Craving AGAIN?!!!! HELP. Work brain work!

[Exsmo]

It is a beautiful spring feeling day. Any other year i would be out back turning dirt readying my beds; flower, herb, vegetable, and scaling land fore irrigation and to right the weird slope i live on into terraces ( a few year project). All this while chain smoking. I soo loved those times.

Today I haven’t smoked and feel so deprived of enjoyment in my yard. Am craving so strong and don’t feel able to go out back without cigs! This is too depressing for words and I don’t know what to do.

I really want to smoke and start my projects. Seems my brain won’t work without cigs!

This seems a fine pickle I’ve got myself into. Quit smoking now I can’t do anything else???

I have a recovery class tonight (am the only quit smoker- some are overeaters(which now i am too). Some prescriptions drugs addicts... i was told to journal all feelings right now.... i feel like rolling up the feelings and Smoking them! I know i smoked for comfort so am trying to work this out. Feeling pretty batty here. These are just cigs and i feel like a full blown drug addict needing a fix! It seems the crave has been all day! WHAT IS GOING ON? I haven’t wanted ome so bad since first weeks of quit on october! Help SOS forgot what

to write. 911 in America lol

[Atta1 3 Months Smoke Free Valued Contributor]

Ok, well first of all remember the crave will pass whether you smoke or not. The difference is if the crave goes because you've smoked you will be so disappointed in yourself.

I remember when I first joined, you was one of the people I wanted to be, because you was about a month in already and a month to a newbie feels like forever.

I promise you, you will enjoy doing your yard again. Cigarettes did NOT make it enjoyable, you are looking back and remembering the good old days, the ones with cigarettes, however it is a lie. The cigarette was not involved in making it a good day. Tending the yard, in the spring weather made it a good day.

You can and you WILL stay smoke free, remember this is a fight for your life.

You have the rope, just don't let go and you will be fine. X

[Exsmo in reply to Atta1]

Thanks Atta1 this set me back on track mentally even where i still wanted one. So glad I didn’t. This inspired me. So meaningful you had looked up to me. Wow. So appreciate you writing this! Thsnk you!!! I did NOT smoke

[RoisinO1 Administrator 3 Years Smoke Free]

OK Exsmo - lots of deep breaths and time to read one of the first posts you read here again.

healthunlocked.com/nosmokin...

These nostalgic cravings are normal and you will have many of them in your first year smoke free, but THE GOOD NEWS....is once you overcome them for the first time, you will not have them again, well not as severe this time

When I had these, I would watch a good comedy movie, listen to some of your favourite music, try to relax and know that this will pass and tomorrow WILL be a better day...

I will leave you with a post of mine a good while ago worth a read:

healthunlocked.com/nosmokin...

[Jwk1962 1 Year Smoke Free]

Exsmo, 100 days is fantastic. Couple months and ill hit triple digits too.. hope the urge didn't get the best of you. 🚭. Jeff

[Exsmo in reply to Jwk1962]

Thankfully it did not... bu the skin of my teeth!

[Hidden]

Oh exsmo !!! I know how you feel It’s just flashbacks 😏

Also as you know I’m feeling very strong but sometimes I get an urge out of no where and just like Roisin mentioned the deep breathing exercise helps very much but you have to breath very deep and exhale strong too sometimes I get a little dizzy from that but after 2 min the urge is gone ..

Also as you know I use my nic free vape not all the time but for those truly stressful moments ..So just keep it strong you will see how all those urges will disappear very soon and you will feel even stronger 😘

[Exsmo in reply to Hidden]

Thanks so Karina. That helps.

[Jwk1962 1 Year Smoke Free in reply to Hidden]

I prefer to call them urges, over craving. Just my 2¢ 😓🚭

[Exsmo]

I made it. Barely but i made it.

[RoisinO1 Administrator 3 Years Smoke Free in reply to Exsmo]

Good to read 📖, was thinking of you. Hope today is a better day, keep that sword up🤺

[RoisinO1 Administrator 3 Years Smoke Free in reply to RoisinO1]

How has your day been Exsmo ?

[Exsmo in reply to RoisinO1]

Remarkably better. RoisinO1 i hate to admit it, but i was really worried i wasn’t going to make it through that one for 2 days! Sooo odd! Knocked me for a loop. Reread old articles.

Thanks for askin thanks for carin. Whew. Just some ligher craves now. Seems so odd they got so strong and its been getting easier!

[RoisinO1 Administrator 3 Years Smoke Free in reply to Exsmo]

Sorry Exsmo , only getting to reply now, glad things have settled down, I promise, things really start to improve from the 6 to 12 months stretch. With regards dieting and stopping smoking, it definitely would be putting added pressure on yourself, I know you need to loose weight for your condition you have, but try not depriving yourself but eating healthy and smaller portion sizes (3 meals, 2 snacks a day)

Maybe with the weather getting better in Kentucky, you might be able to get swimming outdoors soon?

We had beautiful spring sunshine this week but turning bitterly cold with easterly winds coming from Russia bringing sub zero conditions for the next 7 days of at least -9 degrees This winter seems never ending!!🌨❄☃️❄

PS That emoji of the roller coaster is the best ever way to describe this journey, you will be on the flat soon 🎢and going through the bright light of the big tunnel in first class in the orient express 🚆🛤🚞 Hope your weekend is going ok???

[RoisinO1 Administrator 3 Years Smoke Free in reply to RoisinO1]

How are you Exsmo , you ok?

[Exsmo in reply to RoisinO1]

Yes thank you RoisinO1 have a few new things going on and w my disease/disorder am getting pretty wore out trying ro be normal lol. Am just going to have ro admit my limitations to people who aren’t aware of them yet always hate that. Thanks for checking in. I had a full day w previous date ish person. Though exhausted i still didn’t want time to end so... there is that

[RoisinO1 Administrator 3 Years Smoke Free in reply to Exsmo]

Good to read you have a few new things going on Exsmo your 6 month milestone will fly in now - delighted the dating is going well, keep us updated and don't forget about us here!

[Hidden in reply to Exsmo]

Exellent !!

[Hidden]

hi Exsmo

sorry just seen.

hopefully you took deep breaths and came out the good end.

I feel something,I think id be smoking when I finish this,then think dizzy c. w,

you will get moments,you have proved you can win,you are stronger than you think.

take care 😊

keep kicking 😎

[Exsmo in reply to Hidden]

You’re right miss lizzy. This time like to got me BUT they didn’t! PTL!!!

[Nozmo Valued Contributor]

This rings so many bells with me Exsmo

I used to feel exactly the same and the first few days of spring were a mass of cravings. I just want to say that even though it feels like this feeling will never go away, it does, and it gets a lot easier. I'm fully expecting to be thinking nostalgically about smoking when our Spring eventually shows up but it will be nothing like it used to be.

I reckon we will get a lot more posts like this as the weather improves over the next few weeks.

Sorry I missed this yesterday by the way, but glad to hear you made it through.

I recommend moving to the north east of England as we only have about 2 weeks of what you would call spring. The rest of the time it's the usual dismal weather that we put up with for most of the rest of the year

[Exsmo in reply to Nozmo]

Thanks Zmo bro Nozmo grreat to hear it wont be like this always. Shot me for a loop big time. Today was better but at times were not. Thankful it didn’t last ALL day like previous 2days. Someone told me to journal feelings. Ha! I wantes to roll that paper & smoke it! Thanks for “getting it”...must be a ‘Mo’ thing. Sorry y’all only get 2weeks break from dismal. We will have a sweltering heat from May/June to October.

[Hercu Valued Contributor in reply to Exsmo]

Exmo..Sorry I also missed the whole ordeal and hope you are on the straight road again...It is very funny how this quit thing works and that might be the reason why we regocnise it as a roller coaster ride...

So the only advice is jump on, hold on and enjoy it...!

Strongs Exsmo.!

[Exsmo in reply to Hercu]

🎢 weeeeeee! 😳🙃

[Nozmo Valued Contributor in reply to Exsmo]

Good to hear day three of it was a little better than the previous two. You're also around the three month mark, where a lot of people experience some unexpected intense cravings. I think you'll be back to normal in no time! That's the trouble with quitting in winter - you get it bad when the weather improves. Strangely enough I also get the urge to smoke when it snows! I used to LOVE smoking in the snow.

I may have exagerated our climate - it isn't always dismal; sometimes it rises to tepid.

Your summer sounds like a hot one, not sure I could handle that for so long. I was in Spain on holiday last year and it was around 35°C (95°F) during the day, which was far too hot for me. Whereabouts in the US are you?

Sorry for my rambling Exsmo , hope today gets better again for you.

[Exsmo in reply to Nozmo]

I live in Kentucky.

Actually am coming on to 5 months soon. I have March 30 down for my 6month mark where i kept reading it will be all downhill from there. I’ ve not really experienced any joys from the quit so hang onto a future day to stay quit. Not sure if its other health problems and weight gain combo keeping me from them, but i just keep hoping to feel better soon.

No worries about rambling, i do it often

[Nozmo Valued Contributor in reply to Exsmo]

Experienced the summers in Florida, N. Carolina and New Jersey but haven't been to Kentucky. They were all a lot hotter than I'm used to!

Hope today's going well for you Exsmo.

[Exsmo in reply to Nozmo]

Yes summers are hot. Wouldn’t be so bad if it

Weren’t so humid. California was hotter but more pleasant w/ no high humidity.

Today is a better but that creepy want feeling isn’t left yet. Seems to

Be lurking around corners or something! It’s very strange. Like RoisinO1 said i keep my defenses up. Been dieting 3weeks (fairly strict) not lost anything, but can’t give that up or wont be able to move properly so perhaps thats triggering it??? I smoked to self soothe and to not

overeat so am really wanting something

For both. This is a 🎢 ride like Hercu said. Am sooo ready for the downhill fun part of the ride!

Am so grateful to you all and miss Hidden . I get a kick outta her fun spirit too.

[KathieO 100 Days Smoke Free]

The association's are a killer. No doubt about it. But you should trade that smoke for something else. Find what works for you. Because thats all it is. Your mind is on that schedule so dont let it program you! You can reprogram your mind to this event.

[Exsmo in reply to KathieO]

Am kinda confused KathieO . I didn’t smoke. Did you think i did?

[KathieO 100 Days Smoke Free in reply to Exsmo]

That's OK. I was trying to say projects and smoking go together for smokers. We just need to rewire ourselves. I'm glad you got passed this. I had a meltdown not too long ago myself. Glad it's past.

[Jared01 Valued Contributor in reply to Exsmo]

You seem to be keeping very quiet Exsmo - everything ok??

[Exsmo in reply to Jared01]

Yes. Jewish holdidays are beginning. Very very busy time. Lots to cook, clean, prepare. Thanks for asking! Not smoked and much better. Striving for 6months 😁