Cravings getting worse ...

[Sally6]

Day 34 for me. On Saturday I was quite pleased with myself when I realised I had gone a whole month without smoking.

However, the cravings have been awful for the past couple of days. This seems to be getting harder for me and it was around 5- 6 weeks that both my previous serious attempts to quit have failed. I don't want to smoke again and am trying to stay focussed on achieving my next goals - to make it to 50 days and then to complete NO-vember. But I am finding myself getting a bit upset when I think about how I will get through the next few weeks without failing again.

Any help, advice (and even nagging) would be appreciated.

Sally.

[nsd_user663_2681]

Sally this sounds very similar to the situation I found myself in... My danger zone was 8 weeks I always failed at 8 weeks so therefore I built it up to be a massive thing and lo and behold panic set in and I failed again.... Then on my last quit I made it to 10 and a bit weeks, my point is you WILL get to day 50 and you WILL complete November you just have to ride it out and hang in there... Try not to think about the 5 week thing it will just add unnecessary pressure...for now take it a day at a time and tell yourself " I won't smoke today" if you keep following that you will pass 50 days with flying colours xx

[nsd_user663_62023]

I always used to get a bit of a jitter after every big milestone. I think it's that tiny fear popping up again that says we can't manage without smoking or fear that this time we might actually do it and that means we never get to smoke again.

Keep reminding yourself of why you are CHOOSING not to smoke.

Do not think too far in advance, you will not smoke today is as far as it goes.

Remember the biggest lie is that you need nicotine, you don't it's a poison. It does nothing for you. The only thing a cigarette does is make you want the next one.

Life is much better without wasting huge amounts of money and the horrible slavery that smoking is. I know as 9 months ago I was having the same arguments in my head that you're having now. You can do this.

[nsd_user663_62886]

Hi Sally,

I am 11 days behind you and struggling myself. This is my first ever quit so don't have much experience but all I know is that I do not ever want to go through all this again so I am hanging on for dear life even if it kills me. What i find really helpful is to read the posts nearer the penthouse and i can always see a trend....from reading the posts everything looks a lot easier than it is for us new people. If it was this hard all the time no-one would be able to do it. I am learning all the time by reading all the threads and everyone struggles real bad at different points in the quit. I found the first 2 weeks easier than these last two weeks but in a different way. For me the hard part is hanging on when it gets tough and tougher still. It tests every part of your being it seems. Keep strong and get moving forward. Good luck and Im here giving you a shove from below

[nsd_user663_60964]

Nothing I can add to the splendid advice you have already recieved but I just wanted to add my voice to the rest in terms of wishing you well and congratulating you on already having parked your first month. I'm ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN you're heading straight for the Penthouse so now you have no choice you see...

[nsd_user663_59644]

Hello how well your doing great advice, you know you can do this, as Max says just a bit at a time, no massive goals ahead just a moment in time.

I do hope you are so very pleased with your quit to date, just keep going, of course it's quite normal for our emotions to go into overdrive, it is indeed a very strong addiction, The longer the quit, the weaker the craves will become.

I do hope to day is a better one for you.

[nsd_user663_62294]

Hi Sally, I don't really have anything to add that hasn't already been said, just wanted to give you more support. You can do this. One day at a time :D

[Sally6]

Thank you for all your replies. They have all really helped and I am now not worried about getting to the end of November, I am just concentrating on getting to the end of today and being able to tick off day 35 on the calendar as another day when I have not smoked.

Thanks again everybody!

[nsd_user663_62366]

All words of wisdom from those who has forged on before me.

And I would say similar, get through the current minute, hour, day at a time, and tomorrow will take care of itself. Protect the King, and the rest will follow (Life of a King ? )

On another note, the more times you are successful in saying no, the less frequent the cravings/trigger occur. It's all about rewiring the internals of our brain, and I can attest to it.

So keep saying No to Nicodemon, and he actually gets the hint, and slowly fades away. That one's a funny fella, you know, say I get stressed out, and he pops around the corner and say "edge, have one, you'll be alright" and I said "no". He does that like 10 more times and the voila, he stops popping by. Strange, but true. He just gave up.

But he comes by, when I get my hands around a pint of ale.... repeat story, and he goes away again.

Nowadays, he likes to pop up, whilst I'm on vacation. :eek:

I know, over time, each time we say No, it gets easier. It really does.

And the frequency whereby we feel like having a drag, also reduces.

Know that it gets better, and meanwhile, keep your guard up, forge on, and simply think about the next minute/hour, getting through it, and before you know it, you've crossed that magic dangerous minute and am on your merry way as a non-smoker.