the bandwagon so I will look at that as progress and this time, I will get through without making that choice. I know I can do this, I just need to be strong about it. 

Thank you everyone for responding so quickly! Without being held accountable, it would be much easier for me to start smoking full on with a pack in hand. 

[lois2]

start over and try to stay away from people that smokes, for a week or so.because it is not good.

[bonniebee]

You sound real good get right back in your quit with a new quit date Keep on keepin' on !

Also when temptations like that happen in the future ....and they will..... think ahead about how you will handle them and think of them as a test that you can and  WILL pass ! Each test makes you stronger in your quit . I live with a smoker I think in some ways it is hard but in the long run  it has made me stronger when facing different temptations and with other smokers .

[JonesCarpeDiem]

GOOD FOR YOU!

[djmurray]

So happy that you:

1.  Were honest about smoking this morning and came here to be accountable;

2.  Were able to listen to the support offered without getting defensive;

3.  Are right back on your new Day 1 with more commitment than ever.

These are all good things after a bad choice.  You can definitely do this.

[linda258]

WELCOME BACK!  

[Iwannalife]

bummer you messed up but a new quit will be a fresh and forever quit. keep on your quit friend

[sparky26]

When we know better we do better.  Now this time tell all your friends and family , keep yourself accountable. And good for you for being honest and for getting right back to your quit.

[Thomas3.20.2010]

Bravo!

Not for the poor decision but for the good reset!

[Giulia]

Good.  You made the right decision to begin again.  Take it one day at a time.  Do not smoke - for this day.  Hang in.  You CAN do this.