quitting smoking relapse

anon24

I've been off the cigarettes for about 4 1/2 weeks using patches. However on 2 seperate occasions i've had 2 puffs off a cigarette while drunk. Once when i was off them 2 weeks and once last night. I'm not back on them and I don't want to either but I feel very guilty about it!!!
I've been out drinking a good bit and haven't smoked any of the other times. I just hope I'm not on the slippery slope. I was going to stop drinking and smoking together as i know when your drunk you get weak but I thought I should just learn how to have a few drinks without smoking. Does anyone think I should now think about stopping drinking as I've had a couple of relapses or am i being too hard on myself??

spadesaspade

its difficult my friend, dont feel guilty about falling of the wagon, just forget about it and keep up the good work. it gets easier

celticcrash

Hello Anon24. It happened to me a couple of times, If it was that easy
To stop smoking no one would be smoking, We all fall some time, it does not
Mean your weak it means your human.

As for the drink like anything else if your not sure than maybe give it a
Few more weeks until your confident and sure.

Over all your doing very good, dont fell guilty its just a couple of blips
On your journey.

hotspur

Having a couple of puffs is a small lapse not a relapse. Don't succumb to the abstinence violation effect - it has a very negative effect. Your motivation to stay off them will wax and wane, that's okay, it's normal.

You will find yourself in high risk situations, such as drinking, where it is more likely you will have a puff. The key is to recognise these high risk situations (as you have) and prepare yourself in advance for how you are going to handle them in respect of the urge to smoke.

It is important to realise that high risk situations include internal experiences and making yourself feel guilty is one of them. Feeling guilty about having a puff is actually more likely to lead to a relapse than merely having a puff.

Behaviour change is not about absolutes and categorical thinking such as "smoking", "not smoking", "successful", "failure". Look at your whole behaviour on a continuum and congratulate yourself on how much you have changed your behaviour so far. A puff / a smoke / a pack of smokes may not be a good idea, but it's just a puff / smoke / pack of smokes.

You have the rest of your life after that to decide whether or not to continue to engage in smoking behaviour. You are not bad because you had a craving and had a puff, you are human. The very vast majority of people who try to stop smoking slip up. Unfortunately the ones who beat themselves up and allow the part of their brain that wants to smoke to say "well I have failed, I can't do it" are usually the ones who back to smoking fully.

Give yourself a break, be kind to yourself, allow yourself to be human - it will actually help you a lot in your goal. Good luck.

susanweir

Hi Hotspur,

I read this post about 12 hours ago, and made a mental note to come back as it has to be one of the most intelligent posts I have ever read. As a newly quit ex-smoker (one month and one day today), like most addicts, I have an "all-or-none" attitude to smoking. One puff and I'm doomed. However, your outlook makes quitting less stressful. Even if I did fall off the wagon (or horse or whatever,) which I haven't, I just get back on again and start over. Thanks for providing me with that insight (which, by the way, I do not consider permission to smoke!!)

Much obliged for your input.:)

anon24

thank you all for your replies. they have really helped me. I am now off the cigarettes 5 weeks and 2 days and I feel great!!! I find rewarding myself with the money I would have spent on cigarettes helpful too. I buy clothes, massages, get my hair done etc!!! I didn't realise how much money I was actually spending on them!!!!

susanweir

Hi anon24,

Glad the replies have helped. You are a week ahead of me. Am 4 weeks 2 days off them. The funny thing is I am doing what you are doing! Had my hair done, teeth cleaned, car valeted etc with the money I would have spent on fags. It gives me something to look forward to from week to week.

Keep up the good work! A lifetime of treats ahead (and I intend to have THEM ALL!):D

ash123

am off them 3 weeks and 3 days and have had the odd puff... the guilt afterwards was horrible, not worth it but hopefully means i wont go back on them. Using the patches and some days feel like it is the first day again, thought it would get so much easier the further into it yet still dying for a cig on some days. Just hoping those days will get less and less