1.Stress (23)
2.Complacency of ‘One won’t hurt’ (18)
3.Alcohol (11)
37 members participated in the Poll out of our 40 active members.
So, what can we do to prevent ourselves from relapsing with these 3 most common warnings / causes?
I am just over 10 months smoke free and how I overcame the above curve balls I will share now. I realise everyone’s quit is unique to themselves and what works for me may not work for someone else.
I put out my last cigarette on 17 September 2015 at 03:15am after waking up in a fit of coughing and couldn’t get my breath. I really thought I was going to die. When it eventually eased, I lay there waiting for my breathing to return to normal and made the decision there and then that I would go downstairs and have my last cigarette. I went down stairs, got a cigarette and lighter, opened up the patio door and lit up the cigarette, took 2 long puffs and stamped it out. That was the last cigarette that touched my lips – 10 months ago.
I was on 1 weeks annual leave which was a blessing in disguise as doing it cold turkey I was pulling my hair out from really Day 4 to Day 10 – the internet and researching addiction was my saviour. But for the first week or so I had a very anxious feeling in my stomach of how I was going to handle stress and not give in especially at work as we were going through our 3rd redundancy process. I was one of those smokers that always smoked like a train with the false euphoria that smoking relieved stress. So, I said to myself, how can I cope with stress differently now I don’t smoke.
My answer was simply to speak up and ask for help which is what I did and it relieved the stress at work. I also started breathing exercises and would take myself away from a situation if it got too much for me and do them. Ice cold water is great too to calm you and make you think clearer. For home stresses, I found having ‘Me’ time helped and pampering myself, even if it is just relaxing in a bath or going for a walk.....
With regards the complacency of ‘One won’t hurt’, I always thought back to the night I put out my last cigarette and say the mantra ‘Not One Puff Ever’.
The alcohol was really only nostalgic and never really bothered me as for some reason I never done the 2 together as hated going outside to smoke after developing a horrendous chest infection going out in sub zero conditions to smoke a few years ago.
I know I must have that sword up to attack for some time yet but it is getting easier and easier as each day passes.
Please believe that it does get easier.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES OF HOW YOU DEAL WITH THESE WARNINGS AND COME THROUGH THE OTHER SIDE AND NOT SMOKE......
Feel so upset after a relapse 
Relapsed after 1 year +
