Question re. Nicodemon?

[nsd_user663_3910]

Morning all, lucky day 13 for some of us. Well done all.

I have a question. Had an invite yesterday to a close friends 40th Bday at their house. I shall keep this brief. Basically, they smoke, a few friends still do, they will be smoking in the house, not going to the party isn't an option. Now, will passive smoking that evening re-awaken the nicotine craving, assuming an amount of nicotine will end up in my system. Thinking of the rule ie. never take another puff?

Has anybody been in this situation and, apart from perhaps the odd craving whilst at the party, had a problem the next day, did you feel you'd taken a couple of steps backwards?

Interested in your views

Lorraine

[nsd_user663_7318]

In my experience now. I don't believe you can take enough direct smoke from passive smoking to kick the process off again (if you get my meaning).

I've actually gone the opposite since stopping. I used to hate the smell of smoke and couldn't be in a smokey place (whilst not smoking) as a smoker. No I like the smell of smoke! 'tis odd.

[nsd_user663_7674]

We're led to believe that passive smoking is bad for you, so on that basis being around any form of cigarette smoke is never a good idea.

If it's just a temporary thing, because you're feeling a bit shakey about the temptation to smoke, or you're worried about the consequences, then avoid it. I realise you said missing it "is not an option" but any close friend should understand. Starting smoking is "not an option".

Long term I think avoiding any potentially "smokey situation" is going to mean a lot of missed parties and fun-times. My boyfriend still smokes and I just ask him to had a fag in different room or outside at the mo.

[nsd_user663_3910]

Cheers guys, been thinking about this whilst walking the dog!

In my heart of hearts, I don't feel that the nicotine addiction has been a huge issue for me. I think that certain situations, routines have the triggers for me that make me want to smoke.

I've had a few occassions when I know I would have lit up, I posted about one of them in week one which was before I took the dog out, that was always a time when I would surely light up, and then again when I came back from the walk. Been doing that for nearly 2 weeks now and after that first episode, haven't had a problem. The other day I felt grumpy as the day went on, me and the OH were talking about holidays the night before, camping during the summer etc. and I don't do well at thinking long term ahead, so maybe that got me a bit jumpy.

Thinking of the party, I'm actually looking forward to going out and being part of the majority, not the minority (ie. the smokers). Will need to do some washing in the morning though, pheeew :eek:

Lorraine

[nsd_user663_3910]

Just found this:

stopsmokingtoday.com/dync/1...

After reading it, think I might call a sicky and stay at home and have a fag :eek:

Just kidding, to anyone out there who may be passive smoking regularly though, this might be worth slipping in front of the smoker. It's not just about them!

[nsd_user663_7674]

Lozza - Because we're Day 13'ers together I read alot of what you write and I'm genuinely interested and supportive so ... here.. goes..

You've said before that you "liked" smoking and now you've said that nicotine addiction isn't a problem to you it's just that you "want" to smoke (or thereabouts). I believe that many of us just don't want to admit that we're drug addicts.

Put another way..............

"I like chocolate cake, but I don't get irritable when I can't eat chocolate cake, I don't need to eat it 5, 10, 20 times a day ........."

That's the difference between enjoyment and addiction.

Just don't want you to under-estimate Nicotine that's all.

[nsd_user663_4847]

Cheers guys, been thinking about this whilst walking the dog!

In my heart of hearts, I don't feel that the nicotine addiction has been a huge issue for me. I think that certain situations, routines have the triggers for me that make me want to smoke.

I've had a few occassions when I know I would have lit up, I posted about one of them in week one which was before I took the dog out, that was always a time when I would surely light up, and then again when I came back from the walk. Been doing that for nearly 2 weeks now and after that first episode, haven't had a problem. The other day I felt grumpy as the day went on, me and the OH were talking about holidays the night before, camping during the summer etc. and I don't do well at thinking long term ahead, so maybe that got me a bit jumpy.

Thinking of the party, I'm actually looking forward to going out and being part of the majority, not the minority (ie. the smokers). Will need to do some washing in the morning though, pheeew :eek:

Lorraine

Hi Lorraine

I'm glad you not seeing quitting as to traumatising .

I would say though tht given your signature you might be going through a phase of confidence in your quit, you think you've got it mastered and you may well have, however, just be clued to the possibility that this confidence may make you think you can just have one, that quitting wasn't hard that you don't really need to be vigilant, because this could be nicotine addiciton trying to find a way of dragging you back in. Through making you think falsely that you don't need to worry.

M

[nsd_user663_3910]

Hi, I wouldn't say i'm feeling confident, if you ask me about next week i'm likely to have a panic attack, and I certainly don't underestimate the powers of addiction. I try to stay in a confident frame of mind one day at a time.

I don't think nicotine isn't a problem for me, but I consider the associations that go with it a bigger problem to tackle. In a month or so time the nicotine etc. will be out of my system, but it will be mental associations etc. that will trigger the wanting for it, well that's how I've interpreted it. Any person who has done something for a period of time and associated it with strong emotions eg. sadness, excitement, fear, boredom etc. and they're just the ones we can remember, will have a trigger switched when feeling one of those emotions. Many extremely overweight people eat because they are unhappy, chemicals are released into the brain and it's job done, the triggers are there.

We will be experiencing these triggers for the rest of our lives, some won't bother us, but others will come as a suprise and leave us thinking about what did we used to do when we felt like that. If I were an over-eater, i'd be reaching for a cake, but i'm not, i'm an ex-smoker so it'll be the cigarettes i'll be thinking of.

Hope this makes sense, and sorry it was kind of long winded. I've quit twice before and it was complacancy that was my mistake, a mistake I really don't want to make again.

Thanks guys.

[nsd_user663_4847]

Hi, I wouldn't say i'm feeling confident, if you ask me about next week i'm likely to have a panic attack, and I certainly don't underestimate the powers of addiction. I try to stay in a confident frame of mind one day at a time.

I don't think nicotine isn't a problem for me, but I consider the associations that go with it a bigger problem to tackle. In a month or so time the nicotine etc. will be out of my system, but it will be mental associations etc. that will trigger the wanting for it, well that's how I've interpreted it. Any person who has done something for a period of time and associated it with strong emotions eg. sadness, excitement, fear, boredom etc. and they're just the ones we can remember, will have a trigger switched when feeling one of those emotions. Many extremely overweight people eat because they are unhappy, chemicals are released into the brain and it's job done, the triggers are there.

We will be experiencing these triggers for the rest of our lives, some won't bother us, but others will come as a suprise and leave us thinking about what did we used to do when we felt like that. If I were an over-eater, i'd be reaching for a cake, but i'm not, i'm an ex-smoker so it'll be the cigarettes i'll be thinking of.

Hope this makes sense, and sorry it was kind of long winded. I've quit twice before and it was complacancy that was my mistake, a mistake I really don't want to make again.

Thanks guys.

I'd agree Lorraine, for me the associations were a big issue too, strangely enough after a few weeks took a flight, and although life was easier as I wasn't gasping for a fag, still had a pang when flight was over and luggage collected and no fag afterwards, cause it was an association, mad innit!

I was just concerned that you might be thinking this is easy - when for most people it isn't and that's a pitfall for many, the belief that they can just have one.

You're doing good and sound aware and awake to your own traps, keep going it's really worth it.

Best of luck.

M

[nsd_user663_4016]

Hi, I know how you feel about being around smokers and breathing in the second hand smoke. My mother-in-law always had a cig lit at her home. She smoked in every room.(Bad part was that we owned the house! Had a lot of cleaning and painting after she passed to make the house presentable) When I first quit smoking I let my husband go to visit her and stayed away. After 1 week I felt it would be rude not going. It was hard to sit in the room while she was smoking, but I was determined that just because I quit, I was not going to be the type of person who was always coughing when others were smoking! Anyway, I didn't smoke and got to the point after a few visits that while I didn't like the smell, I could deal with it for the brief times we were there. As time went on I didn't mind the smell at all. Brief incounters with smoke should not hurt or wake up the nicodemon if we are not smoking the cig ourselves(just my opinion). Jody

[nsd_user663_7742]

Woo hoo we've made it to day 13!!

Passive smoking: whilst it's obviously not a good thing, I seriously struggle with some of the statistics......if you were to believe all of them you'd have to ask yourself why there aren't more people addicted to smoking!

Anyway - I managed to avoid all my smoking friends & work colleagues for the first 5 days, but it is inevitable that you'll have to associate with them again eventually.

All I did was make it very clear that I'm quitting the fags and I would appreciate all the understanding & support that they know is required. And I've kept up the momentum via the likes of Facebook - that has had the double benefit of keeping myself motivated and has ensured that nobody can say they forgot what I'm doing (I haven't been offered a single fag yet, and the other day my friends kept leaving the room to have a smoke!!).

So I say go and enjoy your party - just make it bloomin' clear to everyone that you'd appreciate a bit of help