Slipped up but back on track

[karen230]

I am on day 17 and was doing well battling the craves until the day before yesterday. I was driving (always a big trigger for me) and BAM I bought a pack and smoked a few. But thanks to all I've learned here I threw them out, put my patch back on and am happy to say that I am back on track. I have relied on regular gum and a drinking straw to occupy my mouth and hands in the car, so I've restocked those. Any other suggestions are most welcome.

Thanks all, Karen

[GreenThumb3]

Congrats on starting over we can't act on our emotions or no one would stay quit it just takes time to get better but starting over prolongs you getting there stay strong 

[Ms.J_11-10-2013]

Hi Karen - Can't tell you how happy I am to see you here today my friend!!!!.....  Sooo time to get up- dust ourselves off and start again.  Don't be hard on yourself, it happens..

Take your car and have it totally cleaned, detailed, buffed and polished.  Be rid of any lingering smoke that might be tempting you.  I also keep a bunch of sugar free hard candies at my side!  You have the power to do this I know you do!!!!

LETS ROCK THIS QUIT MS KAREN!!!!

Always!!

Ms "J"

[rosemarymom]

That's how its done.  Keep it on track.  You will do fine.  Yay for you for fighting on!

[SarahP]

Hi Karen -- good job quitting again right away and not using it as an excuse to keep smoking. Please explore the "BAM" part of your story a little more -- the lit cigarette didn't just appear in your mouth. You made a serious of decisions and performed a series of actions that got it there. Think through that for yourself, analyze it, and decide what you will do differently next time. 

Buy gum or a bottle of water, crank the radio and start singing, phone a friend, recite your grocery list out loud, think of something funny and let yourself laugh out loud. 

You can do this! 

[elvan]

Keep on track, Karen, you can do this.  Everyone can do this, there will clearly be those difficult times, I know what you mean about the car.  I have taken a couple of long road trips since quitting and it's really been a challenge...at FIRST, but it passes and there are no smoking things in my car anymore.  Onward!

[Storm.3.1.14]

Karen, I want to thank you for confessing here. You've helped yourself through this by throwing out the rest of the pack; by admitting that driving is still a trigger; and by restocking your in-car supplies. Now, you've asked for our help. Good!

If this urge ever hits you again, I want you to pull into the store's lot and park. Turn off the engine, remove the key from the ignition, and toss the entire ring of keys over into the passenger side floorboard. Just do it. Then, I want you to sit there for 5 minutes. Not 1 or 2 or 3. 5 full minutes. Do not open the door before that time.

A smoking crave will pass within 3 minutes. So, I want you to sit it out while reminding yourself that cigarettes are not your friend. They do not care for you. They want you to be sick. To be dead. There is nothing romantic or alluring or urgent about that.

After 3 minutes of this self-talk, sit there for 1 more minute and remind yourself of your reasons to quit. these reasons were real and valid 17 days ago, so they are real and valid now and in the weeks to come.

After that minute is up, sit there for 1 more minute and give yourself some good ol' fashioned tough love. Strongly remind yourself that this addiction must stop. That you deserve better than this. That you did not come this far just to ruin it this way.

After 5 minutes, you reach over for those keys, you crank up, and you drive home.

I am handing you a tool here from my own personal quit kit. It WIll work, but only you can decide to use it.

Stay the course, Karen!

[karen230]

Thank you to each of you for your support!  Karen

[Roxie-1-16-2014]

I found drinking lots of water and reducing my coffee helped me the first month. LOTS of water and sunflower seeds. Anytime I want to smoke I grab sunflower seeds. Ok I look like a chipmunk sometimes but after a bunch the cravings are gone. I found dancing around singing takes the edge off also. One day on a full blown craving craze when I worried about losing my quit I remember my granddaughter looking at me with her sweet blue eyes telling me how happy she was that I had quit. Get a jar and start putting the $  you aren't spending on smokes into it. At the end of the month you go buy yourself anything you want. Get a new outfit and celebrate your victory over the nicotine demon. You CAN DO IT!!! One day at a time! You ARE stronger than the cravings. No matter what do NOT give in. Remove yourself from situations if you have to if you feel weak. One time after a bad day at work I had to skip grocery shopping cuz I knew the pull to buy a pack was overly strong. I didn't feel so strong so I just went home instead. I cranked up the tunes - grabbed some hand weights and got rid of the stress I had. Remember the magic word NOPE - NOT ONE PUFF EVER!!!!