The Celebration Crave

[Thomas3.20.2010]

It often happens - you reach 100 days, one Year, even 2 Years and feel cravings like crazy! Now, why would that be? With me, it's because I rewarded myself with a Sickerette! The habit took a long time to break. I broke it by especially celebrating in special ways. One of my favorites was a long walk around the local park lake. It's a good long walk to get around the lake and in Spring and Summer it's especially beautiful! Besides my quit date is the first day of Spring. I also followed G's advice and bought myself a remembrance item or went out with my Wife and Sons for dinner. Celebrating your milestones in "new" healthy ways is very important because you are answering that quit journey question - "What do I do instead?" So celebrate often in as many different ways as possible. It's important! I've know so many people who relapsed on their smoke-free anniversary or 100 day milestone. Day 101 and 366 are just as important but the celebration makes them more likely!

LLAP

[sweetplt]

Oh my goodness Thomas this is the best post...this was tough one for me...when I celebrated 30 days...I wanted to celebrate with a cigarette...I even wrote a post...after I had that feeling, I started listing some celebration things I could do and smoking was not one of them...Be well ... and a Happy Monday ~ Colleen 574 DOF 

[Giulia]

Yes, indeedy, great point and great post.  I think the major triggers for me have been the completion of a task - that REWARD cigarette memory, and the celebration trigger (which is also a reward, actually when you think about it, now that I have.  It's a 'reward' for our AMAZING amount of time quit.  Even if it's a day.  The first 24 hours of the first quit day feel like a year!)  And you're absolutely right.  We need to do SOMETHING to reward ourselves, other than put a cigarette in our mouths, because that's a reward that may "seem" rewarding simply because it's rewarding the nicotine craving.  At least in the beginning.  After that it's only rewarding the memory of such.  The Celebration Trap

[MarilynH]

Thank you Thomas for another awe inspiring thought provoking blog post that I wish had a helpful button because I'd be tapping on it right now but I'll have to settle for the like button instead, I remember blogging pretty much everyday once I finally let myself be known on my 18th once I started posting here I celebrated every 30 day milestone which was a really big pick me up for me and it sure felt good tagging on another 30 days every month every DAY WON is a GIFT of LIFE.

[Barbscloud]

I think the reward cigarette is the hardest to get past.  When I take a break from completing a task...

[YoungAtHeart]

Even after almost eight years quit, I will still have the thought upon taking a break from or completing a task, or celebrating a job well done,  "gee, a cigarette would be nice right now!"  Huh?  WHAT?  It is just a passing thought and easy to dismiss, but the fact that it is there  illustrates how our psychological ties to this addiction hang on, and on, and on!

Not to worry, newbies, it really is no big deal - but it does happen.

Great reminder, Thomas!

[Jennifer-Quit]

Even after over 6 years quit, I still have those very brief thoughts after I finish a task - but the good news is that it is very brief so I wouldn't even call it a crave - 

[RoseH]

Great post  Thomas3.20.2010‌     I don’t reward myself enough!  Thank you for this!  Rosemary

[elvan]

I have occasional thoughts of smoking but I honestly can't seem to connect them with any particular trigger any more.  I do remember the reward cigarette being a rough one.  I don't remember the celebration crave...I do, however, remember some people really stressing out when they had anniversaries coming up.

As always, a stellar blog, Thomas.

Ellen