cravings

[bewyrd]

Hi, 

Here i am 528 days nicotine free and I find myself having a lot of cravings the last couple of weeks. I know that it is a stress response but i never imagined I would have to be fighting cravings this hard so far out, you know? 

The fiancé has quit smoking (two months on the 22nd of April) and I couldn't be prouder of him! But i will be damned if i haven't had to focus on staying quit myself this last month or so! I just wanted to share this with someone...do you all still have cravings even now after so long ? Any tips on releasing that craving without giving into it...

anyway, i am not too coherent at the moment for some reason and I will end here. 

Thanks yall

[jojo_2-24-11]

I never really have cravings, but I do have tons of smoking memories which I guess you could call them urges. I just move onto the next task at hand or laugh at them and thank God I still have a memory!

[Giulia]

Ah, yes, know it well, what you're experiencing.  Been through it many a time during my six year quit.  The demon raises his head - whenever he wants, it seems.  And there's no knowing when, nor where nor why. 

I created a group long LONG ago in the hopes of teaching quitters the pitfalls, showing them the places they don't want to go.  By reading the failures and successes of those going through the process.  Might help you to spend a few hours reading through the material in there written by many a fellow traveler.  Relapse Traps  (click on that or go to (https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/relapse-prevention)

Suggestion:  if you're having very strong cravings - go back in our mind to the initial steps you used to stave them off.  In other words pull out your first quit techniques.  Deep breathing, long walks, changing your focus, sucking on straws...whatever it was that got you through the cravings.  You NEED TO USE THEM AGAIN at this stage.  Doesn't matter how long you've  been quit.  If you're having strong cravings you need to pull out all the stops. 

You are a beautiful example of what one needs to do when cravings hit in a strong way.  You have blogged and reached out for help.  And I'm gonna send in the quit possee to see you through.

DON'T YOU DARE QUIT YOUR QUIT!!!

[JonesCarpeDiem]

yesshit happens.

you don't need to smoke.

its a long time ago

[shill57957]

My advice is tell those thoughts to get lost fast, don't let them sit in your mind, they will just fester and get strong if you do.  As soon as you have that type of thought get rid of it any way you can.  Call someone, talk to a stranger, take a nap, sing, pray whatever.  Just tell that nicdemon to get lost and don't let him have one second of your time.

Remember you will never have one again, you quit, and will never no matter what have one.  So cravings mean nothing.  Tell them to go away, you will not smoke, no matter what.  

Because where you are today at 528 days is where you would have given a million, zillion dollars to be, back when you were smoking.  Right?  Yeah its true, so true.

(Hugs) to you.  

Sheri / Day 273

[cyn9]

Yes, I still will get the craving once in awhile. But it passes and I tell my self how aweful they are. Expensive, smelly, burns in the carpet or auto upholstry, etc.  Hang in there! NOPE!

[DollyMargaret]

If you give in to your cravings, you weakened your ability to stay quit!  A first time quit seems to be a pass from God and after one relapse, you get addicted to relapsing!  I've struggled with replase due to strong cravings that last days and come out of nowhere!  I've read of cases like mine, light smokers who got smoking related diseases from relapse...I've heard somkers who quit have lungs that are more vulnerable when they return to smoking.  Smoking is also more dangerous as you grow older, especially for women.  I can't give you statistics, but I'm fairly sure what I say is true....smoking is BAD for you especially if you were addicted and needed to quit before.  I seem to be writing in extremely old blogs!!  I figure I'm helping myself with my own quit and if I found my way here, perhaps someone else just like me will also.  ;0)