Well, after not smoking for 7 days, I caved. I smoked 3 cigarettes. 1 last night and 2 today. (So far.) I feel like such a loser. I was doing so good and now it's all for nothing. I can't believe I gave in. I haven't told DH yet, I'm too ashamed of myself. I don't know what to do now....

Nope. Not a failure. Dust yourself off, and start over. It's the best you can do, and you CAN do it!

Congrats on your 7 days SMOKE FREE!!

Oh I'm so sorry,

I just ran into this thread and I'm not a smoker, but I'm dealing with my own addiction issues, so maybe I can relate even if I don't totally understand.

You did so well for a whole week! Don't give up now; just jump back on the wagon! All your hard work was for something because you know you can make it a whole week! Just keep on going and don't regard a little slip up as a failure, it's just a littl bump in the road.

So, get up and dust your self off, and continue down the healthy path you have chosen! I know you can do it!

Is it even possible to start over now, or does this mean I've totally readdicted myself with the 3 cigarettes? I mean, I know I can start over now, but will I be going through everything I went through in the last week all over again, even though it was only 3 (and they were spaced apart)?

Thank you very much for the support too, btw!

Well, I would say regardless of what possibly lies ahead in the next few days/weeks, you need to start over sometime, may as well be this very moment.

Stop again??

Seriously, I quit 6 times before I made it stick. It's not an easy thing to do.. but it WILL be worth it in the long run.. keep trying till it STICKS!! WOOHOO for trying!! The ONLY way to insure failure is to not try.

Good Luck!

Mike

Jadeca,

Don't say it was all for nothing. Think of it as a race and you're competing with yourself. This time you lasted 7 days... Next time, try to do it for 8 days, then allow yourself a smoke. Then try for 9 days.

Breaking ourselves of a habit is difficult. Quitting smoking is like losing weight, it doesn't happen overnight. I had been LC'ing for 2 weeks without cheating and this past weekend I had tamales and tacos and ice cream. It was good, but it made me feel a bit like a failure, but I thought, I can always start over and be successful. Give yourself a break and try again.

Best of luck

Don't worry about this. Slipping up only goes to prove how very difficult it is to quit smoking (or any addiction). When I caved in, and started the quit again the next day, I didn't have the same pain and issues I had when I first quit - THAT was the biggie. Each day you go that is smoke free, even if they aren't totally consecutive days, reinforces in your mind and body that you DO want to quit, and you will feel worse and worse each time you give in and smoke again. This process of changing a well-worn habit isn't instantaneous - like losing weight. It's a struggle. So don't worry - go back to giving your lungs and bod more smoke free days. Just keep going - no matter what.

I learned in one of my Psych classes, that on average smokers take 36 times quitting before it sticks! So definatly dont get to discouraged about just once. You can do it!

Start all over again and when you feel that you are going to rebound. Just remember how guilty you felt and hopefully your nicotine craving will go away.

BTW have you tried those patches, the generic ones work just as well as the name brands.

The first 3 months are very tough sweetheart. But if you really want to quit you need to make it thru the first 3 weeks nicotine free. I almost blew my quit 3 times in the first two months. I WAS MISERABLE and angry ..but you get over it. I actually ran a site for about a year and a half helping people quit smoking. I will be free 2 years in Feb. First three days you go thru withdrawal. Somewhere between 3-6 months you will have 1 day where you don't even think about. Think about that before you puff..and say goodbye to the nasty nico-demon.

Take care of yourself.

Don't be discouraged. celebrate your 7 smoke free days and go on from there. I have not smoked in ten years but that was after many attempts. Each time i slipped up, i just thought of it as 1 step closer to the real thing, and that it was. You can do it - don't ever quit quitting!!!!!!!!!!