Question for the pro's please

Can I ask all the long term quitters and pros does Mr nic ever die??? Or does he lurk in the shadows forever once you have quit? I think this is an important question because being nearly 2 months now and weaning off nrt, just using my ecig now no patches or chewing gums, will I always have to be on my guard?

[glolin LONG TERM WINNER]

Hi Sharon, again I think you will find it is different for everyone. My hubby gave up smoking 10 years ago and he says he never gets the urge/craving etc for a smoke and hasn't done since around a year after quitting. My daughter on the other hand, she quit around 6 years ago when pregnant and still gets urges for a cigarette. Yet as a smoker, a packet of 20'a would last her a week and hubby was a 20 a day smoker.

It will be interesting to see other comments on this

[glolin LONG TERM WINNER in reply to glolin]

If it's an help, I very rarely get an urge for a cigarette, can go a few weeks and then all of a sudden for no reason it just hits ya.. I feel the more of them you face, the stronger you become and the urges weaken They don't last long and whenever i get one i just think to myself....Mr Nic is just keeping me honest

[jillygirl Administrator Queen Bee]

Hi Sharon I have been quit nearly 3 years now and only once have it thought about wanting to smoke. But the thought went as quickly as it came. I must admit I occasionally when asleep I dream of smoking but I think thats where its implanted in the back of your brain.

My Dad gave up smoking at 36yrs old. He lived to 72yrs. about 3 days before he passed away he woke up and said he thought he had a cigarette in his hand for a minute. Must be implanted into our brains.

[Hidden in reply to jillygirl]

Oh wow, how strange, I think you are right it must always be printed on our brains but as you said the longer we have quit the further back it goes,they say before we pass away we go back in time and think we see people from the past and maybe that was the same for you dad and he went back in time to when he smoked xx

[Briarwood Administrator Ducky]

Hiya Sharon not sure mr nic ever really dies but I kicked him to the ground and he does sometimes raise his ugly head

I know everyone is different but I personally know that I will always be on the alert and never get complacent coz I think just one puff and I'd be back where I started

It does get easier the longer you're quit but for me I'll stay on this site coz personally I don't trust myself x

[Hidden]

Everyone's saying the same, I am always going to be on guard then and not get complasant, I am looking forward to the not thinking about smoking every single day because I must admit it gets mentally exhausting especially trying to keep busy to try not to think about it! What I do know for sure tho I am the same as jillygirl, this is one of the main reasons I come on here to get support and know I am not just fighting Mr nic on my own, thank you Briar aswell for your support xx

[monky Administrator Cake sniffer outer in reply to Hidden]

Hi ya Sharon

Yes like the others have said, I expect the smoking thing will always be embedded in our brains

BUT the more people that quit the better cos there wont be so many people you see smoking and this might hopefully close some of the tobacco factories and as time goes on, with the price of cigs as they are now, in a couple of Years time they will be about £20.00 a flippin pack

So hopefully in a few Years, fags will be a thing of the past and we wont have to worry about going back to them, cos they simply wont be there

[glolin LONG TERM WINNER in reply to monky]

I think it would be great to put surveys into some of the Uni's annually and see if there is a decline of young people taking up smoking. Not sure where else you could enough stats from young people.

I sure hope that all the money invested in education has paid off

[Hidden]

Yes that would be brilliant, 7 pound a packet is ridiculous now, I really don't know how I managed it, I do know I would go without food for myself and I would not put petrol in my car and stay in just to get them, how depressing,so glad I am not that person anymore x

[yellowsnowdrop]

I still have the odd time,usually when I'm stressing over something,when I would kill for a cig.I smoked 15/20 day for near on 38yrs & I'll have been quit for 16 months next week. I honestly think I gave up my ECig too early but had no choice as I was in hospital having surgery on my back.I still miss it but know I could never go back mainly because I couldn't go thru the quit process again.I'm having a bad day today & could quite cheerfully smoke a cig now (having problems with my mum again!!) & I hate feeling like this.I think it's different for everyone as Pete and Jilly have said,some miss it while others don't,it's all a question of how you deal with those cravings and concentrating on not giving in.I'm going back to the gym this week coz I know my cravings were pretty non existent when I was exercising,my new years resolution is to walk 50 miles a week. You've honestly done the hardest bit Sharon,look at where you are now and how far you've come,you never ever need to go back,just stay strong.Hugs Helen

[Hidden in reply to yellowsnowdrop]

Hugs back to u too Helen thank you, you are an inspiration, will keep going, no turning back now xxx

[droopyJ]

My Dad quit about 30 years ago - he was a 40-60 a day man... he's never missed them or felt the urge. My sister gave up when she was pregnant, about 17years ago and the only time she wants one was if I lit one.... now I've stopped hopefully so will her craving.... I do still get quite a few cravings, but to be honest, Id be sooooo embarrassed if I had to come on here and tell ya I've given in to them that it just aint worth it

[Briarwood Administrator Ducky in reply to droopyJ]

Hiya sis, how's it going ? seems ages since I saw you last

Embarrassed isn't the only thing you'd be feeling, let me tell ya x

[droopyJ in reply to Briarwood]

well hello there mother-in-law to be

How you diddling hun? was it a surprise for you or did you know your son was gonna pop the question??

[monky Administrator Cake sniffer outer in reply to droopyJ]

Since when have mothers been surprised

[droopyJ in reply to monky]

I surprise mine all the time

[Briarwood Administrator Ducky in reply to droopyJ]

Well why does that not surprise me x

[droopyJ in reply to Briarwood]

well life would be very boring indeed if I didn't surprise a few of my family members every now and again ... ;P

[monky Administrator Cake sniffer outer in reply to droopyJ]

LMAO

[Briarwood Administrator Ducky in reply to droopyJ]

How long before the holiday is it Droopy ?

It's great to have something to look forward to x

[droopyJ in reply to Briarwood]

its 4 weeks on Thursday........... how ridiculously fast has that come round???? went and had some jabs on Friday... now I know what a pin cushion feels like

got me rabies one tomorrow.... not sure why coz I reckon I have more chance of eating one than being bitten by one.... OOPS................ Taxi for droopy............

[Briarwood Administrator Ducky in reply to droopyJ]

Lucky you only 4 weeks, how fantastic is that for ya, how long you going for hun x

[droopyJ in reply to Briarwood]

3 weeks ...... cant wait

[Briarwood Administrator Ducky in reply to droopyJ]

Well are you confused, is it 3 or 4 wks, you on the v&p or what x

[droopyJ in reply to Briarwood]

LMAO... I go in 4 weeks but I am away for 3 weeks....

[Briarwood Administrator Ducky in reply to droopyJ]

LMAO oh it's meeeee that's confused, now I see it

What'll we do without ya for 3 weeks x

[droopyJ in reply to Briarwood]

Oh you'll manage Im sure.... you probably wont even realise Ive gone or who I am when I get back

[Briarwood Administrator Ducky in reply to droopyJ]

Oh I will miss you and will never forget you, no matter how hard I try x

[droopyJ in reply to Briarwood]

MMMMM did they put that on your old skool reports sis? must try harder....

[Briarwood Administrator Ducky in reply to droopyJ]

Mmmmmm they said be careful who ya hang out with x

[droopyJ in reply to Briarwood]

yeah a lot of my friends had that as well .....

[Briarwood Administrator Ducky in reply to droopyJ]

I'm not good with names but that penguin face I'll never be able to forget x

[droopyJ in reply to Briarwood]

I think I look like a big liquorice allsort......

[Briarwood Administrator Ducky in reply to droopyJ]

Nooooo they didn't say that but something about stay away from penguins and monkys

x

[droopyJ in reply to Briarwood]

DOH!!!!!

[Briarwood Administrator Ducky in reply to droopyJ]

Ok sorry sorry me thinks this post is too big for my iPad to handle as I've had so many attempts to post and it just won't x

[Briarwood Administrator Ducky in reply to monky]

Well I'd say your mother got a few surprises from you mr monky, more than a few x

[droopyJ in reply to Briarwood]

LOL

[Briarwood Administrator Ducky in reply to droopyJ]

I sort of thought he would this year but not within the first few days x

[droopyJ in reply to Briarwood]

Ahh bless makes a change from xmas/NYE/Valentines/B'day..... He's orginal at least

I have been up in the loft and got down my big floppy hat coz I reckon I is gonna need it now

[Briarwood Administrator Ducky in reply to droopyJ]

Can we share the hat x

[droopyJ in reply to Briarwood]

No need sis, we can go matching

You'll need to make sure that his fiancée's mum wont be wearing anything that will clash....

tse1.mm.bing.net/th?&id=HN....

[monky Administrator Cake sniffer outer in reply to droopyJ]

[Briarwood Administrator Ducky in reply to droopyJ]

LMAO x

[monky Administrator Cake sniffer outer in reply to droopyJ]

Would it do for 3 of us do you think

[droopyJ in reply to monky]

no worries - I got it covered....

encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/...

[Briarwood Administrator Ducky in reply to droopyJ]

Oh no I'm seeing triple x

[droopyJ in reply to Briarwood]

Take more tonic with it hun .....

[Briarwood Administrator Ducky in reply to droopyJ]

LMAO x

[monky Administrator Cake sniffer outer in reply to droopyJ]

Well, I was thinking more on the lines of this

fountainviewacademy.ca/wp-c...

[droopyJ in reply to monky]

don't know about you two, but ma head is NOT that big

[monky Administrator Cake sniffer outer in reply to droopyJ]

I aint said note xx

[droopyJ in reply to monky]

mmmmmm

[Briarwood Administrator Ducky in reply to monky]

That's a good idea, you can be a stand in just in case the v&p or the g&t goes to our heads x

[theent 16 Months Winner]

From what ive read the time scales of 3days, 3 weeks and 3 months are tough and the first year is about building up a disassociation with typical triggers, traffic lights, coffee break, or talking to the utility company on the phone and having the urge to do something nasty (and have a smoke).

After the first year when we (Collective we) the typical triggers will be distant latent memory (I hope) and should not be strong enough to make us want to rush to the shops and buy smokes.

[Kas100 10years winner]

Hi Sharon, I've smoked on and off for 30ish years sometimes going for years without a ciggie.

But for me I've always had the cravings particularly at stressful times. I agree with Theent about triggers, I can go all day without thinking about cigs but when I come home with the supermarket shopping (my trigger) the urge hits me like an arrow from nowhere.

I think it's totally different for everyone, I have friends who stopped smoking and never ever miss them.

I'm determined this time to ignore the triggers as they do subside if I can ignore them for a few hours. Like Helen said I don't want to keep going through the quit process.

But I think it does get easier with time as smoking becomes a distant memory.

You've done the hardest part now - it can only get easier

Kas xx

[Hidden]

Hi Sharon

I also smoked for many years and have stopped now for over nineteen months. I still get the urge to have a cigarette most days but not in that intense way like in the beginning , it is def much easier to handle now and gets better each month. So yes everyone's different I think you have to train your brain to react to smoking in a negative way ie bad for you health, make you smell, take all your money and if you started again it would taste disgusting, but that's just my take on it. Well done Sharon NOPE xx

[winnietyson 21 Months Winner]

Hi Sharon I am 6 months quit and I normally don't have any problems with Mr Nic as I'm using an e cig...... But I hit a crisis just before Xmas which sent me straight around the corner for the old crutch!! After that I am now smoke free again but I will be keeping some of the high nic level juice in my cupboard for the next time I have a crisis!!