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Give and get support around quitting

Elle047
Member

How long before you quit thinking about it?

I’m just wondering if anyone remembers how long they quit for before they remember thinking, “wow, I didn’t even think about smoking today.” Does that happen? 

19 Replies
TW517
Member

I think JonesCarpeDiem‌ did a study on this. If I recall correctly, the last time this was discussed here, the range was something like 50 to 180 days. Mine was day 85. Don’t let that discourage you. Even though I frequently thought about it before then, the thoughts got easier to push away with every week under my belt. 

YoungAtHeart
Member

You will ABSOLUTELY get there - I promise!

I think for each person it might be a bit different.  During the 2-4 month period, craves can become few and far between, but then you might have a monster of one out of the blue.  As you move along, the craves and thoughts of smoking become further and further apart, and easier and easier to dismiss.  The most difficult time is the first few weeks.

Hope this helps.  You WILL get there, but you need to give it the time it takes.  You can't MAKE it happen, but it will, in time!

Nanc y

jeblackburn
Member

Your post was very inspiring for me. Today is my day one. I made it all day. YAY! Now I'm going to bed early so I don't slip.  Thanks again. 

indingrl
Member

Congrats 

elvan
Member

 jeblackburn  Congratulations on a day WON and welcome to EX.  The beginning of a quit is a challenge, to put it mildly but it really does get better, stay close to the site, we have all been where you are and we all want you to succeed.

Ellen

jeblackburn
Member

Thank you so much !

0 Kudos
Brianairb2
Member

For me, I think that it must have been around the 50s or 60s...I certainly don't feel the occasional grip of panic that I'd  feel around day 30-40 that I was going to screw up, wondering how I'd be able to recover, own up and start again...but that never happened.  I'm now at 153 DOF, and now have days that I don't actively "think" about it or feel craves, but I suspect that the reflexive thought will be in my addict mind's arsenal for a while.  "I don't do that anymore" is firmly ingrained in my reality now.  Recently I just got to a place in my quit where I felt safe having a glass of wine, which for a while was a daunting threshold to pass over.  Everyday I get a little stronger, but the objective stays the same:  stay quit another day.

The cravings and obsessive thoughts will lessen considerably, I promise. 

maryfreecig
Member

     It's that "how long" question that puts a spotlight on why this is called an addiction. We can easily alter habits day in and day out without much notice; drugs...it's a different story.

    Every step taken forward without smoking means your brain is healing even though it may not seem that way. Every positive action you take to stay smober is the medicine that is healing you.

     I came unbound to nicotine, to my dependency on cigs while I was busy recovering. All the healthy habits I acquired first as distractions became my way of life instead of the cigs. Feeling sad, take a walk. Feeling like relaxing take a slow walk. Hungry for the voice of wild life, go watch the river. Well these are things I once chose to do as a way of distracting myself away from my attachment/addiction/dependency on the smokes.

     If you don't smoke, if you keep learning about addiction, keep getting support you will recover--the addiction won't hold you forever. Just one day at a time is all you really need to focus on, but yes, the brain gets retrained eventually--and that is mighty sweet.