That urge to smoke is just trying to bargain with you. One more is always going to seem like no bg deal, beause you have your whole life to quit. It's just one more day, one more smoke, one "last time". But you have to remember that this is just the addiction talking. This is serious business, and you have to turn away from that little voice in your head.
After 2 years of not smoking, a friend and I were going through some stressful stuff and started meeting up over drinks to talk. One thing led to another, and we both rationalized that we could socially smoke here an there. Well, here and there turned into a lot more, and eventually I was smoking like a freight train again. And 3 attempts at quitting later, I've learned a couple of things:
1) Yep, I can't smoke just a little. It's all or nothing with me; that's just the kind of addict I am. But, when my cravings are coming on hard core, I tell myself that I'm just delaying a cigarette for 15 minutes. After 15 minuts, I tell myself that I'm just delaying for the hour. I keep up that mental game until I forget about it. I can't explain it - I think it just helps me mitigate the panic.
2) Man, it is now or never. I always used to say, "I'll quit when I turn 21", then it was 25, 28, 29, 30...Now I am 33, and I have been smoking for 19 years. I do NOT want to say that I've been doing this ugly thing for 20.
3) This only works for me when I stop talking in terms of denying myself, and I start talking in terms of congratulating myself. for example, I revel in the joy of how my hair and clothes smell. I talk about how I am proud that working out is getting easier. I love how I can actually be warm in my car now that I don't have to crack the window to smoke. I love that I'm not skulking around to smoke on the porch or in a parking lot. Keep thinking positive - pride feels really good.
Congrats to you for knowing it's time to quit smoking - use everything you learned from quitting the drigs and build on it. Talk about it. Be proud. Get support - you can do it!!!
