3 Months Quit

[ctm]

I have heard of a “rule of 3's” where a lot of people have problems with their quits at the 3 day, 3 week and 3 month mark.

I hit the 3 month mark in my quit yesterday.

I don't want to smoke but there are a lot of other stressors going on in my life right now. I recognize all of these events as something that would have made me go off and light up. That was then and this is now.

I am committed to staying quit.

PERIOD

While I don’t have even the least desire to go buy a pack and light up, something doesn’t seem right.

I have read of people still having craves after being quit for 6 months or a year.

Are “craves” that are months into a quit really craves or are they more like memories of how we used to handle stress? I am not sure how to interpret some of what I am experiencing right now.

I have no idea if I am making sense but thanks in advance to anyone who might have some insight.

[monk]

Hello ctm,
I thnk its just memories and habits. I am done 30 days....i am not feeling particularly any urge right now. In fact whole of today I didn't have any urge. My friends and collegeues still invite me to go out on smoking break at office. I take a juice or green tea along with me. I never allow to think that had i been smoking it wud have been soooo cool. The puffs the smoke ..the tea the coffee. I have stopped coffee as well. As I know even with one puff I am hurting no one but your own body...heart lungs. If I can't look after my organs they won't look after me when I have more years on my side. Over and above that I have almost declared every where.. be it friends circle or at office or at meetings that I have quit. Resuming it in is just not acceptable. So its like a standard I have declared upfront and I live up to it. But often I wud miss the cigarette as it used to give me a false sense of activity when i didn't have work, false sense of stress reliever, false sense of everything else..

[nancy-c]

Ya know -- that is an excellent question. Of course, I don't have an answer, but I can share this with you. I have been having a heck of a time today... It really annoys me that this far into my quit I am feeling chained down again with thinking about smoking. It's like I have to really dig deep to keep my mind on track.

All I can come up with is the fact that they are predicting snow here in Seattle. Is this reminding me of the panic that I would get in the winter time, or maybe of the time that I was so desperate that I literally was about to walk a mile in the snow to buy smokes when a friend with a VW came to save me? (Seattle pretty much comes to a dead standstill). I think my brain is dictating this feeling of OMG -- we better stock up, the snow is coming.

And I am having to fight extra hard today to keep telling myself about all the disgusting things that cigarettes have done to me. I think maybe there is a better word than 'craves' when we are this far into our quit 🙂

I mean really -- I'm going to go buy smokes in case it snows so that I won't run out, when I have absolutely no desire to light up 🙂 What a crazy addiction!

[donna25]

DITTO-DITTO-DITTO,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,OMG, worse than craving.I have just hit the proverbial wall in my quit. A mantra-iwannacig iwannacig. Is running through my mind, but underneath I'm thinking No-No-no. I'm on my 1st.month, very happy about that but also scared.Those awful death sticks really grab ahold of you and dont let go.You gotta literally KICK those BUTTS out! Stay strong and believe, My lifeline right this minute is bed-----------I'ma gonna dive right in. Good night and stay smoke free....

[becky16]

The memories come flooding back at those times when we would have had a cigarette.....so now you are going what we call the firsts. The first Holidays without a cigarette.....the first snows without a cigarette. It's like being a baby....we have to learn those firsts without....it's all about re-learning our habits, our way of thinking. I have been quit for over 19 months, but today I sat down on the sofa, with a cup of coffee, and for a fleeting moment I thought about cigarettes. There was no desire to smoke, only the thought of how I used to smoke with a cup of coffee on the sofa. I think the memories stay with us for a long time, like anything else we experience in life. Eventually, it may fade like some memories too....I don't know for sure. Memories or not....we should never take our quit for granted. It is the same with anything else we cherish in life. Perhaps we should try to substitute the memories of smoking, one by one, with the creation of new memories without smoking. So.....this is your first Holidays without smoking. Create memories for next year by conciously noting everything you are doing during the Holidays without smoking. It is a known fact that if you actually talk to yourself while you are noting something, you will remember it better! Yes, some may think you are crazy, but like Nancy C said, this is a crazy addiction! Good Night All and Happy Smoke Free Dreams! Huggs!

[becky16]

BFREAKY.COM
Great Job CTM!!! WHAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa HOOooooooooooooooo For You!!!!!!!

[hwc]

ctm:

I really think the change of season and the holiday triggers are playing havoc with people's minds. Winter. The whole Thanksgiving thing. Christmas shopping. And, so on and so forth.

I would just focus on your Bronze anniversary and stay patient as your comfort level as an ex-smoker continues to evolve. Most days are probably pretty easy for you now. So think of the progress rather than the once a day or whatever you get some nostalgic memory trigger.

[SaraSmile]

WAY TO GO CHUCK! VERY PROUD OF YOU!
You got everyone thinking, I love it!
It's mostly memory for me now or like Becky said, Firsts.
KEEP KICKIN BUTT!

[AutumnWoman]

Congratulations Chuck -- you're an inspiration!!!! I hope that craves at the 6 month or year mark are more a function of memory than anything else. I've been sober for 20+ years and there are still times when I can taste an alcoholic beverage when I see one in a movie or an ad. The mind is a tricky thing. Just because we stop smoking doesn't mean we stop being addicts. Anyway, thanks again for showing us how!

[Diana20]

Chuck... Memories. I cried all afternoon because I THINK i miss my cigs. Stay STrong. Someone told me 4-5 years... ugh! Some days are better than others. Thanks

[cindywilson]

Chuck I am so with you on this. I told my doctor I feel like I am lost. I feel like screaming, crying, angry, so many thoughts swirling around. It is like a death in a way, where you are all over the place and I am praying that it will get better soon. I agree that stressors add to it, because for me right now that is definitely the case. I know this was awhile back, but thanks it helps to know I am not alone in this...

[lifepunctuation]

this is very interesting for me as i'm only on day 9 and day 3 was the worst so far... it's great to hear the inspirational stories from those much further along their journey than me... thanks for the thoughts...congrats!