I'm on day 16 of my quit, early days yes but cant help thinking will i ever be 'safe' from smoking again? Some people on this forum have quit for 1-3 years and then started smoking again. My own dad quit for 14 months then one day juts went and bought a pouch of tobacco, back to the habit.
In 5-10+ years will i be safe? Will i be sitting there one day and just think about having a smoke? Will i reach for one? Or will i be completely rid of smoking thoughts. This is my current worry and its actually driving me nuts, maybe its a rough patch i'm going through, a part of the rollercoaster journey that is QUITTING? I dont know but i would like to see what others think.......
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nsd_user663_57734
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I'm safe, I've been safe since I accepted that smoking doesn't do anything for me.
Once my mind was set I've been confident in the knowledge that I both can and will stay smoke free.
There have been occasions when there have been nostalgic "wants" but nothing that took much effort to dismiss.
It had pretty much sunk in by a couple of months in, by 100 days it was well entrenched, by 1 year it was very comfortable, by 18 months it was rare to think about smoking when not on the forum, @ 2 years and beyond I think I'm less likely want to start smoking than someone who has never smoked.
So to repeat, you are safe when you have successfully changed the way you think/feel about smoking
I'm safe, I've been safe since I accepted that smoking doesn't do anything for me.
Once my mind was set I've been confident in the knowledge that I both can and will stay smoke free.
There have been occasions when there have been nostalgic "wants" but nothing that took much effort to dismiss.
It had pretty much sunk in by a couple of months in, by 100 days it was well entrenched, by 1 year it was very comfortable, by 18 months it was rare to think about smoking when not on the forum, @ 2 years and beyond I think I'm less likely want to start smoking than someone who has never smoked.
So to repeat, you are safe when you have successfully changed the way you think/feel about smoking
Thank you NicFirth - I need to keep hearing those words too. Those words of success.
Not sure...as it's an individual thing, quitting, because we all have different reasons for doing it. I've found that I have stopped thinking about it all the time now & have started seeing myself as more of a non smoker than an ex smoker, if that makes sense.
So to repeat, you are safe when you have successfully changed the way you think/feel about smoking
^^^^^^^ THIS ^^^^^^^^
Am one of the ones who packed in then started again - well several times really but the reson behind that was that I still liked smoking, was happy to smoke for the rest of my life right up until just before I quit in December, and hadn't stopped for myself but because I was nagged or guilt tripped into doing it.
In my mind smoking still = fun, naughty, nice etc
This time it doesn't. smoking = expensive, smelly and makes me an addict.
Couple of days ago I had a big shock which has upset me. My first instinct was to smoke and although it's still tempting I haven't. Any previous quit I'd have done the human chimney thing 'cos of thinking it would help/make me feel better/whatever. Have reasoned it through that me popping a fag or 20 in my mouth wouldn't change what's upset me so there's no point to it.
It's a mental thing - and when you get that right you're a lot safer
Oh and because I know you were worrying about drinking and not smoking:
I've been off the fags for 5 and a half months, off the e cig for 4 weeks today - and can drink as much as I like without the thought of smoking crossing my mind.
Well done Lady for still being here. Having nearly reached 11 weeks, I feel quite safe. Bottom line is I don't want to be a smoker so I won't have a fag NOPE
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