Smoking Triggers & You!

[Newbz]

I'm significantly embarrassed to admit I had a fall off the vaping wagon moment. I've been vaping for about 9 months. 6 or so of those months have been nicotine free. I was feeling pretty confident about remaining smoke free. I'd resisted all temptations, big and small and vaped my way through cravings as though they were no big deal.

But yesterday, I got angry. Not just angry, but down right p*ssed, more so than I'd been in years, maybe even decades. I vaped furiously (ha!, get it? Furiously?...yeah...anyways...) for a bit, but then I just said screw it and bought a pack of smokes. Yeah, they tasted awful, but I didn't care.

I realized after I'd had a chance to cool off that I had done a real disservice to myself by not anticipating certain emotional triggers could cause the little junkie spot in my brain to go full tilt bat$#!+ insane and make me not really care about all of the time I'd spent re-training my brain to a normal smoke free existence. I should have had a nicotine e-liquid handy for such an event. I didn't, and because of that, I really let myself and my family down.

Bummer.

It's not ok that I did this.

 

[kellie]

I had one of those days awhole back too. I really let myself down. I still have a analog every now and then when I am really upset or mad. I go right back to vaping tho. I am gonna buy some 36mg for those times and see if it helps. Defin get some nic juice for those times.

 

[bobsyeruncle]

No, it's ok. Really. Relapses happen. Are you back on the Happy Vapor Trails wagon again?

 

[Haadkoe]

Relapse is a part of recovery.

 

[Newbz]

No, it's ok. Really. Relapses happen. Are you back on the Happy Vapor Trails wagon again?

Yes. I felt like an idiot. Oooooooohhhh! I really showed *that* person! I smoked!
And then I was like, 'What are you? Five? Grow up.'

Ugh.

 

[M_FactorX19]

i agree with Haadkoe. relapse is part of recovery. dont beat yourself up over it to bad. the good thing is you realize it wasnt the correct decision and it even seems you have a plan for a future problem.

i however have not had an experience like that yet and hope i never do. ever since the day i got my PV i have been smoke free!! it really only took me a few days to get over the urge to want to smoke and now they are totally gone.

you are on the right path, just stay at it.

 

[jazdale]

I find that having a cig is like having an occasional cigar.
There is no way that I'll buy a pack of smokes and burn 'em all down just because I have them.

No, I can't say that I'm smoke free, but a pack lasts about 2 months.

 

[LibertariaNate]

Don't beat yourself up. Relapses happen. Smoking a cig or two or three does not make a smoker.

You make an excellent point about triggers. You never really know how you're going to react to a certain situation until you're smack dab in the middle of it.

 

[Drak]

My (single and only) trigger was coffee.

One day after vaping for about a week I had enough cups of coffee one day to rock a good caffeine high, and BLAM!, it hit.

Came close, but avoided it.

Nothing else has remotely triggered me at all.

When I got my starter kit, I WANTED it in the worst way, analogs had their way with me for too long.

I know in my mind that I am done, I want to be done, there's no mental 'holdout' thoughts, it was just the coffee trigger that one day.

Besides that, nothing, and I'm glad for it.

Actually, since that day, I haven't even had a remote thought of an analog, not a single one, it's like the very idea has been removed from my consciousness.

I mean, I LOVE vaping, I look forward to it and enjoy it immensely now, there's nothing in an analog I want anymore, there's no idea left that I'm 'settling' in any way, that smoking an analog will do something for me that vaping can't or won't give me in spades.

 

[Newbz]

Thanks to everyone for the kind words. After my short 'detour' I went straight back to vaping.

It is with relief that I can report it wasn't a big deal for me to leave the cigarettes behind. In the past when I've quit smoking, it only took one cigarette to instantly get me back into a PAD habit. With vaping, I was able to stop my cigarette intake immediately.

I know you're not supposed to claim vaping is a smoking cessation product, but there is no doubt in my mind that the only reason I am smoke free today is because of vaping.

Anyway, thanks everyone.

 

[izabella]

Don't be so hard on yourself! Consider it a lesson learned, and move on.

Count all the cigarettes you have NOT smoked since you started vaping, and don't worry about the few you did.

 

[ericdjobs]

This happens to me...

I sometimes have a problem with 'blowing my top'... i have a really high-stress job (behavioral specialist for developmentally delayed/mentally ill dually diagnosed individuals with aggressive tendencies that no other residential facility will take).. so I work 60 hours a week basically getting attacked/punched/spit on/feces/you name it.. so I constantly have to be in 'fight or flight' mode at work for my own protection...

When I get home, my patience is gone, nothing left... so, when something small irritates me I blow (Because if I blow at work, I get fired).. in these moments I get the most insane cravings for analogues, STILL, to this day. I find myself taking huge drag after huge drag on the PV... craving an analogue the whole time.

I gave in one time, lit an analogue and started to smoke it... ended up just smoking it like a cigar without inhaling lol. It's hard, the cravings are really bad. If I didn't vape so much that i was physically ill from nicotine during these periods i would be back on the cancer sticks for sure.

 

[KTaylor]

I agree with the previous posters...don't beat yourself up. When I get po'd I just chain vape with a higher nic. I will admit tho that analogs make me sick to smell or be around now. Kinda cool!!

 

[Sandrita]

That is a shame but at least you realized and it sounds like you won't do it again anytime soon! Good luck in the future!

 

[Mr. P]

My biggest trigger is breathing. No seriously, I keep an unopened pack of analogs next to my coffee maker so it is the first thing I see in the morning to remind me what I have quit. Works for me as I haven't touched one in over 8 months now.