How I counter a "Smoking Thought"

[freeneasy]

They happen. Smoking thoughts. Even though It's been over 4 years and 3 months since the last time I smoked ,I still occasionally have a thought of smoking. I just started thinking about this after responding to Sharon's blog :  /blogs/shashort-blog/2017/04/11/keeping-it-real-today My comment was: 

"Even after 4 years and 3 months, I get thoughts about having one. I counter that thought by remembering all of the thoughts I've had about how great it is to not be a hostage of nicotine addiction anymore and  how I like not spending $250 a month to enrich big tobacco and resume suicide by sickerettes and  that if I lit one up, it would probably taste like week old horse and cow manure  with a little doggie doo mixed in and that I would probably start to cough up a lung and maybe pass out (;   N.O.P.E. 

What do you think if you get one?

[elvan]

freeneasy‌ Never saw that saying before, it's pretty graphic, I LOVE it.  Freedom is so amazing!  I am happy to not have to deal with constant craving, I am so happy to be free.  

Ellen

[MePlus3]

Smoking consumed me every thought was "I'll have one after this" or I'll have one before this" it was exhausting. I didn't realize how much control it had over me until I stopped and was actually able to relax just a little without ever thought being about a smoke break here and there. I was able to get more done with my kids and in my home I even started handwashing my cars! I was truly free! 

So now when the thought come I think...I enjoy my freedom! If you give a mouse a cookie he's gonna want milk to go with it in sure you've heard of that book that's just like smoking if I give you one I'm gonna have to give you another then another until I'm right back in your arms NOPE! I made a promise to myself and I'm going to keep it. This is my first time doing something good for me that's going to affect my life in such a beautiful way over time I refuse to mess that up..then I pop in a gum or lozenge and call it "My quit" MINE! 

[dwwms]

Still pretty new at this quit, though I'm sure at this point if I smoked one, it would not taste good. Not to mention how I'd feel about myself afterwards. I'll hang onto your description of what it would taste like, though!!

Doug

[JonesCarpeDiem]

The smell gives me a reminder like when I followed a car down a hill a couple months ago but it's not a call to smoke. 🙂

[shashort]

"it would probably taste like week old horse and cow manure  with a little doggie doo mixed in and that I would probably start to cough up a lung and maybe pass out" EWE AND YUCK!  Don't think I want that taste in my mouth or smell in my nose. Think I will still to NOPE!  Thanks for convincing pep talk I thinked it worked lol. Kinda of drastic there.  I think I will keep sniffing m candle and eating my mints and NOPE to both descriptions lol Thanks freeneasy‌

[MarilynH]

I definitely love your description of how the cancer stick would taste yuck! Sticking with our quits is vital to our quality of life, thanks freeneasy Freedom Rocks.

[JACKIE1-25-15]

I remember having a smoking thought many months ago, but I could visualize  what it would be like to have that smoke down my throat. I could actually feel it.  I shook my head and said never again.  The thoughts come but we don't have to act upon them.

[Giulia]

What do I think if I get a smoking thought? Well, if I  "romance" it, the cigarettes tastes GREAT in my mind.  When I think about the reality, however, I know that I will feel immediately dizzy.  HOW do I know this?  Because on the several times I've quit before - even after three days of not smoking it made feel dizzy.  The sad thing about this addiction is that we can so quickly recover it, rather than from it.  Just one cigarette, and although we may feel dizzy, it awakens our receptors and the desire for that dopamine high.  ONE cigarette can bring us back to one year - or ten of smoking again before we give quitting another go.  

But quite frankly I enjoyed the taste of a cigarette after a meal and on certain occasions.  And that's NOT a romance.  That was true.  Like the men having a cigar after dinner.  They retired to the "smoking" room and enjoyed themselves.  THAT's what we all WISH we could do.  But we can't.  99% of the cigarettes I smoked was simply because I was driven by the addiction, not the actual desire to smoke.  When one becomes educated about this addiction - well, we learn that we can't have "just one."

[Yess]

Your input, every time, always hits the nail on the head for me!  You have a knack for combining logic, emotion , knowledge and realism in the most succinct way.  Thank you for being you in this community!:)