Thanks everyone.

Both your messages helped me get out of my hopeless pity party.

Timbo I really like your idea of having some sort of hand to mouth distraction. I think that will help me. In the past I would be either drinking or smoking...like a constant pacifier. I think.ice cubes or something might help. I have been chewing gum and that sometimes helps but I need more options. If I could just get through the cravings of the first month...

I do feel proud of my one week. I am.also extremely proud I am a non drinker now. I feel like a different person. I can only imagine how great i will feel when I don't constantly stink of smokes too.

I will report back. Thanks again. Sorry for formatting issues. I am at work on my mobile.

Hi Grapeseed,

Congratulations on going for a week without smoking! As you know that's a HUGE accomplishment for a smoker. Like Ashley said, don't beat yourself up over the slip. Just get right back on your journey to freedom. When you get a craving, what do you do about it? Do you just try to ignore it? Do you get up and walk around? Maybe take a jog? Have you tried munching on an ice cube, or a carrot stick? Just find anything that will work to help alleviate the urge. I carried a pocket full of lifesaver mints. When an urge happened I popped one in my mouth. By the time it was gone, so was "most" of the urge. You might use something to fidget with your fingers too. I used a rubber band to keep my hands busy. You could also carry a plastic straw with you. When an urge hits, pretend like it's a cigarette. Sounds kind of silly but it helped me. Experiment and you will find something that will work for you.

The reason you find this so much harder to quit that drinking, in my opinion, is that you could always have a cigarette for when times got tough, or to celebrate the good times, or to just break up the boredom. It was your "friend" that was always there for you when you needed it. Without it, you just don't really know how to cope. It's a part of the learning process to quitting. It's a new life and you need to make changes to adapt to it.

If you've went for a week, you can do it again. I can tell by your message that you were proud of what you did, and you should be. Like I said earlier, a week is AWESOME for a smoker to quit. Read through the forums here and maybe one of the messages will give you an aha moment. You never know.

Stay safe and stay strong, and don't give up!

Hi Grapeseed,

Slips and relapses are very common when quitting smoking. In fact, I don't think I have even heard of a person who quit successfully on the first try. Most people take many tries before having a successful quit. Each time you are learning something. What did you learn from this quit attempted? What triggered it? What can you do differently next time? Try not to be too hard on yourself. It is part of the learning process.

Most importantly though, congrats on quitting drinking. That is a huge achievement. What did you learn going through that quit process?

I hope to hear more from you soon.

Take care

Ashley

So I made it one full week without smoking... then I caved. I just couldn't handle the cravings. I really thought I could do it this time... I don't know why I find this so much harder then quitting alcohol. Has anyone had a ton of failed attempts and then go on to have a successful quit?

I could really use the motivation.

Grape