10 Years No smoking (then the mistake of a lifetime)
I started smoking when I was 16. I was disgusted by it by the age of 18, tried zillion ways and nothing seemed to work. Finally nicotine replacement therapy worked and I successfully quit for 10 years. Now I am 31, I made the classic mistake of lighting one cigarette thinking its one only. I had forgotten all the learnings, how proud I was of not smoking for 10 years and that I am an addict even after all these years. Suddenly I find myself back on this side where I am trying to quit again. Today is day 1 of quitting and I know that I will quit even if takes 1000 attempts because I know this is all about an illusion of a friend named 'Nicotine'.
Hi... almost exactly the same story! today is my day 1... hopefully you went well yesterday and are going well today! my partner smokes and that will make it hard for me BUT I need to try!
Hi there, You are the only one who made the same mistake. Happened not once but twice to me in the past.
There are great inspirational stories on this site.
Two things that worked for me on my 3rd and final quit:
1) NOPE mantra - Not one puff ever
2) Mindset - I am not a smoker. Prior to that I thought of myself as a smoker who chose not to smoke. And each time at one point or another I chose to smoke again.
Good luck. You can do it.
It is a shame to have a slip after 10 years. That is why I encourage people to check in and remember just how powerful the nicotine addiction is. Not only to help yourself, but to encourage others just starting out.
Thankfully, for you, it is not fear which prevents you from quitting smoking. Fear of the unknown stops many in their tracks.
You however , know that being a non-smoker is great! Lots of benefits and you WANT to do it again. You just need to believe that you CAN. And YES you can! In a moment of weakness where you thought no harm could come of just one, you are learning the hard way.
Once an addict, always an addict. The good news is that we are stronger than nicotine and that dependence is over in just a few hours when the psychological dependence is gone. I would not think that YOU are psychologically dependent. At any rate, read our stories and find the desire to be free again. You can do it and we will help in any way possible..