I need some help please

[DeniseL920]

I just about finished my first week smoke free.  The week went pretty smooth considering I’ve been smoking for 32 years.   I felt motivated by quitting and was able to deal with the withdrawal symptoms.  For some reason, I want to smoke again.  I’m thinking a lot about it.  Can’t get it off my mind right now.  I know I can’t just have one.  I’m just feeling confused why this is harder now AFTER the nicotine has left my system.   I had an excuse for the uncomfortable feelings when I was withdrawing from the nicotine.   What’s my excuse now?   How to do fight this urge now?  Any advise is greatly appreciated.  Thanks. 

[indingrl]

Battle field of YOUR mind taken day by day breaking yiur day into breathing OR 1 minute or 5 minutes - filling YOUR NEW mindset with education of YOURSELF - your habits and patterns to be taken one at a time just fir TODAY not one puff ever - blog BEFORE YOU take that first puff over YOU - SUGGESTIONS made to ME when I FIRST started getting to know ME - please be kind loving and gentle with YOU - please take what HELPS and let go of the rest - to be HELPFUL is MY only aim - thank youCONGRATS ON NICOTINE FREEDOM- WAY TO GO

[elvan]

The psychological addiction was for me, & many others, the hardest part of the journey. You have gotten great advice, please take it. You came here instead of smoking & that’s a great step. I kept repeating NOPE, Not One Puff Ever over & over again. Read, stay close, keep busy. It WILL get easier.

Welcome to EX, 

Ellen

[Barbscloud]

What you're feeling is normal.   I think we expect to feel great right away, but we've smoked a long time so we need to be patient with ourselves.  Not only have you eliminated nicotine from our bodies, but numerous chemicals.  Our bodies are going react--we need time to heal.  The psychological part was much harder for me also.    I had very little physical withdrawal symptoms.

Big congrats on finishing hell week successfully.  You're well on your way to a new way of life.  Stay close right now!

Nicotine is out of your body 72 hours after you quit smoking. Nicotine withdrawal symptoms usually reach their peak 2 to 3 days after you quit, and are gone within 1 to 3 months. (1) It takes at least 3 months for your brain chemistry to return to normal after you quit smoking.

Barb

[maryfreecig]

It's the absence of nicotine that causes cravings early on. Why would the brain forget that it wants nicotine? Upon inhaling, it takes only 7-9 seconds for the drug to take effect--hence the reason you smoked day in and day out--by smoking you were keeping your nicotine replenished and your brain satisfied. 

Quitting one day at a time includes retraining the brain to stop asking. You do this by carrying on with your life and no smoking no matter what. Eventually the brain gets used to not having nicotine. But you have to walk the walk--there is no other way. You are not crazy for having a desire to smoke, just keep moving forward, work your smobriety (which is what you did by coming here and blogging--high five on that).

One day at a time, yes you can.

[Ashley1985]

I know just how you feel.  Sometimes watching movies where there is smoking it bothers me.  I know I don't want to start over. I can smell now when someone is smoking or if I see someone smoking outside of a store a small voice inside says it would be good to have a cigarette.  I know if I just have a puff I wouldn't be able to contain myself.  I don't want to go back to smoking.  I don't want to start over.  Those moments pass and you stay smoke free.

[YoungAtHeart]

 Ashley1985   There is no "containing yourself" if you smoke even one cigarette.  You are addicted to nicotine, and even one will start you down the road to being a full time smoker.  It might not be right away, but 100% of the time, it will send you right back to where you started - a smoker wanting to quit.  Truth!

[Anonymous]

Not much else to say . Good stuff up there . 

I will say no matter what the day brings you , you are healing if you are not smoking .

Be patient , stay the course . 

Congratulations on every day quit . 

[green1611]

Congratulations on your quit.

Cravings are challenging. You want to smoke cigarette now... yes, this feeling is not unusual.  Try and get into other activity you love to do (other than smoking). Keep busy schedule, and avoid too much thinking in quit.

Nice list above on how to avoid cravings. 

Keep positive mind, and say no to cigarette.

All the best !

[elvan]

How are you doing?  Second week soon?  I hope you found some suggestions that worked.

Ellen

[DeniseL920]

How am I doing?  Well, I didn’t make it.  But on a positive note, I am on day 4 of my “new” Quit.    I need to update the date somewhere.   I will keep trying til I get this right.   Thank you to you and everyone else here.