View Full Version : 5 Steps That Lead to a Smoking Relapse
Sistersteel
05-09-2009, 10:36 PM
Self-Pity
http://z.about.com/d/quitsmoking/1/5/x/7/pity.jpg (http://z.about.com/d/quitsmoking/1/0/x/7/pity.jpg)
"Joe gets to smoke and I can't!"
Hold on! Joe doesn't get to smoke; Joe needs to smoke because he's addicted to nicotine (http://quitsmoking.about.com/cs/addiction/g/nicotine.htm). If you could get inside Joe's head, you'd find out he spends a lot of time wishing he could quit smoking ... just like you did before you quit.
Statistics tell us that 70 percent of smokers want to quit, so don't feel sorry for yourself. Be proud that you're taking a proactive stance against nicotine addiction.
Yes, smoking cessation is difficult at first - very difficult at times. However, there is nothing more valuable and life-altering than freeing yourself from the bonds of addiction. Remember that, and remember that the discomfort you're feeling right now will pass. Nicotine withdrawal is a temporary condition, but freedom from it is not!
Sistersteel
05-09-2009, 10:37 PM
Self-Deprecation
"I'm too weak to quit smoking. I've always failed in the past, so why bother trying? I'll just go back to smoking in the end."
We are always our own worst critics. We tell ourselves we can't, and set the stage for failure before we have a chance to get started.
Pay close attention to the self-defeating thoughts that are running along in the background of your mind. Correct them as soon as you become aware of them, and don't worry if you don't really believe what you're telling yourself. Your subconscious mind will pick up the positive mental cue and use it to help move you along in the right direction. Soon enough you'll be feeling stronger and telling yourself that you can rather than you can't.
Sistersteel
05-09-2009, 10:38 PM
Blaming Others
"It's my friend's fault I can't quit. If he'd stop smoking like a chimney, I could!"
When we hinge our success on the actions of another, we effectively take our power to change and throw it out the window.
However, when we accept responsibility for our own actions, we also give ourselves the means to move toward solutions that will help us begin the process of recovery.
If you find yourself stuck in this kind of mentality, take charge and shoulder the burden of the choices you've made. While it may be hard to face at first, taking responsibility for our actions puts us on the fast track to healing and self-empowerment.
Sistersteel
05-09-2009, 10:39 PM
Over-Confidence
http://z.about.com/d/quitsmoking/1/5/v/7/justone.jpg (http://z.about.com/d/quitsmoking/1/0/v/7/justone.jpg)
"Quitting isn't so hard. I think I've got this thing licked and can handle smoking just one cigarette tonight. I'll get right back to my quit program tomorrow."
Otherwise known as romancing the cigarette, or junkie thinking, this kind of thought pattern gets us into hot water fast. Time away from smoking can blur the edges of the reasons we had for putting those cigarettes down in the first place. We forget the chronic cough and lose touch with the racing heart and breathlessness that came from climbing a flight of stairs.
As we gather a head of steam and start logging smoke-free time, it's easy to fall into thinking that we have control over our addiction. Make no mistake about it, though; as nicotine addicts, we will always be susceptible to dependence once again if we introduce nicotine back into our systems. The only way to maintain control for the long haul is to have a zero tolerance policy with nicotine. Remember that there is no such thing as just one cigarette, and adopt N.O.P.E as your motto.
Sistersteel
05-09-2009, 10:40 PM
Impatience
"I quit smoking a month ago and I'm still craving cigarettes! I think I'm going to miss smoking forever."
I quit smoking three times before I finally hit on the right mix of determination, education and support to quit smoking for good. I can remember thinking that if I could just quit for two weeks, I'd be through the worst of it and would be free of this addiction. Knowing what I know now, I realize how faulty this thinking was and how I set myself up for relapse by putting rigid expectations on how my quit program should go ahead of time. When things didn't go as quickly as I'd expected, or I hit some other bump in the road, I got discouraged and gave up.
The fact is, your smoke-free journey is unique to you, and takes as long as it takes. Not a minute more or less. Quitting tobacco is a process of gradual release from an addiction that has been developed over a period of years. Don't expect to be over your smoking habit in a week or two, and don't gauge your success by how others have done when they quit smoking.
Be patient with yourself and use time as a quit buddy. Think of the work you're doing to quit smoking as the foundation of a new smoke free home you're building. Each smoke-free day you complete represents a block of that foundation. Lay each block down as carefully as you can, and before you know it, you'll have a strong foundation upon which to build your smoke-free life. Take your time and practice patience ... primarily with self! You'll be rewarded a thousand times over with a freedom that is beyond compare.
"Rodz"
05-21-2009, 12:19 AM
Shit i fall for #4 everytime
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