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I am saying NOPE to smoking for today.

NOPE

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NOPE! 💫

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Nope

I am not going to smoke today. NOPE.

NOPE for today!

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NOPE!

No question that I think all of us still have some sort of occasional thoughts of smoking after 1 year+ being quit. I have had those thoughts as well but the longer I've been quit, the less frequently I've had any passing thought of smoking. It's always struck me as being weird too because those thoughts would just pop up from nowhere! I wasn't doing anything that would normally create any thought of smoking, the thought would just be there suddenly ... "Hey, you should have a smoke now!" Then my brain would focus and I'd be thinking ... what? Where'd that come from and why? Then, I'd just dismiss it and carry on. I will say though that any of these thoughts of smoking I've had has never made me actually consider picking up a smoke and lighting one up; not that I have any around anyway. But my point is these thoughts have never been strong enough to motivate me to smoke again. For that I'm thankful! I have heard of some who have genuinely struggled with staying quit years after they have quit though so yes, it can happen and is something we all need to stay on guard for.

^^^ Absolutely agree with this @johnny5. I lost many quits before this one by treating quitting as if it was purely an abstinence issue. Which of course it is at the beginning. But the addiction has deep emotional and psychological tap roots. Abstinence by itself, with no other understanding or healing, becomes brittle with time. Breakable. For me, becoming a permanent nonsmoker requires not just abstinence, but deep recovery work - to heal and build resilience, to understand that triggers and cravings may always be there, but I am not controlled by them any longer, because have tools and choices and a supportive community here. Your post is timely @QuittingGirl because just this evening I was watching a move where the protagonist sat on a log outside in the forest and smoked a cigarette. It looked so good. I wanted a smoke too, even after 4+ years of being quit. But I’m not in real danger… because I can recognize that feeling as nostalgia (not a command), and because I have this forum to come share things on. Plus I never ever EVER want to go thru withdrawal again! KTQ friends.

nope

Nope! 😣

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N.O.P.E. 🙏

I still had weird thoughts, not exactly cravings, but thoughts about lighting up after my first year smoke free. I have also been someone who has had weird issues with smoking dreams where I would smoke and either feel good or horrible about it, and then wake up and, for a brief moment, wonder if I broke my quit. Then I realize that it was just a dream. I have not had a craving or serious thought about lighting up in a long time but I still get the occasional smoking dream that I remember after I woke up. Nicotine is a very addictive drug, both physically and psychologically. It is said that after the first few days nicotine free, your physical addiction becomes dormant, unless you consume nicotine again. You are still an addict but the physical cravings aren't there. I I believe that is true based on my experience. I think the psychological addiction is the long term threat that does, sadly, lead some ex-smokers back to smoking. You have certain memories or associations that are linked to smoking and some people unfortunately let their guard down with the whole thought of "one smoke will not hurt." After you have been quit for a while, you have to watch out for that occasional psychological thought coming out of nowhere. Those thoughts are not often but they are what you need to watch out for long into your quit. Guard your quit, even years into it.

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Our ticker is online as well. I recommend giving it a try: https://www.quittrain.com/tickers/

@QuittingGirl @MarylandQuitter Your wish is my command. Our very own Station Activity is online.

Welcome @ParturMadcap ! and well done on 6 weeks smoke free! 😊

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