ForgotPassword?
Sign Up
Search this Topic:
Forum Jump
May 3 04 6:36 PM
Interact
May 5 04 12:02 AM
The second thing that is done when a person takes a puff or administers nicotine and lets us know about it is that they permanently lose posting privileges. While we can't predict if a person who relapses will ever quit again, we can predict that the person will not be able to post again. This is totally non-negotiable and non-debatable.
May 11 04 4:03 AM
May 28 04 6:53 AM
From above:
We have no problem with our members learning from each other's past relapses. We are just making it impossible for them to learn from the future relapse of any member. You are right that other programs recognize that relapses happen to people with drug addictions. We know people relapse too. We just don't see it as a natural or more importantly, an inevitable event. Our post Is Relapse a Natural Part of the Addiction Process? addresses this concept. Here is our comment from that string that points out that we are coming from a different slant on this issue.
Most other boards, and in fact most professional programs and nicotine addiction experts see relapsing as a normal part of the addiction process. In a way we are out on a limb here at Freedom. We don't accept relapse as a normal process of addiction. We see a relapse as a natural process of not understanding and/or accepting ones own addiction. For if the true implication of a relapse is understood, any sane and recovering addict would choose not to relapse.
Every recovering nicotine addict here has the tools in place not to relapse, which is why he or she is a recovering addict now and not an active user. He or she understands full well, up to this point in time that he or she could not control quantity of cigarettes or duration of the relapse. If nicotine is readministered, the relapse will take on a life of its own, and has the full potential of taking your life in the process.
If you keep that understanding and keep in practice our one simple principle, a relapse is not going to be a natural occurrence and in fact, a relapse is going to be an impossibility. For as long as you follow one simple principal, you will never be able to go back to smoking. The principle, is just remembering if you want to keep control of your addiction never take another puff!
May 29 04 2:38 AM
May 29 04 5:11 PM
May 29 04 7:45 PM
It is understandable that some will see Freedom's relapse policy as overly harsh, uncaring and unsupportive. Frankly, we see it as entirely the opposite. If we don't treat our members' relapse, health, life expectancy, and smoking's 50% kill rate seriously, then what legitimate grounds do we have to expect them to do the same? In our minds, absolutely none. Even upon relapse I take comfort in three factors. First, I'm confident that their time with the group will have permanently burned the law of addiction into their mind as restated by four simple words ... Never Take Another Puff! The very act of depriving them of the right to post in a nicotine-free forum hopefully tells them that we took their life seriously even if they didn't. It may or may not seem like a big deal to them at the time but a loss of posting privileges pales in comparison to the real losses and risks that they have intentionally reintroduced back into their life Lastly, I take comfort in knowing that every Freedom, Joel's Library and WhyQuit resource available to you is still available to them as well, with just one exception. As for that one exception, there are a host of wonderful support forums across the Internet filled with quitters having dreams no less than ours. Our links page to free support sites can be found near the bottom under Support on WhyQuit's main page. They'll find that a number of support groups host complete copies of Joel's Library and see his work being openly shared within the group. Yes, we actually expect members to succeed and truly believe that there is no legitimate excuse for relapse - none. It's our only substantive demand upon every member - that you take your life as seriously as we do.
Jun 2 04 3:59 AM
Jun 2 04 4:04 AM
Jun 6 04 9:13 PM
Jun 9 04 6:42 AM
Again, for the majority of people here this policy poses no threat and makes the each and every members mission here that much more clearly defined. It was what their intent was the day they first signed up to Freedom. To stay a member of Freedom, and more important, to keep the health and life saving benefits of staying a successful ex-smoker is as simple now as just remembering to stay totally committed to never take another puff! Joel
Jun 12 04 11:07 PM
Jun 12 04 11:22 PM
Relapse isn't just resuming the risk likelihood that we'll eventually smoke ourselves to death. It's the 100% likelihood that nicotine's half-life again controls the flow of more than 200 of the body's neurochemicals and again is defining how, when and what we'll feel. It's the 100% likelihood that that next puff will destroy a bit more of the body's precious ability to receive and transport life-giving oxygen. It's the 100% likelihood that the next puff will deposit a greater accumulation of the 43 carcinogens in each puff upon tissues that were in the process of attempting to heal. It's the 100% likelihood that the same person who invested so much in coming this far will flush that investment without any guarantee that they'll ever come this far again. Knowledge is simply a tool. It cannot take credit for being used and applied nor blame for being ignored or defied. Freedom takes your freedom, health and life expectancy seriously. Would you want it any other way?
Jun 13 04 4:42 PM
Jul 16 04 3:51 PM
Joel
Jul 17 04 4:40 AM
Jul 24 04 12:49 PM
Aug 27 04 6:04 AM
Aug 27 04 9:59 PM
Sep 9 04 4:10 PM
Again, for the majority of people here this policy poses no threat and makes the each and every members mission here that much more clearly defined. It was what their intent was the day they first signed up to Freedom. To stay a member of Freedom, and more important, to keep the health and life saving benefits of staying a successful ex-smoker is as simple now as just remembering to stay totally committed to never take another puff!
Share This