PixelSketch

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-9...the dangers of working from home :)

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Love this! :)

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I've known a few men who have struggled, but now that you mention it, I do know far more who haven't. Now, I don't know if it's because they are not struggling or because they just don't talk about it. Maybe I just know a lot of "strong but silent" types. :P Mr. P quit at the same time I did, and though he smoked less than I did, it's been a breeze for him - at least so he says. He says he no longer thinks about it and feels like he never smoked - like that was someone else in another lifetime. It's not been like that for me. I'm finding it easier as the days go on, but I still have thoughts of smoking now and then that I have to fight off. And I wouldn't want to revisit the first two weeks after I quit for anything. He just sailed through!

^^^So much this. I'm pretty sure if I hadn't read up on nicotine addiction, and the many posts here talking about the various aspects of smoking and quitting, I would be off the train by now. Knowing what I'm dealing with, really is making a difference.

Hey Pumpkin! :) Welcome aboard! I'm so glad you've joined us. This may not always be easy, but it will always be worth it. Come often, post, read and pledge NOPE. We're right here with you. Looking forward to getting to know you. Let's do this!

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He's one of my all time favourites. It's hard for me to pick just one song of his that I like best, but I've always loved this one.

:P

It also helps knowing that I can always come here and post and/or read if I need to. Thanks for being here - it makes a difference. We're doing this! :)

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I don't really want to call them cravings, because they're nothing like the first week at all. At almost a month in, they're more like thoughts, along the lines of "I could REALLY go for a piece of chocolate cake right now." But if you don't have chocolate cake on hand, it's not a big deal. You forget about it quickly and move on. And since that day recently where I caught myself not thinking about smoking, I have longer and longer stretches of time where I don't think about it at all. But, out of the blue, these nagging thoughts of wanting a smoke pop into my brain. Had a pretty strong one last night at a point where it was probably about the most ridiculous thing I could have done. One of my current projects involves creating a series of digital illustrations. That means a lot of time spent hunched over a tablet doing detail work and going back and forth between the main monitors and the tablet monitor. Basically that equals tired eyes and stiff muscles for me, especially since I can easily spend 8 - 12 or more hours on one of these. When I smoked, because I needed to feed my nicotine addiction, I would get up every hour for a "smoke and stretch" and get away from the computer, stretch out my stiff muscles before I got back to it. Last night, I worked for about 6 hours without getting up or really changing position. I usually work from home, sometimes out in the field, depending on the type of project I'm on, so my hours can be weird. I'm prone to eye migraines (a zig-zag of flashing/strobing lights that appears in your field of vision and lasts about 1/2 hour before going away, can lead to actual migraine or a feeling of being disoriented after), and they come on, for me, from stress and tension. Sometimes I'll go for years without having one, sometimes I'll have 3 in a row and then they stop. They're a little disconcerting. So, last night, as I'm working, I start to see that strobing light in my vision. I'd sat for too long and my muscles tensed up too much. I went to lie down in a dark room, and when it was over, I got the usual disorientation and at that point, I had a strong urge to go have a smoke. And I laughed at it. Really? Now? When I'm feeling something that is so close to being lightheaded, and it's making me uncomfortable? So, if I had a smoke then, it would just make me...more lightheaded...and more uncomfortable, among other not so good things. So...how's that going to help? Sounds logical. Hahaha. NOPE. Not at all. Funny thing is, by laughing at the thought, I took away its power and it disappeared. Just like that. It's strange to me how my brain is still programmed to want a smoke when I need some comfort or reassurance. Once you realize a smoke won't give you any of that, it's easy to dismiss any thought of smoking. It was late, Mr. P was still out, but the cats are goofy and always provide a good distraction. I tossed around some cat toys for them and in a few minutes the disorientation passed. After that, I did a quick yoga routine - one that just involved stretching and deep breathing. And all was right in my world again. Those things brought me more comfort and reassured me that all was OK, than a cigarette ever would. Bottom line? I have to remember to get up from the computer regularly and stretch out. And comfort will never be found at the butt end of a cigarette. NOPE.

Hey Nat! :) How're things going? Haven't seen you for a bit. We're here if you need us.

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Agreed. I tried it for a bit when my friend "quit smoking" by vaping. I vaped way more than I smoked, at a higher nicotine content as it turned out, and because I was still addicted to the nicotine, it was really easy to go back to smoking normal cigs. I was back at it within a month. And so was my friend. Not worth it.

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