Blips, Slips and Relapses

[nsd_user663_4821]

Hi All,

I've seen quite alot on the forum lately from people who have unfortunately lost their quits and aren't sure whether to consider their smoking a 'blip' (pick up from where you left off and just carry on) or a 'relapse' (go back to start - don't collect £200). Maybe 'blip' and relapse' aren't the right words, but I think you know what I'm getting at here

There are varying opinions on this and other forums about what is considered to be a 'blip' and what makes a full blown 'relapse'. There's no definition of a 'blip'. To some it could mean chain smoking a pack of ten on a night out then calling it quits again the next morning, to others it's just one puff.

On some forums, you'll find kind words of support and understanding and if smoke one, two, three, even a pack of cigarettes. On others, you'll find your membership is revoked the very second you admit to taking even a nicotine lozenge!

I don't think there's a right or wrong way of handling a 'blip' - it depends on the person. For me, I'd go back to day one if I took even one drag from a cigarette. But for others, the idea of going back to day one is so demoralising it's almost enough to send them back into smoking full time again! (I wonder if that's a psychological actually - does the idea of 'Day 1' bring back the thoughts and feelings of those first few days of a quit).

Anyway, I digress. My point is that we will all have different thoughts and feelings on the subject and not one of us can say 'I'm right' - no matter how long we've been quit.

We're all here to share our thoughts and feeling and provide support to one another. Sometimes this result in people reading things they don't agree with or consider to be unhelpful or even offensive.

We don't all have to agree (it would be a bit off a dull forum if we did don't you think? :D) but blip, slip or relapse, as long as you're not smoking right now, that's all that matters.

Angie. X

[nsd_user663_37391]

Angie

Brilliant post, couldn't agree more:

We don't all have to agree (it would be a bit off a dull forum if we did don't you think? ) but blip, slip or relapse, as long as you're not smoking right now, that's all that matters.

[nsd_user663_35351]

But if you smoke you should go back to day 1 - It undermines other peoples achievements and makes a mockery of quitting smoking.

[nsd_user663_4149]

If I had one drag I'd call it a relapse and start again. How many blips does it take to make a relapse? I suppose people could say I've been quit one year today, but, I've had 365 blips (one fag a day). How can anyone honestly put N.O.P.E in their sig when they have smoked? As you said though Angie, to each their own, after all it's only numbers. I can't see anything wrong with someone saying "I've only had three cigarettes in the last year." David

[nsd_user663_35351]

If I had one drag I'd call it a relapse and start again. How many blips does it take to make a relapse? I suppose people could say I've been quit one year today, but, I've had 365 blips (one fag a day). How can anyone honestly put N.O.P.E in their sig when they have smoked? As you said though Angie, to each their own, after all it's only numbers. I can't see anything wrong with someone saying "I've only had three cigarettes in the last year." David

Hear hear !!

[nsd_user663_35351]

What do you mean ?

[nsd_user663_6426]

De ja vu

Hey....I can post the same post I posted on another thread here as it's also relevant...never done that before. Seems to be a heated topic this blip business. New Year has a lot to answer for!

"It kinda makes me laugh when people are talking about blips about smoking....at least people are being honest and saying they have had a fag. I'm sure some members of the whyquit forum have smoked but not admitted to it. It's all down to the honesty of the members...and I bet a dollar that people aren't always honest.

If I had smoked a fag/had a drag on one etc, I myself would go back to day 1 as I feel I would be cheating myself....however I can recognise that not everyone has the same thought processes as myself. Some people find it truly demoralising to get so far and end up back at day 1 by simply having one drag on a fag. I would rather that person treat it as a blip and stay smoke-free than become so demoralised and go back to smoking 20 a day.

Yes it probably does piss people off that there are people in the penthouse that have had a fag or two on the way...but come on folks that's life. This is your own quit if you are comfortable with saying you've reached the penthouse even though you've had the odd one or two then who are we to judge? Personally, I don't give a monkeys armpit...when I say I've reached the penthouse....by my own rules of my own quit then I have done it!"

[nsd_user663_37391]

I'm with you Lisa

[nsd_user663_4821]

But if you smoke you should go back to day 1 - It undermines other peoples achievements and makes a mockery of quitting smoking.

I see where you're coming from here - and I agree about going back to day 1 - that's what I'd do anyway. I'm not so sure I agree with the rest though (making the forum interesting again! :D)...

I'm just about to reach the elusive Penthouse ( !!!!) but I don't feel like my achievement will be in any way undermined because there are some people there that had a smoke or two on the way Each to their own I guess. We all manage our own quits in our own way. If it makes someone feel good or gives them a sense of achievement to say "I've reached xxx milestone" even though they've had a blip/relapse then who am I to take that away from them? (Even if I don't necessarily agree :rolleyes

Anyway, good luck to all of you in your quits - I hope to see in the Penthouse bar soon!

Angie. Xx

[nsd_user663_37042]

But if you smoke you should go back to day 1 - It undermines other peoples achievements and makes a mockery of quitting smoking.

I disagree. If I have a cigarette ever again I won't be going back to day one. I couldn't give a sh!te what anyone else says either

[nsd_user663_20558]

I am flying with the prevailing wind here. If someone had a cig at six months quit and then continued and made it to a year without smoking another one, I would say hey, welcome to the penthouse. Wouldn't undermine my own achievement, at all I don't think.

And really, each person needs to do what is best for them and as long as they are striving to remain smoke free then that is the be all and and end all.

However I must say that following a blip, if the person goes back to being quit and doesn't falter again, then fantastic. However, if the person carries on 'blipping' then that's a failed quit in my book.

Good post Angie. Can't wait to see you at the penthouse bar.

H x

[nsd_user663_37042]

...following a blip, if the person goes back to being quit and doesn't falter again, then fantastic. However, if the person carries on 'blipping' then that's a failed quit in my book.

You summed it up well for me here

[nsd_user663_25112]

Blip or not i was honest and said i had a puff so what i could have lied but i didnt. I went straight back on track and im not starting from day 1. Sorry if i sound brash but maybe their should be a topic on BLIPS. Jacqui

[nsd_user663_18145]

Sounds like we are in a submarine with all these blips i agree in part with what everyone has said the main thing is staying smokefree

and the people that cave in one occassion shouldnt be punished and made to start again as that could lead to them saying fxxk this im a smoker again :eek: and we dont want that

to the ones that saying thats not fair well at the end of the day there is always going to have controversy about this point or blip

We have all choosen not to smoke again and that is our choice to carry on not smoking but you cant condemn others just because in your opinion one puff should make you a smoker again and go to the back of the line and start

We should all be proud of what we have done after as long as are smokefree surely that the main thing

Im not sure if this gets what im meaning to say as trying to do this on my phone sorry in advance for an mistakes

Its like some peoples attitude to NRT to some say your cheating by using it to alot of people it holps

[nsd_user663_37042]

At the end of the day you are giving up for yourself, not a load of internet people.

[nsd_user663_7469]

I am strong in my quit and I know I was lucky all the way through it not to even take a puff, did it undermine my quit or my eventual entrance to the Penthouse knowing someone had a cig during their quit, of course it didn't I would have to be bloody stupid if it did wouldn’t I and as for one minute of weakness being a reason to go all the way back to day one that’s also bloody silly, I think that the pressure to quit and stay quit is getting worse without others trying hard to make you feel even worse about that one minute of weakness, it seems to me like they are taking it out on the blipper to channel their anger away from their selves to make their selves feel better, I feel great and so should everyone no matter how many days quit they have reached, don’t let quitting take over your life, it’s important to quit but it’s probably more important to be happy.

[nsd_user663_35711]

I had a cigarette in month 3. At first I was in two minds as to what to so, do I carry on from where I am or go back to the beginning.

In the end I went back to day one, I have to say because of the comments of some of the more sanctimonious among us. I felt sh*t, I felt like I had completely failed, that because i had that one cig I was a failure.

I went back to day one and lasted 3 days, then thought sod it and started smoking again. Not as many as I did before but I still smoked.

I then went back to day one again, lasted another 3 days and still believed I couldnt do it and started smoking again.

Im now back on day one and thinking sod it! I know I can do this, day one or day 62 what matters is I dont smoke today. I had forgotten that one single fact, if I dont smoke today then Im a non smoker. The stupid thing is that during my quitslips I never once thought of myself as a smoker again. I felt quite sick everytime I had one, I think I was doing it to prove that I couldnt stop.

I felt like a non smoker who was doing something naughty.

So yes Im back on day one, I still saved my lungs from a llot of punishment during my last quit and I still saved about £500.

So again day one or day 62 I am a non smoker today!

Lillie x