What I Get Here, That I Have Never Gotten Anywhere Else, is Accountability

This post was in response to a forum member suggesting that they don’t like our methods, that we’re too tough and that we take things a bit too seriously.

Here is the original post:

To be quite Frank I don’t care for a lot of people’s approaches here. I am strong-willed and have other places I can turn to for support. Being heckled about being a few hours late on roll call is ridiculous. In the future, I will not be on the forum. Good luck on your quits. I don’t need to explain or justify anything or why internet access might be a problem. I came here for solutions not more fucking shit I have to deal with.

And here’s the response…

I have all the support I need outside of KTC.

What I get here, that I have never gotten anywhere else, is accountability.

I’ve made friends here, but everyone that I know from KTC cares about my quit, first and foremost. They don’t give a rat’s ass if they hurt my feelings over it, either, BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT I ASKED THEM FOR.

When I start getting stupid about my quit, I want them to tell me it’s time to shape up.

When I get lazy about my quit, I want them to give me a wake-up call before I get into danger.

When I get slack off and stop taking things seriously EDD, I want them to remind me that this is life or death.

I’m an addict. That statement is both damning, and freeing.

Damning, because who wants to be an addict? Freeing, because it means that I don’t struggle with a habit, or with being “week”, or a lack of willpower.

I am fighting against a drug that I let control my body, mind, and emotions for decades. My addiction caused me to lie to my friends.  To lie to my family. To lie to myself. If I can’t trust myself to be honest and critical of my choices related to nicotine – then who the hell can I trust?

My brothers and sisters here at KTC.

I can trust them because they’ve been there. They understand the addiction. They understand the way we addicts lie to ourselves. They can see it when I start making excuses and setting myself up for failure. They can call it out, even when I can’t see it, even when I don’t want to see it. That means more to me than “support” ever will. I had all the “support” I needed to quit for the 30+ years I was addicted to nicotine. I didn’t actually manage to quit until I had the accountability that KTC provides as well.

That’s what we’re here for. Accountability. That’s what you asked for when you signed up.

Don’t complain that we’re giving you exactly what you asked for.

NOTE: This piece written by KillTheCan.org forum member Samrs