Good for you Crystal, you got right back up on that horse, so to speak. The important thing isn't so much taking a step back, it's what you've learned from it and not letting it keep you down. I admire your honesty and determination to stay on track.

Yes, it was more of a conscious decision to smoke during those days, haha. I just felt like it. But I never had to idea to keep smoking, and experiencing the impact it had on my lungs even after such a short time helped to indeed get back on that horse again!
In that sense I don't really see it as failing or losing the battle, although a small part was succumbing to the addiction.
I still find it incredibly hard. Especially now that I'm under pressure from town council about my benefit situation, started beginning of November and not seen the end of it. That gives me a lot of stress, and then you automatically want to go back to smoking.

I only read the last few pages this time..

Regardless if you have cheated a few times or not.. Your determination is beyond.. When I quit, the first cig I had, even after 2 years I went back to full-time smoking..

So you are doing awesome keep up the good work.. your determination will override any setbacks...

Stress is what caused me to go back to smoking after 2 years..

But finally, a few more years down the road when I quit it was cold turkey as well and that time I had a good reason to quit and never picked up another cig nor had the cravings...

I was smoking 2-3 packs a day.

Keep up the good work.. As long as you are putting it down here it will make you more aware of what is going on and help you in the long run... It always helps when others are encouraging you along the way...

You got this!!!

Thank you, Kristi!

what is a nicotine "plaster"? is that like the patch?
Yes... smoking is the hardest habit for me to give up.
I really would like to quit. But it's so hard to just stop and never smoke again.

Every Smoker has His/Her own Story to Tell Before Quitting .
Note : Plz don't throw your Cigarette Ends on the Floor . The Poor Cockroaches are Dying Of Cancer !

Well... I lost the 'battle' a while back when something that's incredibly stressful to me turned up. First thing I did was light a cig. I was shocked to find myself do that.
I managed to go back to not smoking but at some point I lost it.

So now I'm back to smoking as much as I did before, short of breath, coughing, my house and me smelling again etc etc.
It took a while but I'm done with it.
I just phoned the GP for the 2nd batch (3 months) of nicotine patches. You're allowed 2x that get covered by insurance. I do want that support.

I'd decided weeks ago that I was going to quit again, but yeah... In a way I didn't want to phone for patches as it felt like failure. Admitting I'd failed.
But even the health insurance site says that it's quite the addiction hence you're being allowed to get the patches twice if need be. That made me realise, I have not failed, it's just one helluva addiction!
Yet, it was quite the step to really make this decision, to pick up the phone and get it sorted.
That addiction voice yapping, "Wait a few days! You can do it next week!"

She practice assistant will likely phone me and I will likely get her guiding/coaching calls again each or every other week. This is part of the program. If I refuse I have to pay the patches myself, and it is actually quite nice to have her support.

In any case... I'm going for it again!

Wishing you good luck Crystal.

You did it before, you CAN do it again

Exactly! Thank you, Delightful!
Really a lot of respect for you for only smoking 3 a day. I do not have that amount of control.

crystal❤

You slipped, way to go back to your determination to quit for good

Lots of love and positive thoughts❤

Thank you.

I was a very heavy smoker back in the day but I’m proud of myself for getting down to less than 5 a day. I just smoke after eating now and that does it for me.

And....you’ve got this Crystal!

A truly amazing feat! If I could do that I wouldn't be bothered to quit.

As it is for me... I can't wait to get these damned patches! Might be another week before I actually got them.
The assistant/coach will have to phone me, which be Monday or later, and it always takes a few days for the patches to be delivered. I need the Niquitine as I get a rash from the others (Nicotinel).
I still got some of Step 3 with only 7 mg nicotine. If I get fed up I might just slap a few of those on so I can begin haha.

Thank you, KitKat!
It also helps me to know my girlie also quit a 2nd time, some 2 weeks ago. She'd also started smoking again after 8 months.
It stimulates and inspires, gives me the feeling that we're kind of doing it together :)

Positive thoughts and best wishes Crystal

Thank you, River!

I recon if you only let yourself have a fag after a tablespoon of malt vinegar, you'd be totally sorted

wow .... like one of the Mods pointed out .... you are so hawt but I never figured you for a smoker.
i smoked a 100 cigarettes a day , for 20 odd years . thats how into smoking i was .
then i came to Canada with 8 dollars in my pocket.... and found I could not afford that great habit anymore , so I quit cold turkey and never ever looked back!!
yep it takes a valid reason and a strong will power , to quit..... I am sure you can find motivation . good luck Crystal!!!

That could indeed work but there's a limit to how far one goes.

Thank you, Slim, for the compliment as well as the thumbs up!
I do really want to quit. Fed up with being short of breath and after quitting last fall I became very conscious of the smell of it.
And believe it or not, sometimes I see people do things in a docu or movie, like climbing a path on a steep rock or hill top and me thinking, "I'd love to go there!" immediately followed by "I'd be totally out of breath, I can't do that."
I don't want that anymore.
When I'd quit for 4 months last fall I had so much air and the sense of freedom that came from it... I was actually quite surprised by how fast my lung capacity seemed to improve.

One second. One minute. One hour. One day... at a time.