Okay, so it's been a little while I've been quit now, but the last few weeks had been the first time I'd actually been feeling like a non-smoker at times.

 

Last night, I'd had the best of nights out with the kids, but once home a bitch of a crave hit me. The intensity was something I'd not felt in around 3 months and caught me totally by surprise. Fortunately I have enough invested that it did not threaten my quit, but the discomfort was horrible, I had nothing to answer it other than just heading to bed.

 

Not sure where it came from or why it was so bad, but it was a salient reminder if it was needed that I can't afford to be complacent. Vigilence is the watch word.

 

I hope I'm not going to experience that too often. Just a reminder to me and others, ups and downs, on to better things tomorrow.

Sorry for your tough night Shane, they do sneak up on you when you least expect it ? Glad you just went to bed, I did that plenty in my first year. Hoping, and usually it was, for a better tomorrow. We just keep reminding ourselves that we smoked for a lot of years and this addiction isn't going down without a hiccup in the road every now and then. 

Thanks for posting and reminding us all to be forever vigilant

Sucks that a good night had to have a cruddy ending... frickin Nicob1tch, wish she would just gasp her last and roll over and die. I know what you mean though about those random strong craves that just land from nowhere... your not really in danger but they are so frickin frustrating.

It is good that you had the strength and knowledge of what to do.  I too have a couple of close calls like this and it has made me aware that I must be on guard all of the time for these sneaky craves, I just try to understand what may have triggered the crave.  Good job you are  doing well.  

The addiction sometimes clobbers you with it's last heavy hitting barrage when you are feeling more established in your quit.

This isn't unusual.  Think of it as one of it's last dying clutches, the last of nicotine's hold on you. 

They come completely out of the blue and are without mercy.

It is damn discouraging after all your hard work and after things have settled down a bit, when each day brings new confidence in your quit.

 

I promise you, this is not indicative of how it's going to be for the rest of your life.

These events do dissipate and fall out of your consciousness and they do in shot order.

 

In reality, you can see what a futile attempt that was to woo you back to addiction.

You are re-claiming all your receptors, one by one.  One crave at a time.

Some are bigger than others but, once they are under your control, they stay that way.

 

Soon, you will be laughing their weaker and weaker approach, 'pffttt, get a grip, you batsard, you are an idiot, I don't smoke'

Congratulations on your survival, Sslip.  I love your quit.

Yes , these times seem to sneak up on us at times when we are not expecting it. I had a long moment recently where the first thing that popped into my mind was "have a smoke"!! Once I realized that had happened I was shocked that the feeling was still so strong and took over my thinking without me really consciously thinking about the situation. It was very pronounced but didn't last very long and it was pretty easy to dismiss for what it was. I was just surprised that that Nicodemon was still there .... ready to pounce on any moment of weakness or upset.

 

Protect those quits friends, no matter how fresh or old they are. We are all still addicts. We need to remember that always.

That happened to me a few times as I progressed further through my first year.  I would be going well for weeks, even a few months, and weird thoughts / craves would hit out of the blue, for no easily understood reason at the time.

 

It is a reminder that we are all addicts.  These instances will grow a lot less frequent and a lot less intense with time.  Eventually you will get to the point where you just have the occasional, very weak, thought of smoking that you can easily brush off.  But, you have to remain vigilant.

 

You did great and it does get easier with time.  I understand it is frustrating when these feelings emerge out of the blue like that.  Just keep NOPEing and you will be fine.

Edited May 17, 20188 yr by johnny5

Sorry shane. but wow you did great! Thanks for sharing what it takes to win and remain free. I see s lot of strength, wisdom, intelligence and commitment in you...and a new word I will keep close to me...vigilance. I can only hope to handle it with the fortitude and grace you demonstrated. Wow...just wow.

Sorry you had a tough night. I hope your feeling better soon.

 

You've done well. You're kicking your addiction.

Oh yes, sometimes a nasty crave hits hard.

Keep in mind it only lasts a couple moments. Maube three minutes out of the day, if that.

 

That means the nicobitch is not pestering for the other 1437 minutes in a day.

 

 

That nico monster....he can come visiting,when you least expect it...

Every time you fight him...he loses some of his power..

Well done S!!!!...you kicked his butt.!!!