SOS - it feels like it will be like this forever

[Phillyquitter89]

God, I wish there was a time limit on this thing - even if it’s long. If I knew for a fact that after a year I would never have another craving again then I feel like quitting would be a breeze. The worst part about this whole thing is that I feel like this torture will never end - I’ll just learn to “manage”. What sucks is that I know (or rather have a good feeling) that smoking anything right now would not feel good and I would feel really stupid yet the romantization of the cigarette continues.

[jillar]

@Phillyquitter89

, what you are experiencing is totally normal and it WILL go away, with time, as long as you don't smoke. Each crave you get past makes it weaker and weaker until it's just a wimpy little thought that crosses your mind. I promise, it will and does get better

Edited June 9, 2018 by jillar

[jillar]

And there kinda is a time limit in that these really hard days WILL go away slowly but surely. My first few months were pretty hard but with the help of the board and a couple of SOS's I made it through. You can too 

[Phillyquitter89]

2 minutes ago, jillar said:

And there kinda is a time limit in that these really hard days WILL go away slowly but surely. My first few months were pretty hard but with the help of the board and a couple of SOS's I made it through. You can too 

How long is your quit? How do you feel now as far as cravings (please be honest)?

[WeegieWoman]

Hiya philly, sorry you are having a rough time if it. I see you just quit 27th of April? Im seven months quit and i promise it does get easier!! Like think back to your verrry early days....were they not worse than it is now? 

Youve did a great thing joining this forum and posting. Post a lot and read a lot here...that i promise will make things a bit better for you, take your mind off craves, learn about the addiction and hey we have some fun along the way. What's your story...how long did you smoke? Tried quitting before? 

 

[Wee fluffy me]

Hi @Phillyquitter89, Jillar and weegie are right what you feel just now will not be the same as what you feel next month or at 4  then 5 and so on for every crave you beat the cravings get weaker and you get stronger until you realise one day you didn't have a crave at all that day then you realise you no longer have craves just passing thoughts.. I promise hang in there it truely does get easier x

Edited June 9, 2018 by Wee fluffy me

[jillar]

I just celebrated two years @Phillyquitter89, cravings (if you can call them that now) are literally a fleeting thought that are gone as quickly as they came. It's nothing like my first six months quit. And timeline's are so different for everyone so you can't base your quit on another's quit. But I can tell you that I too romanced the cigarette and I'm sure that's what made my quit harder. My suggestion to you would be to remind yourself, especially whenyou have a bad crave, of all the benefits you are already seeing. How good you smell, how much better you can taste and smell. And all the money you've saved so far! Also get yourself a ticker for your signature. That way you can watch all the time, money and cigs not smoked add up. It's a great motivator and shows you what you stand to lose should you cave to a crave.

You have a great quit going so keep it up, it will get better!  

[Whispers]

Recognize high-risk situations — remember H.A.L.T. — and plan ahead for them

Hungry —Don't skip meals, have healthy snacks on hand.

Angry —Accept the anger, deal with your feelings and vent them safely. Discuss your feelings with a friend, take a walk, and breathe deeply.

Lonely —Call someone, visit a friend, and talk with a friend on Quit train

Tired —Take a nap, relax, enjoy a warm bath, pamper yourself.

[Doreensfree]

Push forward....every battle won ..is a step to winning your war...you truly don't want to be a smoker....don't throw away your great quit...

Tell yourself how proud to say ,you don't need to smoke any more.....

[Phillyquitter89]

Thanks guys. I’m at work, but as soon as I get home - I’m working out and trying for new pr’s. I won’t let some dumb, unevolved part of my brain dictate my life.

[jillar]

Good for you philly, I'm glad you got past it. And shows not only how strong you are but how much you want this quit otherwise you would have never posted this SOS. Well done, and just remember we're here if you need us

[Whispers]

4 minutes ago, Phillyquitter89 said:

Thanks guys. I’m at work, but as soon as I get home - I’m working out and trying for new pr’s. I won’t let some dumb, unevolved part of my brain dictate my life.

Working out over a smoke is the way to go. Great choice philly!

[Wee fluffy me]

That sounds like a great plan philly, handg in there and do what you gotta do to beat a crave 

[Wee fluffy me]

Can i just give you a wee example of how things have changed for me .. 

 

Hubby was a total a**e today and done something really stupid and selfish, it was that bad that I got out the car and went to get train home, my blood was boiling, i had the death stare, people were burning and flowers were wilting in front of my eyes(ok that bit wasn't me that was the sweltering sun and pale skinned people with no sun cream on) anyhoo 10 months ago I would have been chain smoking like a mad woman but today it didn't enter my mind to have a puff not even once but I did by myself a cake or 2  and some raspberries for my train journey home..  I amaze myself sometimes because I remember how hard it was for me and it felt like the craves were never ending.. but they are ending and they will be for you too..

[Phillyquitter89]

5 minutes ago, Wee fluffy me said:

Can i just give you a wee example of how things have changed for me .. 

 

Hubby was a total a**e today and done something really stupid and selfish, it was that bad that I got out the car and went to get train home, my blood was boiling, i had the death stare, people were burning and flowers were wilting in front of my eyes(ok that bit wasn't me that was the sweltering sun and pale skinned people with no sun cream on) anyhoo 10 months ago I would have been chain smoking like a mad woman but today it didn't enter my mind to have a puff not even once but I did by myself a cake or 2  and some raspberries for my train journey home..  I amaze myself sometimes because I remember how hard it was for me and it felt like the craves were never ending.. but they are ending and they will be for you too..

That’s awesome! Not the being pissed off part, obviously I’m really looking forward to not associating cigs with everything.

[Whispers]

1 minute ago, Phillyquitter89 said:

That’s awesome! Not the being pissed off part, obviously I’m really looking forward to not associating cigs with everything.

You just gotta learn to break the habit of what triggered you to reach for them . When you replace it BOOM, you're passed withdrawal its just saying NO now and not smoking

[Reciprocity]

Hopefully you are feeling better now PQ89 as the above responses have been honest and pretty much covered your original question. This quitting smoking this is tuff - no question but, with steadfast personal commitment. education about nicotine addiction and support of others in the same position as you are in, it is VERY doable!

 

It's a process that takes time. It won't happen overnight but IT WILL HAPPEN! Just don't smoke - Not One Puff Ever (NOPE) is all you have to live be each day. You have a nice quit going now but you are still learning coping tools so embrace that part of your quit. Fight those strong cravings because they will not be plaguing you much longer. I am 1 year and a bit quit. Do I still think about smoking - yes I do but as Jillar said it's not a craving but merely a fleeting thought.

 

It might be 3 months, it might be 5 or 6 months but there will come a time when you just know you have all the power over this addiction Just don't smoke!

[Martian5]

PQ89  -- It really does get better.  I had the same thoughts as you a couple of months back.  I have 5 full months behind now in my quit and it did take some time to get the real cravings out of the way.  I will say for me as time went by it did get better but I was still wondering the same as you during the third month but it got easier and easier as the time went by.  Now I may get a crave or two a day but the craves go away in less than a  minute.  I just remember to come here everyday and read, do some research, at times reach out to other -- and most importantly do my daily "NOPE"  (it really has worked for me).

[Sazerac]

5 hours ago, Phillyquitter89 said:

God, I wish there was a time limit on this thing - even if it’s long. If I knew for a fact that after a year I would never have another craving again then I feel like quitting would be a breeze. The worst part about this whole thing is that I feel like this torture will never end - I’ll just learn to “manage”. What sucks is that I know (or rather have a good feeling) that smoking anything right now would not feel good and I would feel really stupid yet the romantization of the cigarette continues.

 

It doesn't really matter if you have cravings...cravings are not commands.

Since you have made the commitment to live free without cigarettes,  the conversation is OVER.

You don't smoke. 

Distract yourself, embrace the suck and power through.

 

These episodes fade slowly but, they fade. 

You are in the thick of it right now and the first year is full of seasonal body memories...

my second year was easy but, I was still on guard.

 

In fact, at 5 years, I am still conscious that one puff will reignite my addiction although, all the craven craving is done.

 

Hang in there, Philly.

You need to trust us, it does get better.  It gets better every day.  You just can't see that right now.

Don't be discouraged.  You quit smoking.  You are a friggin hero.

s

Edited June 9, 2018 by Sazerac

[Reciprocity]

The problem is that the "healing" happens soooooo slowly that you don't realize that it is actually happening until some event happens in your life and it just clicks in your brain that; OMG, I have turned the corner on this smoking thing!

[Boo]

6 hours ago, Phillyquitter89 said:

 I’m at work, but as soon as I get home - I’m working out and trying for new pr’s. I won’t let some dumb, unevolved part of my brain dictate my life.

 

Good call.  

 

As for a timeline...I don't know when, but you'll get there.  You quit six-weeks ago, your mind and body have started to adjust to life without cigarettes.  Be patient with the process.  The process will never let you down.

 

Buckle up, knuckle down, and drive on.

Edited June 10, 2018 by Boo

[notsmokinjo]

Hey Phillyquitter, welcome to the QT and congratulations on making the best decisions ever. You have quit smoking and that is pretty bloody awesome.

 

So I've just gone six months since my last smoke. I'm lucky in that for me now most of my craves, if I even get them, are just passing thoughts and pretty pathetic. I go whole days without even thinking about smoking regardless of what crap gets thrown my way, its more the firsts now... eat a a favourite restaurant and walk out the door and that little voice (and its like a whisper now not the screaming, raging harpy it used to be) say "oh, smoke time".. I there is a slight twinge, cos up until 6 months ago hell yeah, but nope I just sort of laugh to myself and move along.

 

I remember where you are and all the old phartes (over 1 year quit) and people further on than me saying it gets easier, trust us, thinking to myself yeah but I'm different, its not getting better, I'm sick of this, its just going on for ever, and then suddenly (and for me it was suddenly) I just went oh, I haven't had to rock like a loon to not have a smoke for, well, hours? days?... I don't remember when.

 

6 hours ago, Phillyquitter89 said:

That’s awesome! Not the being pissed off part, obviously I’m really looking forward to not associating cigs with everything.

 

It will happen, sooner than you think. Just hang in there mate cos its gunna get better.

 

 

 

Edited June 10, 2018 by notsmokinjo

[Wee fluffy me]

Hi Philly, how you doing today.. ??

[catlover]

Hi Philly, I really hope you are keeping strong and digging those heels in when you have a crave. Sure it's hard when they strike and I find thinking of something else helps so much, the more you think, dwell and romance the cigarette, the more your brain wants it. Don't listen to that whiny little voice in your head. Smoking will not help one bit, I know I lost a long quit because I let those thoughts get to me, and when I did smoke I got a nasty surrprise! the cigarette was'nt that   beautiful moment I imagined it would be, it was'nt  that ahhh moment I imagined. I felt the total opposite!!! 

I hope the workout helped you, I find exercise helps me loads and gets me out of puff, then I dont want to smoke anyway haha win win!!

Keep fighting and everyday you will feel a little stronger.

[sgt.barney]

Sarge had his very last crave/urge at about 10 months. He is now nearing the 7-year mark and not a crave since. 

 

It goes away. 

For everyone. 

Timing is unique and personal, but it does go. 

 

EZPZ