Most users never finish the process of abstaining. If you let your guard down, it can be easy to slip back into your former destructive habits. During the pandemic, I started eating big bowls of popcorn while binge-watching TV shows, and later was surprised to find I’d gained 25 pounds. So 17 years after I’d quit smoking and drinking, I was still unwittingly replacing one addiction with another. Giving up popcorn, I lost the weight. I also realized I might never be able to quit quitting and needed to stay vigilant to avoid other unhealthy dependencies. That meant journaling daily while adhering to a moderate eat, sleep, exercise and work routine. And although I stopped weekly therapy long ago, I go back for emergency phone sessions when needed.